ORANGE COUNTY

The Health Care Center for the Homeless (HCA), in Orlando, provides primary health and dental care to the truly homeless of the county. The clinic staff relies on local volunteers to assist in the operation and to provide services on a daily basis. The Orange County Health Department and the Orange County Medical Clinic support the Center’s efforts by providing medications and x-rays to patients. HCA operates a pediatric clinic, women’s clinic, and physical therapy clinic, to include a TB shelter for long term care. The "woods people" are supported by an outreach program called the Hope Team. In the past six years, HCCH has participated in the "Volunteer Health Care Provider Program" and has documented more than 65,000 patient visits. HCCH has a volunteer base of 90 health care professionals and 18 support staff. If you are interested in donating some of your valuable, time please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at (407) 428-5751.

Orange County Health Department, in its’ effort to promote and protect the health and safety of county residents, utilizes many different types of volunteers in their daily operations and is always in need of more volunteers. In 1998, 52 volunteers gave 4,230 hours of their time in support of the Department’s goal of preventing and controlling the spread of acute, chronic and infectious disease. They provide basic family health care services to persons unable to access care from the private sector; monitor the sanitary status of water and sewage systems, group living facilities, and other activities that have the potential to threaten the public’s health. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at (407) 623-1180, ext. 181, Suncom 334-1180, ext. 180.

The Orlando Union Rescue Mission, utilizing existing facilities, started a primary care clinic for the residents of the Mission in November 1998. The clinic sees eligible patients one evening every other week. It is staffed by 9 volunteer health care providers and 5 staff volunteers on a rotational basis. If you can volunteer as little as 3 hours every two months, the Mission would appreciate your contribution to the medically uninsured. Contact the Executive Director at (407) 422-4855 if you have questions or an interest.

Shepherd’s Hope, Inc., in cooperation with the Orange County School System facilities, operates 2 health centers in the Orlando area, and there are plans for 6 more clinics staffed entirely by volunteers. Medical care includes the usual range of services available in a family practice. All care is provided without charge to the patients, and generally includes pharmaceuticals, when needed. The clinics see patients that have annual incomes of less than 150% of the poverty level and have no health insurance coverage for that medical condition. In fiscal year 1998, the clinics saw 931 patients with a volunteer base of 130 that provided over $270, 000 in services. Shepherd’s Hope is always in need of volunteers with talents ranging from clerical, computer, to direct patient care. If you are interested call the Volunteer Coordinator at (407) 876-6699.

SpecialCare of Central Florida, Inc. is a joint effort of the Orange County Medical Society and Orange County Government, offering a broad venue of specialty care to eligible Orange County residents. SpecialCare accepts referred patients from the Orange County Medical Clinic, private physicians, Community Health Centers, and other primary care providers. All major hospitals in the county support the effort as volunteer providers and a source for ancillary services such as medications, diagnostic labs, and radiology. In 1998, SpecialCare provided health care services for 293 patients with 151 volunteers at value of $752,125. There is an ongoing effort to increase the number of health care volunteers and facilities to deliver a comprehensive referral system for the medically indigent of Orange County. If you or your organization would like help out, please call the Volunteer Coordinator at (407) 622-4604.

Children’s Medical Services (CMS) located in Orlando, provides children with special health care needs a family-centered, comprehensive, and coordinated statewide managed system of care. Children with special health care needs are those children under 21 whose serious or chronic physical or developmental conditions require extensive preventive and maintenance care beyond that required by typical health care. CMS is in need of volunteers with a broad range of skills and if you are interested in making a difference by volunteering, please contact the CMS Volunteer Coordinator at (407) 856-6519, ext. 147, Suncom 358-6519, ext. 147.