Tender loving health care

Suzie Harrison

Typically when the Laguna Beach Community Clinic is mentioned,

stories begin to pour out about what a godsend it has been during

times of financial strife or when health insurance isn’t possible --

that it has been an essential source for health care since it opened

its doors in 1970.

A resident of Laguna for more than 21 years, Katie Wingfield, said

the clinic saved her life. The former artist said she was working on

a portrait of an actor when she suffered a brain aneurysm.

“I had two brain surgeries, had to learn to walk and talk again,”

Wingfield said. “It wiped me out financially. I fell apart and had to

get some psychiatric help.”

That’s when she said she found the clinic.

“I can’t tell you enough about the clinic, I’m so glad they were

there when I needed it,” Wingfield said. “I went into a deep

depression coupled with self-destructive behavior. They were just so

supportive -- I was a basket case.”

She said her care was more than just someone telling her to take a

pill and everything would be OK. They really helped her emotionally

and physically.

“The Laguna clinic has some of the best doctors I’ve had in my

life,” Wingfield said. “They look at you as a whole person, not just

a body part, and that was so important to me.”

Dr. Corey Jorgensen has been a doctor at the clinic for 31 years.

“It’s truly a partnership between the community who supports us,

the patients who utilize our services and us,” Jorgensen said. “I

love the work, the people, the patients -- it’s very satisfying.

Jorgensen said that none of the other clinics in Orange County

have the longevity and soul that Laguna Beach Community Clinic has.

Ericka Waidley, Laguna Beach resident and executive director of

Laguna Beach Community Clinic for more than two years, said that the

clinic has seen changes and growth over the years to fit the

community’s needs.

“It started out as a free clinic, and in the early ‘80s, it

switched to become a community clinic,” Waidley said. “That held it

to higher standards, the county and state’s. We are a licensed

community clinic and adhere to the rules and regulations of the state

licensing department of health services.”

She said that being able to provide better health care was one

advantage to becoming a community clinic. Another benefit, she said,

is its eligibility to participate in state and county programs and

services for health because it’s licensed.

“The benefit to our clients is that we participate in

reimbursement programs,” Waidley said.

This makes services more affordable or in some instances free. The

clinic has 20 such programs.

“We serve artists, resort people who often can not afford health

insurance,” Waidley said. “If an employer doesn’t provide a good

plan, you’re really stuck. The clinic is what’s keeping our community

healthy.”

At this time 65% of the patients are female, 35% male, with 47%

Latino and 35% white. People ages 20 to 34 make up the largest

patient base, at 36%. Seventeen percent are ages 35 to 44, and 19%

are ages 45 to 64.

“We recently got funding through Prop. 10 to increase our

pediatric services,” Waidley said. “We also have received funding to

reach out to the teens in our community.”

Part of her job is to get grant funding so they can improve their

current programs.

An example is Men’s Health and Fitness Day on Saturday, which is

an opportunity to receive free cholesterol, blood sugar and blood

pressure from their mobile unit.

“We received a grant two years ago for the 38-foot custom designed

medical van,” Waidley said. “It has two full exam rooms, a lab

station and bathroom.”

She said it’s basically a mini clinic on wheels. The mobile unit

goes to 12 different sites every month to help increase access to

affordable health care.

Laguna’s clinic is also the only free-standing clinic in Orange

County that is funded through the federal government because of the

clinic’s Ryan White program for HIV/AIDS.

“It implies that we have stricter guidelines to adhere to with

federal funding,” Waidley said.

She thinks that sometimes the community doesn’t understand that,

and she tries to tell people why it is no longer free.

“We monitor the actual client outcomes for several of our programs

to make sure the services we provide make an impact on our clients’

health,” Waidley said. “We have very good results, constantly looking

at and reviewing data as a team and we make changes if we’re not

making enough of an impact.”

The clinic has more than 18,000 visits a year, servicing people

who both live and work in Laguna Beach.

“The challenge is that we’re pretty maxed-out at our current

facility,” Waidley said. “Our mobile is the only way to increase our

services.”

She said they are asking the city to be a partner in the Third

Street project to help the clinic build a new facility.

“So we’re negotiating with the city to invest ways to make that

happen,” Waidley said.

Its annual budget is $2.2 million, but it has been severely

affected by the state and county funding, which has directly affected

health care services.

“Due to the economy -- in 2003 we have also seen a 35% cut in

grant and foundation funds,” Waidley said. “The combination of the

two obviously is very tough -- it’s been a tough year.”

“Between state and county budget and program cuts, we’re looking

at about a 50% decrease in our ability to access funding,” Waidley

said.

The clinic has eight full- and part-time doctors and probably

another eight to 10 volunteer specialty physicians. There are six

nurse practitioners.

“What we anticipate for the future is that we hope to see a new

facility because we’re really maxed-out and are doing the best we can

in our current facility,” Waidley said. “We need updated technology,

more space and phone lines, a new roof, plumbing.”

She said a new facility could offer expanded services and more

programs.

Men’s Health Day is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Main Beach.

Laguna Beach Community Clinic is at 362 Third St. To find out more

about its services, call (949) 494-0761.

To find out how to help contact Friends of the Clinic, call (949)

494-0761, ext. 106. The organization, which was started this summer,

was formed to assist with funding and to increase awareness.