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New Urgent Care Center Tends To Poor, Homeless

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By KATHY STEELE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

EAST TAMPA - A former police substation is now an urgent care medical center for the homeless and uninsured.

Tampa Family Urgent Care Center opened last week at the Lee Davis Service Center, 3402 N. 22nd St. The facility's doctors and nurses work for the nonprofit Tampa Community Health Centers.

The clinic - a first for the nonprofit - is a rarity for East Tampa.

"If you drive around the neighborhood here, you don't find any walk-in clinics anywhere," said President Charles Bottoms. "The goal is to get our patients in whether they have insurance or not, whether they have money or not."

The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. In the future, it could be open 24/7.

The clinic operates on a sliding-fee scale, based on a patient's ability to pay. But Bottoms said no one is turned away.

The grand opening drew about 30 people, including state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, and state Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa. Jackie Walker, a board member of the nonprofit, grew up on Lake Avenue in East Tampa.

"To be able to give back to my community where I was born and raised, I was brought to tears," she said.

Construction of the approximately $200,000 center took about two months. There are five examining rooms. At least three medical staff members, including a doctor, will be on-site during operating hours.
Tampa Community Health Centers began in 1984 as a grass-roots effort by medical graduate students who applied for health care grants to serve low-income neighborhoods.

The nonprofit grew to six family health centers, including one at the Lee Davis center. The agency receives federal and state grants and partners with the county and the nonprofit Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County to provide medical care to the homeless, poor and uninsured.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652 or ksteele@tampatrib.com.

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