Mississippi lawmakers are hearing from agencies and healthcare providers seeking some of the state’s $1.25 billion in federal relief funds. From food banks to nursing homes, organizations say Covid 19 has decimated their bottom lines, leaving some to possibly close, others to file bankruptcy.
Dentists in Mississippi are taking a financial hit due to the coronavirus according to Jimmy Hollingsworth of Newton. The practicing dentist and past president of the Mississippi Dental Association appeared before the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee to talk about the economic blow Covid 19 has dealt dentists statewide. Hollingsworth says during the state shutdown, dentists only saw emergency patients and postponed other procedures.
“My office was down 90 percent in April as compared to the year before. And for the month of May through this morning we’re running at about 50 percent of our normal production,” said Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth says about 58 percent of dental practices are paying their staff even though they may not be seeing their normal number of patients. He says others had to temporarily lay off workers or rehire staff to obtain a federal grant through the Payroll Protection Program. The grant doesn’t have to be paid back when used for payroll.
“The partial closing of offices caused a big unemployment issue. Closure and or bankruptcies of small dental practices are likely as a result of most of the practices are in small rural areas. For the state this means many more unemployed, substantially less taxes for the long and short term,” said Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth is asking the legislature to provide $2,000 grants or more to help dentists along with funding for personal protection equipment. He says dentists must change their gowns and all other equipment after each patient.
Dentists are not alone in requesting relief funds. Marilyn Sumerford, executive director of Access Family Health Services which operates 15 sites, ten of which are school based health clinics, wants assistance for the centers. They primarily serve Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc Counties. Sumerford says they received grants for testing, PPE, telehealth and transportation. She says they’re focus has recently shifted.
“Still doing the testing, but a lot of focus on addressing the acute and chronic diseases that have been ignored because people we’re afraid to come to the doctor,” said Sumford.
She says like dentists they had to curtail some of their services and haven’t been able to make up the lost revenue. Sumerford explained the clinics take care of some of the state’s poorest sickest patients. Thirteen percent she says are Medicaid recipients. Sumerford noted patients served by health centers are some of the most vulnerable to Covid 19 due to pre-existing conditions, and living in multi-generational housing. She’s asking for funding to help centers cover costs of patient care.
The committee, chaired by Democratic Senator Hob Bryan of Amory, also heard from several food banks including one in Amory. Nancy Wong with Amory Food Pantry says they have a budget of $94,000; 90 percent of which goes to food. She says everyone who works at the pantry is a volunteer and that they rely on churches and schools to donate canned goods, which aren’t taking place due to the pandemic.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever gone to bed hungry or wondered where your next meal is coming from but it’s real. It’s right down the road. It’s in our neighborhoods. We need the money to help those most vulnerable in our society,” said Wong.
Pandora Redmon with Hearty Helpings Food Pantry says she started the non-profit in Greenville because of the need. The registered nurse has a for-profit business that helps with nurse staffing. Redmon says in January they fed 399 families; since the pandemic began they’ve fed 5,000 families. She says children run up to her on the street.
“When a child comes up and tells you they couldn’t sleep last night because they didn’t have anything, that kinda wears and tears on you. And we’ve been paying for food out of our pockets through my for-profit and it’s been tight,” said Redmon.
Redmon says they now have a 20,000 square foot four-story building and the community foundation is helping. The food pantry also helps with utility bills and operates a soup kitchen. She says Covid 19 has changed everything and the need to help families in distress is great.
Democratic Senator John Horhn of Jackson asked the food pantries about their need for larger vehicles to haul food supplies from the Mississippi Food Network to their facilities. Both agreed that would help them manage transporting food easier.
Representatives from the Mississippi Ambulance Association told legislators ambulance service providers have been left out of much of the federal relief funding. They too need PPE and have lost money because people have refused to be taken to the hospital out of fear.
A representative from nursing homes told lawmakers occupancy is dropping due to families taking their loved ones out of facilities. And that the cost of isolating Covid 19 positive patients and working to prevent the spread of the virus is expensive.
Senator Bryan said it is important to hear how Covid 19 is affecting public health in the state. Senators are hoping to provide some relief to the organizations.