Johnson Nichols Health Clinic serves families, individuals

Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of articles featuring the partner agencies of Putnam County United Way

Johnson Nichols Health Clinic has provided quality affordable health care in our community for more than 40 years. It primarily serves very low-income individuals and families who otherwise would not have access to health care. The staff is thankful to have the support of United Way of Putnam County to help make this possible.

At Johnson Nichols Health Clinic, testimonials such as “You saved my life,” are heard. “If you only knew what a positive impact you had on my daughter and me!” and “Because I did not have insurance I hadn’t been to a doctor in years. You helped me get insurance. I came in for a chronic cough and was referred for testing. I was diagnosed with lung cancer but it was caught early enough for a good prognosis.”

With health clinics in Greencastle and Spencer, Johnson Nichols Health Clinic touches many in the community. Last year Johnson Nichols cared for 2,110 individuals (931 adults and 1,179 children). As many individuals are seen more than once per year, in total the clinic provided 8,130 appointments to 3,470 adults and 4,660 children.

Johnson Nichols operates three core health care services: Women, infants, Children’s Supplemental Food Program (WIC), family planning and community health. WIC provides nutritious foods and nutrition education to low-income, pregnant and post-partum women, infants and children up to the age of five.

Through breastfeeding support efforts, the clinic reports that over the last five years breastfeeding has increased from 61 to 80 percent for Putnam County mothers participating in WIC.

It also works to decrease infant mortality. As an Indiana Safe Sleep distributor, Johnson Nichols gives portable baby cribs to families to assure every baby has a safe place to sleep. The family planning program provides reproductive health and preventive services for adolescents and adults, both male and female.

Services include breast and cervical cancer screening; preconception counseling, free pregnancy testing, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing, access to contraceptive supplies, patient education and referrals.

In Spencer, Johnson Nichols provides general physical health care through its community health services in addition to WIC and family planning services. About 25 percent of all community health patients are Putnam County residents. Through its partnership with Centerstone, a provider of behavioral health care, Johnson Nichols moved the Spencer clinic one year ago to a newly constructed integrated health care facility. This allows patients to have access to both physical health care as well as counseling and other behavioral health services in one location.

Your donations to United Way of Putnam County make the work the Johnson Nichols Clinic does possible.