Federal grant will support new health clinic

A federal grant in excess of $900,000 was awarded this week to support funding of a new health clinic for low-income and indigent St. Joseph County residents.
Monte Bordner, chair of the Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County board, said the $910,000 grant will allow the agency to continue services it offered under the name St. Joseph County Health Clinic. The clinic operated for about 18 months before ceasing operations late last summer.
The funds will be used to start up Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County, a federally qualified health clinic. It will be overseen by what is currently a nine-member board consisting of almost all the same members who oversaw the previous clinic. Lynn Dobberteen, who also ran the day-to-day operations of the clinic, will serve as executive director of Covered Bridge.
Bordner said the grant period begins April 1 and the board hopes to see the clinic open on or before July 1.
The services provided by Covered Bridge will center on medical-related issues and most of the work will be performed by contracted personnel, Bordner said.
It hopes to operate from a county-owned facility in Centreville, but the identity of the building remains undisclosed until a lease agreement is reached with and subsequently approved by the county commission next month.