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The Health Care Council's successful Minority Nursing Education Support Program has received new life, thanks to a generous grant from the California Wellness Foundation.

Over the past six years, The Health Care Council has passed more than a half million dollars in combined Area Health Education Center funds and grants from hospitals and private foundations to ten subcontracting community clinics and five colleges and universities. In the last two years alone, the program has helped to support 6,000 hours of practicum for nursing students plus 3,000 hours for Family Nurse Practitioner students at Orange County clinics, as well as contributing to nursing faculty salaries and helping to purchase badly needed educational equipment.

A new feature of the Minority Nursing Education Support Program is now under way. The Health Care Council is setting up a "Revolving Mini-Loan Fund" designed specifically to assist minority nursing students who encounter unexpected financial crises which threaten to derail their educational progress.

Many minority nursing students come from economically deprived backgrounds, and frequently run up against financial barriers. While there are other sources of student loans, there is often a lengthy delay, and a great deal of paperwork involved in obtaining them. The Health Care Council will be able to respond rapidly to help the student, and it is anticipated that a small loan available quickly, may be most effective.

The intention is to prevent drop-outs and to enable students to deal with unanticipated expenses, and to enable them to complete their nursing education. Every single nursing student who is prevented from dropping out, will help overcome the critical nursing shortage which threatens to overwhelm the health care system.

Initially, loans of up to $1,000 will be offered, and will be provided following receipt of a letter from a nursing educator regarding the student's progress to date and potential, and a letter from the student stating the need for the loan. The student will be asked to assert her or his commitment to complete the nursing education program, and to return the loan, interest-free, when she or he is working and earning, so that others may benefit.

The Health Care Council will continue to seek funding to expand the Mini-Loan program, and plans to approach hospitals and other employers of nurses to contribute to the revolving fund. We can think of no more urgent need than the recruitment, education, employment and retention of professional, well-educated nurses to serve Orange County's increasingly diverse patient populations.

The Gary Center is located at 341 Hillcrest Street in La Habra. It is a non-profit, regional social service agency. Founded in 1971, the Center provides quality, affordable, community based services to indigent individuals and families throughout North Orange County.

Approximately 80% of Gary Center clients earn household incomes below the federal poverty level. Fees are based on a sliding scale and no one is ever turned away because of inability to pay. All services are offered in English and Spanish.

Services include: Out-patient treatments for alcohol and substance addictions; Domestic violence intervention & parenting groups for voluntary & court-mandated child abusers; Youth outreach services to help address issues of abstinence, date rape, teen pregnancy, abusive relationships and gang diversion; Anger management classes for teens (male 13 to 17 years) to teach skills and techniques for handling anger, conflict resolution and self esteem; Individuals, couples & family counseling by licensed and pre-licensed marriage family therapists & clinical social workers; Full Mouth Dental Restoration (fees based on a sliding scale); Free immunizations for children administered by a registered nurse practitioner once a month; Food distribution program for indigent families, and Parenting/Nutrition, Adult Literacy & ESL classes.

Contact the Gary Center at (562) 691-3263, email gary@garycenter.org or visit the website at www.garycenter.org for program details and hours of operation.

[From time to time Health Care Matters features an Orange County community organization which provides much-needed services to underserved populations. The Gary Center is one we did not know very much about. Did you? -Ed.]

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