Volunteers In Medicine

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - THE CENTRE VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE (CVIM) IS A COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE, DENTAL CARE, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND MEDICATION ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE AND WHOSE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS AT OR BELOW 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. IN 2020, CVIM PROVIDED HEALTHCARE TO OVER 1,100 UNIQUE PATIENTS. THE CURRENT CVIM SPACE DOES NOT SUFFICIENTLY SUPPORT ITS EXISTING SERVICES AND PROVIDES NO ROOM FOR NECESSARY EXPANSION. THE CVIM SHARED SPACES ARE OVERCROWDED, AND THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ROOMS TO CARE FOR PATIENTS. IN FACT, CVIM CANNOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS PATIENTS FOR PRIVATE ROOMS WHICH ENSURE PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY. SPACE LIMITATIONS HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT FRUSTRATION FOR CVIM STAFF AND ARE A DISADVANTAGE IN RECRUITING MORE VOLUNTEERS. CVIM HAS OUTGROWN ITS CURRENT FACILITY AND HAS RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW BUILDING WITH THE INTENT OF RENOVATING THE FACILITY TO PROVIDE OVER 5,695 SQ. FT. OF MEDICAL SPACE, ALONG WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVE SUITE, CONFERENCE ROOMS, CONSULTATION ROOMS, PERCEPTION ROOM, STAFF OFFICES, LOCKER ROOMS, RESTROOMS AND STORAGE. THE RENOVATED FACILITY WILL PROVIDE AN ADMINISTRATION SUITE, TWO MEDICAL ZONES, A DENTAL CLINIC. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, CVIM HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS QUALIFYING FOR SERVICES. WITH SO MANY FAMILIES HAVING LOST THEIR EMPLOYMENT, MANY NO LONGER HAD THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO AFFORD PRIVATE HEALTH CARE INSURANCE. CVIM PROVIDED THE CRITICAL SERVICES TO THESE FAMILIES AT NO COST FROM HIGHLY QUALIFIED PHYSICIANS, NURSES, DENTISTS, PHARMACISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND OTHER LICENSED CLINICIANS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AT THE CLINIC AND CONTINUE TO DO SO WHILE MAINTAINING A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. MOST RECENTLY, CVIM BECAME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE EFFORT TO VACCINATE THE COMMUNITY AGAINST COVID-19. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SCHEDULE VACCINE CLINICS BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINE SHIPMENTS.

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE (VIM) WAS ESTABLISHED 16 YEARS AGO TO PROVIDE FREE HEALTHCARE SERVICE TO THOSE THAT ARE WORKING WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE AND UNINSURED. THIS POPULATION WORK SO AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID, BUT THEIR LOW INCOME PROHIBITS THEM FROM PURCHASING OF AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE. MANY ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR RENT/HOUSING AND FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES. VIM PROVIDES NOT ONLY MEDICAL SERVICES BUT DENTAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SPECIALTY SERVICES. MEDICATIONS ARE ALSO PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE. VIM, AS AN ORGANIZATION, ALSO PAYS FOR LAB WORK AND IMAGING TESTING FOR PATIENTS TO ENSURE QUALITY COMPREHENSIVE CARE. THE CLINIC HAS RECEIVED THE NATIONAL PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOME RECOGNITION AND ONLY 6 OUT OF 1800 FREE CLINICS IN THE NATION HAVE RECEIVED THE PRESTIGE RECOGNITION. VIM IS TRULY KEEPING PATIENTS HEALTHY SO THEY CAN WORK AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND STAY OUT OF POVERTY. VIM IS ALSO A QUALITY HOST SITE TO STUDENTS FROM OVER 10 LOCAL HIGHER EDUCATION/UNIVERSITIES IN THE REGION FORTHEIR OFFICIAL ROTATIONS. CURRICULUMS INCLUDE PHARMACY, NURSING, MEDICAL, NURSE PRACTITIONER, PRE-DENTAL, SOCIAL WORK, MARKETING, MEDICAL ASSISTANT AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT. THE STUDENTS GET AN UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN AN INTERPROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN A FREE CLINIC SETTING. VIM IS NOT A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED CLINIC AND OPERATES SOLELY ON GRANTS, PROCEEDS FROM SPECIAL EVENTS AND DONATIONS FROM BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS. ALL SERVICES INCLUDING MEDICAL, DENTAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, TESTING, SPECIALTY SERVICES AND MEDICATIONS ARE FREE TO ELIGIBLE PATIENTS. THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE PROVIDING CRITICAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE UNATTAINABLE TO THIS POPULATION. BOTH REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, UNDERSTAND THAT VIM KEEPS THE UNINSURED OUT OF THE EMERGENCY ROOMS FOR NONEMERGENT MEDICAL ISSUES THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE UNCOMPENSATED. THE VIM FREE CLINIC SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT A FRACTION OF THE CO STS COMPARED TO PRIVATE PRACTICES AND HOSPITALS; THEREFORE SAVING THE ENTIRE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THIS GRANT REQUEST IS FOR FUNDING TO RENOVATE THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE CLINIC. DUE TO THE INCREASED COMMUNITY NEED, VIM WILL EXPAND SERVICES TO INCLUDE A WELLNESS PROGRAM, FREE GROCERY STORE, OFFICES TO EXPAND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, BOARDROOM, CLASSROOM TO HOST STUDENTS, ADDITIONAL OFFICES AND EXAM ROOMS, KITCHEN AREA FOR COOKING CLASSES, FLEXIBLE COMMUNITY SPACE AND ADDITIONAL EXAM ROOMS TO EXPAND THE THERAPY SERVICES. THE EXPANSION OF SPACE WILL ALLOW FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO CARE, IMPROVED OUTCOMES, AND A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE (VIM) BERKSHIRES IS REQUESTING $441,000 OF A TOTAL PROJECT COSTING $742,754 TO RENOVATE A CLINICAL SITE IN GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, AND TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT AT THIS SITE AND FOR A NEWLY OPENED CLINICAL SITE IN PITTSFIELD, MA. PRIVATE FUND RAISING WILL MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. VIM IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FORMED IN 2004 TO PROVIDE FREE HEALTHCARE TO A PREDOMINATELY UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT POPULATION THAT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS, MAKES 300% OR LESS OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, AND LIVES IN THE BERKSHIRE COUNTY REGION OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. VIM BEGAN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PRIMARY CARE, AND HAS STEADILY BUILT UP ITS SERVICES TO NOW INCLUDE PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE MEDICAL CARE, WOMEN'S HEALTH, ORTHOPEDICS, GASTROENTEROLOGY, CARDIOLOGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, FULL RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OPTOMETRY, DIABETIC AND NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING, AND NON-OPIOID PAIN MANAGEMENT USING ACUPUNCTURE, THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE, AND MINDFULNESS TRAINING AT ITS GREAT BARRINGTON SITE. VIM TREATS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) NEEDS AS A FULLY INTEGRATED COMPONENT OF EVERY PATIENT'S CARE. VIM'S SDOH PROGRAM PROVIDES PATIENTS WITH HUNDREDS OF DIRECT REFERRALS ANNUALLY TO OVER 30 AREA SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT CAN ASSIST WITH HOUSING, FOOD INSECURITY, JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES THAT IMPACT THEIR HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN CY23, VIM PROVIDED MULTIDISCIPLINARY, CASE-MANAGED COORDINATED CARE TO 1,475 PATIENTS, A 17% INCREASE FROM CY22. THE CONTINUING GROWTH OF VIM’S CASE LOAD HAS RESULTED IN A CHRONIC SHORTAGE OF TREATMENT SPACE. TO ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE, VIM LEASED SPACE IN PITTSFIELD FOR A SECOND CARE FACILITY WHICH OPENED IN FEBRUARY 2024. WITH THIS SECOND SITE, VIM CAN PROVIDE QUALIFIED PITTSFIELD-AREA RESIDENTS COORDINATED PRIMARY CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH SERVICES. THIS SITE IS NOT PRESENTLY EQUIPP ED TO PROVIDE DENTISTRY, OPTOMETRY, OR DERMATOLOGY, ALL OF WHICH ARE SORELY NEEDED, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE BERKSHIRES ARE CONSIDERED AN UNDERSERVED AREA LACKING ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR THESE SPECIALTIES. IN ADDITION, GIVEN THE NEAR TOTAL LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THIS NEW FACILITY MAKES ACCESS EASIER BY CUTTING DOWN TRAVEL TIME TO GET TO VIM’S GREAT BARRINGTON SITE 30 MILES SOUTH. UNTIL THIS WINTER, THE GREAT BARRINGTON SITE CARRIED THE ENTIRE PATIENT LOAD; HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE SHIFT OF PATIENTS TO PITTSFIELD, THE ORIGINAL GREAT BARRINGTON FACILITY MUST BE EXPANDED TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS FOR PATIENTS. THE GREAT BARRINGTON PROJECT INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT AND ENTAILS RENOVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1,200 SQUARE FEET OF ADJOINING SPACE. VIM WILL EXPAND AND RECONFIGURE THE SITE’S FOOTPRINT TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR AN ADDITIONAL MEDICAL EXAM ROOM AND A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTATION ROOM, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS’ OFFICES, AND MEETING/EDUCATION SPACE. EXCEPT FOR INSTALLING TWO EXTERIOR WINDOWS, ALL WORK WILL BE DONE IN THE BUILDING'S INTERIOR. THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN 07/2024 AND BE COMPLETED BY 06/2025. ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY WILL BE IMPROVED THROUGH THE REDESIGN OF THE CURRENT MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM. VIM WILL PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR DERMATOLOGY SERVICES AND CANCER SCREENING IN THE WOMEN’S HEALTH PROGRAM. VIM WILL ALSO PURCHASE SUCH NON-CLINICAL EQUIPMENT AS DESKS, CHAIRS AND PHONES FOR TYPICAL OFFICES AS WELL AS CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY FOR MEETING AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

HEALTHCARE ACCESS

ARP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS