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Rocking Horse to take over health centers

Rocking Horse to run two medical centers

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By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer Updated 7:39 AM Thursday, January 7, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Rocking Horse Community Health Center will take over the operations of Keifer-Mercy Health Center and the Mercy Parent-Infant Center this month as part of an agreement with Community Mercy Health Partners, officials announced Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Community Mercy officials, in August, announced the hospital would have to pull its funding from both centers because of an anticipated $5 million loss of revenue in 2010. The hospital would also no longer be able to provide $450,000 annually to Rocking Horse.

Rocking Horse officials said the center could take over Keifer with little financial hardship because, as a federally qualified health center, it receives enhanced reimbursements from Medicaid. It would need help, however, addressing both Infant Center clients and the more than 800 people on a waiting list at its adult clinic on Pleasant Street. Community Mercy officials agreed to provide up to $500,000 annually over a two-year period to help Rocking Horse hire additional medical staff.

“As Rocking Horse ramps up ... with the acquisition of staff to serve more people we wanted to be able to provide assistance with that,” said Terry Weinburger, Community Mercy vice president, Mission Services. “We’ve worked out a plan that we think will accomplish that.”

Rocking Horse CEO Dana Engle expects the center to eliminate the waiting list with the assistance.

The Mercy-Keifer Center will remain at Keifer school. The Parent-Infant Center, located at 40 W. High St., will move this spring to the Catholic Charities/Second Harvest Food Bank office on Columbia Street.

Keifer-Mercy Health Clinic provides health care services to high risk students and their families with a goal to remove barriers that would hinder the students from learning. Mercy Parent-Infant Center provides parenting and family relationship education as well as baby formula and clothing for financially challenged families.

“It’s really exciting for us at Rocking Horse to see how these services fit into our overall mission,” Engle said.

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