Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

The Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics took the opportunity to recognize Deborah Oswalt during our Annual Conference last week for her 32 years of service with the Virginia Health Care Foundation. A steadfast friend and ally of the healthcare safety net here in Virginia, Debbie has repeatedly demonstrated her devotion and commitment to creating more accessible healthcare for those in need. Under her leadership, VHCF has generated billions in free medicines for uninsured Virginians, enrolled eligible individuals in Medicaid coverage, and invested more than $22 million to expand services in Virginia’s free and charitable clinics. We applaud her passion and drive for more than three decades, which has resulted in a healthier Virginia that will continue to inspire us all. Cheers to a well-earned retirement!

The Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinics held its 2024 Annual Conference in Williamsburg earlier this week. The premier educational and networking meeting for Virginia’s free and charitable clinics and their safety net partners and advocates, this year's conference was focused on advancing the healthcare safety net workforce. See full album: https://lnkd.in/dttkAN7b Photography provided by Vestige Visuals (https://lnkd.in/dsACBsrB)

LOWVFR - Lake of the Woods Volunteer Fire and Rescue EMT students are gaining valuable hands-on experience thanks to LIVING WATER COMMUNITY CLINIC. This community partnership provides invaluable learning opportunities for students to work directly with patients to enhance their training and will help shape the next generation of EMTs. #FreeClinicsCare

We appreciate the support of the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation of the MADISON FREE CLINIC INC who was included in their $15,000 in grant funding to dedicated organizations in Madison County. 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.” https://lnkd.in/eKvhpbkE

“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," said Director of Healthcare Pam Milkowski. The G. Wayne Fralin Free Clinic of The Rescue Mission of Roanoke has expanded its services for the homeless and people experiencing homelessness with a new mobile outreach unit offering medical, mental health, phlebotomy and rapid STD testing. https://lnkd.in/ewRbVUJa

Last month, the Resurrection Church distributed nearly $90,000 in funds earned from its annual Joyous Junque sale to 27 charities including the FREE CLINIC OF FRANKLIN COUNTY at the Bernard Healthcare Center. An enormous yard sale held for decades, the fundraiser 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. https://lnkd.in/eXQQ_Gv8

November is American Diabetes Month, a chance to raise awareness of diabetes and its impact as well as support people in learning how to prevent, treat, and manage the disease. With that in mind and on World Diabetes Day, we encourage you to take the American Diabetes Association's Type 2 Risk Test (60-seconds to complete for yourself or for another): https://lnkd.in/dUNXrWAh

The Adult Psychiatric Access Line (APAL) is an adult substance use training, consultation, and referral program designed for primary care providers to treat and respond to substance use disorders in adult patients. APAL has addiction medicine specialists, psychiatrists, and other licensed mental health professionals who are available to consult with providers, as well as care navigators to help patients connect with resources in the community. https://lnkd.in/eHb5_r8S

Piedmont Smiles, the one-day free dental event organized by the Fauquier Free Clinic and the Virginia Dental Association Foundation, served a record 280 patients at its third installment earlier this month, 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.” https://lnkd.in/eDfFwzDF

Chesapeake Care Clinic and Old Dominion University Ellmer School of Nursing's 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 by participating and charitable clinics. “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,” said Mara Servaites, MSW, PCMH CCE, Executive Director of VTMHI. https://lnkd.in/eYNWVZNP