Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman joined local healthcare professionals and government officials on Monday to celebrate the grand opening of Audubon Area Community Care Clinic’s new health facility located within the Daniel Pitino Shelter. The clinic will focus on enhancing access to health and behavioral health services for the region’s most vulnerable populations.
A release said the new clinic will “specifically focus on delivering quality, integrated health care to low-income, vulnerable, and homeless individuals.”
Samantha Taylor-Kaai, AACCC clinic program director, said the facility will provide a broad range of services from primary and preventative care to mental health support, substance abuse treatment, counseling, and more.
“Community health workers will walk alongside patients to help them overcome barriers that would traditionally prevent them from accessing care,” she said. “… We live in a world where health care is often seen as a privilege, but today we’re taking a powerful step towards making it a right for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. The people who will walk through the doors of this clinic have often faced unimaginable hardships, and for many of them the basic right to health care has been out of reach for far too long.”
She added, “Homelessness is not just a housing crisis but also a public health crisis. The stress and instability that come with not having a home can lead to serious health problems, both physical and mental. But today, we’re saying something different.”
Officials said the new clinic is strategically located, noting there is a bus stop across the street.
“The opening of the community health clinic on the west end of Owensboro will have a far-reaching impact on the entire county by bringing vital medical services directly to an underserved area. … This will not only improve individual health outcomes but will also strengthen public health across the county, reducing the strain on emergency services and our hospital system.”
Coleman’s remarks were brief, largely touching on the collaboration that went into the project.
“Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It doesn’t happen overnight,” she said. “Working together is how we solve the biggest challenges facing our communities, and that is exactly what we’re here celebrating today. This project is going to help better the lives of the most vulnerable people in this community.”
The new health clinic was made possible through a $275,000 grant from the Kentucky Association of Health Plans. The funds went toward renovating an existing space within the shelter to create a clinical exam room, reception area, and triage space.
“We work tirelessly to strengthen the accessibility, value, and quality of healthcare for all Kentuckians,” said KAHP President Tom Stephens. “Today makes a significant step forward in our collective efforts to improve healthcare access in Owensboro. This clinic is more than just a medical facility. It’s a beacon of hope and a testament to what we can achieve when we work together. … We’re not just opening a clinic. We’re removing barriers to healthcare.”
This facility will serve as one of three primary locations for (AACCC) which also operates locations in each school in the Owensboro Public Schools district.
The clinic welcomes patients with and without insurance and provides a sliding fee scale to ensure affordable care based on household size and income, according to the release.
AACCC serves individuals ranging from newborns to seniors, particularly focusing on those living at or below the poverty level or who are precariously housed.
“This is an exciting time for this community,” said AACCC Board Chair Michael Johnson. “Fellow board members and I, as well as our staff and providers, feel that everyone deserves access to healthcare, and by providing a healthcare clinic with quality services in this underserved community, Audubon is closing the gap on the medically underserved and therefore making this community healthier, stronger, and better.”
