Clinics in the News

Flooing Damages St. Luke Community Clinic

January 14, 2024 - Royal Examiner
On January 10, St. Luke Community Clinic, a vital nonprofit healthcare provider in Front Royal, VA, faced an unexpected crisis when a sprinkler system pipe burst in the attic. The incident caused extensive flooding throughout the building, forcing the clinic to temporarily shut its doors. “It was heartbreaking to see the extent of the damage,” said Vicki Davies, Executive Director of St. Luke Community Clinic. “Our clinic is a lifeline for so many in this community, and having to close, even temporarily, has been incredibly difficult for everyone.”
 

 

Rebuilding Hope: Support the Free Clinic of Central Virginia After Devasting Fire

January 13, 2025 - ABC13
The Free Clinic of Central Virginia has been helping the uninsured and underinsured in our community since 1987. However, a nearby fire caused significant damage to its building and they are looking to the community to help. Emily gets the latest on the story and how you can help.

Richmond-area Free Clinics Grapple with Effects of Winter Storm, Water Outages

January 10, 2025 - VPM
Hundreds of under- and uninsured people in the Richmond region weren’t able to access health care for parts of the week as many of the city’s free health clinics were forced to close their doors because of a lack of potable water. Health Brigade has been closed since Winter Storm Blair damaged city infrastructure leading to a city-wide water shortage. Water began flowing at the site again on Thursday and the clinic is hopeful it will be operational by Saturday. Rufus Phillips, CEO of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, said CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, Richmond’s other stand-alone free clinic, was also forced to cancel some appointments this week due to the city’s ongoing water shortages. The clinic reopened, but is taking extra precautions to ensure safe conditions for its patients while the city works to restore its clean water.
 

From Desperation to Hope Going Forward for the Moss Free Clinic

December 29, 2024 - Free Lance-Star
Thomas Brashears came aboard as Executive Director several months after the Moss Free Clinic's well-documented dispute with Mary Washington Healthcare. Since the clinic began 31 years ago, it had been supported by MWHC with money and services, but clashes over financial management and the future, in February and March, caused the two to part ways. For a while, things looked dire for the clinic, which has cared for more than 16,000 low-income people in Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Brashears sees signs that community support will continue. He's set a goal to raise $1 million in 2025 by focusing on the positive work being done. "We're not gonna talk about it from a point of desperation," he said. "We're gonna tell the effective story of what we do and how we need support to continue and expand what we're doing."
 

Free Clinic of Central Virginia Struggles After Fire

December 29, 2024 - WDBJ7
Early Monday morning, flames broke out at the former SunTrust building in Lynchburg. As smoke engulfed the building, it made its way into the Free Clinic of Central Virginia next door. “It’s devastating. You’re looking at the place where you put your heart and soul into and the community is depending on,” said CEO Jen Webb. She  ran to the clinic during the early morning hours to assess the damage, and later realized assets to the building were destroyed and her medical equipment unusable. “We are fighting to to keep things going and and find other places to take care of patients, and I do think that plans will come together around very fast,” she said. The clinic can’t do it alone, and Webb is asking the community for help. The clinic is collecting donations following this tragedy, so it can continue caring for those in need. "We do need people to give. We need donations. We need to be able to sustain what we’ve built here.”
 

Greene care Clinic Hosting Mammography Screening

December 29, 2024 - 29News
The Greene Care Clinic will be hosting a mammography screening in Stanardsville with UVA Health on Monday, December 30. Patients without insurance can contact the clinic to see if they are eligible for a free mammogram. It is recommended that women over the age of 40 talk to physicians to determine if they need a screening.
 

Sinclair Health Clinic Needs Your Support

December 24, 2024 - Winchester Star
I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with Sinclair Health Clinic since 2001 and serving as its medical director since 2016. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the clinic’s remarkable growth and the leadership team’s unwavering ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our patients. As only the second medical director in the clinic’s 38-year history, I had the honor of working alongside Dr. Terry Sinclair, the founding medical director, from 2001 until his passing in 2021. While much has changed over the past two decades, one thing remains constant — Sinclair Health Clinic’s steadfast commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare with compassion and dignity. I continue to be deeply impressed by the dedication and adaptability of our staff, who work tirelessly to ensure that every patient receives the care they deserve. Unfortunately, the need for our services is increasing, as rising healthcare costs and gaps in access leave many in our community vulnerable. Sinclair Health Clinic steps up to fill that gap, but we can’t do it alone.
 

Mel Leaman Free Clinic Honored for Helping Patients Receive Free Medication

December 21, 2024 - SWVA Today
Mel Leaman Free Clinic in Marion was recognized by Rx Partnership for its role in providing over 565 patients with free prescription medication to support the improved health of their patients. The clinic is able to provide low-income, uninsured patients with medication to treat a variety of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. “Because of our connection with Rx Partnership, we can make sure patients take medication as directed because they don’t have to worry about the cost. They can receive all the medications they need to treat and manage chronic conditions to improve their health,” said Denise Howe, practice manager. “Patients pick up their prescriptions at the clinic at their convenience or while visiting the office for an appointment. A special trip to the pharmacy is eliminated.”
 

Health Wagon Welcomes New Dentist

December 19, 2024 - Middesboro News
The Health Wagon’s Owens and Hill Dental Clinic iwelcomes new dentist, Dr. Minh Tri Hoang Tran, DDS. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery, Dr. Tran shared that his passion for serving underserved communities led him to this organization. “I am deeply committed to educating patients about the importance of oral hygiene and providing exceptional care through clear communication and high-quality service,” Dr. Tran said.
 

Theo Urbano Continues Mission to Serve with ODU Community Care

December 18, 2024 - ODU News
After nearly a decade of military service around the globe, Theo Urbano decided it was time to expand his skills by pursuing a master’s degree in clinical nursing at Old Dominion University. Of all his contributions as a military medical professional – serving in Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany and the U.S. – he cites his time with ODU's Community Care mobile health clinic as one of his most rewarding experiences. The clinic, which provides mobile services to rural and underserved areas, gave Urbano the opportunity to educate others on preventing complications from diseases like hypertension and diabetes. A standout memory for him is the power of telehealth. He recalls being in D.C. while the mobile clinic nurse was in Franklin and the patients were in Southampton County. Despite the physical distance, they successfully provided much-needed health services virtually.
 

Fauquier Free Clinic Leader Named Citizen of the Year

December 17, 2024 - Fauquier Now
Fauquier County Board of Supervisors recognized Rob Marino, executive director of the Fauquier Free Clinic, for his two decades of service providing health care to underserved residents. Under Marino’s leadership, the clinic has expanded operations from one evening a week to five days a week, serving over 10,000 residents annually. “Rob’s unparalleled commitment has unified local dentists, medical professionals and volunteers to make urgent care accessible,” Carter said, referencing the success of initiatives like the Piedmont Smiles pop-up dental clinic. Marino credited the clinic’s success to community support. “We’ve grown because of the way everyone rallies around this cause,” he said. “The goal has always been to make sure we don’t have to turn anyone away, and this honor reflects the collective effort of so many.”
 

Health Wagon Founder Dies at 85

December 12, 2024 - Cardinal News
Sister Bernadette Kenny, affectionately known as “Sister Bernie,” leaves a legacy deeply rooted in Southwest Virginia, where her mobile clinic service grew to multiple brick-and-mortar health centers and the free health fairs she helped bring to the region became the largest in the United States. The Health Wagon, which Kenny founded in 1980, stands as a lasting testament to her legacy. As a nurse practitioner, Kenny loaded her Volkswagen Beetle with medical supplies and set out to deliver care to the isolated mountain communities in the region. This initiative laid the foundation for the Health Wagon, which became the first mobile clinic in the United States.
 

Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic Recognized for Medication Access

December 11, 2024 - Gazette Journal
Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic was recognized by statewide nonprofit Rx Partnership for its role in providing free prescription medication to 179 patients this year, which represents more than 35 percent of the clinic’s patient population. The clinic provides uninsured patients with medication to treat a variety of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension through its connection with Rx Partnership. For two decades, GMCC and Rx Partnership have worked together to ensure that patients have the critical medication needed to maintain and improve their health, without having to worry about the cost.
 

Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic Receives Grant

December 9, 2024 - CBS19 News
An area resale thrift shop has announced this year’s grant recipients. Twice is Nice, with support from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, has awarded $270,000 to 31 nonprofits including the Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic. Gordon Walker, Twice is Nice Board President shares, “The grants are going to organizations that deliver either life-sustaining or life-enhancement resources to seniors and their caregivers, thus improving the capacity to age safely at home and participate in community life.” 
 

Clinics Offer Free Flu Shots Ahead of Winter Season

December 4, 2024 - DC News Now
It’s National Influenza Vaccination Week, and as the temperature continues to drop, officials are encouraging Virginia residents to get their annual flu shot. National Influenza Vaccination Week is observed from Dec. 2 to Dec. 6, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The observance is held as a reminder for everyone six months and older to get the flu vaccine as the winter season approaches. According to the Virginia Department of Health, vaccines reduce the chances of getting sick and also helps people feel less sick if they catch one of the viruses. Uninsured or under-insured Virginians can get a flu vaccine from one of the clinics listed here. The listed clinics are members of the Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics.
 

Bradley Free Clinic Training Future Medical Professionals

December 2, 2024 - WVTF
Eight Virginia health clinics are now getting federal money to provide medical students with hands-on training in underserved areas, helping guide their careers. Those AHEC sites include the Bradley Free Clinic, providing medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to a number of patients in the Roanoke Valley. Clinic Executive Director Janine Underwood said the students become AHEC Scholars, and get a good sense of a direction for their careers. “If someone is just getting into a field, and trying to learn if they’re interested or not, this is a good place for that,” she said. “We really struggle to find dental assistants, pharmacy techs, and nurses. We’re hoping this relationship will bring more awareness to all health care fields.”
 

Looking Out: Reflections from Retiring Leader of GoochlandCares

November 28, 2024 - Richmond Mag
Driven by a desire to connect underprivileged community members with much-needed avenues of support, nurse practitioner Sally Graham helped found the Free Clinic of Goochland in 2000. It merged with Goochland Fellowship and Family Services in 2007, creating what is now GoochlandCares, a “one-stop shop" free clinic designed to address the human and health care needs of Goochland County’s low-income residents. Over the course of 25 years, Graham has fostered the organization’s growth from offering part-time medical and dental programs to providing a spectrum of services focusing on health, housing and hunger. Retiring this year as executive director, Graham reflects on her legacy and proud moments, as well as the challenges Goochland residents still face.
 

Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic Expands Pharmacy Services

November 26, 2024 - RxP News
The Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic has expanded its services and become the second central phill pharmacy collaborating with Rx Partnership's Access to Medication Program which works to get medications to free clinics without on-site pharmacies. “Rx Partnership’s collaborative model relies on clinics like NNMFHC to help fill critical gaps in care,” said Amy Yarcich, Executive Director of Rx Partnership. “We are grateful for their commitment to medication access – the new central fill will provide essential services to patients who otherwise would struggle to afford medication, increasing the health and well-being of so many in our Commonwealth.”
 

Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic Receives Funding

November 26, 2024 - CBS19
Dozens of organizations, including the Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic, are getting funding thanks to the support of the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and its members. The Power of Change program has awarded $104,000 in grants to organizations across its service area. “These grants empower local organizations to continue their vital work, uplifting communities throughout the region”, said Casey Hollins, the managing director of communications and public relations for REC.
 

Richmond's Unsung Hero: Health Brigade Fights for Survival

November 25, 2024 - RVAMag
For over half a century, Health Brigade—formerly the Fan Free Clinic—has been Richmond’s quiet, unshakable healthcare safety net. No glitz, no glamour, no trophies on the wall. Just care for anyone who walks through their doors, no questions asked. But now, they’re reaching out. An email landed in our inbox the other day—direct, urgent, and honest. They need help. The community’s help. To keep doing the kind of work that doesn’t make headlines but saves lives. And if they’re asking, you know it’s serious. 
 

Powhatan Free Clinic Names Volunteer of the Year

November 25, 2024 - Times-Dispatch
Carol Layman, RN was recently named the 2024 Volunteer of the Year by the Free Clinic of Powhatan, an honor she has earned through her extraordinary commitment to the Clinic for more than a decade. Carol’s reputation for a gentle touch and exceptional skill in drawing blood, even in challenging situations, has earned her the trust and gratitude of both patients and colleagues. She's also remarkably reliable, providing essential consistency in an environment where clinical volunteers come and go as their lives evolve. Her long tenure as one of the clinic’s most experienced nurses means she holds valuable institutional knowledge, making her an invaluable resource for both the clinic’s operation and new volunteers.
 

Blue Ridge Free Clinic Receives Endowment Support

November 21, 2024 - WHSV3
Many of those patients, in addition to medical issues, faced barriers to transportation or food. When Mathes, a volunteer social worker for the clinic, heard about those barriers, she stepped in to help. She’d reach into her big, red purse, pull out a $10 bill and give it to her patient. Her acts of kindness often helped patients with gas to get to the pharmacy, allowing them to get the medicine they needed. When her volunteer coworkers realized what she was doing, they dubbed it “Bernie’s Purse.” Each year, the clinic would collect donations into a fund to help with the “small” barriers facing patients every day. Bernie died in 2012,  “we wanted to honor her by always remembering her memory,” BRFC Director Susan Adamson said. “We just knew we wanted to continue ‘Bernie’s Purse.‘” With the help of an anonymous donor, The Community Foundation has established the “Bernie’s Purse” Endowment. If patients need $5 or $10 for immediate needs, the endowment will help them overcome life’s day-to-day barriers that can often keep people from receiving the care they need. That money will go toward expenses like gas money and co-pays for medicines the clinic doesn’t offer.
 

Mobile Clinic Brings Healthcare to the Streets for People Experiencing Homelessness

November 14, 2024 - WSLS10
The Fralin Free Clinic is expanding its services for the homeless and people experiencing homelessness with its new mobile outreach unit offering medical, mental health, phlebotomy and rapid STD testing.. People love that we’re bringing all the comforts of the clinic right out to them on the street,” said Director of Healthcare Pam Milkowski with the Fralin Free Clinic. “Taking our mobile unit out to the people is reaching them where they’re at instead of them expecting to come to us. They already live in a moment of crisis and to ask one more thing of them, meaning come to our clinic and jump through these hoops, is one more thing they have to do when they’re living in this lifestyle right now. So, we’re coming to them. We’re taking the pressure off.”
 

Healing Hands Health Hosted Veterans' Dental Day

November 8, 2024 - WCYB
Healing Hands Health showed its appreciation for veterans on Friday. The health clinic gave veterans free dental care with the help of University of Tennessee Dental School students. All sorts of dental care was provided from x-rays to fillings and more for veterans in need. Providers and students said they were honored to be part of the event. Veterans were also given free haircuts and the opportunity to see representatives from other agencies who offer help to veterans in the community.
 

Piedmont Smiles Serves Record Patients with Free Dental Care

November 8, 2024 - Fauquier Now
Piedmont Smiles, the one-day free dental event in Fauquier County served a record 280 patients at its third installment last weekend, reflecting the growing demand for accessible dental care in the community. Community members began lining up before 5 a.m. to access services, which included X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions and endodontic treatments. Hundreds of volunteer dentists, medical professionals and general volunteers from across Virginia and Washington, D.C., contributed their time. “I don’t know what I would have done without this opportunity today,” one patient said, according to the release. “I’ve been in so much pain, knowing I needed treatment, but I just couldn’t afford it. I am going home today pain-free and just relieved.” 
 

Health Brigade Recevies Health Equity Funding

November 7, 2024 - ABC8 News
Officials with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) have announced a new wave of funds being given to local organizations as part of the Health Equity Fund. $388,000 was split to three currently funded partners including the Health Brigade to further continue their work in address community health disparities.
 

Free Clinic of Franklin County Receives Donation

November 5, 2024 - Smith Mountain Eagle
On Oct. 22nd, Resurrection Church distributed nearly $90,000 in funds earned from its annual Joyous Junque sale held this past June to 27 charities including the Free Clinic of Franklin County. It's a big deal around here - Joyous Junque. An enormous yard sale held during two days of the year. During its decades long run, the sale has raised millions of dollars for local charities, which have put the proceeds to good use to help residents and children in Bedford and Franklin Counties with various needs. 
 

Culmore Clinic Reports Continued Growth

October 25, 2024 - Annandale Today
Culmore Clinic, a health center that provides free care to disadvantaged adults, has seen explosive growth over the past year. The clinic has 900 registered patients, representing a 109 percent increase in the past year, with 30-40 new patients coming every month. The number of primary care appointments increased 83 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. Most of the patients are immigrants from Central America who tend to face challenges accessing healthcare due to a lack of health insurance, language barriers, limited transportation options, and family instability, said Clinical Director Maria Obeid. Many patients have physical ailments from working jobs requiring manual labor. Obeid cited a recent case involving a construction worker injured on the job. The clinic found a hand surgeon for him who contributed their services.
 

Dental Hygienist's Work is Highlighted

October 23, 2024 - Rappahannock Record
The Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic (NNMFHC) recognizes Registered Dental Hygienist Antonia Kimble during National Dental Hygiene Month in October as she celebrates her first full year of employment. Practicing under both general and remote supervision, she provides patient care five days a week. 
 

Virginia AHEC Program to Retain Healthcare Professionals

October 18, 2024 - WDBJ7
It’s an ongoing crisis being felt in the healthcare field--a shortage of healthcare professionals. To combat the issue, the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) is creating eight Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) to provide community-based clinical training to current health professions students in the Commonwealth. The AHEC Scholars program is designed to give students hands-on experience to healthcare careers in rural and medically underserved communities to retain students to work in those regions. The Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke and the Free Clinic of Central Virginia in Lynchburg were among the AHEC sites selected because of the training they already provide to health profession students while caring for medically underserved patients.
 

Madison Free Clinic Receives Grant

October 18, 2024 - MaddRapp
The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation recently allocated $15,000 in grant funding to eight dedicated organizations in Madison County including the Madison Free Clinic. Jane Bowling-Wilson, Executive Director of NPCF, highlighted the importance of the Madison County Annual Grant, stating, “These funds will have a direct and lasting impact on the Madison County community. Supporting nonprofits like the Madison Free Clinic ensures that critical services, such mental health services, can continue to make a meaningful difference.”
 

Chesapeake Care Clinic & ODU Community Care Offer Free Teletherapy Services

October 17, 2024 - Wavy10
Chesapeake Care Clinic and ODU Community Care have partnered with the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative (VTMHI) to offer patients access to free teletherapy services. As a virtual clinic, VTMHI works with volunteer pre-licensed mental health providers, who are in the process of completing licensure, to provide services to eligible patients referred to by participating and charitable clinics. “We’re so thankful to our clinic partners and volunteers who have helped build an innovative structure that is putting mental health services within the reach of Virginians who otherwise could not afford or access it,” said Mara Servaites, Executive Director of VTMHI. “VTMHI is the first model we know of in the U.S. with a dual mission of providing free mental health services to medically underserved populations virtually while also supporting the next generation of mental health providers with the licensure process so they can enter the workforce faster.”
 

Healing Hands Health Parnter for Dental Hygiene Training

October 17, 2024 - WCYB5
October is national dental hygiene month and to celebrate, Healing Hands Health decided to partner up with Wytheville Community College and give students hands-on learning experience. Six dental hygiene students had the opportunity to work directly with patients and learn in a real-world setting. 
 

The Value of Giving Back: Volunteering in Virginia's Free Clinics

October 16, 2024 - VDA Journal
Dr. Shaun B. Rai is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who shares in the fall edition of the Virginia Dental Journal his experience giving back in Virginia's free clinics: "I have considered it a privilege to donate specialized surgical care to those less fortunate in our community. I have volunteered primarily at the Park Place Dental Clinic in Norfolk and through the VDAF Missions of Mercy program. My team and I feel grateful to have been able to donate approximately $50,000 of free surgical care over the past several years to patients in need. I would ask my dental colleagues to consider volunteering at your local free clinic. To those already doing so, I commend you."
 

Charlottesville Free Clinic Receives Grant

October 14, 2024 - 29News
A grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation will help organizations around the commonwealth better serve its patients. The Charlottesville Free Clinic, and others, are using the grant money to hire medication assistant caseworkers. They’re tasked with helping uninsured patients get free or discounted medications. “It’s really hard to be able to afford a critical medication if you’re strapped and you’re just trying to live day to day. This grant from the Virginia Healthcare Foundation helps a specific piece of our pharmacy that allows us to get medications that are a little bit harder to access and might be a little bit more expensive,” Barnhardt said.  It’s part of the patient assistance program -- which puts medication assistant caseworkers into clinics to help patients get what they need.
 

Piedmont Clinic Offering Free Dental Care

October 13, 2024 - Free Lance Star
The Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic has been providing affordable dental care for more than a decade. This year, the clinic expanded its partnership with area medical-only free clinics to provide their patients with free quality oral health care. “We began providing free urgent dental services to area clinic patients this January with the goal of expanding the breadth and volume of our free service over time,” shares Landry. Area free clinics include Orange County Free Clinic, Free Clinic of Culpeper, and Madison Free Clinic. Services offered at Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic include routine dentistry for all ages, preventative care, and restorative care. The clinic is also equipped to provide language translation, adaptive help, and referrals to specialists. 
 

Area Health Education Centers Shift to Clinics

October 10, 2024 - Free Press
The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority is realigning the eight Area Health Education Centers to provide community-based clinical training to current health professions students in the Commonwealth. The new AHEC sites include the following VAFCC members clinics: ODU Community Care in Norfolk, Northern Neck Free Health Clinic in Kilmarnock, Free Clinic of Central Virginia in Lynchburg, and Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke. The AHEC program, a federally funded initiative designed to recruit and retain Virginia’s healthcare workforce, is administered by VHWDA through regional hubs. The primary selection criteria for host sites were their existing organizational missions to educate and train health professions students while caring for medically underserved patients. 
 

Fundraiser Supports Ledwith Lewis Free Clinic

October 9, 2024 - Free Press
Northern Neck Electric Cooperative hosted its annual Powering Community Golf Tournament late last week raising $7,000 to benefit the Ledwith Lewis Free Clinic. The clinic provides vital healthcare services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of Virginia’s Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions. The funds will provide full ADA accessibility to the clinic’s facility ensuring access to all medical services for people in the area.
 

Health Wagon Provides Medical Care to Stranded Residents in Damascus

October 4, 2024 - WVTF
A week after Tropical Storm Helene poured rain on communities throughout the southeast, some are still without access to grocery stores, or doctors. Probably the community in Virginia most devastated by flooding is the town of Damascus. There, the nonprofit charitable clinic Health Wagon has been going door to door, checking on people. 
 

Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic Treats Patients to Self Care

October 3, 2024 - Catholic Herald
Haircuts, manicures and massages — self-care for many, a treat for many more — were part of a Patient Appreciation Day for patients of the Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinics. About 800 patients and their family members came to the Woodbridge clinic for some TLC — tender, loving care. They also received groceries, family protraits, and had a chance to win prizes while their children were entertained throughout the day. “Many of our patients and their families cannot afford professional services like photography, haircuts, facials, and makeup,” said Clinic Director Alexandra Luevano. She said one couple, both dealing with complex medical issues, said how refreshing the day was for them. Another patient who couldn’t work due to a recent surgery told Luevano, “We truly needed this.”
 

Virginia Health Care Foundation Awards Prescription Assistance Grants to Free Clinics

September 25, 2024 - VHCF.org
The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to 29 organizations throughout the state to help fund Medication Assistance Caseworkers (MACs), who help uninsured patients obtain free and discounted prescription medicines. Those include the Brock Hughes Medical Center, Charlottesville Free Clinic, Chesapeake Care Clinic, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, Health Brigade, Ledwith-Lewis Free Clinic, Orange County Free Clinic, Sinclair Health Clinic, and Western Tidewater Free Clinic. “Medication assistance has always been a top priority for VHCF”, said Deborah Oswalt, VHCF’s Executive Director. “Virginians can’t manage their illnesses without the medicines to treat their chronic diseases. For those who are uninsured and unable to afford their prescriptions, the free medicines available via the brandname drug companies’ Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) are often a lifesaver.”
 

Friends in Need Health Center Wins Award

September 21, 2024 - Times News
Friends in Need Health Center, a charitable clinic dedicated to serving underinsured and uninsured residents in six Northeast Tennessee counties and three Southwest Virginia counties, has received the 2024 Resilience Award from the STRONG Accountable Care Community. The award was presented during a reception at STRONG ACC’s 2024 Regional Symposium, where the theme was Accelerating Impact Together. "Our compassionate team of health care professionals is dedicated to understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by our patients, many of whom come from marginalized backgrounds," said Friends in Need Executive Director Betsy Cooper.
 

Piedmont Smiles Dental Event to Offer Free Care

September 22, 2024 - Fauquier Now
Piedmont Smiles, a community dental event providing free services to those in need, will return for its third year on Nov. 2 at a new location: Liberty High School in Bealeton. The event, organized by the Fauquier Free Clinic and the Virginia Dental Association Foundation’s Missions of Mercy, will offer essential dental care to residents of Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Madison, Orange counties, and surrounding areas. The all-day pop-up clinic will provide cleanings, fillings and extractions free of charge to adults who attend. While no pre-registration is required, patients are encouraged to attend a pre-screening session on Nov. 1 to expedite care on Saturday. Registration on the day of the event will begin at 7 a.m., and patients are asked to bring a list of current medications and relevant medical history to aid their treatment.
 

CHWs Are Making an Impact in Virginia

September 18, 2024 - Virginia Mercury
CHWs are public health professionals who come from or have an unusually close understanding of the communities they serve. They help patients access important safety net services like food, housing and transportation assistance – all factors that contribute to a person’s wellbeing. In short, they support people so they can comfortably and confidently navigate health care settings by leveraging their personal experiences. Today, there are nearly 1,300 CHWs across Virginia, including approximately 290 certified CHWs who have completed substantial training supervision and education requirements. CHW Emely Baez Salazar visits with Latino community members and encourages them to access health services at Health Brigade. Her outreach is helping connect dozens of new people with comprehensive care at the free clinic. 
 

UVA Health Donates to Free Clinics

September 18, 2024 - Free Press
UVA Health has allocated nearly $265,000 in grant funding to support 42 local non-profit organizations, including several members of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics: RxPartnership, Fauquier Free Clinic, Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic, and Orange County Free Clinic. “I am proud that every organization we have awarded a grant to demonstrates a true commitment to creating positive change in our community. We deeply appreciate the hard work and dedication of their staff and volunteers,” Donna Staton, chief operating officer of UVA Health’s community medical centers and clinics in Northern Virginia and Culpeper, said.
 

Greene Care Clinic Hosts Free Health Fair

September 15, 2025 - 29 News
The Greene Care Clinic hosted dozens of health and wellness organizations for a free health fair in Greene County for families. An opportunity to conduct simple checkups, UVA Health and Blue Ridge Health Department were among the many organizations that participated in organizing the fun and educational event. Clinic volunteer MD Amy McElroy says health care providers want their patients to know they are there to help and support them. “Whether it’s a nurse practitioner, a physician, a nurse can be your best ally in life as far as staying healthy,” McElroy said. “We’re just like you, and don’t be afraid to come talk to us. We want to help you.”
 

Augusta Regional Dental Clinic Celebrates Renovations & Expansions

September 14, 2024 - News Virginian
The Augusta Regional Dental Clinic recently celebrated a $600,000 renovation and expansion of its Fishersville location. The improvements include a fresh paint job, new flooring and four new rooms that will allow the clinic to serve up to 8,000 patients a year from Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County. One of the rooms is equipped with a wheelchair recliner that enables patients to remain in wheelchairs while being treated. Sophie Parson, the executive director of the clinic, said the enhancements are welcome, especially to the clinic’s five dentists and three dental hygienists. “We are receiving dozens of calls every day from local residents wishing to establish care with us. It is such a relief to be able to now say ‘yes,’” Parson said.
 

Mason & Partners Clinic Partnering to Support Afghan Survivors, Refugees, and Immigrants

September 13, 2024 - GMU.edu 
Afghan victims of combat arrive in the United States as refugees with unique health care needs. A recent grant is allowing Mason & Partners Clinic to develop health service delivery infrastructure for Afghan survivors, refugees, and immigrants impacted by combat trauma and violence. The program, titled Healing and Educating Afghans for Resiliency-Virginia (HEAR-VA), will serve Afghan refugees residing in Northern and Central Virginia, where an estimated 95% of Afghans resettled in 2022. “We are implementing a care coordination model where individuals, regardless of which HEAR-VA partner they interact with first, will receive screenings, and be connected with services that address their individualized care needs,” Rebecca Sutter, professor in the School of Nursing at George Mason University, said. "What’s especially important is this program will be built not just for, but in partnership with actual Afghan survivors of combat and other refugees who are impacted by trauma and violence."
 

VCU Senior Has Lasting Connection with Health Brigade

September 11, 2024 - VCU.edu
Noor Chouman has long had a passion for helping underserved communities, so the opportunity to work with Health Brigade in Richmond “fits perfectly with my values.” Chouman, a Virginia Commonwealth University senior who is majoring in health, physical education and exercise science in the College of Humanities and Sciences, recently completed her second internship with the clinic, which provides judgment-free care for patients who are covered by Medicaid or are uninsured. Her experiences built on what started as volunteer work at the organization once known as the Fan Free Clinic. “Being at Health Brigade really exposed me to skills that I’m going to need to learn not just in health care,” such as advocacy, leadership and teamwork, said Chouman, who wants to work in the field. “I’ve just learned how much of a positive impact I can make.” She said the highlight of her work was seeing patients smile and walk away in a better position to advocate for themselves. For more than a half-century, Health Brigade – it is Virginia’s oldest free and charitable clinic – has served low-income and uninsured individuals, often from marginalized, stigmatized and oppressed populations.
 

Bradley Free Clinic's HOPE Program Combatting Substance Abuse in New Communities

September 10, 2024 - WSLS
The Bradley Free Clinic’s Hope Initiative, which helps people with substance abuse, is expanding its services throughout Virginia. Thanks to funding from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and in collaboration with the Virginia Assocaition of Free & Charitabloe Clinics, Bradley is currently working with three free clinics to replicate the Hope Initiative in Bristol, Petersburg and Kilmarnock. Next year, it plans on replicating the program at three other free clinics across the state.
 

Greene Health & Wellness Fun Fair this Sunday

September 9, 2024 - Daily Progress
The Greene Care Clinic will host the Greene Health & Wellness Fun Fair from 12 to 5 p.m. this coming Sunday at the Greene Commons in Stanardsville. The event is free and open to all ages. The Greene Care Clinic is a free and charitable clinic that provides health care, prescription support and mental health counseling for uninsured, adult residents of Greene County. “The Greene Health and Wellness Fun Fair focuses on health and wellness education. We have an exciting group of organizations joining us and some fun bands and activities planned,” Pam Morris, executive director of the Greene Care Clinic, told The Daily Progress.
 

GoochlandCares Has Provided Basic Needs to Community for 72 Years

September 9, 2024 - Times-Dispatch
The nonprofit organization GoochlandCares has gone through many changes in its 72 years of existence, but its core mission remains the same: to provide basic human services and health care to the Goochland County community. Currently, the group is going through another change. Executive Director Sally Graham, who has been with the nonprofit for 25 years, is retiring. As Graham departs, she credits her staff, the community and the nearly 1,000 yearly volunteers that keep the ship running. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to build,” Graham said. “It affects so many people and helps so many people.”
 

Fauquier Free Clinic To Benefit From Rappahannock Rough Ride

August 31, 2024 - Rappahannock News
The 28th annual Rappahannock Rough Ride is a one-day multi-course bike tour ranging in distance and difficulty on Saturday, Sept. 21. The proceeds from the event benefit the Fauquier Free Clinic, which provides free health, dental and mental health care in Rappahannock and Fauquier counties. Rob Marino, executive director of Fauquier Free Clinic, said the mixed-surface ride was added this year to replace a 60-mile, mostly paved route. Marino said the new route follows the growing trend of riders wanting to bike on gravel rather than paved surface. It is also a much safer course because riders will not be sharing main roads with vehicles as much, and the ride is more scenic. 
 

Mason and Partners Clinic Helps Underserved Communities Get Their Kids Ready for School

August 22, 22024 - GMU.edu
George Mason University’s Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinic holds free clinics throughout Northern Virginia every day. This summer, two of those community-based clinics helped local elementary school students get back-to-school ready. Managed by practitioners in the College of Public Health, the clinics offer uninsured school-aged children and other underserved communities essential health services. They also allow undergraduate nursing students, including MSN Family Nurse Practitioner and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students, as well as graduate psychology, social work, health informatics and administration students among others, to complete Community Health Clinical requirements in a meaningful way.  
 

Nearly 500,000 Virginians in Medicaid Have Been Disenrolled

August 16, 2024 - Virginia Mercury
Of the roughly 2 million Virginians who’d been enrolled in Medicaid before the COVID-19 pandemic, over 480,000 of them have been disenrolled as of this August. Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides insurance coverage to low-income people or people with disabilities. For some people, having Medicaid or even employer-offered insurance may not be enough. For instance, Virginia’s free clinics report an uptick in patients in recent years. Some of these patients are dubbed “ALICE patients,” — or asset-limited, income-constrained, employed people. Rufus Phillips, CEO of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, said the demographic was contributing to patient uptick even before the pandemic. “The pinch is much greater on what we used to know as the middle class,” he said. The clinics around the state have been a key point of healthcare access for some of Virginia’s poorest residents along with immigrant and refugee families. They are also a resource for people who are between jobs and insurance coverage — the “safety net to the safety net,” Phillips said.
 

High School Senior Raises Funds for Lackey Clinic & Commonshare Pharmacy

August 7, 2024 - Wavy
Urvi Jain, a rising senior at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, saw a need in the community and decided to do something about it. After shadowing a dermatology practice, she noticed a number of patients couldn’t afford the medications they needed to get better. So, she created Actions Through Art, a fundraiser with the sole purpose of helping patients pay for necessary treatments and medications and partnered with Lackey Clinic and Commonshare Pharmacy. She will give the money she raises to both organizations who will distribute the funds raised to those in need of dermatological care in Hampton Roads.
 

Virginia Free Clinics Hope for Funding Boost From the State

July 29, 2024 - VA Mercury
Jobs come and go, but free health clinics have been something Florence Roane-Bell could always count on. The lifelong Richmond resident has tapped into the Health Brigade — formerly known as the Fan Free Clinic — when she needed it. It was there that she was diagnosed with  fibromyalgia (after previous doctors ignored her pain, she said). It’s also where health care workers helped her tackle her pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and mental health strain. Growing up in public housing in Gilpin Court, she also didn’t feel exposed to resources or more education of the role nutrition plays in health disorders. As an adult, she’s been able to remedy pre-diabetes through nutrition education. This is another area she said the Health Brigade has been helpful for her.  “We don’t know a lot of things, because nobody ever exposed us to them, you know. As far as health care, we don’t know where to go to get free health care — so we wind up having diabetes that was never treated or high blood pressure that was never treated,” Roane-Bell explained. 

 

Fauquier Free Clinic Increases Patient Capacity

July 25, 2024 - Fauquier Times
A recent renovation at the Fauquier Free Clinic doubled the size of its dental facility from four dental chairs to eight, which allowed it to serve 36% more patients. By adding another part-time dentist, Dr. Jasmine Lee, and an oral surgeon once a month, the clinic is aiming to increase access to quality oral health even more. “Coming from an immigrant family and growing up with no health insurance, I felt a strong calling to work with underserved communities,” Lee said. “After dental school, I intentionally sought out a free clinic where I could make a difference. I have heard such great things about this clinic, and I hope to add to the team culture, enhance its expansion of services and be a positive light."
 

Healing Hands Health Receives Grant to Provide Mental Health

July 23, 2024 - Herald Courier
Healing Hands Health, located just over the state line in Bristol, received a Tennessee Department of Health grant for $613,183 that will allow them to set up a new mental health program and expand into an adjacent building. Courtney Coalson, the medical clinical coordinator at Healing Hands Health, highlighted that they applied for the Health Resiliency Program grant after identifying their patients’ growing need for mental health services. “We started realizing that there was a need for mental health services because we would have to refer them out,” Coalson said. “It was about 40% of our patients.” Helen Scott, the executive director of Healing Hands Health, highlighted that the grant funds have already allowed them to hire a full-time psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, a supervising psychiatrist, and a program evaluator.
 

Volunteering in Virginia's Free & Charitable Clinics

July 20, 2024 - VA Dental Journal
The Virginia Dental Association included an article on Volunteering in Virginia's Free & Charitable Clinics in the summer edition of the Virginia Dental Journal. Dentistry has become one of the most requested needs by patients in many of our member free clinics. 61% of clinics provide on-site dental services which is powered by close to 900 dental volunteers including dentists, oral surgeons, dental hygienists, dental assistants, etc.
 

25 Years: Wise Free Clinics Have Come A Long Way

July 20, 2024 - Herald Courier
Sister Bernie Kenny, who established the Health Wagon in Wise County and helped organize the initial Mission of Mercy event in 2000, served as a “cheerleader” at Friday’s event. She reflected on how things began. “We got off to a roaring start,” Kenny said. “We were expecting maybe 500 and we had 1,500 [patients]. It was a traffic jam. It was a one-lane road coming in and all the volunteers were two miles out behind all that. They had to leave their cars and walk in and I was here waiting for them because I slept in the Health Wagon [bus].” Kenny said she most remembers the smiling faces of people leaving after having any number of dental or medical procedures during the event.
 

Community Health Workers Help Vulnerable Populations Access Needed Resources

July 18, 2024 - Richmond Magazine
Shanteny Jackson, executive director of the Virginia Community Health Worker Association, compares community health workers to trusted neighbors. Community health workers may engage locals at civic meetings through outreach, visiting church services or simply by walking around their neighborhoods. Community health workers also focus on social determinants of health — conditions that can factor into someone’s health and well-being, such as economic stability or access to food. And because community health workers are connected to the populations that they serve, they are often better able to recognize issues that may go unseen by other care providers. “If a clinic needs to connect somebody to a food bank or to other social services, a community health worker can often be the person who acts like a case manager, almost,” explains Rufus Phillips, CEO of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, of which Health Brigade is a member. “Our health system is highly fragmented and very specialized. Community health workers can help bridge that gap and make sure that there’s good continuity of care.” 
 

Crossroads Medical Mission is Feeling the Love

July 15, 2024 - Herald Courier
Crossroads Medical Mission is certainly feeling the love from Wallace Subaru Of Bristol's 'Share the Love' event which resulted in more than $28,000 being donated to support the clinic's mission to provide free medical service to the underserved in the community. That's nearly 3,000 individuals each year, providing more than $1.5 million in quality primary medical services at no cost to its patients. “We depend heavily on the people in our community to help us. We are so grateful for partners [who] make it possible for us to provide quality medical care to individuals in need of assistance,” shared Cindy Rockett, Executive Director.
 

Arlington Free Clinic Volunteer Recognized for Service

July 11, 2024 - Gazette Leader
The Arlington Community Foundation has announced 2024 recipients of its William T. Newman Spirit of Community Awards including Dr. Hoare, a cardiologist, who in 1994 became a founding physician of Arlington Free Clinic, where he continues to see patients who otherwise would not have access to cardiac specialized care. "Individually and collectively, these honorees represent the passion, commitment and community advocacy that define the award, and the absolute best vision of what Arlington can be," foundation officials said.
 

Free Clinic of Central Virginia Receives Grant

July 10, 2024 - AltaVista Journal
The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation has announced the recipients of its Spring 2024 competitive grants including the Free Clinic of  Central Virginia. Competitive grants ranged from $700 to $30,000 covered a wide range of needs, including food/hunger, housing, education, individuals with disabilities, animal welfare, historic preservation, our environment, and the arts. 
 

Rural Areas Face Need for Free Clinics

July 2, 2024 - Farmville Herald
The need for free clinics is growing -- not just here in Central Virginia -- but across the state. That was the message delivered by Rufus Phillips with the Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics during the June meeting of the Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Healthcare as more people find themselves need free clinics and a majority of those patients are suffering from chronic conditions. 
 

Virginia Health Care Foudation Funds Free Clinics

July 1, 2024- VHCF.org
The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants to 19 Virginia organizations for increasing access to behavioral health, medical and dental services for uninsured and medically underserved Virginians. Included in that funding are the Bradley Free Clinic, Augusta Regional Dental Clinic, Healing Hands Health Center, Fauquier Free Clinic, Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic, Free Clinic of Powhatan and the Health Wagon.  
 

University of Lynchburg Student Serving at Fralin Free Clinic

July 1, 2024 - Lynchburg.edu
An international student from the University of Lynchburg, Oluwatimilehin “Timmy” Mayowa ’27, a public health major from Osun State, Nigeria, is working as a community health worker at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke’s Fralin Free Clinic. The clinic, located about an hour from Lynchburg in Roanoke, Virginia, serves people who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Among other things, he helps enroll new patients and complete initial health assessments. He also works in the mission’s food pantry and goes into the field with Rescue Mission’s medical street outreach team.
 

Ride Service Helps Bradley Free Clinic Patients 

June 27, 2024 - Medium
“We’re always paying close attention to social determinants of health,” said Brian Bailey, a community health worker at the Bradley Free Clinic. “And transportation is always such a big factor. Without transportation, a person doesn’t have access to healthcare or to employment. It’s oftentimes the first thing we have to address.” Like many cities, Roanoke has limited public transportation options, and many patients have trouble accessing what public transportation is available due to logistics or cost. Sostento’s Rides for Health Equity program allowed clinic staff to order Uber rides for patients at no cost to the patient or the clinic, allowing them to get to their health appointments without having to worry about how they’d get there. The program had an immediate impact with the rate of missed appointments quickly dropping.
 

Salute to Arlington Free Clinic for 30 Years of Service

June 26, 2024 - Gazette Leader
The Arlington Free Clinic on June 24 received a resolution, approved by the General Assembly, saluting the social-safety-net provider’s 30th anniversary. Supporting about 1,400 clients from offices in the Columbia Pike neighborhood, the clinic’s services over the decades have expanded from rudimentary to comprehensive. In addition to the organization’s staff, a corps of approximately 350 volunteers, including some who have been with the organization since its start, provide services. “Our model is to be a health-care home [where] all of the needs can be taken care of in one place,” Lesley Daigle, the organization’s CEO, said at a recent presentation to a local service organization. Despite expansion of initiatives to support those with low incomes or facing other barriers to health care, free-clinic leaders estimate that between 4,000 and 7,000 Arlington residents fall through gaps in program eligibility and rely on services like they provide. “There is no foreseeable future where we would not need the Arlington Free Clinic,” Daigle said.
 

Fauquier Free Clinic Partners with Dental Assisting Program

June 25, 2024 - VDA
Laurel Ridge Community College, which currently offers 16 seats for its dental assisting program at its Middletown campus in the spring and fall, is expanding the program to Fauquier this fall. The new program, in partnership with the Fauquier Free Clinic, will start with eight seats, leaving room for expansion in the future. 
 

Bradley Free Clinic Marks 50 Years

June 20, 2024 - Cardinal News
On a Tuesday evening in October 1974, a few dedicated medical volunteers stood in anticipation as they opened the doors to welcome their first patients to the Free Clinic of the Roanoke Valley, the second free clinic in Virginia. Decades later, the clinic is still operating, but now residents know it as the Bradley Free Clinic. The first free clinic in Virginia was the Fan Free Clinic in Richmond, which opened in 1970. It served as a model for the Free Clinic of Roanoke Valley, which became the second no-cost health clinic in the state. At the time, the idea of free medical care delivered by volunteer nurses and physicians was just a budding trend across the country — and a controversial one when the idea came to the Roanoke Valley. 
 

NNMFHC Launches Free Substance use Recovery Support

June 19, 2024 - News on the Neck
The Northern Neck - Middlesex Free Health Clinic (NNMFHC), which serves the community’s uninsured and under-insured, has launched a new program to connect adults struggling with any form of addiction to treatment. Known as the HOPE Initiative, those struggling with addiction now have access to a free service to help them down the path to recovery. Services are driven by a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS), a trained individual with their own lived experience with substance use. Utilizing a shared understanding of addiction, the PRS can help those in need navigate the complexities and difficulties of treatment and recovery while avoiding the stigma or marginalization often experienced in traditional healthcare settings. The PRS will also work collaboratively with the NNMFHC’s medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health treatment teams to provide comprehensive care that takes the needs of the whole person into account.
 

Free Clinic of Powhatan Receives Seed Grant

June 17, 2024 - VCU Health
The only safety net provider for uninsured and low-income residents in the counties of Powhatan, Amelia, Cumberland and some zip codes in Chesterfield, the majority of the Free Clinic of Powhatan's patients live with at least one chronic illness. To help patients better manage these conditions, the clinic is launching a new nutrition education and wellness program, “Eat Well, Be Well,” that will teach people how to select and prepare budget-friendly healthy meals as well as offer weekly coaching calls. This program’s launch was possible with the support from a community seed grant from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center that helps organizations expand their reach. 
 

ADAMS Compassionate Health Care Network Partnering with VTMHI to Expand Access

June 12, 2024 - DC News Now
A pilot program designed to better connect uninsured Virginians with mental telehealth care is expanding. The Virginia Telemental Health Initiative (VTMHI), which was launched in December 2022, is working with free clinics, including ADAMS Compassionate Care Network, to expand access. “We have many patients that show mental health symptoms,” said Clinic Executive Director Sadia Ali Aden. “Most of them, because of cultural reasons, they will not share a lot of issues that impact them or impact their lives on their families.” Ali Aden believes the new program can make a positive change.
 

 

Charlottesville Free Clinic Expands Dental Care

June 11, 2024 - CBS19 News
The Charlottesville Free Clinic has expanded their dentist office and can now serve double the patients. The office is located in the same spot as the rest of their clinics on Rose Hill Drive. CEO of Development Willa Barnhardt says this allows them to provide more integrated care. She says they'll be able to double their current patient visits. Right now, they are getting 36 hundred visits a year. Currently, there are 1,200 people in the Charlottesville area who qualify for services. "Dental is actually overlooked so often. When somebody has a dental emergency, it can't be overlooked anymore and that's when we become very important to their lives," says Barnhardt.
 

Patient-Centric Phone System Debuts at the Arlington Free Clinic

June 11, 2024 - Gazette Leader
The Arlington Free Clinic (AFC) has launched a new,  patient-centered phone system designed to improve communication and streamline access to care. One of the most significant advancements with this new system is the opportunity to adopt a nurse-triage-line model.  “This is a crucial step in providing accessible, patient-centered care to our community,” said Lesley Daigle, CEO of Arlington Free Clinic. “We are committed to removing barriers, and the new system will ensure that our patients have the tools they need to manage their health, without the added stress of communication challenges.”
 

Blue Ridge Free Clinic Receives Donation

June 10, 2024 - Rocktown Now
The Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Committee has awarded $26,000 in grants to a dozen Valley organizations including Blue Ridge Free Clinic.
 

Lackey Clinic Offering Free Online Healthcare 24/7 For All Virginians

June 8, 2024 - WYDaily
Lackey Clinic, a free and charitable healthcare center in Yorktown, has launched Lackey Virtual Care — an online medical diagnosis and treatment service operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week offering service free of charge for all Virginians aged 18 years or older, whether they are current Lackey Clinic patients or not. “This is a huge breakthrough,” said Dr. Jill Cottel, Lackey Clinic Medical Director, “because Lackey Virtual Care gives anyone the opportunity to start the process online for a doctor’s visit anytime from anywhere in Virginia. This helps anyone with symptoms such as colds, fevers, dental pain, and more to have direct access to a provider without having to make an appointment or wait in a patient waiting room. Thanks to the support of our donors to cover our current costs, we are able to provide high-quality care free of charge — saving uninsured Virginians both time and money.”
 

Health Wagon Establishing New Pharmacy Service

June 8, 2024 - TimesNews
The new Health Wagon St. Mary's Faith Pharmacy will be located on the Wise campus on Patriot Drive, adjacent to the medical clinic. It will be the first free and charitable clinic in the area and will provide prescription medications to uninsured and underinsured people in Southwest Virginia, eastern Kentucky and parts of Tennessee. “The opening of the pharmacy will mark a monumental step forward for our region’s health and well-being,” said Health Wagon Board of Trustees Chair and physician Dr. William Handy. 
 

Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic Providing Critical Care

May 31, 2024 - Washington Post
Maria, a 34-year-old woman from Guatemala, had complications with her pregnancy and found the care she needed the Catholic Charities Mother of Mercy free clinic in Manassas, Virginia. The expectant mother, who had gestational diabetes, said the clinic made her “feel like I’m well taken care of.” Helping women in crisis pregnancies — and those who lack all of the resources that many take for granted — is the mission of the clinic. Volunteer doctors and nurses support the operation, and no client pays for anything, according to the Diocese of Arlington. “We get women who just aren’t able to find prenatal care services, and who didn’t qualify for Medicaid,” she said. “Most of our pregnancies are not the typical regular pregnancy, but a lot of them have comorbidities that make their pregnancy high risk.”
 

Moss Free Clinic Raises Funds During Giving Day

May 31, 2024 - Free Press
As it sought to navigate life without the funds from a 2004 capital campaign — and with rising operational expenses — the board of the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic held several strategy sessions to chart the best path forward. One idea that emerged from the sessions was a “giving day,” a concentrated fundraising event that similar nonprofits had successfully used to help reach their goals. The clinic’s Mayday for Health Giving Day, which was held on May 28, raised $134,000 from the community, Dulaney said. Since the event eclipsed a $100,000 match challenge goal, an anonymous donor will contribute an additional $100,000 to the clinic’s coffers. It is clear, however, that a large percentage of those who gave on May 28 were new or first-time donors, said Dulaney, “and we’re thrilled about that.” Donations are still being accepted online.​
 

Chesapeake Care Clinic Partners with VCU Dentistry to Expand Care

May 30, 2024 - VCU Dentistry
Chesapeake Care, Inc. and its dental program benefits from its partnership with the VCU School of Dentistry's Service Learning Program which allows the free clinic to greatly expand its level of care to the community while senior dental and dental hygiene students get to gain real-world experience by providing much-needed oral health care to people who might struggle to access it elsewhere.
 

St. Luke Community Clinic Receives Donation

May 30, 2024 - NV Daily
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative announced Tuesday that 10 non-profit organizations will receive portions of $106,000 collected from co-op members over the past six months. One of those organizations included the St. Luke Community Clinic which received $3,000 for supplies to the St. Luke Dental Clinic that serves low-income uninsured individuals.
 

Free Clinic of Central Virginia Restores Smiles with 3D-Printing Dentures

May 30, 2024 - WDBJ7
The Free Clinic Of Central Virginia is helping restore smiles thanks to the power of 3-D printing and a new partnership with HELP, Inc. In their dental suite, clinic dentists can pull teeth, do fillings, and support walk-in patients. Now for the first time, the clinic will be able to provide affordable dentures to patients (traditional dentures can cost thousands of dollars, but a full set from will now only cost between $300 to $400). “To be able to replace those teeth is a service I really didn’t think we’d ever be able to offer, so I’m really excited about this collaboration,” said Jennifer Webb, CEO.
 

Orange County Free Clinic Receives Donation

May 29, 2024 - MadRapp
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative announced Tuesday that 10 non-profit organizations will receive portions of $106,000 collected from co-op members over the past six months. One of those organizations included the Orange Free Clinic which received $5,000 for its Mental Health Counseling Services to provide medication and supplies to low-income patients.
 

Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic Receives Donation

May 29, 2024 - Gazette Journal
The 5 Rivers Woman’s Club donated $1,550 to the Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic during a meeting held on May 20 at Olivia’s in the Village. The funds were raised during a Games Day held by the club this spring. Shown, at left, is club co-president Jane Niethamer handing the check to Arlene Armentor, executive director of the clinic.
 

Health Wagon to Host Medical Mission in Wise

May 26, 2024 - Herald Courier
The Health Wagon and the Virginia Dental Association Foundation’s Missions of Mercy will again be providing health care for the 25th year to Wise County this summer. The free health care expo will occur at the David J. Prior Convocation Center in Wise July 19-20 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a written statement. Both entities collaborate to provide dental, medical, and specialty care to the uninsured, under-insured, unemployed, working poor and others who cannot afford to pay. All services are free of charge. 
 

Fauquier Free Clinic Raises Most Funds for Give Local Piedmont

May 21, 2024 - Fauquier Times
Give Local Piedmont, the annual 24-hour fundraising drive facilitated by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, raised more than $1.1 million for nonprofits in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Of the 217 participating organizations, the Fauquier Free Clinic benefited from the most unique donors, with 210 donors giving $40,743 to the organization. “We were overwhelmed by the support and generosity of our community. Your contributions are not just donations; they are life-changing gifts for our patients,” the Fauquier Free Clinic posted on its Facebook page following the campaign. The free clinic provides comprehensive health care services, including medical, women’s health, dental and mental health services for those in need and like many free clinics across the country, especially those in rural areas, it has seen increased demand for services in recent years.
 

Faith-Based Clinics Are Stepping into a Healthcare Void

May 18, 2024 - The Atlantic
Nearly 20 million people gained health-insurance coverage between 2010 and 2016 under the Affordable Care Act. But about half of insured adults worry about affording their monthly premiums, while roughly the same number worry about affording their deductibles. At least six states don’t include dental coverage in Medicaid, and 10 still refuse to expand Medicaid to low-income adults under the ACA. Many people with addiction never get treatment. In Virginia, faith-based clinics have stepped in to offer help—food, community support, medical and dental care—to the desperate. These groups operate out of trailers and formerly abandoned buildings; they are led by pastors and nuns, reverends and imams. In many cases, they are the most trusted members of their communities, and they fill care gaps others can’t or won’t.
 

RxPartnership Celebrates 20 Years of Expanding Medication Access

May 16, 2024 - Virginia Mercury
As the cost of living rises, many low-income Virginians often have to choose between paying for vital medication or putting food on the table. This is where Rx Partnership comes in – a nonprofit that works to expand medication access across the entire state and has done so for 20 years. Since its first shipment of medication in 2004, executive director Amy Yarcich said Rx Partnership has supported over 80,000 patients across 31 free clinics. “We’re there to catch people who fall through the cracks,” Yarcich said. “We want to make sure there is that safety net and people don't go without things and find themselves in crisis in the emergency room.”
 

Loudoun Free Clinic Receives Grant

May 15, 2024 - Times-Mirror
100WomenStrong announced grants of $639,000 to 51 nonprofits that are either headquartered or providing services in Loudoun County. One of those grant recipients was the Loudoun Free Clinic who received $8800 in funding. 100WomenStrong founder and president Karen Schaufeld said she believes that it is many small acts can make a significant impact. "For our community to thrive, we all need to participate; it’s collaborative, not competitive," she said.
 

Virtual Free Clinic Helps People in Need

May 15, 2024 - News-Record
After a successful pilot phase launched in December 2022, the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative has become the Commonwealth’s first-ever statewide virtual free mental health clinic, according to a news release by VTMHI. “We’re so grateful to our partners and volunteers who took part in the program’s successful inaugural year of service. They helped to build an innovative structure that is putting mental health services within the reach of Virginians who otherwise could not afford or access it,” said Mara Servaites, Executive Director of VTMHI. “It’s the first model we know of in the U.S. with a dual mission of providing free mental health services to medically underserved populations virtually while also supporting the next generation of mental health providers with the licensure process so they can enter the workforce faster. We learned during our first year that this new concept works, and we’re now poised for growth by bringing on additional referring clinics to serve more Virginians,” Servaites said.
 

Virginia Pilot Becomes First Statewide Virtual Free Clinic for Mental Health Care

May 14, 2024 - Prince William Living
After a successful pilot phase, the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative (VTMHI), a pioneering program offering free and convenient telemental health services to eligible un- or under-insured Virginians, has become the Commonwealth’s first-ever statewide virtual free mental health clinic. As a virtual clinic, VTMHI collaborates with volunteer pre-licensed mental health providers in the process of completing licensure to provide teletherapy services to eligible patients who are referred by participating free and charitable clinics. The VTMHI model both expands access to mental health services and strengthens Virginia’s mental health workforce. The pilot originally launched in December 2022.
 

Greene Care Clinic Joins Statewide Mental Health Initiative

May 14, 2024 - CBS19
There is now a statewide virtual free clinic for mental health care -- with the Greene Care Clinic joining and the Charlottesville Free Clinic already participating. The Virginia Telemental Health Initiative offers free telemental health services to eligible uninsured or underinsured Virginians. The expansion to the first-ever statewide virtual mental health clinic comes after a successful pilot phase that was initially launched in December 2022. Because it is a virtual program, VTMHI works with volunteer pre-licensed mental health providers who are in the process of completing their licensure. These providers then can offer teletherapy services to eligible patients who are referred by participating in free and charitable clinics.
 

Crossover Healthcare Ministries CEO named RVA Power Woman

May 10, 2024 - BizSense
From a pool of hundreds of nominations, the stage was set to recognize the latest class of the region’s most noteworthy businesswomen. Richmond BizSense is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 RVA Power Women Awards, presented by Brown Edwards. Chosen by a panel of judges and will be honored May 9, Crossover Healthcare Ministries' CEO Julie Bilodeau was recognized in the Nonprofit Leader category. 
 

Demand on Virginia's Free Clinics Continues to Rise as Funding Cuts Loom

May 8, 2024 - Radio IQ
Virginia free clinics serve tens of thousands of patients, and many rely on state money for at least a portion of their funding. While the legislature appears poised to give those clinics less money, new numbers show the clinics are in higher demand than ever. According to new numbers from the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics demand at free clinics has increased about 11% over the same time last year. That’s in addition to the more than 20% increase from the year prior. But all that demand comes at a cost, and VAFCC CEO Rufus Phillips said clinics are already struggling from a lack of funds. Phillips said clinics asked for a $5 million increase this year but the General Assembly instead offered only $1.5 million more. Governor Glenn Youngkin then amended that down to $1 million. As both parties gear up for next week’s budget special session, a final number is expected to be sussed out.
 

Derby de Mayo Raises Funds for Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic

May 8, 2024 - Gazette Journal
The Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic hosted its spring fundraiser, “Derby de Mayo,” recently at the Abingdon Ruritan Club, Bena. Blending the flavors of Cinco de Mayo with the flamboyance and competition of the Kentucky Derby, this was the second annual gala of its kind for the clinic and raised over $65,000 for patient care at GMCC.
 

GoochlandCares is Breaking Down Barriers During Mental Health Month

May 7, 2024 - Goochland Gazette
The month of May brings an opportunity to turn our attention to an issue that affects all rural communities: mental health. GoochlandCares continues to fight the mental health barriers and stigma in Goochland County by offering critical resources for mental health evaluations, medications, and counseling. “We serve them for as long as it takes,” says Ruth Baldwin, GoochlandCares’ Licensed Mental Health Counselor. “One of the biggest things we have to overcome is the stigma that surrounds asking for help. People here have a mentality that they should take care of their own, but sometimes you need more than that if you’re going through something traumatic.” The idea that seeking help is a sign of weakness causes individuals to suffer in silence and can have devastating consequences on themselves, their families, and the community.
 

Free Clinics See Increased Demand Following Medicaid Unwinding

May 7, 2024 - WTKR3
Free clinics across Virginia are seeing more patients than in years past, with fewer volunteers to handle the volume. According to Virginia Free & Charitable Clinics (VAFCC) CEO Rufus Phillips, patient demand was up 11.5% from July 2023 to March 2024, compared to the same period the year prior. He says since the pandemic, the number of volunteers has fallen from 11,800 to 5,600. “What we are seeing already is a waitlist for patients that’s growing so I think that waitlist would be growing even further," said Phillips. Phillips says those two factors, plus Medicaid unwinding in Virginia in May of last year - leaving hundreds of thousands of people without insurance - have pushed more and more people to their clinics.
 

Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic Earns Gold Standard

May 7, 2024 - Catholic Diocese
Mother of Mercy clinics in Manassas and Woodbridge have each received the 2024 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program. Mother of Mercy clinics has been recognized annually by the national organization since the program began in 2019. When determining the rating, NAFC looks at various aspects, including how the clinics are run administratively, their patient care, and risk management systems. “We are so honored and gratified to receive this award,” added Alexandra Luevano, program director of the MoM clinics. “We have worked very hard to make sure that our patients never feel forgotten or lost, and this award demonstrates we are doing just that.”
 

Richmond-Area Health Clinic Volunteers Provide Care to Patients in Need

May 6, 2024 - Times-Dispatch
Throughout Virginia, free health clinics are in need of volunteers, especially with a reported 11.5% increase in patient demand and 28% increase in patient visits. In the Richmond area, these volunteers serve as a critical resource to help underserved communities receive quality health care. "We have always relied on volunteer clinicians to come and fill gaps to expand our services," said Kelsea Jeter, program manager at the Health Brigade. "Some came back (after the pandemic); some weren't able to come back." Indeed, the VAFCC reported a 50% decrease in volunteers in health clinics from 2018 to 2022. 
 

CrossOver Healthcare Minisity Volunteer is Creating Policy tht Makes Patients Smile

May 3, 2024 - Richmond.edu
A beautiful smile is not just aesthetically pleasing, it also can be a sign of good health. Kiran Saini sees evidence of this every time she volunteers at the free dental clinic operated by Crossover Healthcare Ministry. When not sterilizing instruments, she shadows the in-house public health dentists, learning about the challenges uninsured and Medicaid patients face in accessing the regular dental care so critical to overall health. “The patients are so grateful,” Saini said. “Some are almost in tears when getting dental work done.”
 

VA Free Clinics See Sharp Increase in Patient Visits

May 1, 2024 - Times Dispatch
Ill Virginians who cannot afford to go elsewhere for care are continuing to pour into a cornerstone of the state's health care safety net, free and charitable clinics report. So far in the state fiscal year 2024, patient demand is up 11.5% from the same period a year ago, according to new data from the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. That increase comes on top of the 28% increase the clinics saw in fiscal year 2023. Much of this increased use is coming from the roughly 376,000 Virginians who have lost Medicaid coverage. The state is resuming normal eligibility and re-enrollment practices with the end of the federal emergency funds that allowed state Medicaid officials to suspend these rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Clinics are seeing more uninsured patients, and we expect this trend to continue as Medicaid unwinding wraps up," said Rufus Phillips, CEO with the VAFCC. 
 

Lackey Clinic Celebrates National Volunteer Week

April 28, 2024 - WY Daily
Lackey Clinic recognizied Dr. Joseph Legan for National Volunteer Week, April 21-27. Legan is an orthopedic surgeon and has practiced for 30 years. When he retired from the Air Force in 2014, he took a job with Sentara Health Systems as the Chief Medical Officer of Princess Anne Hospital and volunteered at a Free Clinic in Newport News for two years. Shortly after retiring from Sentara, he began volunteering at Lackey Clinic, and has been volunteering with Lackey Clinic for three years. Dr. Legan volunteers twice a month and has a full schedule of patient visits.The clinic noted that data from the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (VAFCC) shows volunteerism at its member health clinics has decreased by 50%, from approximately 11,600 volunteers at clinics in 2018 to only 5,800 volunteers in 2022, mirroring national nonprofit trends.
 

Loudoun Free Clinic Receives Donation from Community Foundation

April 26, 2024 - InsideNOVA
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has awarded $805,940 in grants to 49 local organizations including the Loudoun Free Clinic which received a $15,000 grant. The funding will support free healthcare services for adults in Loudoun County with limited access to health insurance.  Loudoun Free Clinic’s services include preventative care, sick visits, well-woman care, diagnostic services, lab work, prescription medications, nutritional counseling, some immunizations and some specialty care via volunteer providers.
 

Mother of Mercy Medical Clinic Receives Donation from UVA Health

April 25, 2025 - UVA Health
In honor of National Doctors' Day and to recognize the exceptional service of its physicians to the community, UVA Health has donated $10,000 to the Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic in Manassas. "We are appreciative of UVA Health and their ongoing support of our clinic and the patients we serve. The continued generosity of their doctors allows us to provide quality healthcare to the most vulnerable of our neighbors," remarked Alexandra Luevano, clinic director of the Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic. "This donation reflects their continued commitment to our mission and the strong partnership we have formed in supporting the health of the Prince William community." 
 

Arlington Free Clinic Receives County Award Through  Equity-Based Grant Pilot

April 25, 2024 - ARLNow
Arlington has awarded $2.4 million to nonprofits in a new equity-based grant program, the RACE to Rebuilding Trust and Community grant, designed to “support historically marginalized communities, ensuring equitable access to resources, transparency and accountability.” The Arlington Free Clinic received $150,000.00 to support the "full range of comprehensive healthcare services within AFC’s patient-centered medical home, with particular emphasis on expanding Social Determinants of Health work to improve health equity, providing critical mental health care, and reducing barriers to low-cost and accessible care.”
 

Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic Receives Donation

April 24, 2024
The Botetourt Lodge Foundation recently donated $2,500 to the Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic. This gift will benefit patient care for uninsured and underinsured adults in the community. Russell Clements, at left, and Mitchell Simpson, right, of the foundation are shown making the presentation to GMCC executive director Arlene Armentor. The foundation is a new Gloucester nonprofit dedicated to health care, housing, and youth activities in the local area. 
 

Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic Gets VHCF Visit

April 24, 2024 - Rappahannock Record
The Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic recently welcomed the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) to its Dental Clinic, where a VHCF grant provided support for a dental hygienist’s salary. From left are registered dental hygienist Antonia Kimble, policy consultant Anne Barton, dental coordinator Sarah McClellan, dental assistant Alan Hayes, VHCF chief program and input officer Andrea Lancaster and staff dentist Dr. William Broas.
 

Volunteers Sought for Health Clinics Statewide in Virginia

April 22, 2024 - Henrico Citizen
According to data from the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, the number of volunteers at state clinics has decreased by 50% in the past six years. In recognition of National Volunteer Week (April 21-27), the organization is urging potential volunteers to help. The decline in volunteers at health clinics is mirrored in national data, according to a report from the Census Bureau and AmeriCorps.  According to the VAFCC, there are more than 80 open positions in Virginia, including physicians, nurses, mental health counselors, social workers, dentists, and dental hygienists. The VAFCC has created a Volunteer Opportunity Board to connect interested licensed healthcare professionals with the needs in local clinics. 
 

Cancer Survivor Launches Fundraiser for Culmore Clinic

April 18, 2024 - Annandale Today
When Pat Hynes, a two-time cancer survivor, was looking for a way to pay it forward in appreciation for the great healthcare she received, she decided to launch a fundraising campaign to support the Culmore Clinic and its patients. Hynes, a 5th grade teacher in Arlington and a former Fairfax County School Board member, received diagnoses of both breast cancer and melanoma in 2004. Now, 20 years later, Hynes is healthy and deeply appreciative of her access to high-quality healthcare and community support. In celebration of her 20th anniversary of being cancer-free, she wants to ensure other community members have similar access to screenings and opportunities for survival. Hynes’ fundraising campaign, “20k for 20 years: It’s Time to Bridge the Healthcare Access Gap,” seeks to raise $20,000 for the Culmore Clinic.
 

Post-Pandemic, Many Free Medical Clinics Face Financial Pressures

April 18, 2024 - RadioIQ
When Obamacare was approved by Congress, many people assumed it would cover those Americans who didn’t have insurance. In fact, 45 million people have coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but here in Virginia several hundred thousand don’t qualify or can’t pay the premiums, deductibles and co-pays that insurance requires. “They have to weigh that against the cost of housing, which has spiked tremendously since the pandemic, the cost of transportation and food," says Rufus Phillips, CEO of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Statewide, many clinics are facing financial strain, which is why the VAFCC asked the state for $5 million or enough to cover 30% of clinics’ operating costs as it had in 2016 (the last time clinics received a significant increase in funding from the state). Alas, the budget contained just $1.5 million.
 

Free Clinic of Culpeper Receives Donation from UVA Health

April 17, 2024 - UVAHealth
In honor of National Doctors' Day and to recognize the exceptional service of its physicians to the community, UVA Health has donated $10,000 to the Free Clinic of Culpeper. Located on the UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center campus, the free clinic benefits from UVA Health's collaboration, which includes providing lab work, imaging services, and specialty care to patients in need. "We are deeply appreciative of UVA Health for their ongoing support of our clinic and our patients," remarked Tammy LaGraffe, Director of the Free Clinic of Culpeper. "This donation is a testament to their commitment to our mission and their role as steadfast partners in the health and well-being of Culpeper."  
 

Blue Ridge Free Clinic Celebrates Three Years

April 17, 2024 - WHSV3
The Blue Ridge Free Clinic opened in April 2021, and since then staff and over a hundred volunteers have treated more than 2,300 people with everything from routine school physicals to conditions like diabetes and lung disease. “When we opened up three years ago, I think we had very little idea of how much we were going to be needed,” BRFC Executive Director Susan Adamson said. Accommodating cultures is a consistent theme at the clinic as many of its patients speak English as a second language or are still learning the language. To fill the gap, volunteer interpreters assist at the clinics. 
 

York Joins Western Tidewater Free Clinic

April 16, 2024 - Smithfield Times
The Western Tidewater Free Clinic has named Jessica York of Isle of Wight County as its new director of development. Executive Director Ashley Greene said, “We are thrilled to welcome Jessica to our Clinic team. We know she is committed to our mission and vision, has a heart for those we serve and will strengthen the Clinic’s community partnerships for a successful future.”  As a Clinic team member, York will support clinic staff and volunteers who provide comprehensive healthcare to about 1,500 distinct patients per year at WTFC. These patients are seen in more than 11,000 visits including medical, dental, mental health, women’s health and pharmacy appointments.
 

Free Clinic of Central Virignia Expands Dental Services

April 14, 2024 - News Advance
The clinic hopes to increase capacity and improve access to care for the community with the expansion. These new rooms will not only accommodate more patients but also serve as training grounds for aspiring dental professionals, Webb said. “We decided to add the two operatories to our exam rooms to be able to increase capacity to see patients, but we’re also dedicating those rooms to be able to do apprenticeships with dental students,” Webb said. As construction on the new exam rooms nears completion, Webb hopes the Free Clinic will make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of the community. “You really don’t know how much [dental care] impacts people’s day-to-day lives until they have either a toothache or a mouth full of rotten teeth,” she said. “You can’t go to work when you have a toothache so what we do allows people to continue to work and we’ve got programs in the future where we’re going to be able to start offering dentures for the first time which is huge.”
 

Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic Receives Grant

April 10, 2024 - Gazette-Journal
The Gloucester Community Foundation will provide $136,676 in 2024 Community Impact grants to 24 organizations including the Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic. Made possible by donor funds, Community Impact grants support local nonprofits whose missions align with the foundation’s four focus areas: community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success, and health and wellness.
 

Bradley Free Clinic's Caitlin Sharkey Driving Infection Control Efforts

April 3, 2024 - VT.EDU
As health administrator at the Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke, Caitlin Sharkey, who earned her Master of Public Health in 2023 from Virginia Tech, puts her education into practice every day — literally. What started as an assignment has become part of the clinic’s standard operating procedure for infection control. "Throughout the clinic, this plan is the standard for infection prevention and control of bloodborne and airborne pathogens,” Sharkey said. “In the population we serve, we have many patients who have hepatitis C and HIV, so it's very important to not only have the proper precautions in place to prevent infection, but also to know what to do in case there is an exposure.”
 

GoochlandCares is Ensuring Neighbors Have Access to Food

March 28, 2024 - CBS6
A key ingredient to overall health is nutrition, and on the final days of National Nutrition Month — a campaign to better educate everyone about making healthy eating decisions — GoochlandCares is helping to improve the lives of those living on low income. A nonprofit free clinic providing wrap-around, holistic services through 12 different programs, including a community food bank, GoochlandCares served more than 2,000 clients, including several hundred children, who utilized the food bank program to access 534,014 meals worth of food. "We're back over 300 families per week. We're finding that families who maybe in the past came once or twice a month are coming every week. Inflation, food stamps, all those trends really impact the need," shares Sally Graham, a nurse practitioner by profession and current clinic executive director.
 

Free Health Clinics Expect to Receive First Funding Increase Since 2016

March 28, 2024 - Virginian-Pilot
The network of Virginia free clinics may receive its largest funding increase since 2016 to help with a growing need for services, although the bump was less than originally requested. The statewide Virginia Association of Free Clinics & Charitablie, or VAFCC, offers primary care health services in addition to counseling, dental care and syringe exchange. The clinics help patients with other barriers they may face, including a transportation assistance program and food bank. The House and Senate approved earlier in March a $1.5 million annual increase over the next two years, starting in July. That brings nearly $16.6 million in total funding for the clinic network. Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, and Del. Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, originally submitted requests to their respective chambers to increase annual funding by $5 million.
 

80% of Free Clinics are Experiencing an Increase in Demand

March 26, 2024 - WAVY
The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics' 2024 Data Report shows that 80% of free clinics experienced an increase in patient demand in 2023, a steady increase from 73% in 2022 and 68% in 2021. These numbers align with the removal of Medicaid expansion, which left millions without coverage. Free and charitable clinics are the safety net for those who slip through the coverage gap, with 82% of their patient populations being uninsured nationwide. As the need for clinic services increases, so does the need for volunteers. 190,000 individuals volunteered at free and charitable clinics and pharmacies across the country last year, but the need for specialized care is only increasing. 
 

Charlottesville Free Clinic Receives $50K Donation

March 26, 2024 - 29News
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital is donating $50,000 to the Charlottesville Free Clinic. The donation will help provide health care for patients who cannot afford it. The Charlottesville Free Clinic provides care for individuals who don’t qualify for Medicaid and cannot afford private health insurance. The money will also assist the construction of a dental office in the clinic’s building. “When we have donations from Sentara Martha Jefferson and other organizations, we can help support those people that are trying to get to that next step in their life,” Willa Barnhardt with Charlottesville Free Clinic said, “We can provide them the health care they need to get there.” The new dental space will increase the number of patients the clinic sees by 2,300 in its first year.
 

ODU Student Helps Translate Vital Medical Information for Spanish Speakers

March 24, 2024 - 3WTKR
Cydney DeWees, a senior at Old Dominion University, is volunteering her time at the Chesapeake Care Clinic helping to translate much-needed medical information into Spanish for residents who struggle to speak English. Not only is it helping students get more comfortable with the language, but it's also helping residents feel more comfortable with something a lot of people fear. Going to the Doctor. “It’s really rewarding. You see people come here for the first time who are nervous to come because they don’t know if they’ll be fully understood or not. And they feel so much more calm and at peace," she shared.
 

Governor Donates Quarterly Salary to Bradley Free Clinic

March 22, 2024 - Virginia.gov
Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin yesterday donated a portion of the Governor’s quarterly salary to Roanoke-based nonprofit, the Bradley Free Clinic’s HOPE initiative to support providing quality care, education and support services to at-risk community members and in particular, those battling addiction and substance use disorder and/or at higher risk of fentanyl poisoning. I am proud to support the Bradley Free Clinic’s HOPE Initiative for providing spaces and resources for hope, health and healing in the beloved Roanoke region," shared the Governor.  
 

Chesapeake Care Clinic Offering Free Food Pantry for Eligible Patients

March 22, 2024 - 13News
"Our goal is to improve the health of our patients," said Chesapeake Care Clinic Executive Director Dourina Petersen. Her organization offers free medical specialty care, dental services, education, and prescription assistance. By surveying patients about their social determinants of health, Petersen said they identified some of the greatest issues. "The biggest ones are usually transportation or food, and with the cost of food going up, it's become more difficult for our patients to afford food," said Petersen. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, a free food pantry or "food pharmacy" in the middle of the clinic's waiting area has only grown. "In January, the food bank approached us about getting a refrigerator, and then we were able to partner with a local grocery store to get food donated to us every week," said Petersen. "We were able to go from just shelf-stable food to meats, dairy, a lot more produce."
 

GoochlandCares Working to Warm Hearts and Homes

March 22, 2024 - CBS6
"Many of us can just turn on the thermostat and enjoy the comfort," explained Goochland Rotary president Vernon Fleming.. "Others have to get wood, and it's very difficult to do on a limited budget to have to buy it." His organizations works with GoochlandCares to connect struggling community members who use firewood as their primary heating source to the fuel they need to heat their homes. "We try to market it out to the community to say, hey, we've got this kind of assistance available if you need it," explained Sally Graham, executive director of GoochlandCares. "In a rural county, I think a lot of it's about trust, and a lot of its word of mouth."
 

Bradley Free Clinic Battles Food Insecurity

March 22, 2024 - WDBL7
The Bradley Free Clinic has been providing healthcares servcies to uninsured and underinsured patients for 50 years, but they are also addressing needs like housing and transportation in addition to food insecurity. Families in Southwest Virginia who are battling food insecurity, can rely on the Bradley Free Clinic help them gain access to nutritious food. Brian Bailey, Community Health Worker and Outreach Worker explaines the importance of nutriution in regards to overall health, the barriers that prevent people from making healthy food choices, and how clinic is able to help by screening patients for social determinants of health.
 

Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic Implementing Innovative Tech to Expand Oral Health Services

March 20, 2024 - Culpeper Times
With support from the Dental Delta of Virginia Foundation, Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic (PRDC) will begin providing digital dentistry, expanding treatment options to include crowns and personalized nightguards created with greater precision and efficiency. Previously patients were referred to other dental practices for these services. However, for many patients, following through with the referral wasn’t realistic due to the additional time required away from work, travel out of the area and cost. "We are very optimistic that this will help us serve our patients better. Access to this innovative technology means that our patients will have fewer appointments which, in turn, means less time away from work and less travel expense,” pointed out Shari Landry, president of the Culpeper Wellness Foundation, which manages the clinic. “Our patients often have significant dental health needs but can’t afford care at a private practice or have trouble finding places that take their insurance. We are tremendously grateful to the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation for their generosity in awarding the grant. The equipment is truly a game changer for our patients.”
 

Founder of the Free Clinic of Powhatan is a Remarkable Woman

March 19, 2024 - ABC8
Connie Moslow has dedicated her life to volunteering. At 70 years old, she founded the Free Clinic of Powhatan and held the position of Executive Director for 15 years. “Why did I do it? Because it needed to be done,” Moslow said. “I wish I would have started it sooner. I thought, ‘Okay, Powhatan needs a clinic, let’s see who’s going to do something about it.’ Well, I waited and waited … nobody did anything.” A volunteer-operated clinic that offers free medical, dental and mental health care to low-income residents under the poverty level, the Free Clinic of Powhatan grew exponentially over the years. 
 

Moss Free Clinic Exists to Provide Care to Those Who Can't Afford it, What Happens if it Can't Afford to Provide Care?

March 15, 2024 - Free Press
The symptoms of the Moss Free Clinic’s worsening condition are getting harder to ignore. On a recent Tuesday, a dozen office chairs and filing cabinets spilled out into a first-floor hallway as the clinic rushes to vacate an upstairs space — used for screening patients — that it can no longer afford. Then, there are the bills piled high on Executive Director Karen Dulaney’s desk, many of them previously unforeseen expenses adding up to nearly $200,000 a year. With funds from a 2004 capital campaign that raised $10 million fully drained and the clinic’s longtime partnership with Mary Washington Healthcare strained following a rebuffed takeover bid last year, the prognosis for the clinic, which serves exclusively low-income patients, appears grim. “A few months, probably,” Dulaney said of how long Moss can continue to operate under its current circumstances. “We can certainly cut back our services and cut back our staff to a level we can afford, but it will be a significant reduction in care for our patients, which is what we’re trying to avoid.”  
 

Building the Bridge to Healthcare with the Blue Ridge Free Clinic

March 13, 2024 - WMRA
The Blue Ridge Free Clinic has been providing free healthcare services to Rockingham County residents since 2020 with a model, "based on letting the community support the free clinic so that we can adapt and adjust to whatever the needs of the community are," shares clinic director Susan Adamson. When it first opened, the clinic expected as many as 400 patients, but ended up seeing well over 2,000 patients. And the demographics are changing as a result of refugee resettlements in the area. "200 Afghanis were brought to the Harrisonburg area, many of them were sick," shares Adamson, so the clinic stepped up to provide their care. 
 

Mel Leaman Free Clinic Giving Hope to the Homeless

March 7, 2024 - BNN
In Marion, Virginia, a beacon of hope shines for the homeless community through the wheels of a mobile health clinic. This innovative initiative, spearheaded by the Mel Leaman Free Clinic in partnership with Antioch Greater Love Ministries, is making significant strides in providing crucial healthcare services to those living on the streets or in precarious housing situations. The mobile unit is fully equipped to provide primary healthcare services, from basic exams to specialized consultations, all free of charge.
 

Healing Hands Health Providing Support through Community Health Workers 

March 6, 2024 - WCYB5
Community Health Manager Breanna Burke says the help they offer is extensive. "I like to think of community health workers as the link between community and health care, we are well versed in our community, the resources it has to offer and have our own lived experiences." On average Burke and two other health workers help between 40 to 60 clients at a time at Healing Hands Health, an organization that provides affordable care for lower income community members.
 

Saving Lives: A Patient's Testament to the Fauquier Free Clinic

March 6, 2024 - Fauquier Times
Our physical health is a very delicate thing — when we have it, we rarely think about it, but it can consume our lives when things go wrong. Debbie Rowland, a 62-year-old New Jersey native who moved to Virginia in 2013, recently went through several health crises, and found a caring, professional team of health experts in the Fauquier Free Clinic. “The quality of care at the clinic is truly unmatched,” says Debbie. “It’s not about just treating you when you’re sick; it's about saving lives. I certainly wouldn’t be here to tell my story without their intervention and quick diagnosis."

Debbie's story is just one example of the crucial role free clinics play in communities, providing important medical care, screening services, and a protective support system that empowers patients in their darkest times. “The clinic’s support and compassion have made me feel deeply cared for,” she shared. “They have been by my side every step of the way," says Debbie. “They didn’t just save my life — they gave me a family and a future.”
 

Virginia Free Clinics Fear Impending Legislative Budget Cuts

March 5, 2024 - WVTF
Virginia’s free clinics, some in rural parts of the state, stepped up during the pandemic. And many got one-time federal funding for their service. But as that federal money dries up and state revenue projections make the fight for Virginia dollars even harder, many clinics are fearing the worst. With just a few days left in the legislative session, elected officials are working to form a compromise budget, and among those impacted are the state’s free clinics. Rufus Phillips, CEO of Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, represents 68 such operations that serve about 75,000 low-income Virginians. He said between an uptick in services during the pandemic and post-pandemic inflation, the free clinic system needs the legislature’s help. “While it is a small fraction of the overall state budget, it would make an outsized impact on the health and wellbeing of uninsured Virginians,” Phillips said.
 

Rising Costs & Patient Demand Threaten a Critical Safety Net - Free Clinics

March 2, 2024 - News & Advance
Free and charitable clinics are vital to the health of our community and economy. But rising health care costs coupled with stagnant funding and increased patient demand have put their sustainability at risk. It’s a concerning situation for Virginia’s health care safety net, one that lawmakers can remedy in the state budget.
 

Sinclair Health Clinic Hosts Awards to Honor Co-Founder

February 27, 2024 - Winchester Star
The Sinclair Health Clinic hosted its first Terry Awards ceremony in February to pay homage to the clinic’s cofounder, Terry Sinclair, who passed away on Nov. 26, 2021, at the age of 79. Recognition awards were presented to numerous outstanding volunteers, including Dr. Yekaterina Rankin; Dr. Shyama Rosenfeld, who is the clinic’s volunteer medical director; pharmacy volunteers Debbie Lewis and Steve Zuckerman, who have offered more than 50 years of combined service; and community engagement volunteers Virginia McClure, Debra Gerace, Georgia Yeatras and Saul Barbosa. 
 

Western Tidewater Free Clinic Expands Dental Services

February 27, 2024 - 13News
An expanded dental suite inside Western Tidewater Free Clinic in Suffolk is breaking down a long patient waitlist. “We went from two dental chairs to four," said Ashley Greene, the executive director of the clinic. "That gives us the capacity to serve as many as 200 patients more in the first year.” The clinic currently serves about 700 dental patients per year. Greene said since opening the space back in December, they’ve already seen a 9% increase in patients served compared to this timeframe last year.
 

UT Dental Students Gain Experience at Health Hands Health

February 21, 2024 - WCYB5
For 10 years, dental students from the University of Tennessee traveled to Bristol to get hands on learning experience and better prepare for their future. Every two weeks a new set of students arrive to help the Healing Hands Health provide a variety of treatments such as fillings, extractions, and root canals while also gaining real life experience. "We have hired three different students who have rotated through our clinic and we're looking for a fourth student," said Healing Hands Director Helen Scott, "that really helps our community when we can bring new dentists to our area." 
 

New Arlington Free Clinic CEO Upbeat About Future

February 21, 2024 - Gazette Leader
As a nurse and administrator at VHC Health (Virginia Hospital Center) for the past decade, Lesley Daigle was well-versed in the vital role played by the Arlington Free Clinic. And as the clinic’s CEO since the start of the year, she is quickly gaining an even deeper understanding of its importance. “I knew [the free clinic] was remarkable, but I had no idea how much until I started,” Daigle said. Despite expansion of initiatives to support those with low incomes or facing other barriers to health care, free-clinic leaders estimate that between 4,000 and 7,000 Arlington residents fall through gaps in program eligibility and rely on services like they provide. “There is no foreseeable future where we would not need the Arlington Free Clinic,” Daigle said.
 

Financial Changes Threaten Future of Moss Free Clinic

February 18, 2024 - Free Lance-Star
The longtime partnership between the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic and Mary Washington Healthcare is deteriorating, threatening the future of the clinic that’s served the area’s uninsured for more than 30 years and provided more than $325 million in free services. Lloyd Moss Jr. said what’s happened is heartbreaking, considering everything the clinic has accomplished in three decades. It’s served more than 16,000 patients and dispensed more than 880,000 prescriptions, both locally and in other free clinics that serve more than 20 cities in Virginia. “In spite of their statements of supporting the free clinic any way they could, (MWHC) has been taking away, piece by piece by piece, everything they could take away from us,” Moss said. “I think it’s kind of a statement of the present health care situation. We’re losing sight of what all people in health care are designed to do, to take care of everybody who needs the care.”
 

More State Funding for Clinics is Critical to Maintaining a Healthy Virginia

February 16, 2024 - WTVR3
Dr. Waller is in charge of leading care for an influx of patients Health Brigade and other free clinics across Virginia haven't seen in recent years. “I think across the board, we’ve seen about a 30% increase in requests for services," Waller said. The 50 clinics that are part of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics served 75,000 patients in 2022, a 19% increase over 2021 when 63,000 patients received care.

"Feedback from our members shows that the demand for free and charitable clinics is rapidly growing due to changes in Medicaid coverage and rising living costs,” said Rufus Phillips, VAFCC CEO. “Free clinics have never been more vital to the health of communities as they work to provide quality and compassionate care to patients. While clinics will never waver in their support of Virginians, these nonprofits need the support of the community more than ever.” 
 

A Health Care Lifesaver

February 16, 2024 - Times-Dispatch
Virginia’s 60-plus free clinics provide care to some 75,000 people a year, amounting to some $114 million in 2022. It is a distinctive kind of care, too: focused on all the needs a patient might have – including some that don’t always come to mind when people feel they need to see a doctor. It is paying attention, maybe even more than being able to offer free access to care, that is the key to what free clinics provide, said Karen Legato, Health Brigade’s executive director. “We look at the whole person … it’s not the transactional model,” she said.

"Virginia’s free and charitable clinics are the backbone of our Commonwealth’s health care safety net," Delegate Betsy Carr said. "With Medicaid unwinding and the end of pandemic relief as well as increased economic pressures disproportionately affecting underserved communities, the need to sustain free clinics has never been greater." Budget amendments proposed by Carr and Favola call for a $5 million a year bump in state funds for the clinics, for an annual total of $10.3 million, and would offer some relief.
 

Video: Blue Ridge Free Clinic Cares

February 13, 2024 - WHSV
Since its opening in 2021, the Blue Ridge Free Clinic (BRFC) has been committed to providing compassionate no-barrier healthcare services to thousands of people in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. BRFC serves patients of all ages, performing physicals and checkups for children and adults, with a focus on internal medicine. Staff said the organization’s goal is to not only help patients become healthier, but thriving in their community. “We take care of people with diabetes or hypertension, lung diseases, or mental health issues. But we also do gynecologic care for women, health care maintenance for women,” executive director and family nurse practitioner Susan Adamson said. Adamson said the clinic is part of the area’s ‘healthcare safety net’, which focuses on community members with unmet medical needs. As a bridge to health, BRFC typically sees patients anywhere between 3 to 12 months, all while helping to connect them with providers in the area for future care.
 

Purpose Medical Outreach Expands Services for Uninsured

February 13, 2024 - Daily Press
 A Christian-based mobile medical care service is expanding its presence in New Kent and Charles City counties, bringing free primary care to the low-income and uninsured. Founded in 2022, Purpose Medical Outreach (PMO) partners with New Kent Christian Center to provide free basic medical services as well as care for chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension and some acute care needs. PMO offers a wide range of medical services in addition to long-term primary care, such as preventative screenings and health education programs. For Cara Hoover, PMO’s health care director and a full-time nurse practitioner, it was important that PMO offer a patient-centered approach and not only diagnose health conditions but also treat the patient long term and holistically.
 

CrossOver Healthcare Ministries Expands Pharmacy

February 9, 2024 - Henrico Citizen 
Recently, CrossOver celebrated the opening of the Community Pharmacy at its Henrico Clinic. “We run our pharmacy 100 percent with volunteers,” said CrossOver CEO Julie Bilodeau and Leo Ross, who performed the ribbon-cutting, ”has been volunteering as our pharmacist in charge for 19 years.” The larger pharmacy will double CrossOver’s capacity to provide prescription drugs to the low-income, uninsured, and medically underserved local residents who patronize the clinic. Previously located at the Richmond Clinic on Cowardin Avenue, the pharmacy has moved to a newly renovated and expanded space – thanks to a $150,000 donation from Molina Healthcare Virginia – at CrossOver’s Quioccasin Road site. It also features a medications counseling room, which can be used by pharmacists to review instructions and dosage with patients.
 

Moss Free Clinic Faces Financial Cliff

February 9, 2024 - FXBG Advance
The Lloyd Moss Free Clinic’s ability to continue providing services to Fredericksburg’s low-income, uninsured and underinsured population is threatened by changes in its relationship with Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC). Though they are and have always been separate entities, the clinic and Mary Washington Healthcare have been associated through a community health services agreement, which was established in 2004. Now, Mary Washington Healthcare is pulling in-kind support and charging Moss 'additional rent.' Clinic may need to raise $750,000 per year.
 

Patient Demand Increasing at Virginia's Free Clinics

February 7, 2024 - WDBJ
Free clinics across the state are experiencing a significant increase in patient demand for healthcare services. Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke is struggling to keep up with the demand. “Between dental and behavioral health, those are our two highest increases in services. 110% increase in behavioral health services, 150% increase in dental services, and even our medical services we’re seeing a 70% increase in the need for our medical services,” said Bradley Free Clinic Executive Director Janine Underwood.

Operating costs are doubling in expenses alongside rising patient demand, making running clinics more costly than ever. The VAFCC is advocating for additional state funding for free clinics during the current session of the General Assembly. “The state funding will help us alleviate some of the stress we have. I think supporting free clinics is the right thing to do.” said Underwood.
 

Virginia Free Clinics See Dramatic Spike in Patients Needing Help

February 7, 2024 - NBC12
The Free Clinic of Powhatan is seeing more and more people show up and hoping to get an appointment. The rural clinic serves a four-county region, and saw a 500% increase in people seeking care from them. It offers medical, dental and mental health care services. Each week, about 20 new people start the application process to become a patient. “Most of our patients are working. They’re not able to get healthcare from their employment situation. They might have different hourly jobs and they just don’t have insurance,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Ream.
 

Chesapeake Care Clinic Partners with ODU for Student Translation

February 7, 2024 - ODU
A Spanish-speaking patient with limited fluency in English came back to the Chesapeake Care Clinic one morning last month to find out what was causing her severe stomachaches. The diagnosis got technical, but she had no trouble understanding it, thanks to Old Dominion University student Cydney DeWees, a Spanish major, who translated back and forth between doctor and patient, not missing a beat. “It’s a real opportunity to strengthen my Spanish and I thought it would also be a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and meet a lot of people who speak Spanish as a first language. The patients remember who you are and how you’ve helped them. You can make a difference for them,” she shared.

The addition of the student interpreters has improved healthcare outcomes, said Dourina Petersen, executive director of the clinic. The percentage of Spanish-speaking patients rose from 8% in 2021 to 44% last year, she said, and the overall number of patients also increased. “Spanish interpreters bridge the communication and cultural gap, creating a place where patients feel respected and understood, which ultimately improves the quality of healthcare delivered,” Petersen said.
 

Amid Shortage of Physicians, Nurse Practitioners Can Help

February 7, 2024 - Times-Dispatch
Last year, after a temporary change in Virginia’s laws during the COVID-19 public health emergency, I was able to open a free clinic to serve patients from Charles City, King and Queen, King William and New Kent counties. Unfortunately, if Virginia’s legislators don’t pass House Bills 971 and 983 during this General Assembly session, nurse practitioners (NPs) like myself won’t be able to provide care to some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations. Although there were no negative repercussions during those years, in 2022, Virginia’s legislators changed the requirement back to five years, making Virginia the most restrictive state for establishing an NP practice. Although there were no negative repercussions during those years, in 2022, Virginia’s legislators changed the requirement back to five years, making Virginia the most restrictive state for establishing an NP practice.

Nurse practitioners are advanced-practice registered nurses who have master’s degrees, and often doctorates, and extensive clinical training in the diagnosis and management of common and complex medical conditions. A part of our country’s health care system since 1965, NPs can diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions; order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests; and prescribe medications and other treatments. Although there have been many learning curves in operating a free clinic, such as obtaining funding and marketing to the vulnerable populations we aim to serve, I am fully prepared to diagnose and treat the patients who walk through our doors. While I would welcome a physician to serve alongside me, asserting that an NP with two years of full-time experience can’t provide high-quality, evidence-based and compassionate care to patients is simply not true and a disservice to Virginians in need.
 

Health Wagon Participates in Give Kids a Smile Day

February 6, 2024 - TimesNews
Six dental assistant students from Mountain Empire Community College joined a dental team from The Health Wagon to celebrate national Give Kids a Smile Day with free dental screenings, fluoride treatments and dental hygiene treat bags for all 600 students at Weise Primary School. The Wise Primary event is the first observation of Give Kids a Smile Day in far Southwest Virginia, said Dr. Emily Bowen, MECC’s dental assistant program director. “Give Kids a Smile Day is a national initiative and a good development for public health,” said Bowen. “Our hope is that this really sets a foundation for good dental health. We want to reinforce the basics of brushing, visiting your dentist regularly and getting the younger pre-K students in that mindset.” February is Children’s Dental Health Month, and Tuesday’s event allowed screening to identify needs and get the kids who need treatment beyond normal preventive services scheduled for appointments at The Health Wagon’s Wise dental clinic or other dental facilities.
 

Ohlen R. Wilson Health Center in Galax Opens Dental Clinic

February 6, 2024 - Carroll News

Ohlen R. Health Center, formerly the Free Clinic of Twin Counties, has opened a new dental clinic that will provide preventative dental care for uninsured and underinsured patients starting February 6. The new trailer is approximately 300 square feet and has two dental chairs, allowing the clinic to provide cleanings, x-rays, fillings, extractions and other preventative services. Five volunteer dentists will see patients, allowing the clinic to serve at least 60 people a month. “Many local patients end up in the emergency room for oral health issues,” said Melissa Munton, Executive Director. “Increasing access to preventative and low-cost dental care for the community will help a lot of people.”
 

Grant Supports Health Brigade with Cancer Education

February 5, 2024 - VCU Health
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center continues to grow partnerships to improve the health of Virginians through supporting community-based organizations to increase outreach, engagement and research opportunities to improve cancer treatment and patient health. They recent awarded a seed grant to the Health Brigade and Hitting Cancer Below the Belt (HCB2) to create educational resources in both English and Spanish to better assist in patient educating and provider training to raise screening rates among patients 45 years of age and older. Health Brigade as partnered with HCB2 since 2014 and is one partner in their colorectal cancer screening programs to medical sites across the Commonwealth.
 

Proposed Budget Amendment Would Add $5M For Virginia Clinics

February 3, 2024 - 29News
Many Virginians are turning to free clinics for their primary care needs. The Charlottesville Free Clinic met with lawmakers to propose a budget amendment that would increase state funding for free clinics across the state. The budget amendment would add $5M a year in state funding for free clinics that are members of the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. “Our goal is to increase access to care,” Interim Director Willa Barnhardt said. Barnhardt says everyone deserves quality primary care. “We don’t want anyone to just not go to the doctor or avoid going to the doctor because of the cost. We’ve continued to see an enormous increase in the demand in our community,” Barnhardt said. That is why she met with state lawmakers to show just how critical a role free clinics play.

One of those lawmakers is Delegate Katrina Callsen, who represents the 54th District. “They’re seeing a ton of patients, they’re providing primary care, basically for those who are uninsured or underinsured,” Callsen said, “When a lot of people who wouldn’t have access to these services, this is the only way they’re getting them in Charlottesville. And there’s still an identified need. Even beyond that, there’s legislative changes that need to happen so that they can serve more in our community.” 
 

Representative of Sen. Kaine Meet with Madison Free Clinic

February 3, 2024 - The MadRapp Recorder
A representative from U.S. Senator Tim Kaine's (D-Virginia) office visited downtown Madison this month with a stop at the Madison Free Clinic. Oriella Mejia, who serves as the senator's northeastern regional director based in Fredericksburg, attended as part of a fact-finding mission to see how federal dollars are used in rural Virginia.

Free Clinic Executive Director Jana Jackson thanked Mejia and Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District (RRHD) Director Olugbenga O. Obasanjo, MD, MPH, for their visit where they learned how community members worked together during the pandemic and how those relationships continue today. Jackson presented a timeline dating pre-pandemic to the present, including how her non-profit agency provided COVID testing for all county residents during the pandemic and continues free testing not only for the newer strains of the virus but it includes Type A and B flues. Ojiera expressed shock the federal rural internet initiatives haven't been fully implemented throughout the Rappahannock-Rapidan region resulting in issues with tele-health due to poor internet up conductivity. Ojiera will continue working with Jackson and the free clinic on collaborative programs and possible grant opportunities.
 

Healing Hands Celebrates Transformative Dental Care

February 1, 2024 - WCYB5
Healing Hands Health is celebrating six months of successfully providing essential dental care for Virginia Medicaid recipients, thanks to support from the Virginia Health Care Foundation in the form of a $90,000 grant from the foundation, which allowed them to provide salary and benefits for their first full-time dental hygienist. "There's such a great need in the community for dental care for the underinsured and the people that don't have insurance, " said registered dental hygienist Michelle Statti. "It's awesome that Healing Hands Health provides the atmosphere for me and our great staff here to provide the dental care that is needed."
 

Delta Dental Foundation Funds Safety Net Clinics

February 1, 2024 - Globe NewsWire
The Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation made $622,000 in grants to 10 safety-net clinics focused on meeting the critical oral health care needs of millions of Virginians. Recipients included the Arlington Free Clinic to continue its medical-dental integration, address treatment barriers, adopt sustainable fee practices and increase resources to meet growing patient demands; the Augusta Regional Dental Clinic to help equip two new dental operatories as part of an expansion project intended to offer 35% more dental appointments by the end of 2024; the Bradley Free Clinic to provide stipends, dental supplies, housing and meals for VCU School of Dentistry students and help support a part-time dental provider; the Free Clinic of Powhatan to assist with salaries and supplies in support of expanding dental clinic hours; HELP Clinic to help fund the integration of 3D printing technology into clinic services to make affordable dentures, night guards and crowns for patients; Healing Hands Health to help fund a full-time dentist needed to meet a growing demand to treat Virginia Medicaid patients at the center; Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic to help with the purchase of 3D printing technology so the clinic can offer affordable crowns and night guards to their patients; and G. Wayne Fralin Free Clinic of the Rescue Mission of Roanoke to support dental clinic salaries, including a part-time dentist and dental assistant, to provide holistic care for patients and purchase supplies.

Loudoun Free Clinic Recipient of Claude Moore Foundation Grant

January 31, 2024 - Loudoun Now
The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation has distributed $2,553,570 in grants to nonprofit organizations primarily serving Loudoun County. Under the foundation’s mission, the grants are intended to provide operating support to organizations that work to “give a leg up” to under-resourced populations and individuals living with disabilities. The grants also include funding for nursing scholarships, literacy, and youth leadership programs. The Loudoun Free Clinic received $90,000 in grant funds.

Virginia Free Clinics Seeing Rise In Patient Demand, Operating Costs

January 31, 2024 - Daily News-Record
A study by the VAFCC analyzed data submitted by 50 free and charitable clinics throughout Virginia. According to the study, the clinics treated 75,000 patients in 2022 compared to 63,000 in 2021 – an increase of approximately 19 percent. Susan Adamson, director of the Harrisonburg based, VAFCC member, Blue Ridge Free Clinic, said they have also been feeling the strain. “Doing grant writing for the Blue Ridge Free Clinic, I underestimated, quite a lot, the demand that was going to happen in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County,” Adamson said. “There was way more than we expected. We have seen more than 2,000 patients in the last two-and-a-half years, and we expected less than half that."

Free Clinics Experiencing Overwhelming Influx of Patients

January 29, 2024 - CBS19
Free clinics across Virginia are busier than ever these days with Charlottesville Free Clinic seeing a 15% increase in patients between 2022 and 2023. This demand expands beyond Charlottesville. The Virginia Association for Free and Charitable clinics reported that patient numbers across the state increased 19% between 2021 to 2022.

VIDEO: Orange County Free Clinic Cares

January 24, 2024 - 29 News

Retail Alliance Awards Lackey Clinic with a Community Impact Award

January 24, 2024 - isStories
In a resounding acknowledgment of its impactful contributions, the Lackey Clinic clinched the prestigious Community Impact Award at the Retail Alliance’s 16th Annual Retailer of the Year Awards. The Retail Alliance, an influential advocate providing support and education to retailers across the region, bestowed this honor on Lackey Clinic for its unwavering commitment to community welfare.Nonprofit healthcare organizations, driven by a mission rather than profit margins, play a pivotal role in ensuring that medical care remains a service and a human-centric endeavor.

VHCF Awards $140,000 to VAFCC Clinics

January 23, 2024 - Virginia Health Care Foundation
“From the Eastern Shore to Grayson County in Southwest Virginia, all of these grantees are addressing urgent and ongoing needs,” said Deborah Oswalt, VHCF’s Executive Director. “The current shortage of healthcare professionals and Virginia’s mental health crisis require an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach to ensure all Virginians have access to the care they need.” The statement comes as VAFCC members Bradley Free Clinic, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, and Community Access Network  received over a combined $140,000.

Valley Health Seeks Community Grant Submissions

January 16, 2024 - The Morgan Messenger
Valley Health has announced that community agencies and nonprofits engaged in addressing the region’s health challenges are eligible to apply for a Community Partnership Grant.The health system intends to award 11 grants totaling $200,000, in increments from $2,500 to $100,000. The submission deadline is February 28, with funding to begin in June. In addition to the Community Partnership Grant program, Valley Health is making a 2024 investment of more than $800,000 in other mission-critical partnerships that support improving the health of the community with organizations such as Page Free Clinic, Saint Luke Community Clinic, Shenandoah Community Health Clinic and Sinclair Health Clinic receiving support.

Bristol Regional Speech & Hearing Center Recipient of Wellspring Foundation Donation

January 11, 2024 - WCYB
Bristol Regional Speech and Hearing Center was named as one of 13 recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to improve the health and wellbeing of Southwest Virginia receiving a total of more than $900,000. Wellspring supports projects improving health, economic and educational development.

Arlington Free Clinic Gears Up to Mark 30 Years of Service

January 11, 2024 - Gazette Leader
Celebrating 30 years serving the Arlington community, Arlington Free Clinic is welcoming not just new board members, but a new CEO as Lesley Daigle has been approved to follow the successful tenure of Nancy White as president/CEO. “She is a warm and charismatic leader with an outstanding reputation and a clear passion for the Free Clinic’s mission,” officials said.
 

Northern Neck – Middlesex Free Health Clinic Expanded Dental Services

January 10, 2024 - News on the Neck
Dental services at the Northern Neck – Middlesex Free Health Clinic have expanded to five days and four evenings each week. The NNMFHC is home to a Medical Clinic, open five days and two evenings each week, and a Pharmacy as well as the six-station Dental Clinic. The dental staff includes a dentist, hygienist, two dental assistants and a dental coordinator. The dentist oversees VCU School of Dentistry senior dental and dental hygiene students on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and some Mondays, when students are not present, he manages a denture program and handles emergencies.
 

Health Wagon Featured in Documentary Shortlisted for Oscars

January 10, 2024 - MM+M
Filmmaker Ramin Bahrani's documentary If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis follows Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson and Dr. Paula Hill-Collins of Health Wagon as they help uninsured patients navigating the health care system in Appalachia. “When I came across these two women in Appalachia and their Health Wagon, I thought it was a modern American version of that same story of my father,” Bahrani says.
 

GoochlandCares Celebrates Spirit of Martin Luther King Day

January 9, 2024 - Richmond Times-Dispatch
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life to service. On this upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, GoochlandCares is hoping to continue that legacy of service, appreciating the hard work their volunteers do in all facets at the clinic and encourage others to volunteer. Laura, a new volunteer, said, "I am happy I have the ability to volunteer and give back to Goochland. I get more out of this experience than I give without a doubt. It feels like we are all working together; staff, volunteers, and clients trying to build a better society.