Depression Community

hello, all --

here is a list of resources for finding free/low-cost medical care, including counseling. you may have to go thru the entry level with a primary-care dr, but then you can ask to be referred to a counselor or psychiatrist. don't try to tackle all of these at once, or you'll be overwhelmed. check out one or two, see what they say, then check out one or two more.

i welcome any suggestions for additions to this list.

-- susie margaret


-- check out these websites -- http://www.coverageforall.org/finder/index.php , http://www.freeclinics.us/freeclinic.php , http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf , http://www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov , http://www.freemedicalcamps.com/index.php , http://www.pparx.org/en/prescription_assistance_programs/free_clinic_finder , http://community.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=292&srcid=288 , http://www.211.org , and http://www.copays.org ;

-- check out this website -- http://www.patientadvocate.org/report.php , be sure to click on both national and state organizations;

-- check out the website for the "live united" campaign of the united way -- http://www.liveunited.org -- and use the "search our site" box at the right in the second blue ribbon to do a "search" for your city or state to find medical care programs in your area;

-- call your city, county, or state dept of health and dept of family services (or something that sounds equivalent), and ask if there are free or low-cost clinics in your area;

-- go to the website for your state government, e.g., http:// www.your_state.gov , and click on every social services link you can find;

-- look for free or low-cost clinics at nearby medical schools, divinity schools, large hospitals, and university graduate programs in nursing, social work, or psychology; often students who are close to graduation provide health care under the close supervision of their instructors;

-- see if any hospitals near you have a social worker; often they have very extensive knowledge of their own and other hospital and community resources;

-- call the legal aid office to see if they know of programs for free or low-cost medical care;

-- check with churches, synagogues, and mosques to see if they have someone who does counseling; with many of these, you do not have to be a member, their only concern is that you are a person in need; and

-- check out these websites to determine your eligibility for various govt assistance programs -- https://www.benefitscheckup.org/index.cfm?partner_id=0 , http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=gbcc_page_home&_nfls=false , and http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Home.aspx .