About 1,000 patients with disabilities are expected to lose access to dental and other medical services at Lee Specialty Clinic in Louisville, Ky., after the state-owned facility was hit with budget cuts, Louisville Public Media reported June 13.
Lee Specialty Clinic provides comprehensive care to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including dental care.
The clinic recently learned that two-thirds of its budget will be cut as part of the state’s two-year budget plan. The cuts amount to a $4.5 million loss, with only eight of the clinic’s 50 staff members being retained.
Amy Roller, the clinic’s front office department head, told LPM that the clinic currently has a two-year waitlist for dental patients. Ashlea Murphy, a medical assistant at the clinic, added that many patients cannot access care elsewhere because providers do not treat patients with complex behavioral needs.
Source: Becker’s Dental