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Message from the Executive Director Joint Quality Improvement and Program Committee Report
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Message from the Executive Director When I started to write this annual report,
I began to wonder if the volunteers who created Community Clinic,
Inc. (CCI) ever imagined that their work of providing health care
to the medically needy would continue for 30 years. This year’s
annual report theme, “People-, Mission, Commitment,” underscores
the dedication of the people who have helped sustain and grow CCI
since 1972. Our success has been the direct result of three essential
ingredients: a committed Board of Directors; a dedicated cadre of
staff, volunteers, and contributors; and sustained support from
local governments and private and nonprofit agencies. A Committed Board Over the past three decades, CCI’s
Board of Directors has both understood and reflected the community
it has served, and has maintained a steadfast commitment to improving
the community’s quality of life. People from all walks of life
have volunteered to provide governance and leadership. CCI’s
Board has guided the agency through uncertain financial times, has
encouraged staff during periods of change, and has stimulated the
development of new programs. A Dedicated Staff From its inception, CCI has been fortunate
to have a staff who emphasize service and a strong belief in CCI’s
values and mission. This culture of service initially emanated from
the circumstance that our staff were consumers of our services and
were from the same cultural and social backgrounds. As CCI has matured,
our customers have become more diverse. The growing diversity of
our staff has helped us to be more responsive to their needs and,
as a result, has facilitated their acceptance of our services. Over time, our staff model has migrated
from being totally volunteer to a mix of paid staff and volunteers.
Staff members actively participate in committees that oversee important
agency functions and lend their expertise when planning new or improved
services. The most important result of having a permanent staff
is the continuity they provide to our customers. Widespread Support CCI was formed by the enterprise of the
City of Rockville Community Service staff, who identified unmet
health care needs in the community and then began recruiting volunteers
to provide services. The grants and donations over the years from
local governments, charitable foundations, and corporations have
played an important role in CCI’s development and its ability
to serve special populations and provide specialized services. For
example: • In the early 1980s, Montgomery County
provided CCI with an opportunity to expand services to Silver Spring.
The county has continued to support and expand CCI’s efforts
to serve the medically needy. • The City of Gaithersburg responded
to CCI’s request in 1990 with a grant to serve its uninsured
residents. Today, the Solomon Gaithersburg health center is the
largest in CCI’s constellation of six centers. • In the mid 1990s, the Maryland Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene awarded CCI the contract to administer
the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food supplement and nutrition
program. CCI responded to this vote of confidence by becoming the
largest WIC agency in the state. Today CCI/WIC serves more than
16,500 people. • For more than 14 years, Health Care
for the Homeless, Inc. has donated funds to provide health care
to a very vulnerable population. • Partnerships with
the United Way, and foundations including Fannie Mae, CSG, Montgomery
County Community, Montgomery General Hospital Health, and others
have provided seed money for new CCI programs and services. Relationships
with corporations and services club, such as Meridian Investments,
7-Eleven, and the Kiwanis Club of North Potomac have enabled us
to enhance our programs and services. And generous individuals have
added their support, allowing for additional improvements to our
patient care. Staying Power CCI is more than just a service agency. It is a product of the community and people it serves. I can’t imagine what CCI will look like in another 30 years, but I do know that if the need continues as it has during CCI’s history, our Board of Directors and community of hard workers will be there with a time-proven, effective, and dedicated response. |
