Monterey Wants Health Department In Cate-Gil

Monterey moving forward with a plan to remove a medical clinic from its Cate-Gil Building to make space for the Putnam County Health Department.

Mayor Alex Garcia said Monterey Medical currently does not have a lease with the town and the health department is searching for a permanent building there. Garcia said the department would offer primary care for insured, under-insured, underserved, and uninsured citizens.

“Services can’t be denied due to inability to pay,” Garcia said. “They do family planning and birth control, communicable diseases, testing and treatment. They’ll do birth certificates and death certificates right here in Monterey. They will enroll people in insurance if necessary, immunizations. I mean, they do everything.”

Garcia said the health department has secured $50,000 to renovate the building and additional funds for a generator and HVAC improvements if necessary. Garcia said the health department would be able to take on Monterey Medical’s patients if they choose to switch.

“I’ve already talked to Lisa Bumbalough, who is the director of the health department, and she is all for this,” Garcia said. “We know it’s not going to happen overnight but she could fully staff this building.”

Garcia said the health department is state-funded but the county would pay for the utilities of the new space and Monterey would continue maintaining the building. Garcia said the dentist’s office and food bank located in the same building will be unaffected by the change.

“(The health department’s) current hours at the farmer’s market are eight to three,” Garcia said. “I don’t know if they would expand that or not.”

Alderman Bill Wiggins asked if the town should consider contacting the clinic’s current patients and informing them of the change to avoid a “huge black eye.” Garcia said the closest thing the town can do is put out a public notice as it would be a large HIPAA violation to get a list of those patients.