Providence Health System provided nearly $30 million in community benefit dollars to close to 100,000 San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley residents in 2004. "Each year we continue to increase our charity care and community outreach so that we can provide services to those who need it most," said Dominican Sister Colleen Settles, mission leadership director for Providence Health System Southern California region.

Approximately $6 million was spent last year to provide free medical care for those with limited incomes while another $3.6 million was spent on non-billed and community benefit programs such as the tattoo removal program. Other free services include the school nurse program, senior outreach, the parish nurse partnership program, the Latino health program and cancer outreach.

For more information on the services of the community benefit program, call (888) 432-5464 or log on to www.providence.org/losangeles.