Page 146 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2015

HEALTHY LIVING a free ride
LENDING A HAND
AT FREE CLINICS
Military health professionals no longer need Mississippi license
story by Lynn Lofton photos by Katherine Sowers
TOP LEFT: Dr. Clippinger helps a patient. RIGHT: Jenny Pujol, R.N., works in the dispensary.
Sometimes citizens see a law they think should
be changed and work to make it happen. Thanks to efforts spearheaded by the Bethel Free Clinic in Biloxi, military health care professionals stationed in the area can volunteer at free health clinics using their out-of- state licenses. After Hurricane Katrina a number of free clinics were opened using medical volunteers who were granted temporary free Mississippi licenses. The licenses were voided after six weeks, but the need for medical volunteers continued.
“Physicians stationed at Keesler Medical Center could not volunteer at our clinic unless they obtained a Mississippi medical license at their own expense,” said Judith Jones, R.N. and director of Bethel Free Clinic. “I thought Mississippi should be able
to expand the law to allow active duty and reserve military, the VA and National Guard to get state licenses without paying any fees. When these people volunteer, they’re providing
a service to our community. They shouldn’t have to pay to volunteer.”
When Jennifer Spicer, a Tulane University student majoring in community development, wanted to help at the clinic, Jones put her
in charge of the law-change project. Spicer took it and ran with it. She attended a breakfast with local legislators where she sat next to Rep. Scott Delano. The Biloxi legislator lent a sympathetic ear and authored House Bill 215, which passed and became law on July 1. It covers physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and physician assistants.
“We’re trying to get the word out about this change,” Jones said. “Keesler Air Force Base is very near our clinic and we know the base encourages community involvement. Being able to have military personnel volunteer will help all the free clinics.”
Jones says there’s a real need for these health care professionals and also for volunteer pharmacists, mental health counselors and health educators. “We now have only one physician, Dr. David Clippinger. We were devastated with the passing
of Dr. Ed Crane who was helping
us a lot,” she said. “In addition to volunteers, we gladly accept donations — we’re driven by that.”
Bethel Free Clinic
1650 Carrol Drive, Biloxi 228.594.3640 www.bethelfreeclinic.org
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