The nation's only publicly funded; natural medicine
clinic was saved in the, 11th hour of budget negotiations when state lawmakers approved
$5000,000 to keep the project going.
"I'm ecstatic," said Nancy Weaver, who
coordinates the natural medicine project for King County. "I can't even begin to tell
you my feelings when I got a call that said it looks like it's in there."
The King County Integrated Natural Medicine Clinic in
Kent, which combines natural medicine and conventional Western medicine opened in October
as part of a two-year study on how the two forms of medicine can work together and cut
medical costs.
It was initially funded last year with $750,000 in
federal money, which runs out July 1.
Supporters had been counting on another $750,000 from the
slate this year to maintain the clinic and to complete the study but that money was
omitted from the initial budget sent to Gov Gary Locke earlier this month.
Republican state Sen. Pam Roach said Locke's decision to
veto portions of the budget gave her the chance to ask over the weekend that most of the
necessary money be restored.
"We had a very good broad base of support to
continue this program," said Roach of Auburn.
"What we want to do is reduce the cost of health
care. Many of us believe that can be done by stressing a more preventive approach and also
by allowing that we have been servicing a variety of needs for citizens. Some feel more
comfortable when there's a natural approach to medicine."
The clinic, which is the brainchild of Metropolitan King
County Councilman, Kent Pullen, has been featured in national magazines and television
news programs as an innovative program for medical care.
Other states- including Arizona, New York and California
- are looking at it as a model for future clinics in hopes that its focus an affordable
preventive care will save money, Weaver said.
There is still $250,000 shortfall, however, Pullen, a
Kent Republican, said the clinic for low income's residents has strong bipartisan support
on the County Council, and he believes money sources can be found in county coffers to
help fill the gap.
Pullen, chairman of the council's Law, Justice, and Human
Services Committee, said he has not ruled out seeking grants, both public and private, to
keep the project alive.
Merrily Manthey, chairwoman of the Kent natural medicine
project, said that despite some tense days in recent weeks, she is pleased the state agree
to continue funding the project.