County Executive Chris Collin’s 2010
budget plan calls for primary health care services to be cut at the Jesse E.
Nash Health Care Center and Pediatrics, at 608 William Street, and the Dr. Matt
Gajewski Human Services Center, at 1500 Broadway, the county’s only two
remaining health clinics.
The
county executive has proposed to transfer these non-mandated clinical services
to the Sheehan Health Network of Buffalo.
The
Jesse Nash Health Care Center offers women’s health services, family planning
(including free family planning services to those who qualify), GYN and
prenatal services, dental and mental health services, the latter through
Mid-Erie Counseling and Treatment Services, to low-income women and teens. All
health insurances are accepted, and free family planning services can be
received by anyone meeting income requirements through the Family Planning
Benefit Program.
The Dr.
Matt Gajewski Human Services Center offers primary care, including adult
medicine, pediatrics, podiatry and women’s health care services and free family
planning services for those who qualify. All health insurances are accepted,
and free family planning services can be received by anyone meeting income
requirements through the Family Planning Benefit Program.
“This
reduction of health and medical services is targeting those people who are most
in need of such services and whose voices need to be heard loud and clear by
the administration,” according to County Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams. “Senior citizens and people of lower economic status have fewer
alternatives for their health care, and this action will further reduce
them.”
Legislator
Miller-Williams noted that the patients, community and the Ellicott
Neighborhood Advisory Council are opposed to this change due to many years of
success these centers have had reaching out to thousands of clients living
nearby.
“Senior
citizens, who have worked hard their entire lives, are now being told that they
have to find a new facility to receive some or all of their medical care, and
they will have to find transportation to get them there,” Legislator
Miller-Williams added. “People have been utilizing the services at these
clinics for over 10 years, and should not have this important part of their
lives uprooted. The county budget should not be balanced on the backs of the
people seeking health care at these clinics. I will fight to keep these
services available to the people who need and deserve them.”
Does it make sense to cut these clinics and redirect health care to Sheehan? With extra money going to culturals from the county, should health care take the bite?