Insurance can be tricky. You might be paying through your employer, you might qualify for government assistance, or you might not have insurance at all.
Back in 2005, a local church launched a ministry for those in the third category – those working as 1099 contractors, working for a daycare or nonprofit organization, or just started a new job and waiting for the benefits to kick in.
Whatever the reason, private insurance isn’t an option and these folks don’t qualify for assistance.
This can put you in a tough spot when it comes to making choices within your budget. Individuals often put off seeking medical help, or they have to decide if that dental cleaning is more important than keeping the lights on.
What is now known as Hope Healthcare Services in Avon began offering medical and dental services to these individuals, by welcoming licensed physicians and volunteers from IU Health West Hospital and Hendricks Regional Health, among other professional offices in the area.
These professionals donate an afternoon each week, or one day per month, to give back to their community with the skills they have.
It’s no longer supported by just one church, and over the years the nonprofit has been supported by numerous churches, businesses and individuals. Thanks to that support, they’ve grown exponentially.
The most recent change is the addition of a new executive director, Cliff Sweazey. He was once in business development and consulting technology, but in 2015 Sweazey felt he needed to make a change.
“I sold my technology company to my business partner and started doing ministry work,” he said. “I didn’t really have any specific plans. I just knew I wanted to serve others. I started getting involved in the prison ministry and the divorce ministry, and I eventually went to graduate school for pastoral ministry and Christian counseling.”
Sweazey worked at his local church for several years before a series of circumstances led him to apply at Hope Healthcare.
“I didn’t know I was looking for a job when I found Hope,” he said. “My wife saw their job posting and told me about it. I sort of shrugged it off because I wasn’t looking. In a matter of six days, three more unrelated people sent me the same job posting. Then I felt like it was calling for me, and I want to go where I’m needed.”
Some would say he has big shoes to fill. John Mollaun has served as executive director for nearly two decades, but Sweazey said that’s not his goal.
“John has been amazing,” he said. “He waited until I was in place before he retired so we could transition smoothly. It’s a valuable opportunity to get his input and he did personal introductions to many in the community. I’ll never fill John’s shoes, but it’s an honor to walk in his footsteps.”
The entire staff has shown Sweazey their big hearts and willingness to jump in where needed.
After all, with just a small paid staff, the organization is operated by more than 80 active volunteers.
“I’ve seen firsthand the commitment of our volunteers,” Sweazey said. “These physicians and dentists and counselors are just called to serve, and they believe in this ministry. It’s beautiful to watch – like an orchestra and collaborative effort.”
In addition to medical and dental care, the newest service brought in by the organization is mental health care.
Across the country, we are seeing more and more youths and adults with anxiety and depression symptoms – and at an earlier age than ever before.
“It’s such an important component,” Sweazey said. “When you look at the Hendricks County needs assessment survey, one of our top concerns is mental health. We partner with counselors who will discount their rates, and then we subsidize those rates even further to make it affordable for the patient.”
Whether in need of an annual physical, a dental cleaning or a counselor, patients simply call the Hope Healthcare staff and schedule an appointment for the next available volunteer.
They are open five days per week. However, certain services are offered on certain days, and availability is based on the volunteers they have on hand.
Most services have a small fee, but they offer “extremely discounted rates” according to Sweazey. When it comes to blood work or other routine procedures, they have partnerships in the area to make those needs affordable too.
In his new role, Sweazey hopes to watch Hope Healthcare continue to grow.
“I posted something about Hope Healthcare on social media, and it broke my heart the number of people that said, ‘What’s Hope?’” he said. “We have to change that. Part of my initiative is to increase awareness and to reach not only the people we can bless by serving them, but also those in the community that can use their gifts to serve others.”
His ultimate goal is to offer a full-time staff of volunteers, five days per week, with all services available like a typical clinic. It will take a lot of community collaboration.
“We’re already working on some of these things,” Sweazey said. “We’re partnering with other churches and nonprofits in the community. We want to let them know about our services and promote each other.”
Additional licensed volunteers are needed, as well as those willing to help schedule or answer phones. Sweazey asks for prayers, and donations are always welcome.
“We can’t do what we do without the financial support from our community,” he said. “We have so many community partners, businesses and individuals who support us. You can have the best concept in the world, but without the people, it doesn’t do us any good.”
As Sweazey continues to raise awareness, make connections and welcome additional volunteers, he admits there’s still a lot to learn. However, he can’t help but think that Hope Healthcare is where he has belonged all along.
“I believe God has been building me for this position my entire life,” he said. “It’s like if you train for a marathon and you weren’t sure how it was going to go, but now that I’m here, I know he has equipped me for the call. Sometimes God opens a door and then has to kick us through it. I couldn’t be more excited to work for this amazing organization.”
