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Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper

The Tennessee Legislature has taken healthcare up a notch by approving a $917,000 safety net budget for health department expansions and improvements. Seven county health departments received a piece of that budget with another $4.8 million being funded for private physicians and hospital affiliated clinics that service the insured.

In West Tennessee, health departments in Gibson, Tipton and McNairy counties got much-needed shots in the arm to help improve services.

Gibson County received $20,000 in safety net funds for a new facility in Humboldt. Between January and September 2006, the Gibson County Health Department provided 1,565 adult primary care visits and another 12,513 for other types of visits including children and adults needing other types of care.

Carla Coley, director of the Gibson County Health Department, said in addition to the $20,000 received from the state, a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant was received from the federal government to add on to the existing facility. Another $20,900 came from the county budget.

"We moved to Humboldt in 1992 and have run out of room," Coley said. "We're adding on about 1,300 onto the 3,200 square feet we've already got. We're going over final set of plans now and they look good to go. Hopefully, we can open bids by the middle of May."

Coley said she has been waiting to fill a much needed social worker position due to the space shortage. New offices in addition to clinical space will help tremendously with the efficiency of the county's programs.

West [Tennessee] Regional Health Director Tony Harden said the safety net funds are also being used to make changes to accommodate the provision of primary care services such as changing office space into clinic space.

McNairy County received $77,300 to purchase a new space for its clinics. McNairy County Health Director Kevin Morris said the response from patients and the medical community has been very gratifying, but the current building has been outgrown.

"We really appreciate Mayor Templeton," Morris said. "He recognized the problem immediately and is helping us find the funds to expand. This is the first step."

Tipton County has been desperate for more room. The $110,300 the county received in safety net funds will go toward the expansion of its clinic, enabling more prompt, efficient care. During the first nine months of 2006, the county saw 745 adult primary care visits and another 10,802 in other types of visits.

"We are desperate for additional clinic rooms," said Tipton County Health Director Danny Perry. "The present two-and-a-half clinic room arrangement is severely undersized for our patient services. The safety net money will go a long way in helping the county provide the needed funding for our expansion."

In June 2006, Gov. Phil Bredesen signed the Cover Tennessee Act, which includes initiatives to extend health coverage to uninsured children and chronically ill adults, and creates a low-cost insurance program for uninsured working Tennesseans. Bredesen said the safety net investments are essential in making sure those who need basic health services have them.

"Our safety net investments are crucial to ensure that residents have these services available in their own communities. We'll continue our work with the Tennessee General Assembly to support the network of healthcare providers who care for uninsured citizens in this area and throughout Tennessee," Bredesen said.

Additional health departments around the state also received funds for expansion or new construction or improvements.

The East Tennessee counties of Sequatchie got $184,400 for a new health department facility and Greene County pocketed $164,500 for a health department expansion. The Middle Tennessee county of Sumner was given $311,000 in safety net funds for a new health department in Portland while Lawrence County got $49,500 for a health department expansion.

In Greene County, Rep. Eddie Yokley, District 11, said he was glad to work with Bredesen to expand the provision of healthcare and was pleased to see the continued commitment at work in the county. "This displays our determination to provide primary care to as many of our people as we can," Yokely said.

The Sumner County Health Department currently has two locations: the main office in Gallatin and a clinic in Hendersonville. Last year, the Sumner County Health Department provided care for nearly 6,000 adult primary care visits and more than 22,000 other visits. The new Portland clinic will offer a full array of traditional public health services as well as primary care.

Portland Mayor Ken Wilber said he is very excited about the coming addition of this new health department clinic: "We really appreciate the Sumner County Health Department, the county commission, the county executive and state for making it possible."

Lawrence County provided care for more than 2,300 adult primary care visits and more than 9,800 other visits from January to September 2006. When the expansion is completed in Lawrenceburg, it will almost double the size of the current building.

Lawrence County Executive Paul Rosson said he is grateful that Lawrence County has received the grant award.

"Our office of grants management worked closely with the health department staff to secure these funds. This money will be used for the greater enhancement of our county's health department," Rosson said.

Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, Nashville, said through programs like Cover Tennessee and continued investments in the state's healthcare safety net, the state is working to meet the basic healthcare needs of working uninsured citizens of the state.

"These Safety Net funds are an important means of support to help us provide primary healthcare services at our county health departments and continue our mission to promote, protect and improve the health of Tennessee citizens," said Cooper.


May 2007

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