Throughout our 19 year history, St Thomas has enjoyed financial support from a variety of sources, including corporate, faith based and private philanthropy. Our status as an independent, not for profit, corporation has allowed us to receive wide ranging support. The opportunity to develop our programs and determine our focus is protected by this independent status, but it has also prevented us from having the certain financial base we might have if we were a federal, state or local agency.
Critical and timely support from The LSU Health Care Network, LSU School of Medicine, LSU School of Public Health, and the Episcopal Church, Diocese of Louisiana were instrumental in providing the resources for us to resume operations post Katrina. The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana is one of the mainstay organizations for our support. They not only helped us become operational after the storm, but they continue to provide financial and operational support in an ongoing basis.
Other national charitable organizations such as the National Association of Free Clinics, AmeriCares Corporation, Komen Foundation, American Breast Cancer Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Morehouse School of Medicine, the Association of Black Cardiologists, Astra Zeneca Pharmaceutical Corporation, LA Primary Health Care Corporation, the Louisiana Public Health Institute, as well as private donors, came quickly to our aid as we resumed operations after Katrina.
The Louisiana Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention program located at St Thomas Community Health Center is sponsored by the LSU School of Public Health, and is also supported by grants from the Komen Foundation, the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, the Avon Corporation, the American Breast Cancer Foundation, among others, and enables St Thomas to provide screening and diagnostic mammography, as well as screening for cervical cancer to all women regardless of ability to pay.
St Thomas is also able to provide screening and testing for cardiovascular disease thanks to support from the Association of Black Cardiologists, Morehouse School of Medicine, the American College of Cardiology, Cardiac Science Corporation, Astra Zeneca Pharmaceutical Corporation, Ochsner Clinic Foundation Department of Cardiology, Cordis Dow Corporation, the Toshiba Corporation, as well as the support of community cardiologists. Currently, in addition to non-invasive cardiac testing on site,, St Thomas provides interventional Cardiac and vascular interventions through a collaboration with Ochsner Clinic Foundation.
Mental health services are offered daily by a group headed by 2 Licensed Clinic Social Workers and a Nurse Practitioner. Our primary focus is supporting children, adolescents and families affected by the trauma of Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing stress related with the delayed recovery of services in New Orleans. Our financial support for this focus includes the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Trinity by the Cove Church in Naples Florida, and other generous donors. We are working with community leaders, mental health professionals from several medical institutions, the Robert Wood Johnson REACH-LA program, among others, to develop programs that not only deal with mental illness, but also support community mental health and resilience. The Youth managed coffee and praline shop (“Alpha Coffee Shopâ€) is an example of the programs to support community mental health.
We also appreciate the national recognition that came with being awarded a Bush-Clinton Katrina Grant.
Our mission continues to be what it has been from the outset -to provide care for the uninsured community of New Orleans. We remain an important source of care for the uninsured, as the healthcare system in New Orleans remains overloaded. Given our focus on the uninsured patients in our community, we anticipate that our ongoing financial sustainability will be a continuing challenge long term. We have been blessed with significant support from Katrina-related grants and donations. Our new patient demographics show that St Thomas cares for both insured and uninsured patients, and patient revenues from these new sources will help us achieve financial stability and sustainability. The achievement of Federally Qualified Health Center status will bring additional grants and enhanced revenues, One major source of support, the federal Primary Care Access and Stabilization Grant will cease in 2010. Strategies to replace this source of income are constantly being evolved and developed.
We appreciate the interest, relationships and support we have been able to develop over the years, especially since Hurricane Katrina.