Thursday, May 20, 1999
Covington clinic marks anniversary
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — In the early days of the Pike Street Clinic, its sole employee often recruited homeless clients by wiping tables at the nearby Parish Kitchen.
Once she spotted people with obvious medical problems, the clinic's registered nurse, Sister Ann John Kotch of the Order of St. Benedict, persuaded them to visit the nonprofit clinic with a little friendly persuasion and bribery.
“I can't tell you how many times I bartered socks for blood pressure (checks),” Sister Ann said. “People didn't want to hear what was wrong with them, but they all wanted new socks.”
On Wednesday, supporters of Northern Kentucky Family Health Centers Inc. gathered at the Pike Street Clinic to mark its 10th anniversary with refreshments, speeches and a mayoral proclamation honoring the only Northern Kentucky walk-in clinic providing free medical care to the homeless.
Operating seven community health centers, the nonprofit Northern Kentucky Family Health Centers has provided affordable primary health care to residents of eight Northern Kentucky counties since 1971, Director George Kent said.
In 1997, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 433 homeless people made 3,500 visits to the Pike Street Clinic.
“We talk about projects on the riverfront,” Mayor Denny Bowman said Wednesday. “But projects such as this mean just as much as skyscrapers.”
Since 1989, the Pike Street Clinic has provided free preventive, acute and chronic medical care to Northern Kentucky's homeless. Services include foot care, dental referrals, medical exams, blood pressure monitoring, and tuberculosis and diabetic screenings, with follow-up counseling and referrals to specialists and treatment programs.
Today, three full-time employees work out of remodeled offices at 343 Pike St. The result of a $75,000 renovation last July, the new quarters include three exam rooms, a lab, a room for special procedures and two offices.
“They just make you feel welcome here,” said Winaferd Prince, as she stopped by the clinic Wednesday for medication.
The 49-year-old Cincinnati native, who has lived on the streets “off and on for seven years,” has been a regular patient for the past year.
“For a long time, I just suffered,” said Ms. Prince, a recovering crack addict who has a heart condition and diabetes. “You can't go anywhere (for treatment) without money. But the people here have kept me on my feet. They made sure I got the follow-up care I needed.”
To make a tax-deductible donation, send checks to Northern Kentucky Family Health at 10 W. Sixth St., second floor, Covington 41011.
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