To help meet the overwhelming need for healthcare provided to local residents in poverty, MUST Ministries is teaming up with Mercy Care to offer essential medical care. Both parties are collaborating to open to the public July 13.
The much-anticipated partnership was made possible by an initial grant from the Georgia Baptist Healthcare Foundation of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board who generously donated $100,000 to launch the new program. Mercy Care will provide the medical team twice a week as the program begins and MUST will provide the clinic space at 1407 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta.
“We are delighted to be able to offer this important service to our clients and others in the community who can not afford basic healthcare,” said Dr. Ike Reighard, Pres. and CEO of MUST Ministries. “The addition of healthcare completes our circle of wrap-around services that include food, housing, jobs and clothing. We are a more comprehensive organization when we add the important component of healthcare and our goal is always to help those in need be supported in a way that moves them toward stability.
“Our Board of Directors and leadership team have put a priority on offering a clinic since the MUST Clinic closed when our medical partner withdrew several years ago. We had operated a clinic for 18 years and realized the desperate need as we served about 1,800 people a year,” according to Reighard.
Once again that need will be met with the ability to assist with primary care and screenings, including ongoing assistance with chronic conditions. “Mercy Care offers patients the knowledge, tools and resources to understand and manage their chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, high cholesterol, obesity, and infectious diseases like HIV,” said Mercy Care’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Catherine Christie.
“Mercy Care provides comprehensive services that meet the majority of primary physical, mental health and wellness needs. Services are planned and delivered by a team that works together for a comprehensive approach,” she said. “Everyone receives exceptional care, no matter your insurance or income status. On a daily basis, patients must be responsible to take care of themselves, but we are here to help.”
Mercy Care has been a healing presence among Atlanta’s homeless and uninsured since 1985. As coverage and access to care issues persist, a growing number of families and individuals rely on Mercy Care to meet their need for affordable healthcare through their network of 11 fixed and mobile clinics.
The organization provides primary care, behavioral health, child and adolescent psychiatry, dental and vision services as well as an array of critical wrap-around services and case management. Self-pay discounts are offered based on household income and most major insurance plans are accepted including Medicaid and Medicare. Mercy Care provides services to nearly 15,000 patients a year, including 75% who are uninsured and 67% who are homeless.
Monday and Wednesday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are required by calling 678-843-8600.
