Wellness clinic receives $125,000

PRINCETON — The Bureau County Health and Wellness Clinic will receive $125,000 as the result of $2.7 million in pharmaceutical lawsuit settlements announced Tuesday by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

The Bureau County clinic is one of 24 nonprofit health clinics in Illinois to share in settlements of consumer protection actions against Caremark Rx LLC, and Medco Health Solutions Inc. It's fitting the settlements go to help needy consumers throughout the state, Madigan said.

“Low-income patients are increasingly vulnerable to rising health care costs,” Madigan said. “These grants will help to ensure that some of Illinois’ most vulnerable patients receive the prescription medications that they need.”

Other area health clinics to share in the grant money are the Agape Care Team in Tampico ($125,000) and the Health Center of Eastern LaSalle County in Ottawa ($65,000). The St. Francis Community Clinic in Peoria received $130,000.

On Wednesday, Paulette Bird, director of the Bureau County Health and Wellness Clinic, said she was obviously very pleased with Tuesday’s announcement. The money must be used specifically for pharmaceutical-related needs and will be received over a several-year time period. The money can not be used for general operating expenses.

The Bureau County Health and Wellness Clinic opened in October 2002 with a mission to help meet medical needs of low-income and uninsured people throughout Bureau County. Bird has served on the clinic’s governing board since it opened and as director for the past year.

The need for the local clinic continues to grow in the face of a struggling economy and lay-offs, Bird said. In the last year, the clinic has picked up 100 new patients.The clinic had about 2,000 patient interactions in the last year.

Bird said the clinic is financed primarily through public support and donations from the faith-based community, businesses and individuals, as well as from fundraising events and possible grants. A strong core group of volunteers, including doctors, make the clinic possible.

In addition to the Princeton site at 500 Elm Place in Princeton, the clinic also has a weekly satellite office in DePue and a mobile unit that goes twice a month to Spring Valley. Plans are to hopefully utilize the mobile unit throughout the county, Bird said.