Rally planned to back health center

The board of directors of the Flathead Community Health Center plans a “Save the Center” rally  from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at Gateway Community Center in Kalispell.

The center, including family planning, faces shutting its doors without restoration of money cut by the House from a continuing resolution now before the U.S. Senate. 

Sherry Stevens, health center board president, said people should come to the food court area of the former Gateway West Mall.

“We’re encouraging people to come and send a message to legislators,” Stevens said. “Everyone is welcome to come.”

She said supporters may send messages by computer and fax or make phone calls using equipment available at the rally. Stevens hopes to attract to the rally patients who use health-center services as well as people who support providing medical and dental care to low-income families.

“We’re trying to document the number of people who are concerned about potential reductions,” Stevens said.

She said that in January the center served more than 700 people — 1,100 counting dental services.

“There are a huge number of unemployed who are without health insurance,” Stevens said.

Volunteers and the center’s board of directors are organizing the rally to demonstrate community support for the center that opened two years ago with federal stimulus money. It was one of 127 new health centers targeted by the House to reduce federal spending.

Wendy Doely, health center executive director, said she received a notice Saturday morning from the Bureau of Primary Health Care of a temporary extension of grant money to continue through May 31. The health center grant period ended Monday; a family planning grant ends June 30.

Although the center has a reserve to continue operations for about two months, it receives malpractice insurance through its grant. An emergency health board meeting had been scheduled Monday but was canceled when the three-month federal reprieve arrived.

Flathead Community Health Center has 21 employees and family planning employs 10. Without action by the Senate or a veto by the president, those people will lose their jobs and more than 5,500 patients will lose their health care.

Federal dollars support about 60 percent of the cost of medical and dental care provided to a target demographic of families who earn incomes of 200 percent or less of the poverty level. For 2011, a family of four could make up to $44,700 a year and qualify.

Along with federal grants, the center receives revenue by billing Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE and major private insurance companies — but these make up a minority of patients. More than half of patients at the center have no insurance.

Doely was encouraged by Thursday’s rally to support the work of the health center and family planning.

“People in the community concerned about our future should come forward and let our legislators know,” she said.

At a recent board of health meeting, Health Officer Joe Russell said Flathead City-County Health Department also may suffer federal cuts to its grants for Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition program and air quality services.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com .