The Hospital Authority Board of Rockdale County lwill beat opening the second round of small community and primary health grants to distribute $200,000 of grant funding for the coming year.

For the coming year, the second in its present form as a grant-giving body, the Authority has allocated $75,000 for small community grants and $125,000 for primary care access/clinic grants.

At the meeting, Authority members decided to open the small community grants process four times a year, making the application deadlines quarterly. The next deadline for the small community grants would be at the end of 2010. For the larger, more complicated primary care access/clinic applications, the deadline would be at the end of January 2011.

Although its stated focus areas include youth health and wellness and health screening and prevention, for its first year, where it had $200,000 to distribute, the Hospital Authority decided to narrow its focus on two areas: small community grants and primary care/clinics.

For the first round of small community grants, amounts of up to $5,000 were awarded  to 14 organizations on July 27 of this year (see sidebar). For the first round of primary care acess/clinic grants, the Authority gave $50,000 to Mercy Heart, in quarterly installations of $12,500, and $20,000 to Helping Hands, in two installations of $10,000.

The county has two indigent and free health care clinics: Helping Hands, located at the entrance of the Lakeview Estates community off Lake Rockaway Road, and the newly opened Mercy Heart, located off of Ga. Highway 20.

It also said goodbye to long-time board member  Dr. Forrest Doud and welcomed new member Allan Jones during its October meeting.

Doud, a pediatrician who had completed his second consecutive term on the board, the maximum allowed, attended the Tuesday evening meeting along with new member Allan Jones. Jones has a long history of community service, including being on the board of the Barksdale Boys and Girls Club and of Rockdale Emergency Relief.

"This is an opportunity, an avenue to really make some things happen," said Jones. "This is a good group of people."

Boyle praised Doud's service, insight as a medical professional and wise counsel. Doud was presented a statuette of appreciation which was inscribed, "Let it be known to one and all that you have soared and acted decisively in meeting the healthcare needs of our community."

The Hospital Authority has about $30 million in restricted funds and $3.1 million in unrestricted funds. It sold Rockdale Medical Hospital to private healthcare company LifePoint in early 2009 for $80 million, with $30 million in new capitol over the next six years. The restricted funds are reserved for any remaining liabilities and in case RMC should ever go back up for sale again and the Authority wanted to exercise its right of first purchase. The unrestricted funds, and any accruing interest, can be used to run and fund a grants program for community health.

The next Hospital Authority Board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 in the conference room of the cafeteria in the north end of the hospital and is open to the public. If there is enough business to hold a December meeting, that meeting will be on Dec. 14.

 Anyone interested in applying for Primary Care Access Grant or for a Small Community Projects Grant should contact Judy Usry at 770-922-1441 or jursy@rockdaleha.org.

In other  HARC business:

The board  unanimously approved reappointing Joanne Caldwell, who is serving as one of the two the Authority representatives allowed on the Rockdale Medical Center, Inc. board, for another three year term.

Last month, the Authority Board members Benny Atkins and  Beth Andersen were reappointed to a second term.

In Brief

The former board of the hospital, the Rockdale Medical Center Inc. board, will be dissolved by the end of the month.