BEATTY -- Halloween is a month away, but a state agency recently gave Amargosa Valley and Beatty a good scare with a public notice sent to the PVT.

The first line of the notice read, "The Nevada State Health Division is announcing the closure of two rural health clinics, located in Amargosa Valley (845 E. Amargosa Farm Road) and Beatty (702 Irving Street)."

The effective date of the closures was given as Oct. 1.

Those are the addresses of the clinics currently operated by Nevada Health Centers (formerly Nevada Rural Health Centers).

Residents of the two communities can breathe easy, however.

The clinics will not be closing.

The notice went on to say, "Nevada Health Centers will continue to provide services to the communities."

What is happening is the public health nurse from the Health Division will not be visiting them. As the notice goes on to state, "Nevada Health Centers will continue to provide services to the communities."

In the past, the public health nurse made regular visits, providing low-cost immunizations, screenings, and counseling on such matters as family planning and sexually transmitted diseases.

The state is experiencing fiscal difficulties, and with Nevada Health Centers providing services this was one way to save some money. The decision was made at the administrative level.

Nurse Maureen Budahl said Beatty and Amargosa Valley residents will still be served at the public health clinic in Pahrump.

The public health clinic does not treat people with illnesses and injuries. Its focus is preventive medicine.

There was some concern that teenagers might be less likely to confide on sensitive issues with staff at a local clinic than with a nurse visiting from out of town.

While Budahl understands a possible perception problem, she is sure that the clinic staff are professional and are also bound by law to maintain confidences.

The only exception is they are mandated to report any case in which they suspect neglect or abuse.

Budahl said the public health clinic is initiating a new service -- a twice-a-month "male walk-in clinic" to encourage more men to seek preventive care, including reproductive care.

She said men are a hard population to reach and are often resistant to preventive care and health care in general.

Services at the clinic are not free but are low-cost. Budahl said the clinics in Beatty and Amargosa Valley are "federally qualified" to provide the same services on the same sliding fee scale.