Three federal grants would allow Rosa Clark to expand

Rosa Clark, the federally qualified health center on the grounds of Oconee hospital, is not finished expanding. Vickie Thompson, executive director, believes there’s a good chance federal funds will be approved to allow the clinic to open a Walhalla facility, as well as extend dental care into rural parts of the county, among other new services. Rosa Clark offers services to those who can’t afford to pay private physicians and to those who, although qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, can’t get care from area doctors. If monies are OK’d, Rosa Clark would expand back to its roots—for the original 1982 location was Walhalla. Thompson is optimistic that three grant requests will come thru. A third request would deliver funds to complement an earlier grant to care for those with substance abuse disorders. As for the goal to establish a Walhalla medical clinic, Thompson and her board of directors envision a specific location but, she says, it’s premature to identify. 101.7/WGOG NEWS asked about the 1970 Walhalla building that, for many years, served as Walhalla’s state health department facilities. But Thompson says that building would cost too much to bring up to modern day requirements. She thanks Amanda Brock, the county administrator, for help in identifying possible Walhalla locations and is grateful to State Senator Thomas Alexander for his help in the grant application process.