Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Hello there and welcome back to another episode of Just say Something podcast. My name is Philip Clark and I am the CEO here at Just say Something.
And before I get started, just like always, open and close, please like share and subscribe to this podcast and you can find us wherever you find your favorite podcast. And hopefully we're one of those.
So today we have, you know, we haven't.
Our organizations haven't worked together that long, but I feel like it's been a long time.
But we have Norma Jean Suarez and she is the executive director of Unity Health on Maine.
So, Norma Jean, welcome.
[00:00:57] Speaker A: Hello.
Thank you for having me.
[00:01:01] Speaker B: So tell our listeners about Unity Health on Maine.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: Okay, so Unity Health on Maine, we are a community health center in downtown Greenville.
We provide a holistic approach to medicine. So we see primary, we do primary care, we do pediatric care, we do women's health. We also have mental health, psychiatry, case management.
We also have the Food Rx program. So we really look at the whole person, the whole family when we're taking care of any individual or family.
[00:01:34] Speaker B: Wow, that's a lot.
[00:01:35] Speaker A: It is.
As I was saying, I was like, wow, that is. I mean, we do a lot. I mean, we look at it, like I said, a whole person.
[00:01:41] Speaker C: Right.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: And for our families, they've got so many different barriers to their care. We wanted to create that one stop shop so when they come in, they don't have to make five different appointments. They can be seen coming in, for one thing. Be seen for case management and mental health and get food at the same time. So we can make it in one trip.
[00:01:58] Speaker B: Okay, that's great. And I know in our programming that we do in collaboration with Unity Health on Main, which is through our Greenville Health Authority funding, we're able to do refers referrals to Unity Health on Main for those families that go through our program that don't have a medical home.
[00:02:21] Speaker A: Correct.
[00:02:22] Speaker B: And so that's been a very, very, very great and strong partnership between the two organizations.
So typically, in a year, how many people, patients, clients does Unity help? See?
[00:02:40] Speaker A: So we see about 2,300 patients right now. And of those 2,300, we get about 7,000 visits. So, yeah, we do quite a bit.
60% of the population we serve are kids. So pediatrics is at our core, and then 40 adults. But 50% of the families we serve are actually uninsured. And that's adults and kids that don't have insurance. And it's not just because, you know, low income. It's actually because, you know, families can if they have a choice, do they need to pay rent or get insurance?
[00:03:12] Speaker C: Right.
[00:03:12] Speaker A: They're going to pay that rent.
[00:03:14] Speaker C: Right.
[00:03:14] Speaker A: And health insurance is so, so expensive. And even when you have it, the deductibles are so high, they're never going to meet them.
[00:03:21] Speaker C: Right.
[00:03:21] Speaker A: So it just makes sense for them to be on a sliding scale.
[00:03:24] Speaker B: So when a family comes in, what's the process that they go through? Because I'm sure they have to qualify at some point. But, but what does that look like?
[00:03:36] Speaker A: So we provide services to us. So we accept Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, and we have our sliding scale program, and that's based on family size and income.
We do ask them to bring proof of incomes, whether it be their paycheck, if, if they're on Social Security or disability. Just bring in that statement so that we can see it and verify, because we still have to secure. I mean, if we ever get audited, we want to make sure we've got all of our, our T's crossed and our I's dotted. So we want to make sure we're compliant. But yeah, just bring in proof of income, and then we just have to confirm. You know, they, they, we're going on the honor system that they're saying whoever's part of their family is part of their family.
[00:04:12] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: All right, so what size of a staff do you have that manages all of that?
[00:04:18] Speaker A: So we, we have 20. We have a staff of 20 right now. Of the 20, four of them are contracted. So that's primarily our psychiatrist, our marketing, and two of our, our mental health therapists. But outside of that, they're all, all staff is on, on our, on our payroll. And, you know, we're small, so we're a small. We're like a family. I mean, we know we're a trusted source in the community. So shared identity, shared culture. They come in and they trust us. So our families really rely on this as far as being a safe space for them.
And then they just go back and share with their family, their church, their community.
This is where you need to come. And even with partners like you, like you shared, we. It does seem like it's been a long time, but the Greenville Health Authority provided us this beautiful collaboration and partnership that has been growing and getting stronger and working in other collaborative grants as well. So that referral process is the same as it is with you, with our other partners in Greenville. If they have a client that needs a medical home, they just refer them over to us. So part of that process, they come in or call in, we'll schedule that appointment.
Normally it's within 72 hours, but it really depends. If they want to see the pediatric clinician or provider, then there's only, she's only there on certain days if they want a female provider. Certain days.
[00:05:34] Speaker C: Right.
[00:05:34] Speaker A: So it's, it just really depends on who they want to see. But if they're open to who, who, you know, first available, they can get in within 72 hours.
[00:05:41] Speaker C: Wow. Okay.
[00:05:42] Speaker B: That's a lot quicker than some doctors in practices.
[00:05:47] Speaker A: And that's why we want them to get established as a new patient. So as they get established as a patient, then it's going to be easy to get an appointment.
[00:05:54] Speaker B: So yeah, that's great. So for our listeners who don't know, where are you located currently?
[00:05:59] Speaker A: We are located in downtown Greenville, 505 North Main Street.
It's where the old Bilo used to be in downtown Greenville.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: The baby bio, the baby by low.
[00:06:09] Speaker A: That'S where we're at. So it's, we're right beside number one, China. I mean that's popular if you're, we're looking for landmarks, that's a popular landmark. But yep, we're right there. And we're open Monday through Friday 8 to 5. And we do close from 1 to 2 for lunch.
[00:06:23] Speaker B: Okay, so how can the community.
I know with a lot of federal cuts, your budget has been drastically reduced and I know you've been writing grants and trying to get funding.
What's one of the most important things that you would like for our listeners to take away from your current needs right now? Is that volunteers? Is that funding? Is that championship? What does that look like?
[00:06:59] Speaker A: Well, I mean really it's all of the above. I mean funding is always a huge, we just had, we've had several major fundraisers because we did, we lost about 790,000. So I'll just round up $800,000 in grant funding this year.
So we're trying to fill that gap.
There's no one foundation or entity that can fill that.
So we are writing a bunch of grants. We're doing different various fundraisers and we've raised, you know, quite a bit of money, but we still have a gap of about 200,000.
So we just continue so fundraising. We've got, you know, our website, we've got our QR code. You can make, you know, one time donations, recurring donations or just pop in. You don't have to do it on the website. If you want to come in and write a check, mail a check, know we do it the old fashioned way too.
[00:07:43] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: So that's one thing. And then volunteers things we're hoping we don't want to have to reduce, you know, we don't want to do a reduction in force but and still maintain our programming.
So whereas before we did a lot of services for free based on our grant funding, some of those, those aren't going to be free anymore. And this is why our sliding scale program comes into play.
[00:08:03] Speaker C: Right.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: So that helps us with our sustainability.
[00:08:05] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:08:06] Speaker B: All right. So where do you see Unity Health on Maine in the next one, two or three years?
[00:08:17] Speaker A: So the next year, hopefully one we're going to still be here. We're looking for, we're actually looking at different. I mean if we're looking at long term sustainability, Phil. And with so many cuts in federal funding, local funding, we're really looking at merger opportunities. So we're trying to find like minded businesses like ours that do community health, that want to meet the need of our community regardless of their ability to pay that we can kind of merge and do that. So that's what we're hoping for. So within a year, hopefully that'll look like. It'll look like that. I don't know what that would look like but it'll be with a like partner that we share the same clients, patients. I say clients because that's mental health case management and patients because that's who our providers see.
So yeah, so that would be in our, you know, within the next year and then long term than that again our community hub. I have, this has been our dream. Our baby is like to be able to find a building that's 40, 50,000 square feet where you know, we have a couple of anchors that are going to be part of it and, and we're all there. We've got health care, we've got mental health, we've got strengthening family programs, we've got mentoring programs, we've got a gymnasium, we've got a small market in there. So we in fact create that true one stop shop for our families. And it's all nonprofits doing what we do best in one location.
[00:09:37] Speaker C: Right.
[00:09:39] Speaker A: It would be amazing if the city or the county provided us a building that we could do that in where it's limited expense for us and then we, we can get some other donations from local businesses, contractors that can help up and that space for all of us and then we can do what we do best.
[00:09:57] Speaker C: Right.
[00:09:57] Speaker A: That would be ideal. So I could see that in three to five years, I could see where that could be on a radar.
And again, that's where we could all be in this. We can all be housed in the same space.
[00:10:07] Speaker C: Right, Right.
[00:10:07] Speaker B: Because I know, you know, just like for you and us and for many of our nonprofit partners, after salaries, our rent is our biggest expense.
[00:10:19] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:10:20] Speaker B: And so why can't we combine some of that and some of the operations side of it to lower our cost, but able to benefit more people in our community? Because at the end of the day, you and I are 1000% in agreement. It's about the people that we serve and getting them the help that they need.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Absolutely. And I mean, and a lot of times, it's not like they can't afford things. It's just some people just don't know how to navigate those resources at all, or they don't even know the resources are available. So if we're all in one space, it's like, oh, you need that? Let's go. Right. Let's go right down the hall. Let me show you where to go.
[00:10:59] Speaker C: Yep.
[00:11:00] Speaker A: And it just makes sense when, you know, when we put it down on paper and we talk about it and other. And there's other cities doing this, so it's not like it would be anything new. We're not reinventing the wheel. We're just creating something new and innovative for Greenville.
[00:11:13] Speaker C: Right, right.
[00:11:14] Speaker B: And, you know, Greenville likes to be at the front of a lot of. A lot. A lot. A lot of lists.
[00:11:21] Speaker A: So, I mean, we're at the front in art. We're in the front with food. Right. I mean, that's all. Those are all huge. I mean, I was just reading an article. Top Chef is doing a segment here in Greenville, which is amazing.
[00:11:33] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: But how do we tie some of that in and some of the nonprofit work that we're all doing?
So, you know, with the nonprofits that are here in Greenville.
[00:11:40] Speaker C: Right, right.
[00:11:42] Speaker B: Yeah. It's a lot of work we need to do, and we need the support of our listeners. And so.
So, Norma Jean, if one of our listeners or if our listeners want to get in touch with you or Unity Health Domain, what's the best way for that to happen?
[00:11:59] Speaker A: Easy. I mean, they can either go to our website and there's a contact us button, and they can just. And it comes straight to my email, or they can call the office 864-232-2734, and leave a voicemail, or one of the girls will just transfer it over to my voicemail or just pop me an email. Njswattisnityhealthonmain.org okay.
[00:12:21] Speaker B: All right. Well, you're an amazing partner, and I'm so happy that we've been able to spend these last several years working, getting to know each other, but also planning together to serve our community better. So I appreciate you and your willingness and your passion.
[00:12:42] Speaker A: Thank you, Phil. But I. I just have to say one I one, I appreciate our partnership and I appreciate our friendship and I appreciate how we support each other in our different, you know, fundraising events, in our collaborations, in our grant writing.
So it's not just like a one and done partnership collaboration. This is a continued effort. And I appreciate that friendship and partnership with you. So thank you.
[00:13:06] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. Okay, well, this is a wrap up of another week of our podcast. And Norma Jean, I want to thank you for being with us. It's always a pleasure.
Yeah, I just, I love your energy and love being around you, so I really appreciate you.
So remember to subscribe like and share, and we will see you next time on Just say Something podcast. Until then, we'll see you later.
