Vendor Writing

If You Have a Pulse, We Will See You

BY VICKY B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Neighborhood Health started with one single office 40 years ago basically to aid the homeless and those without insurance. A lot has changed since it’s opening in the late 70s. There services now extend to the poor and even the working poor. 13 locations today scattered throughout Davidson County, Lebanon as well as Hartsville.

The downtown location has been dubbed “The Homeless Clinic” and well deserved. “After multiple noncompliance findings by federal auditors, Metro asked Neighborhood Health to fully assume responsibility for the Downtown location in 2008,” states Brian Haile, CEO of Neighborhood Health. They have helped over 5,000 homeless individuals. It’s located next door to Room In The Inn and a block away from the Nashville Rescue Mission. A much-needed welcome to the community. I first discovered the clinic after several trips to a local ER and referrals that were worthless without insurance. I was finally able to receive medical care after my stroke. No receptionist loudly calling to her co-workers that I didn’t have insurance. I received a paper to fill out and a smile, a top-notch doctor and prescriptions that they filled for me right there at the clinic. They were my lifeline until I finally got insurance through disability and Medicare.

I found out after getting insurance that I could stay with Neighborhood Health. A relationship of trust was built long before and made me more comfortable with sticking with them. Did you know that if you have insurance and go to one of the clinics it’ll help those without insurance? How can that be? Neighborhood Health is a non-profit and every time someone with insurance comes in, the fees they collect from the insurance company goes to help pay those without insurance. What a wonderful way to give back to those less fortunate.

Clinics are staffed with physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, and psychiatric personnel. Dental services are now in four clinics: Cleveland Park, Lebanon, Napier Place and Welshwood.

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STREET TALK

BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Both my friend and I have mental and emotional injuries. But we enjoy cooking for each other and we can deal with each other's chaos while we try to help each other! For instance, she tripped over my new drafting table while we were trying to put it together. Everybody’s OK, including the table!

Anyway, I was explaining to her about the plants on my porch and how I put old food in the ground to make compost.

“So if you put food in the ground, it will make dirt?“

“Yep. Mate, nature makes dirt out of everythin’.”

“Includin’ us!“

“Yep. I would make good compost too, but don’t put me in the garden, else you’ll accidentally dig me up one day.”

“Ha ha ha! That is too funny!”

We laughed for quite a while before we got back to the subject.

So Vicky says to me, “Most of us that have worked have worked for almost nothin’ till we’re all broke down.”

“I know, right? It’s like all the baristas, service station attendance, janitors, fast food, workers, retail store, attendants,janitors are all just garbage if they can’t pull themselves up by their nonexistent boot straps!“

“That’s right, we are just nothin’ to them if we happen to have a problem! Or if we can’t seem to handle having nothin’!“

“Well, let’s go on to better things like the fact that we are here now and we have a place to live!”

I’ll drink a Mr. K’s frosty cold one to that!

I’ll buy if you fly.

Dialogue by FreepressGMA and Vicky Tini