Salt Lake’s Indian Walk-In Center Could Closed

Today’s Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that the Indian Walk-in Center in Salt Lake could be axed under Bush’s budget plan.

President Bush’s 2007 budget proposes canceling all funding to the nation’s 34 urban Indian health clinics. Utah’s share of the $33 million cut is $1.1 million, roughly 90 percent of the Walk-In Center’s budget.

The center services over 7,000 of Utah’s poor each year. Most clients are uninsured Indians living below poverty level.

“That would pretty much wipe us out. I’d hate to say we’d disappear, but we would close our doors to regroup,” said Thomas Burkes, the center’s development director.
“We’re Utah’s only urban Indian health clinic to close.” Fast Horse-White said, “I wouldn’t take the initiative to go somewhere else. I would just go without.”

A spokesperson for U.S. Senator Bob Bennett of Utah stated that Senator Bennett is looking into what he can to restore the funding.