County’s help sought for HIV clinic
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
BENTONVILLE - Rick Johnson, chairman of the HIV Board for Washington County, and Boyd Darling, Washington County comptroller, attended Tuesday's meeting of the Benton County Committee of 13 to request Benton County's help with funding the Washington County HIV Clinic.
The clinic is rapidly losing its funding and has been unable to secure additional funding, even though the clinic has applied for grants from the Walton Foundation, the Tyson Foundation and the United Way, to name a few, Johnson said. As a result of the loss of funding, the clinic has already lost its social worker and education coordinator, leaving the clinic operating with only one physician, a nurse and one administrative assistant.
"The bottom line is, we are needing more funding, and that is why we are here," Darling said.
The clinic is currently treating 625 people infected with the virus, 230, or 37 percent, of which are from Benton County.
Rather than ask Benton County officials to pay 37 percent of the clinic's annual $ 110, 432 operating costs, Darling requested that the county consider funding an additional position for the clinic at a cost of $ 34, 000 per year. Funding this position, Darling argued, would save Benton County $ 60, 000 over paying 37 percent of the annual operating costs, or Benton County's "fair share."
The additional staff member would work as an aide for the clinic's nurse and administrative assistant in an effort to keep the clinic operating effectively in the event of the current assistant's absence.
"We want to give you something in return for your help," Darling said, offering Benton County two of the five seats on the Washington County Administrative Board to ensure that Benton County officials have a voice in decisions made with regards to the HIV clinic.
"All we are asking is that this becomes a partnership, and as with any partnership, there will be some give and take," Darling said.
"By funding a position, (Benton County is ) not just handing us dollars. We look at the position as their employee assigned to work in the clinic," Darling said.
When the floor was opened up for discussion, Justice of the Peace Frank Winscott had one major question.
"I am not trying to sound cynical here, but there are several other diseases like diabetes, cancers and heart problems that are causing more deaths than HIV right now. Why should we get into funding a smaller disease ? "Winscott asked.
The answer, according to Rick Johnson, chairman of the HIV Board for Washington County, is because many people do not even know they have the disease and are continuing to spread the disease as a result.
The clinic also sees patients from Carroll and Madison counties. Washington County officials have not yet asked those counties to aid in funding the clinic, partially because so few patients come from the two counties, Darling said. Five of the clinic's patients hail from Madison County, which would make that county's fair share of the funding less than $ 1, 000 per year, Darling said.
"There is no doubt that their efforts are worthwhile. We are coming on our budget process for the coming year, and things are tight, but I think it would behoove us to refer this to the Finance Committee," Justice Bob Stephenson said.
The Committee of 13 voted unanimously to send the proposal to help fund the Washington County HIV Clinic to the Finance Committee, which will meet at 2: 30 p.m. Sept. 2 in the Benton County Administration Building's Quorum Court Room.
"I think once (Finance Committee members ) sit back and look at the data and at the things we are asking for, they will make a good decision," Johnson said.
"I was there in the'80 s when no one knew what this thing was, and it was frightening, and now we know what it is and how to treat it, but there are a lot of people out there who do not know they have it. We need to understand that this disease has not gone away," Johnson said.
The Benton County Health Department does not currently treat HIV / AIDS-infected patients. When patients infected with the virus go to the health department for treatment, they are referred to publichealth investigators and are, in turn, more often than not, sent to the Washington County HIV Clinic, said Loy Bailey, director of the Benton County Health Department.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
