Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

The FREE CLINIC OF FRANKLIN COUNTY at the Bernard Healthcare Center hosted US Congressman Morgan Griffith earlier this week for a tour and clinic leader Ellen Holland provided insights into the important role her clinic plays in providing critical healthcare services to vulnerable and hard to reach populations in the community. A roundtable discussion followed. https://buff.ly/3WuSTDn

The VAFCC would like to express its deepest condolences on the death of Dr. James Ledwith. In 2005, Jim Ledwith was a family medicine doctor in Tappahannock, who noticed that in his own practice there were many uninsured individuals who had difficulty paying for medical care on their own. Moved to help them, he was a founding force (and long-time volunteer) of the Tappahannock Free Clinic. In 2016, he became the namesake along with Dr. Richard Lewis of the renamed Ledwith-Lewis Free Clinic in celebration of their decade of service to the region and to honor the transformative impact it had on the health of their community. https://lnkd.in/e7MUnFJG

We love to see the collaboration between GREENE CARE CLINIC INC and Sentara RMH Medical Center and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital to bring important cancer screenings to folks in need in Greene County. Uninsured, low-income residents have access to free mammograms thanks to the Every Woman's Life program. https://lnkd.in/eB5P8ncY

In 2011, medical students at Eastern Virginia Medical School recognized a growing need for healthcare within the uninsured population in Norfolk and responded by establishing a student-run free clinic, called HOPES (Health Outreach Partnership of EVMS Students), to improve the quality of life in the community by providing primary and specialty medical care. The first student-run free clinic in Virginia, HOPES has served more than 1,000 uninsured adult residents and is staffed by volunteer student clinicians, residents, and physicians, who work together to provide patient-centered care. https://lnkd.in/eZ5w_vjT

Great article by THE FARMVILLE HERALD, INC. on the need for free clinics in rural areas following a presentation by 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 in need of free clinics (a majority suffering from chronic conditions), greater investments in the healthcare safety net are needed. https://lnkd.in/eAq5fTvv

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 Healthcare Network in Chantilly, to expand access. Executive Director Sadia Ali Aden believes the new program can make a positive change, “We have many patients that show mental health symptoms. We can provide the primary care, but if that patient still has the mental health condition that has not been addressed, they’re not able to maintain a job. They cannot take care of themselves.” https://lnkd.in/eZfEAT4A

Traveling exhibit to build awareness about chronic disease and medication access is available upon request! As part of its ongoing 20th Anniversary celebration, Rx Partnership curated the exhibit, “Pharmacy in Virginia: Past, Present & Future.” From the evolution and role of pharmacists to trailblazers in the field to information on chronic diseases to generic vs. brand medicines, those who are interested in “hosting” the exhibit can display a comprehensive look at how pharmacy and medication improve lives. Select the panels you want and have them shipped at no cost: https://buff.ly/462atlm

The first of the month marked the integration of Old Dominion University and Eastern Virginia Medical School into the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. With a long history of collaboration and only three miles between campuses, the integration intends to enable expanded educational opportunities through coordinated health-focused academic offerings to help meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals as well as better alignment in addressing healthcare inequities, increasing access to quality care, and bolstering research endeavors. https://lnkd.in/eQKEXrXy

Good news for several Virginia free and charitable clinics who were among the organizations receiving a combined total of more than $1.7 million in grants from the Virginia Health Care Foundation to increase access to medical, dental, and behavioral health services to uninsured and medically underserved patients. Clinic recipients included the Bradley Free Clinic, Augusta Regional Dental Clinic, Healing Hands Health, Fauquier Free Clinic, Northern Neck - Middlesex Free Health Clinic, FREE CLINIC OF POWHATAN INC, and The Health Wagon. https://lnkd.in/ecA7wWFk

University of Lynchburg international student and public health major, Oluwatimilehin “Timmy” Mayowa, is working this summer as a community health worker at the The Rescue Mission of Roanoke's G. Wayne Fralin Free Clinic in order to gain experiences and skills he can use after graduation. Among many duties, he's responsible for helping enroll new patients, completing initial health assessments, working in the food pantry, and going into the field with the clinic's medical street outreach team. “Firsthand exposure to the health care needs of vulnerable populations is crucial for understanding the real-world implications of health policies,” Timmy shared along with is desire to work for the World Health Organization. https://lnkd.in/etcHwFXv