URBANA — Eighteen years after it bought its begin providing free well being care to the needy, the Champaign County Christian Well being Heart is elevating cash to maneuver right into a constructing of its personal.
This faith-based free clinic is at present in a short lived location at First United Methodist Church of Urbana at 304 S. Race St. — which is no less than its fourth location since its begin in 2004.
The clinic’s leaders are grateful for using the church area, mentioned Govt Director Crystal Hogue.
However on the church, such providers as dentistry and blood attracts aren’t out there.
Hours to see sufferers are supplied simply 4 evenings a month, and alternatives to broaden providers primarily based on sufferers’ wants are restricted, she mentioned.
“We’d like extra of a everlasting location,” Hogue mentioned.
The Champaign County Christian Well being Heart provides care to individuals who don’t have medical insurance or have insurance coverage that leaves them with out-of-pocket prices they will’t afford. It’s supported by donations and grants, and all of its suppliers are volunteer medical doctors, nurses and others from Carle Well being, Christie Clinic, OSF HealthCare and College of Illinois McKinley Well being Heart.
The clinic is at present open at no cost major care, mental-health care and dietician providers — plus non secular look after any sufferers who need it — on each second and fourth Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of the month, however its leaders hope to renew a dental clinic and blood attracts when the clinic is in a location of its personal, Hogue mentioned.
For now, because of an settlement with Carle, the clinic’s sufferers who want blood attracts are being despatched there for that service with out cost, she mentioned.
The clinic switched to telehealth visits and digital medical information when the pandemic started, Hogue mentioned.
It reopened for in-person visits final June on the church, by appointment solely. Hogue mentioned she hopes to have the ability to restore walk-in clinic occasions quickly.
The president of the well being heart’s board, Dr. Patricia McNussen, is a Carle specialist in neuro-ophthalmology who has been concerned with the clinic since its begin, and he or she sees the wants it fills.
“There are lots of people who can’t afford insurance coverage or can’t afford good insurance coverage,” she mentioned.
By offering major care to these sufferers, the volunteer suppliers can deal with hypertension, diabetes and different continual circumstances, in keeping with McNussen.
The well being heart believes in treating “the entire particular person,” and its suppliers are compassionate and wish to assist individuals any approach they will, she mentioned.
She, too, is grateful to the church for the area the clinic is utilizing, McNussen mentioned, however having the clinic in its personal area would deal with a number of points and permit for increasing providers and seeing extra sufferers, she mentioned.
At this level, the well being heart isn’t trying to purchase a constructing, however relatively to discover a location to lease for no less than three years. Fundraising to this point has introduced in $95,000 towards a $150,000 aim — the quantity wanted for lease and any reworking that may should be executed within the new area, Hogue mentioned.
The aim is to maneuver the well being heart to its personal area by the top of the 12 months, she mentioned.
The perfect location could be in a former scientific area, Hogue mentioned, however it could even be potential to transform vacant workplace area right into a clinic.
There are some limitations on areas, nevertheless. It must be on the bus line and stay in Champaign-Urbana to make it accessible to sufferers, Hogue mentioned.
To assist increase the remaining cash wanted, the well being heart is holding a fundraiser dinner April 2 within the Chancellor Ballroom on the I Lodge and Convention Heart in Champaign.
Tickets are $50 and could be purchased by way of the well being heart’s web site at ccchc2003.org/fundraiser.