COMMUNITY HEALTH: Centinela Foundation Awards 1.2 Million For Grants
The Centinela Health Care Foundation has awarded grants totalling $1.2 million to "community health care projects that benefit indigent children in Inglewood, Hawthorne and Lennox," the Los Angeles Times reports. Six groups received grants of $200,000 each. The Freeman Hospitals Foundation will use its award to establish a children's plastic surgery unit, while the Inglewood Unified School District plans to expand "its school nurse program." The Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center will establish a "mobile van project to transport indigent children to its facilities." In addition, the Children's Dental Center, the CaliforniaKids Program and the Charles Drew University of Science "received money to continue their operations." Centinela President William Miller said, "In awarding this money to these exceptional projects, we believe we will have a positive influence on the health care needs of the community" (3/31).
New Clinic In Canoga Park
Separately, the Los Angeles Times reports that the Northeast Valley Health Corp. "has opened a new walk-in clinic at its Canoga Park Health Center." In "response to an increasing demand for services," officials said the new clinic will "accommodate acute problems" in addition to offering pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, immunizations, TB testing and "access to the county-run Women, Infants and Children program." Patients who visit the clinic will also be screened for Medicaid eligibility. According to Kimberly Ward, Northeast's executive director, "Demand for services at our Canoga Park Health Center increased by 25% in 1997 over 1996, and we felt we had to create additional access to vital health care services." The Times reports that the Canoga Park Health Center "is one of seven community health centers in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys run by the nonprofit" Northeast Valley Health Corp. The Canoga Park Health Center, operated by Los Angeles County until 1995, is "now run under a public-private partnership with the county" (Satzman, 3/30).