Family Health Council provides funding for new women’s health services

The East Missouri Action Agency will be offering new health services to poor and low income women.

East Missouri Action Agency was among eight family planning providers in Missouri selected by the Missouri Family Health Council to participate in a project called “Providing Improved Cervical Cancer Screening for Poor and Low-Income Women.” The project is funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health and is scheduled to begin January 2004

Through the project, all women served at East Missouri Action Agency will receive the “Thin Prep” liquid-based cervical cancer screening as well as HPV DNA testing. Other services scheduled to begin in January include hormone replacement therapy, colo-rectal screening, HIV/Syphilis testing and a diabetes outreach program.

Doctors Charles Freeman, William Snidle, and Derrick Havin, OB/GYN specialists, will serve as the medical directors for the agency’s family planning and breast and cervical cancer control prevention programs at the Park Hills Clinic.

In addition to the medical directors, East Missouri Action Agency also has added two women’s healthcare nurse practitioners to its staff. Autumn Stegall and Marcia Lawson will provide women’s healthcare and affordable contraceptive methods at East Missouri Action Agency’s clinics.

Other services already provided by the clinic include breast examinations, referrals for mammograms, cervical cancer screening, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, cholesterol and blood sugar screening, and screening for anemia. Most methods of contraception are also available at the clinics. Costs for examinations and methods are based on the individual’s household income and family size.

Women interested in scheduling at one of the East Missouri Action Agency’s clinic locations should call 1-800-392-8663 or 431-5191 ext. 121.