Centre 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.