Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Well Child Clinic will mark 25 years of service Tuesday.
The clinic, at 1000 Medpark Drive, Suite B, Warsaw, offers routine physicals and immunizations to Kosciusko County clients ages two months to 13 years old.
Refreshments will be served from 4 to 8 p.m., with giveaways and tours of the clinic.
The service started in April 1981. What began as an all-volunteer program has grown into a staff with paid positions, funded by the United Way.
"We're the best-kept secret in town," said Clinic Coordinator Claudia Turner. "A lot of people don't know about us."
The clinic is under the county health department's umbrella and overseen by Dr. William Remington.
In addition to Turner and Remington, the staff includes registered nurses Judy Demeter and Annette White, and nurse practitioners Bonnie Lee and Lisa LeMasters. LeMasters speaks English and Spanish.
In 1981 the clinic began as part of Home Health Care Services. The organizing committee included Helen Shrode, R.N., pediatric nurse practitioner; Lori Grossnickle, R.N., pediatric nurse practitioner; Joy Carlson, R.N., president of the Board of Home Health Care; Imogene Canan, R.N., chairman; Douglas Campbell, medical consultant; Delores Campbell, R.N., executive director of Home Health Care; and Kathy Rankin Simpson, social worker and project administrator.
In 1981 the clinic had 200 appointments. It was at 827 S. Union St. Last year there were 511 appointments, which are taken only on Thursdays.
In addition to physicals at ages 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, and once a year through age 13, services include immunizations, lead levels, tuberculosis testing, vision and hearing checks, and developmental and nutritional counseling.
With an emphasis on education, the nurses or nurse practitioners take their time during each appointment, which often lasts an hour. Parents may ask as many questions as they want.
Referrals can be made to other agencies or to a physician.
"I'm so thankful that a group of nurses in our community saw a need for a free Well Child Clinic 25 years ago," Turner said. "Through the years, hundreds of children have benefited from these services, which helps those who might not be able to afford care for their children."
Families at 185 percent of the poverty level qualify and any child on Medicaid or WIC automatically qualifies for the clinic. A typical family is one whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid and too low to afford medical insurance, or immigrant families whose status does not allow them to qualify for Medicaid.
The Well Child Clinic is often confused with the Immunization Clinic. Also under the Kosciusko County Health Department's umbrella, the latter offers "free" routine vaccinations to all county children 18 years old and younger. The two clinics are in the same office.
The immunization clinic is walk-in only and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
For more information about the open house of the Well Child Clinic, call 574-267-7028 or leave a message at 574-269-5152.
On the Net: wellchild@kconline.com
