"We want to get the message out that there is care in your neighborhood," said Audra Bennett, Vice President Marketing and Development at Neighborhood Family Practice.
Care that apparently a lot of people desperately need. Right now, more than 1 million people are uninsured in our state. That is 1 million people who are unable to pay for medical care.
Right now, one in 11 Ohioans are uninsured. In Cuyahoga County, we are doing a bit better with 1 in 14.
But it is not all bad news. Two years ago the number of uninsured was much higher.
"It's very exciting to see. We've gone from 23 percent uninsured in 2012 around the time when the affordable care act was introduced and rolled out to just under 7 percent currently."
Audra Bennett, with Neighborhood Family Practice is seeing lots of growth for the better.
"For our community, it means they are getting the care that they need and that they deserve," said Bennett.
But even these new numbers are baby steps. Lots of folks in our community need help.
"85 percent of our patient population is 200 percent of poverty or below," said Bennett.
In fact 13 percent of their target population, which is made up of 12 zip codes on the near west side goes to this non-profit for help.
The mission is to provide access to high quality, affordable primary health care, with a big focus on prevention.
"They don't have to worry about that catastrophic illness that could totally wipe them out financially," Bennett said.
The federally qualified health center is one of 43 in our state helping people get proper coverage so they can get the care so many of them have never had. Neighborhood Family Practice is in the midst of rebranding.
