About the Institute . . .

393 ABOUT THE INSTITUTE ... The Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved was established to help address the ironic paradox that, in a country that devotes more money per capita to health care than does any nation on earth, more than 30 million people stiU lack adequate health protection. Despite a vast commitment of resources, the cost of care is soaring, health care in medicaUy underserved rural and urban communities is limited, and the quaUty of care is not always reliable. These problems weigh heaviest on the poor, the elderly, those who face a catastrophic illness, and the milUons who are uninsured or underinsured . We at Meharry Medical CoUege beUeve deeply in health care for aU. As the largest single private institution for the education of Black health professionals in the United States, Meharry trains physidans and dentists who practice largdy in medicaUy underserved inner-dty and rural areas. In 1988, to further focus attention on the health of and health care for underserved populations, Meharry formed the nonprofit Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. The institute aims to solve problems by bringing together health professionals, disseminating critical information, and serving as a focal point for research news. Because the issues that surround health care are complex, the scope of the Institute is broad, encompassing diverse concerns such as the cost of health care; federal, state, and local laws; service deUvery and access thereto; bureaucratic regulations and procedures; and individual and group behaviors. The prindpal activities of the Institute are fivefold: operating a national dearinghouse, convening annual conferences and meetings, publishing a quarterly journal, establishing and supporting local demonstration projects, and engaging in health services research. The Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved reUes on the generosity of pubUc and private funders who share its mission. Contributions to the Institute are tax deductible. In the next issue of the journal: • Factors Assodated With Return Visits to a Homeless Clinic • Investigating the Relationship Between Economic Status and HTV Risk • Senior Outreach: An Alternative Service for Older Persons With Substance Abuse Problems • Strategies for Suppression, Containment, and Eradication of Resurgent Tuberculosis ...