Parker Family Health Center receives grant
Funds will help clinic treat growing number of uninsured patients

Dr. Steven Lefrak with a young patient at the Parker Family Health Center.

Red Bank - The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the philanthropic arm of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, awarded a three-year, $133,000 grant to the Parker Family Health Center on Shrewsbury Avenue to help provide health care for uninsured patients in the borough and the surrounding communities.

The Parker Center grant is part of a $5 million initiative established by Horizon to provide greater access to health care for uninsured and underinsured New Jersey residents.

The Parker grant will support the purchase of a patient tracking software system and fund a staff position to aid in the transition to computer-based records.

"We are seeing more and more patients, many with complex medical needs," said Parker Center President Dr. Eugene Cheslock. "Our ability to care for our patients will be greatly enhanced by the new system, which was developed specifically for free clinics like ours."

Founded in 2000, the Parker Family Health Center provides free primary health care to low-income, uninsured Monmouth County residents.

Located at 211 Shrewsbury Ave. on Red Bank's west side, the clinic is open six days a week, including Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday morning. A children's health clinic offering immunizations and child care takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Other specialized services include children's oral health care, hypertension and diabetes management, cancer screening through the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection program, and a prescription drug program that ensures access to affordable medication.

The clinic saw 9,000 patients in 2006, and had 40,000 cumulative patient-visits over the past six years. Forty percent of patients are from Red Bank, with the rest from all parts of Monmouth County. Health care is provided by a network of volunteers, including physicians, nurses and other health-care professionals who donate 10,000 hours of service annually at the clinic.

For information, call the center at (732) 212-0777.