Galax free health clinic faces money crisis

By Rosa Duarte

Published: May 28, 2008

The Free Clinic of the Twin Counties has served its area for 15 years providing free health care, but there’s a problem.

According to Executive Director Dina Slusher, they’ve seen a 159% increase in patients due to all the recent layoffs and slowing economy. Slusher says more patients means more prescriptions, money the clinic simply doesn’t have, “we need $15,000 to get us out of debt” Slusher says “but we need money to carry us through at least the first of August which would be at least $32,000.”

Slusher says they do get funding from the Virginia Association of Free Clinics based on the number of patients, but with the recent increase and with the fiscal year ending in July the funding has been the same as years before at $6,500. Slusher says recently they’ve been spending close to $9,000 a month just on prescriptions.

“If everybody gave just $5 we would not have this need. Especially until we can get some grants and until we can get more money from the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, at least to help us get going.”

According to Slusher staff who normally get paid for their services like doctors and nurse practitioners, have begun to volunteer their time instead to help ease Clinic costs.

But if things keep going the way they are, Slusher says they may have to shut down “If I think about it, it makes me want to cry because I’ve seen these people come in here and say they would not be alive today if our clinic had not come along because they had nobody else to help them, they have nowhere else to turn.”

To help raise money a “Flapjack Fundraiser” will be held on June 7th and on the first Saturday of every month at the Applebee’s in Galax from 7-9am.
If you’d like to make a donation or monthly pledge to help, please contact the clinic at:
276-236-0421 or write Free Clinic of the Twin counties at P.O Box 1708 Galax VA. 24333.