Santa Rosa County, Fla., free medical clinic gets closer to opening. - Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, FL)

Byline: Kari C. Barlow

Jul. 14--GULF BREEZE, Fla.-- After years of planning and praying for a free medical clinic, South Santa Rosa Interfaith Ministries is three months away from opening a facility on U.S. Highway 98 between Tiger Point and Midway.

The Good Samaritan Clinic, organizers say, is vital to meeting the needs of a growing number of uninsured families and individuals in Santa Rosa County.

'They don't have Medicare or Medicaid. They don't have any VA benefits or Social Security,' added Shirley Cornett, executive director of Interfaith Ministries.

Interfaith Ministries has plans to lease the old Mediacom building at 4435 U.S. Highway 98 and hopes to open the clinic doors by Nov. 1.

A recent informational meeting drew more than 50 people-- including many retired and practicing nurses and doctors-- who expressed an interest in volunteering at the clinic.

'It's been overwhelming,' said Elaine Laney, a volunteer with Interfaith Ministries. 'We've had a lot of nurses and social workers and medical techs who have called us.'

Navarre pharmacist Paul McMellon, who owns Rx Express, has signed on to help the clinic set up a small pharmacy, which will dispense life-saving drugs for blood pressure, heart problems and other critical conditions.

'I'm going to do what I can to help,' said McMellon. 'We all have to give back. That's just a human obligation.'

The Good Samaritan Clinic also will need volunteers to help refurbish its new building. Volunteers also are being recruited to screen patients and run the office.

'It doesn't matter what your skill is,' Cornett said. 'If your skill is running the vacuum cleaner, boy, can we use you!' The plan for a free medical clinic has been in the works since 2001 when Cornett and other volunteers began using U.S. Census data to gauge the health care needs of Santa Rosa residents.

Across the county, more than 16,000 families and individuals are uninsured, and about 6,400 are thought to be located on the south end.

'It's just a good ministry,' said Jan Leker, a Gulf Breeze emergency room nurse who plans on volunteering. 'Milton provides some indigent care, but we have nothing down here.'

Clinic organizers expect to serve many of the same people who seek help from Interfaith Ministries-- which is made up of eight area churches and assists needy families with housing, utilities, food, emergency travel and clothing.

'Most of our clients are young, single mothers,' Cornett said. 'They are working at mostly minimum-wage jobs.'

Cornett said roughly a third of the ministry's clients come from the Holley-Navarre area.

Tentative plans call for the clinic to be open four hours a day for two days a week. Patients must be screened for income and employment eligibility and will be seen on an appointment basis. Under clinic rules, clients must be working or actively seeking a job.

Cornett said Interfaith Ministries will provide an initial $50,000 to open the clinic but hopes to raise an additional $50,000 from grants and community donations.

South Santa Rosa Interfaith Ministries plans to open the Good Samaritan Clinic No. 1 in the old Mediacom building at 4435 U.S. Highway 98 east of Gulf Breeze. Organizers say they need volunteers to help refurbish the building as well as equipment and supplies.

To volunteer or make donations, call 934-8385, 932-3521 or 934-0574.

WISH LIST:

--Exam tables (4)

--Cabinets for supplies in exam room

--Blood pressure cuffs (regular and pediatric sizes)

--Stethoscopes Oto/opthalmic scopes (wall mounted)

--Thermometers Scale (1)

--Shelving for pharmacy

--Microscope Refrigerator

--Basic office supplies necessary to set up a medical clinic

--Pharmaceuticals (top 200 most prescribed medications)

--Computers and printers (in good working order)

--Computer program for pharmacy (maintains patient prescription information and generates prescription labels)

--TV set for waiting room

--Telephone system

--Waiting room chairs (20)

--Water coolers (2)

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