Health Care

Cheers for The Times’ front-page feature (May 19) calling attention to the plight of homeless families.

But boos for the mistaken impression left by an account of a homeless patient’s story, told by Mandy Johnson, director of our Health Care for the Homeless project.

The child (an infant with pneumonia) had been seen in a hospital emergency room, not our free clinic, and given a prescription the mother could not afford to have filled. When homeless patients are seen, without charge, by our doctors, we give them the actual medications they need, also without charge--a policy that costs the clinic a lot but recognizes the reality of our patients’ situations.

In this particular case, the mother was dysfunctional and in a series of incidents showed that she was unable to care for her very sick baby. We reported her child neglect, as required by law. In the great majority of cases, however, the clinic’s intervention, its comprehensive health care, and its networking with social service agencies on behalf of its patients help to keep families functioning and hopeful in the face of great odds.

It is important that homeless families receive help before they are too discouraged or beaten to make use of it.

FERN SEIZER

Executive Director

Venice Family Clinic