About Us
Our Approach - Our History - Our Promise - Our Team
Over almost 30 years, Spectrum Health Care has grown to be your one-stop resource and service provider for all of your health care needs. What started as a volunteer-run organization now employs over 15 staff and key contractors, with an average of 10 interns and volunteers at any given time. Your Health In Full Spectrum is more than a tagline, it is a way of addressing the many overlapping needs of our clients and patients.
Our Approach
Our approach stems from the desire to provide compassionate care to all our patients. We ensure that our processes and services are streamlined for the sake of efficiency and tailored to fit the needs of each individual patient. We treat all patients with respect and work with them to assess their specific needs – every step of the way.
We address the needs of each individual client and patient utilizing customized Gap Analysis tools for patients and clients to help in assessing needs that may be impacting the medical need for the visit. For example: if your transportation issues are limiting your ability to see your medical provider regularly, then we would work to find resources and referrals to reduce or eliminate that barrier. By utilizing a Gap Analysis, our staff can identify additional issues and barriers to our clients achieving better health; and then provide a road map for circumventing those barriers and addressing the health needs for their visit.
Spectrum also employs the Trauma Informed Care (TIC) approach, based on knowledge of the impact of trauma, aimed at ensuring environments and services are welcoming and engaging for service recipients and staff alike. Spectrum is undergoing training for its staff and will be a certified agency to employ the TIC approach in Fall 2020. “Trauma-informed care is a strengths based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma, that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors, and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.” (Hopper, Bassuk, & Olivet, 2010) For more information on TIC, visit Harvard Health Publishing.
Spectrum Health Care will always research and implement the most effective approaches to better serve our patients and clients. By doing this, we can ensure #BetterHealth for our clients, patients and community as a whole.
Our History
Spectrum Health Care was founded in 1992 (then Regional AIDS Interfaith Network "RAIN") by a group of socially concerned members of the United Methodist Church. With little assistance available for those who contracted the HIV/AIDS virus, our organization was focused on providing compassionate care to people who were dying of AIDS in Central Missouri. In the early years of the agency, services were completely overseen and implemented by volunteers. As the organization grew, an executive director and staff were hired. At the governance of Cheryl Smith, the agency began annual awareness-raising and fundraising events including the Salute to Life Walk, the RAIN RIDE, the annual Wine and Art Gala, and the annual World AIDS Day Observances (worldaidsday.org). It was during these formative years that the agency took root as the premier resource for managed care, testing and education. While services and needs have changed, these core resources continue today. 
Spectrum Health Care received its first Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Case Management contract, through the State of Missouri, Department of Health and Senior Services, in 1998 and hired two case managers. As the years progressed and as patient numbers increased, Spectrum continued to add additional case managers, including those specifically assigned to justice involved individuals. In 2019, Spectrum assisted over 750 individuals and their families through this program. Included in the program were referrals to health care services and payment options, HIV medication assistance, housing assistance, transitional case management to assist those leaving jail/prison; and of course, access to all programs and services that Spectrum provides. In 2020, Spectrum made the difficult decision not to compete for the new contract cycle due to funding restrictions put in place by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Our clients are fortunate to have another local agency be awarded this contract and continue their care and assistance without interruption. While we may not currently have a Ryan White case management program for the HIV+ community, we will continue to have and grow services at our core for this specific community as the need and shortfalls for assistance is significant.
The housing program was implemented in 2002 to provide monetary assistance to the clients including rents, utilities, deposits, emergency repairs, etc. These services have been funded since by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program by a contract with DOORWAYS Housing in St. Louis for coverage of the North Central Region’s 37 counties. In addition to our HOPWA assistance program, Spectrum purchased and renovated an apartment building in 2004 that provided housing to eligible patients through the Columbia’s Shelter Plus Program. This property has since been sold to allow for more focused services to the community. Another expansion to the DOORWAYS contract occurred in 2013. This expansion included an additional 29 counties in the Southwest Region of the State. Spectrum now covers 66, which is over one-half of the 114 counties in Missouri, with housing assistance. For more information about our housing program and eligibility, visit the Housing Assistance tab under Programs.
From our inception, Spectrum has been dedicated to providing expanded services to include HIV, STD/STI prevention, education and testing. Spectrum has been one of the only organizations to provide HIV, STD/STI testing free of charge to all patients. In 2017, our Prevention and Testing program implemented Spectrum After Dark, providing walk-in testing three nights a week. We continue to provide education presentations and services as requested by schools, colleges, and businesses. It is only through education and testing that we can help reduce the infection and transmission of HIV, STDs/STIs.
In 2017, after many years of planning, Spectrum opened our Primary Health Clinic. Our purpose was to provide a clinical service setting where all would feel welcome and heard. We offer our services on a sliding-scale fee structure, as well as taking most insurance plans to ensure that everyone have a place to turn – without judgement, with compassion and understanding, and with staff who are culturally competent to provide services to our community. Our Clinic staff work hand-in-hand with our program staff to ensure that their health care needs as a whole are met either by our clinic or through referrals. In three short years, we have expanded our clinical services to include a variety of coordinated care services to enhance the patient experience and health outcomes. Our purpose and mission for our clinic will always be helping our clients and patients achieve #BetterHealth! In early 2020, the Spectrum family lost our long-time friend and Agency Medical Director. The clinic was officially renamed William L. Salzer, MD Memorial Clinic to reflect the importance of him to our agency and all those he touched during his medical practice and his service to this agency.
From beginning as a concerned group of individuals believing that everyone should be able to die with dignity and surrounded by those who care, to serving more than half of the counties in Missouri and beyond. With affordable housing, healthcare services and more, Spectrum Health Care has experienced significant upward mobility in the last 30 years and will continue our desire and commitment serve those most in need.
Our Promise
At Spectrum Health Care, it is our promise to foster an environment of trust and inclusivity to all our patients. We promise to provide the best and most compassionate care in a culturally competent environment. We promise to adhere to our core Mission, Vision, and Purpose for this agency:
Our MISSION is to address health disparities and inequalities, to achieve optimal health outcomes for marginalized individuals and families through provision of comprehensive health education, counseling and testing, housing support, and high-quality primary care.
Our PURPOSE is to provide comprehensive health care services and access points to health care systems for marginalized groups, individuals, and/or communities.
Our VISION is to implement effective strategies that promote positive health outcomes through direct care, coordination of care, and education for those affected by or at risk for health issues.
Our Team
We are a team of passionate people, dedicated to providing support to those who might have otherwise been lost in the system. We strive to establish a community of trust and confidentiality between ourselves and our patients to ensure that they receive the best care possible.