Alliance Medical Center releases resource guide

Last month the Alliance Medical Center released a new public
resource guide to residents in Windsor, Healdsburg and Cloverdale
offering contact information for a range of low cost and free
healthcare and community services.
The online guide provides information on where to turn for
services from alcohol and drug abuse to transportation options and
much more. Originally the guide was meant for physicians use to
supply information to patients during a visit. But, when Brenna
Mackin, an AmeriCorps member based at Alliance in Healdsburg, began
putting the guide together she discovered what a great tool it was
for the community.
“The West County has offered a similar guide for years,” said
Mackin. “I modeled it off of theirs and also used resources from
other guides from around the county.”
The guide was released in January only four short months from
when Mackin began compiling all of the resources. Since its
release, Mackin has continued to update the resources listed on a
monthly basis calling health fairs and local non-profits to gather
information on what services are currently available.
“There are already a lot of wonderful services in Sonoma County
but a lot of people don’t know about them. I think it is important
to let people know what they already have and to connect them to
those services,” Mackin said.
Alliance Medical Center was founded in 1971 and now operates two
public health facilities, one in Windsor and one in Healdsburg.
Alliance recently opened another location in Healdsburg strictly
for teens in the North County.
Mackin came to Alliance Medical Center as an AmeriCorps member
in September of last year through their Domestic HealthCorp and
will provide her services with Alliance for one year. She hopes
that she will be able to continue her work with them in the future
but said that, “AmeriCorps is on the chopping block in
Washington.”
AmeriCorps operates as a partnership between non-profit groups
and individuals who want to work in their communities.
“Most people understand the concept of the Peace Corps where you
travel overseas to help with services in communities but many
people don’t know that AmeriCorps offers the same thing in our
country,” said Mackin.
Residents are encouraged to visit the Alliance Web site to see
if there are services that can help improve their lives.
“The most important thing for residents to know is that there is
now a comprehensive guide available targeted toward low cost and
free services that is helpful for everyone in the community not
just low-income,” said Mackin.
Other organizations in the community are also encouraged to use
the resource guide to provide information to visitors. The recent
formation of the group, Windsor Wellness Partnership, which is
under the direction of Alliance Medical Center, is also excited to
have the resource guide as a tool.
“As a group we are going to see how to share things and create
wellness in Windsor rather than working separately,” said Lynn
Woznicki, who is heading the Windsor Wellness Program. “We need a
central resource and this will be a great addition.”
To find resources in your area go to, www.alliancemed.org .