CHARLOTTE COUNTY

The Charlotte County Health Department is very fortunate to have a wonderful volunteer program. Both licensed health care providers and non-professional community members take volunteer roles in meeting the health care needs of uninsured, low income county residents. The health department also partners with other organizations to bring quality, volunteer health care services to persons who would have no other access to care.

LICENSED HEALTH CARE VOLUNTEERS

Licensed medical professionals volunteer within the health department in the AIDS clinic and in primary care clinics. If you are a medical professional and are interested in donating your expertise at the health department, please contact Debbie Kimberlin at (941) 639-1181, extension 218 or e-mail her at Debbie_Kimberlin@doh.state.fl.us.

The Charlotte County Medical Society partners with the health department in a volunteer program which provides uncompensated care to indigent persons. The medical society formed a volunteer branch, Charlotte County Physicians for Volunteer Services, Inc., in which physicians, dentists, podiatrists and mental health professionals accept uninsured, indigent health department patients who need specialty care.

William Holt, D.O., neurologist, is one of the many local physicians who volunteer through Charlotte County Physicians for Volunteer Services, Inc.
Click on photo above for full size version.

All local hospitals accept this program’s patients without charge. Volunteers receive the state’s limited sovereign immunity when caring for patients referred through the program.

Pat Garriton, Executive Director of the Charlotte County Medical Society, was instrumental in the formation of the program in 1992 and remains very active in community endeavors to alleviate the suffering of the poor. For more information about this program, please contact Ms. Garriton at (941) 625-6229 or e-mail her at Garriton@charlottecountydoctors.com.

Click on photo above for full size version.

Christian Health Ministries is a new partner of the health department. This group of dedicated Christian physicians, nurses, paramedics, and others holds free clinics in area churches. Clinics are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, alternating between morning and evening hours, and on Saturday mornings.

Click on photo above for full size version.

When patients require specialty services beyond that which can be performed in the clinics, they are referred to cooperating local resources, including the health department, and to volunteer specialists. Christian Health Ministries contracts with the health
department for sovereign immunity.

Click on photo above for full size version.

Bon Secours St. Joseph Hospital in Charlotte County sponsors Care A Van, which is a medically equipped mobile unit, staffed by hospital personnel and volunteer physicians. Care A Van travels throughout the rural portions of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Hendry and Glades Counties in Southwest Florida, treating low income individuals at no charge. When patients’ problems are too complex to care for on the van, the volunteers treat them in their private offices without charge.

NON-PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Lay volunteers assist indigent health department patients in obtaining free medication from pharmaceutical companies, performing clerical work in medical records and other departments, and in assisting graduates of smoking cessation classes to remain tobacco-free. Teenage volunteers are actively involved in planning and carrying out activities to prevent young people from becoming addicted to tobacco. Volunteers also host a Christmas party each year for children of health department patients.

If you would like to volunteer your time at the Charlotte County Health Department, please contact Debbie Kimberlin at (941) 639-1181, extension 237, or e-mail her at Debbie_Kimberlin@doh.state.fl.us.

Contact Information 

Postal address, telephone and fax:

Region 8 Coordinator:

 

Wendy Wilderman, M.P.H.
Lee County Health Department
3920 Michigan Ave.
Ft. Myers, FL 33916-2205
(941) 332-9546 (SC) 743-1546
FAX (941) 332-9656 (SC) 743-1656

State Coordinator:

 

Shannon Lease, M.S.
Department of Health Headquarters
BIN #A13
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee FL 32399-1722
Telephone (850) 245-4104 (SC)205-4104
FAX (850) 414-6091 (SC)994-6091

Electronic mail:

Volunteer opportunities contact regional coordinator: Wendy_Wilderman@doh.state.fl.us

General Program Information: Shannon_Lease@doh.state.fl.us

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