Special to Clay Today 

GREEN COVE SPRINGS -- The Clay County Health Department announced today that clinic services will be phased out at the Ed Stansel Clinic located in Green Cove Springs. The phase out will take place over several months.

 “This reduction in access to clinical public health services is directly related to the decreased revenues experienced by the Health Department over the last several years,” Nancy Mills, administrator of the Clay County Health Department explained. “From the 2007/2008 fiscal year to the 2009/2010 fiscal year, the Health Department has experienced a reduction in operating budget of $1,397,747. This reduction in operating expense was due to reductions in State funds, along with decreased fee-for-service and other revenues. Like other private and public entities that are downsizing due to the economy, the Health Department must respond in kind to decreased revenues.” 

She added, “For the fiscal year 2009-2010, we have planned for a reduction of $672,000 in operating budget from the previous year. Also, at this time we don’t know how much of a reduction we will be taking from the County, which could worsen the picture.” 

Since 2007, 26 positions have been eliminated from the Health Department, with several programs impacted, she said.

In an email to staff and the County Commissioners, Mills said: “To deal with the current fiscal environment, we are going to phase out clinical services at the Ed Stansel Clinic in Green Cove Springs and move all clinical services to the Bear Run complex. We no longer have the staff to maintain two clinic sites effectively, even to cover simple staff shortages due to scheduled vacations and emergency leaves.

"Also, we will realize some savings in employee travel between the two sites and operational costs of the building itself will be minimized. We will have to make the move incrementally due to logistics, so the move will not be immediate. However, the entire relocation of services to Bear Run will be complete on or before Jan. 1.”

About 275 individuals receive care at the Ed Stansel Clinic each month, Mill said. The Bear Run Clinic, located just off of Blanding on Bear Run Boulevard, is approximately 18 miles from the Ed Stansel clinic. Green Cove Springs clients will be kept informed as the process proceeds.

By centralizing clinic services at the Bear Run site in Orange Park, the Department will realize efficiencies of scale and reduced operational expenses. The Department is also in the undergoing a consultant review to identify process and organizational changes to increase efficiencies and enhance revenues in clinical operations.

“I anticipate the Ed Stansel clinic will remain closed until we have a better economic picture.” Mills said. “If this move or the implementation of the consultant recommendations requires staffing changes, we will do our best to implement them through attrition.”

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