Red Bird Clinic Community Health
Project Information
Providing health programs for low-income underinsured and uninsured people in remote mountain areas
Annual Goal: $35,000.00
Year to Date Gifts: $10,087.57
Describe the need affecting community
Red Bird Clinic, Inc., guided by Jesus Christ, empowers individuals and advocates justice by providing health programs for low-income, under-insured, and uninsured members of the surrounding communities. The areas served are officially designated as Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) by the US Department of Health and Human Services, as a Health Care Provider Shortage Area and as a Dental Health Care Provider Shortage Area by the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). Specialists are over 45-90 minutes away. Kentucky is among the least healthy in our nation, ranking 44th among 50 states. Moreover, on key indicators such as diabetes and obesity its status has worsened every year since 1990 (United Health Foundation, 2012). Clay County, one of the 3 counties Red Bird Clinic Inc., serves, is sparsely populated with just 23,629 people. This low population density contributes to the grim, perilous, health status statistics. The county hovers at the bottom of Kentucky county rankings (119th out of 120) on all health indices (Kentucky Institute of Medicine, 2007). Contributing to this distinction (Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, 2012 unless otherwise stated): 1. 44% of the population classified with fair to poor health. 2. 45% of the population receives Medicaid. 3. 12.5% Unemployment . 4. 73% are overweight or obese. 5. Infant mortality is nearly double that of the state average. 6. Violent crime rate is 4 times that for the state and more than double the USA rate. 7. Lung and bronchial cancer occur at 1.5 times the national rate (National Cancer Institute, 2012). 8. Drug arrests are nearly 3 times the state rate. 9. 37% live below the poverty level (double state rate) (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). 10. Median value of owner-occupied housing is $56,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). 11. 49% high school graduation rate (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).
How will this Advance project help to address the need?
Red Bird Clinic, Inc. strives to improve the health of those living in remote communities in its service area where other services do not reach, or to persons that have limited or no transportation to available services. With the recent Medicaid Expansion, individuals can afford to receive basic medical and dental services never before attainable to them. Unfortunately, generations of poverty have greatly exacerbated health conditions that need extensive late stage treatment, follow up and support. Our discount dental sliding scale fee programs address these issues and many of our community health programs focus on healthy lifestyle or prevention models to better educate individuals on research based outcomes now that medical and dental care, rehabilitation, and preventative services are accessible to them.
Describe the primary goal of the project
Red Bird Clinic, Inc., guided by Jesus Christ, empowers individuals and advocates justice by providing health programs for low-income, underinsured, and uninsured members of the surrounding communities.
Describe the change you would like to see in the community as a result of this Advance project
A healthier community that requires less acute medical care where the elderly experience a higher quality of life due to improved health.