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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle COMMUNITY 6 - The Daily Utah Chronicle Christy Karras, Feature Editor: c.karraschronicle.utah.edu Wednesday, March 24, 1998 acle on 4th Street: t. iliJiAlim ml I.U.U l"'" " .Jl;f.jillijl.lii WiLjiUiUmu ...jinililmi.il in mill iniuiiiiij iim HIM"PI'i li ' IH.HpiWIffMWy; 11 ill "'.".). .'...;. r.'.. ii.iii.iiiiMiii.iJ.tw.j,W'i. ...u .Am nwi.n. .l.n .m HI m. fj The 4th Street Clinic is located on the west side of downtown near other facilities that aid the homeless. DOWNTOWM CLINIC OFFERS HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS Take two aspirin and go to bed. WRITTEN BY Tyler Towers PHOTO Robert Mullins BY third article in a series different organizations attempt to assist those living in substandard conditions make a better life for themselves. The organizations, with the help of volunteers, travel to various parts of the world and provide a wide variety of services ranging from plastic surgery to agricultural instruc- This is the tion. What remains relatively unknown to a good portion of Utah residents is that there are citizens of Salt Lake City who live in conditions not unlike those in developing countries. They are the poor and homeless. There are many organizations that reach out to help these people in a variety of ways. They often remain largely unknown to the general population. Though these volunteers do not travel to exotic places, they experience the fulfillment of helping people live a higher quality of life. traditional cure-a- ll might for some, but what if you don't have a bed, let alone two aspirin to take? This is the harsh reality facing many citizens of Salt Lake City. These arc the citizens who inhabit the downtown sidewalks during the summer months when it's warm, but somehow seem to sink into the cracks as soon as snow comes. It can't be healthy, you say, for them to walk around without adequate clothing and nourishment. You are right. Homeless people suffer from a wide variety of illnesses caused by exposure to the elements, poor sanitation and malnutrition. There arc traditional homeless shelters and similar organizations where these individuals can spend the night and get a free meal if they want. But, if they need to sec a doctor, the shelters can only provide so much. That's where the 4'11 Street Clinic becomes so valuable. What's a "4''' Street Clinic," you ask? In essence, it is a health care provider for the poor and homeless of Salt Lake City who do not have a means to pay hefty medical bills and do not carry any type of insurance. The clinic, run by the Wasatch Homeless Health Care Program, provides free medical care to anyone who needs it and This is unable to pay. don't have any kind of insurance. It is so great to have a facility like this that cares for people like me who can't pay for it," remarked one man. Others like him are grateful they have access to "I medical care if they have an emergency or if they just need a routine checkup. The clinic, located at 404 S. 400 West, treats everything from tuberculosis to injuries. "We are the primary public scrcencr of tuberculosis in Utah," Health Center Director Christopher Viavant said. Besides screening for TB, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, the clinic offers services in primary and preventive health care, acute health care, women's health, podiatry, dermatology, physical therapy, eye care and dentistry. One woman shares her feelings about the 4,h Street Clinic. "This is the best.. .place in the world. I had an ovarian cyst the size of a grapefruit that doctors removed last August. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for them!" Because the services arc provided free of charge, one might assume the care given is substandard, but Viavant quickly debunks this assumption. "For the services provided, we arc a first class clinic," Viavant said. According to Viavant, the clinic uses top quality equipment and, if physicians are unable to treat a patient on premises, they can transport him or her to one of three hospitals in the valley that have agreed to treat clinic patients. These hospitals are Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, LDS Hospital and University Hospital. Payment for services provided by these hospitals is worked out between the hospitals and the clinic so that the care is still free to the patient. The clinic is funded largely by the government. WHHP came into existence in 1988 through funding from the Stewart B. McKinney Act's "Health Care for the Homeless" program. A permanent staff operates the clinic with volunteer nurses and physicians from around the valley picking up the slack. According to Viavant, the clinic would not operate as nearly as smoothly without the help of the many who donate their time. Despite the donation of time, money and supplies, the clinic still requires a good deal of help from the government. This help comes from tax payers' pockets. Viavant says that despite the cost to the government, the program is designed to save taxpayers money in the long run. When homeless individuals are injured or go to hospital emergency rooms with serious illnesses, hospitals arc obligated to care for them, even though the patients cannot pay for it. see healthcare page 7 |