Federal Funds will boost health clinics

BILLINGS – Expanded medical services in Worden, Joliet and Bridger are planned as the Yellowstone City-County Health Department prepares to run clinics in those communities.

The department’s additional work will be funded through a $578,000 increase in annual funding received from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The agency already provides the city-county department about $3.4 million a year, or roughly 13 percent of the total budget.

With the additional money, plans include reopening the Joliet clinic, which closed two years ago. Control of clinics in Worden and Bridger will be transferred from St. Vincent Healthcare.

Officials say changes will include expanding hours of operation at the clinics and establishing payment options based on a sliding fee scale.