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Tampa Mobile Clinic Offers Free Care For Children

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By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: January 12, 2009

TAMPA - Considering the failing health of the economy, it may come as no surprise that the number of families turning to social services for free or reduced-cost health care is off the charts.

Pediatrician Peter Gorski volunteers several times a month to provide free checkups and immunizations through a mobile medical clinic program run by St. Joseph's Child Advocacy Center in Tampa.

He said the cascade of local job losses reflects the growing number of people without health insurance.

"It's very important to give them access to affordable health care," Gorski said.

The mobile clinic provides free health care for children whose parents have no health insurance or not enough to meet the family's needs. The clinic travels once a month to four Hillsborough County Family Resource and Support Centers and makes more frequent visits to Good Samaritan Mission in Wimauma and San Jose Mission in Dover.

Kerri-Rose Gomez, a child care advocate for St. Joseph's, said demand for the service has grown, but funding - achieved primarily through a grant from the Children's Board of Hillsborough County - limits the number of patients doctors can see during each visit to 15.

Gomez noted an alarming trend in recent months - parents who are employed and have health insurance but still need help just to make their co-payments for routine checkups or shots.

"That's something we've never seen before," she said.

SUPPORT CENTERS

St. Joseph's Child Advocacy Center sends its Mobile Medical Clinic once a month to four Hillsborough County Family Support and Resource Centers. The centers also offer other free programs, services, events and classes for adults and children. For information, call a center or go to www. familysupporthc.org. Centers are at the following locations:

•201 14th Ave., Ruskin, (813) 641-5600

•7520 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, (813) 356-1703

•1401 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, (813) 558-1877

•1277 Kingsway Rd., Brandon, (813) 740-4634

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523.

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