WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — There is new help for people that have been out of paradise. Besides a hot shower or meal, St. Ann Place in West Palm Beach has added a new clinic.
Michelle Cambridge is the nurse. She said the scope of her treatment is quite narrow.
"I see a lot of unmanaged blood pressure, a lot of unmanaged blood sugar, so diabetes," she said. "I see a lot of wounds and a lot of athlete's foot, a lot of foot-related injuries, bug bites that become infected."
Cambridge said the clinic is open Monday through Friday and they see everyone regardless of their ability to pay.
"It's all based on income," she said. "So if you have no income then, yeah, no pay."
On average, St. Ann Place deals with 100-150 people daily.
John Pescosolido is the executive director. He said when you work with the homeless it's all about building trust. So having a permanent nurse on-site reduces another barrier.
"It brings them in and helps them be more comfortable with the people they're working with, makes them more welcoming to care, welcoming to someone prying into their personal issues that are holding them back from moving forward in life," he said.
Renand said he's thankful.
"St. Ann Place, most of the staff, they're pretty good staff, you know," he said.
Pescosolido said what they're seeing now is what they call the new homeless. He said they're people who simply can't afford to live in Palm Beach County because it has become so expensive.