WATCH hopeful about funding
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on May 2, 2016 1:46 PM
The WATCH board last week praised the county commission for the financial support given to the program, despite a hiccup this past year that saw funding cut in half.
Last year at this time, WATCH, or Wayne Action Teams for Community Health, which provides health care for the uninsured through a mobile van and two clinics, was in danger of being "defunded" by the commission. In June, though, the board changed course and instead cut the funding request in half, from $220,000 to $110,000.
Braced for another setback, representatives from WATCH took a different tactic going into the budget process.
"We have somewhat of a dual request," Executive Director Sissy Lee-Elmore told the board. "We asked for two separate amounts, depending on what they decide to do.
"The application was written for $220,000 to $110,000, so if they want the mobile unit to go out five days a week, they can do that -- it will be $220,000. My impression is they'll give us at least what they gave us last year."
Board member Jack Best, a former commissioner, gave high marks to both Mrs. Lee-Elmore and the commission for meeting with them.
"Sissy really gave them a nice presentation and they told us before we got there they were going to give $110,000, the same that they did last year," he said. "We were cut last year in several different places, from the county as well as Golden Leaf (Foundation), a grant that the Health Department had and couldn't get this year."
Best said the commission kept referring to "the bus," the mobile unit that canvasses the county taking health care services to county residents, hinting that that was the "easiest place to cut the money."
"Because everywhere else was full -- the Y (clinic) is full, here (at the hospital) is full and the bus was costing a lot of money," he said, referencing the $225,000 estimated cost to run the large mobile unit.
"We would like to see them replace what they did the year before last, to run the bus about four and one-half days a week, five days a week. With their help, they can tell the right places to put the bus. We have no problem with suggestions."
Mrs. Lee-Elmore said they expect to receive a response in June, but so far no figure has been confirmed.
Best said he had spoken with each commissioner individually and met with the county budget people. Instead of holding out hope for a unanimous decision from all seven members, he told the board "it takes four to pass."
"Some have more influence than others," he suggested. "Their priorities are different now, and they shouldn't be."
Board member Murray Porter said the importance of WATCH cannot easily be measured in dollars and cents.
"We have come along, we're taking care of all of the uninsured people in this county. We're taking care of their families. I mean, it's just unheard of and all we have asked in return is $220,000 (from the county), $20,000 from the city, some help from our friends at the hospital. We have raised money every year, had some help from foundations," he said. "This is a real bang for the county's buck, and it's a real bang for the hospital. It always has been.
"If the county would think about what they have done for us here in WATCH and through that what they have done for this county, man, they would give us $220,000 in a heartbeat."
Best agreed that the recipients of the program cannot afford health care, even under Obamacare, where some of the deductibles are quite high. Nipping that in the bud and providing prevention before they show up at the emergency room for "catastrophic care" is just prudent, he said.
"I think there are two things the public doesn't understand -- the value of continuity of care and chronic care and the value of the drugs that are dispensed through WATCH. You're talking about $2.5 million," said board member Dr. Joe McLamb. "The commissioners I have talked to and just the public in general, those two are the things they have the hardest time understanding."
Best defended the commission's position, saying the governing board has "a lot on its plate" and much that is dictated to them.
"I think they'll give us their consideration if they can," he said. "I think we have presented a good case to them. That's all we can say about it right now."
Board member Murray Porter also doled out credit to the commission for its support, as well as the WATCH representation.
"Jack met with several of us prior to him and Sissy going to see the commissioners," he said. "Jack has been working the last six months behind the scenes to help us with the commissioners. I think it's going to bear some fruit."
Best said that he remains hopeful that the commissioners will come through for them.
"We're saving the county way more than $220,000," he said.
Board Chairman Sam Hunter applauded the efforts made on behalf of WATCH.
"I think you came up with a good approach," he said. "This is where the money will go. I think the van being in service five days a week is important.
"The process, I think, has been good this year. We have been offered the opportunity to talk with them, so I think we have made our case. We can't tell what they're going to do but we have been able to make our case."