Expanded Care Funded for Clinics

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved spending $5.7 million to expand delivery of basic health care to the poor through a coalition of community clinics.

The money, which comes from the county’s share of the national tobacco settlement, will be used to help support 29 clinics operated by 17 organizations, said Marty Earlabaugh-Gordon, executive director of the Coalition of Orange County Community Clinics.

Earlabaugh-Gordon described the funding as “a sound investment in community clinics that will strengthen the ability of the coalition to provide clinical health-care services.”

Last year, the clinics provided medical care for 133,000 people during 366,000 visits.

The measure was approved 4 to 0, with Supervisor Tom Wilson absent.

Supervisor Jim Silva said the money would help reduce overcrowding in hospital emergency rooms--often the only place of treatment for those without insurance. “Community clinics really fill a gap,” Silva said.

The coalition, which began in 1974, serves as an advocate and grant-seeker for community health clinics. Its main focus is getting health care to the elderly, the poor and the uninsured.

Member agencies include Camino Health Center in San Juan Capistrano, the Casa de Salud Family Health Clinic in Santa Ana and the Puente a la Salud Mobile Community Clinic in Orange.

Earlabaugh-Gordon said the money would be dispersed based on proposals still being drafted. Some of the money could go to existing programs, while some could help agencies establish new areas of service, such as dental care.

She said at least one collaborative effort of three or more clinics may focus on health education.