Carrabelle Health Department may close its doors

Budget woes at the Franklin County Health department may force it to close its Carrabelle clinic in the coming weeks. Health Department chief Wesley Tyce told the county commission last night that the health department has seen its funding fall while its spending has remained basically the same, and that is no longer sustainable. His budget is already is already below where it legally should be, Health departments are supposed to keep 8 percent of the budget in reserve for emergencies, he said his current reserve is closer to 6 percent. Tyce said the Carrabelle location was opened to meet a need for primary health care in Carrabelle, but now Weems Memorial has a clinic in the city that is meeting much of that need. The money that is saved from closing the Carrabelle clinic will be put back into services at the Apalachicola site which serves the entire county. County commissioners, especially Bevin Putnal and Cheryl Sanders who represent the eastern end of the county say they do not want to see the Carrabelle health department close. Bevin Putnal said closing the Carrabelle site will affect the neediest people in Carrabelle the most, those that can’t pay to use the Weems clinic or who can’t even afford to travel to Apalachicola. Mister Tyce said he understands that the need is there but not the money. There was no specific date given for when the Carrabelle location could close, though it is likely to happen near the beginning of July when the health department’s new budget year starts. County commissioners say they want to see the Health Department’s books before then so they can decide whether they can help keep the Carrabelle site open, though they readily admit at this time they don’t have the money to do so.