Since opening in 2023, EJI Health has provided free medical services to hundreds of people across Alabama. Many of the patients were previously incarcerated and did not receive personalized medical care while in prison or jail.
In a recent article, the Montgomery Advertiser acknowledged the impact of the EJI Health Clinic and EJI's mobile clinics, which provide care to patients outside of Montgomery.
Alabama health crisis
Access to health care remains a critical issue, with hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama without health insurance.
Formerly incarcerated people are particularly vulnerable, and many people emerging from prisons and jails suffer from undiagnosed illnesses that can pose serious risks to their health and successful reentry. Masu.
EJI's health clinics prioritize the care of incarcerated people, but are also available to those who cannot otherwise access health care.
“Lifesaver”
Leonard Pettiway, 67, of Montgomery, who was released from prison earlier this year, was one of EJI Health's first patients. He said the care he received while incarcerated was uniform and there was often no treatment available.
“I didn't have any help when I was in prison. They monitored my illness for years,” Pettiway said. “This place is a lifesaver. If you come across this place, you will regret not standing up.”
EJI doctors helped treat Mr. Pettiway's hepatitis C and provided him with the medication he needed to address other health issues.
The mobile clinic allows EJI's medical team to reach patients from Huntsville to Mobile. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser)
The EJI Health team is eager to reach more people like Mr. Pettiway, including through services provided by the EJI Mobile Clinic, which the team brings to daily reporting centers across the state.
“This is not only about improving outcomes for people coming out of prisons and jails, it's also about improving public safety and public health,” EJI Director Brian Stevenson said of the project.
“I think we can demonstrate that people who use these services, who are getting the medical care they need, have much lower recidivism rates than people who don't.”
For questions regarding patient eligibility or reservations, please call or email EJI Health at (334)239-9740. [email protected].
