Clinic will open western Henrico site

BY WILL JONES
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, July 20, 2005

The CrossOver Health Center has been a big help to Rafael Clejel since he arrived from Cuba eight months ago.

The 68-year-old suffers from diabetes and high-blood pressure and has no way to pay for his care. As a result, he has had to depend on the South Richmond clinic for free care and on others for rides from his apartment in western Henrico County.

"My friends almost never say no," Clejel said through interpreter and receptionist Eleanor Sanchez. But "they have to interrupt their lifestyles bringing me here."

Cross Over Ministry, a nonprofit group that has provided free health care to low-income families and individuals since 1983, is getting ready to open a clinic in western Henrico to serve residents such as Clejel.

Project leaders believe the CrossOver West clinic will address a significant health-care need in the community, one that undercuts the common perception of western Henrico as simply an area of affluence.

"When we saw the demographics that they'd done, it's kind of mind-boggling," said Julie Peters, parish nurse at Trinity United Methodist Church, one of more than 20 area churches involved in the project. "When [people] think of the West End, they think of upper-middle class, but there's a huge need."

After learning about plans for CrossOver West last week, Clejel smiled and wondered if he might be able to walk from his apartment at Nottingham Green. "I'm happy to hear that."

Western Henrico has an estimated 8,000 residents who meet Cross Over's eligibility requirements. That means they do not have access to public or private health insurance and their incomes are 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level.

That translates to an annual household income of about ,000 for an individual and ,000 for a family of four. An estimated 47,000 people in the Richmond area fit the criteria.

In 2004, the CrossOver Health Center, on Cowardin Avenue, served 500 residents of western Henrico in nearly 1,800 visits. Overall, the clinic served more than 4,200 people accounting for more than 19,000 visits.

"The number of people without insurance is increasing all the time. The need is getting greater all the time," said David Simmons, a volunteer leader of plans for CrossOver West. "What this does is open up a venue in the West End of Richmond, where people wouldn't think there would be a need."

The site of the clinic has not been determined, but it is expected to open near Parham and Quioccasin roads in September or October. The extent of operating hours will depend on the availability of volunteer and financial support.

So far, about ,000 has been raised to cover setup costs and the first year of operations. The clinic is expected to rely on staff and volunteer help and to offer primary health care and eventually dental and vision care.

"We're going to need substantial funding to keep it running," said Mary Moore, director of development and administration for Cross Over Ministry. "The more money we have to support it, the more hours we can be open."

Henrico Health Director Mark J. Levine agreed the clinic is needed and hoped it would eventually offer prenatal care. "I think that demand [for health care] is certainly greater than supply," he said. "We know the better the access to primary care, the better the public's health as well."

Project leaders expect CrossOver West to reduce nonemergency patient traffic at hospital emergency rooms and to free up capacity at the clinic on Cowardin. Cross Over Ministry also operates clinics in the Bensley area of Chesterfield County and in the Broad Rock area of Richmond. With sufficient community support, Cross Over plans to open a clinic on Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond in 2007.

"This is a community solution," Moore said, "and the project out in the West End is the perfect example of a community in action meeting the needs of their neighbors."

CrossOver West is definitely needed, said Albert Burks, a resident of South Richmond who stopped by the Cowardin Avenue clinic on a recent afternoon. Because of the large number of patients, Burks, 47, had to wait two hours to see a doctor about his high-blood-pressure medicine.

"I know a lot of people would appreciate it," he said of the new clinic, "especially the ones coming here."

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com