AmeriCares Supporting Rural Health Clinic After Louisiana Flooding

Stamford, Conn. – Aug. 29, 2016 – AmeriCares is supporting a rural health clinic in Robert, Louisiana, with funding, medicine and medical supplies to open clinic doors and serve patients in need of medical care after devastating flooding earlier this month.

Total Family Medical serves 2,000 low-income, uninsured and underinsured residents annually and is the only primary care resource for many patients. After heavy rainfall pushed more than 4 feet of water into the clinic and rendered it uninhabitable, staff scrambled to secure a new location. Previous flooding in March had drained the clinic’s resources; staff had reached into their personal savings to reopen its doors.

“One week ago, there were some real moments of ‘we may not be able to recover from this one,’” said Peggy Gautreau, administrator of Total Family Medical. “AmeriCares support has given us hope in what seemed a very hopeless situation. It will impact thousands of people each and every time they walk back through our doors—our new doors!”

AmeriCares funding will support the purchase of a pre-constructed medical facility that will allow Total Family Medical to continue providing health services and treat its rapidly growing patient base. The facility has multiple exam rooms, including space for a licensed clinical social worker and mental health nurse practitioner. AmeriCares has also provided Total Family Medical with nearly $170,000 in medicines and medical supplies, including enough tetanus vaccine to protect 200 survivors.

“Total Family Medical has been doing everything it can to continue its services after the flooding,” said AmeriCares Director of Emergency Response Kate Dischino. “With AmeriCares support, the clinic will be able to open its doors permanently and meet survivors’ health needs for years to come.”

AmeriCares has a long history of responding to disasters in Louisiana. Since the flooding, the emergency response and global health nonprofit has dispatched relief workers and delivered 10 shipments of medicines and medical supplies, including medical equipment, bottled water and vaccines. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast 11 years ago today, AmeriCares provided $1.3 million in medicine and supplies to U.S. health partners serving populations most vulnerable during disasters.