2 Family Practices Celebrate 1.3 mil.

MONON, Ind. (WLFI) - Two family health clinics are getting a shot in the arm financially.

A $1.3 million federal grant will be used to pay for personnel, supplies, program development, and other expenses at the family health clinics of Monon and Carroll County.

More than 1,600 patients passed through the doors of the Family Practice of Monon last year. That's only about 100 fewer than the entire population of the town. The clinic operates under the Julie Novak, Purdue School of Nursing Clinic Director, said centers like the ones here in White County and in Delphi are just what the community needs.

"The majority of our patients are, 92% are below the poverty line and we have the majority of our patients are uninsured so there is a great need here," Novak said.

Liz O'Neil, nurse practitioner, has been with the clinic since the beginning.

"I think there's a lot of people here that work and don't actually have access, they don't have any health insurance, little access to health care, so this helps those families get what they need," O'Neil said.

The offices use nurse practitioners to provide low-cost health care to the communities. But there is also another advantage for hispanics in the area, as there are nurses who speak spanish.

The practice currently is open two days a week. But Novak said within six weeks, the clinic will switch to staying open five days each week.