Tonya Mertins, a 20-year-old Lansing resident, has no health insurance.
So when an ear infection caused a loss of hearing and throbbing headaches, Mertins didn't have a lot of affordable options for treatment.
That's how she ended up sitting on an examination table Tuesday at the Gateway Community Services medical clinic, which provides free or low-cost health care to uninsured residents of the Lansing area.
But the clinic, located at 2875 Northwind Drive, might have to close its doors as early as June 30 due to cuts in government funding.
Stefanie Zin, executive director at Gateway, said $70,000 needs to be raised before June 30 to sustain the clinic until its fiscal year ends on September 30. After that, an additional $100,000 will be needed each year to cover funding shortfalls.
Last year, Gateway saw about 1,600 patients in more than 2,000 visits. If the clinic is forced to close, many low-income area residents like Mertins will have to turn elsewhere for medical care.
Also, the closing would put added pressure on local emergency rooms, Zin said.
Mertins said it was her first time at the clinic as she waited to be examined by family nurse practitioner Charlyn Stratton, who was busy with another patient.
Adam Jablonowski, a 2005 MSU graduate, has volunteered at the Gateway clinic for more than a year. He said he sees young, uninsured people in situations similar to Mertins' all the time.
"For some, or most, this is the only outlet," Jablonowski said.
That outlet will soon disappear without donations from the local community.
Gateway has been in a budget crisis since funding for the clinic dried up in a number of places. The city of East Lansing slashed its funding of the program from $83,000 to a projected $51,000, Zin said.
"The state has cut a lot of revenue sharing to local governments," said East Lansing Finance Director Mary Haskell. She said the reduction in funding to Gateway was consistent with cuts to other social work organizations.
The program receives no funding from the city of Lansing, although Zin said the clinic "sees an inordinate number of Lansing residents."
Gateway has already suffered significant cuts to its programs. In addition to the medical clinic, the organization runs Crossroads, a shelter for homeless teens, and Higher Ground, a youth crisis intervention program. About a year and a half ago, the number of beds in those programs was cut in half, said Andrew Lathrop, marketing and community relations director for Gateway.
Two programs, a sexual assault recovery program and an elementary intervention program, have been cut entirely, Zin said.
Sacrifices have been made within the staff as well, including unpaid leaves and five permanent layoffs, said Rich Zapala, a former Gateway board president.
The organization will be hosting a fund-raiser to celebrate their 35th anniversary at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road, on June 17.
Zin said Gateway is looking for help from "any and all" sources, including community members and local businesses.
"I'm knocking on everybody's door," Zin said. "If we have to close, it's not going to be from lack of trying."
Zin is also soliciting help from local hospitals and said she has scheduled meetings with officials at Ingham Regional and Sparrow hospitals.
"It's a tough time for nonprofits in Michigan," said Louis Hekhuis, a retired MSU associate dean of students who has served on Gateway's Board of Directors since the organization opened its doors in 1970.
"We've struggled before, and we've come out on top," he said. "We believe we're going to do that again, but we need some help."
