December 29, 2017

A Look Back at 2017

The NAFC wishes you a Happy New Year! As we are look forward to what’s to come in 2018, and toward working to build a healthy America, one person at a time, we first wanted to take a look back at 2017!

2017 was a very busy and eventful year for the country, for our members and for the NAFC. Below is a high-level overview of some of the accomplishments of the organization from the past year:

The NAFC continued to ensure that the medically underserved have information to attain quality health care.

The NAFC staff continues to field phone calls from individuals who are looking for care at Free and Charitable Clinics, used targeting messaging through GoogleAds to ensure that people searching for a clinic online are connected to the NAFC’s “Find a Clinic” web page, and regularly updated the “Find a Clinic” web page with the most up to date information to serve as an easy resource for individuals looking for care in their area.

The NAFC addressed the needs of the medically underserved through important advocacy work.

The NAFC had several successes regarding the organization’s public policy objectives.

  • The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is now available to Free and Charitable Clinics.
  • The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) for Free Clinics was protected after the Administration initially cut the program’s funding.
  • Public Comments were submitted to the Health and Human Services Administration on the continued need for the Free Clinic Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) program.
  • 60 Senators submitted NAFC legislative priorities and appropriations language for consideration.
  • 213 Members of Congress submitted NAFC legislative priorities and appropriations language for consideration.
  • Several successful letter-writing campaigns were submitted from NAFC member organizations to Members of Congress.

The NAFC continued important efforts to make sure Free and Charitable Clinics have resources – such as funding, supplies, education and technical assistance – that increase their capacity to serve those with unmet health care needs.

The NAFC provided $3 Million in expanded Grant, Funding and Scholarship Opportunities.

  • $1.65 million grant program was secured to be administered in 2018 for those organizations impacted by Hurricane Harvey and Irma. This program will be administered by the NAFC and made possible through the generosity of Direct Relief.
  • $1 million for NAFC member organizations to address diabetes and hypertension in their communities. This program is made possible through the generosity of the CVS Health Foundation.
  • $150,000 in grant funding for member organizations impacted by Hurricane Harvey. This grant funding is administered by the NAFC and made possible through the generosity of Direct Relief.  Award Recipients: San Jose Clinic – Houston, TX, VCare Clinics – Houston, TX, Christ Clinic – Katy, TX, Ibn Sina Community Clinic – Houston, TX, TOMAGWA HealthCare Ministries – Tomball, TX, Ubi Caritas Health Ministries – Beaumont, TX, and the Texas Association of Charitable Clinics – Austin, TX.
  • $100,000 in grants to members for organizational operations. This grant funding is administered by the NAFC and made possible through the generosity of our partners Direct Relief and BD. Award Recipients: Christian Health Center – Camden, Arkansas, Ogemaw Hills Free Clinic – West Branch, Michigan, Crossings Community Clinic – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Health Access, Inc. – Clarksburg, West Virginia, HelpCare Clinic – Kearney, Nebraska, His Hands Free Clinic – Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Hope Medical Clinic, Inc. – Ypsilanti, Michigan, Mission Medical Center – Colorado Springs, Colorado, Snake River Community Clinic – Lewiston, Idaho
  • $30,000 in Care Message technology to member organizations in Ohio. This program is administered by the NAFC and made possible through the generosity of Cardinal Health Foundation. Award Recipients: Physicians’ Care Connection – Columbus, OH, Columbus Free Clinic – Columbus, OH, Vineyard Free Medical Clinic – Westerville, OH, Hartville Migrant Center – Hartville, OJ, Open M Free Clinic – Akron, OH, That Neighborhood Free Clinic – Toledo, OH, Living Well Clinic – Xenia, OH, KidSMILES Pediatric Dental Clinic – Columbus, OH, Lake County Free Clinic – Painesville, OH, Viola Startzman Free Clinic – Wooster, OH, Medina Health Ministry – Medina, OH, Good Neighbor House – Dayton, OH, Faithful Servants Care Center – Tallmadge, OH, Free Clinic of Fulton County – Wauseon, OH, St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy – Cincinnati, OH, and the Ohio Association of Free Clinics – Columbus, OH.
  • $15,000 in diabetic supplies to member organizations. This program is administered by the NAFC and made possible through the generosity of Henry Schein. Award Recipients: HAVEN Free Clinic – New Haven, CT, Bethel Free Health Clinic – Biloxi, MS, Cross and Crown Clinic – Oklahoma City, OK, Hope Clinic – Austin, TX, Love Inc Free Health Clinic – Grand Haven, MI, Sumter United Ministries Free Medical Clinic – Sumter, SC, San Jose Clinic – Houston, TX, Beacon Clinic for Health – Camp Hill, PA, HelpCare Clinic – Kearney, NE, Avicenna Community Health Center – Champaign, IL, Center for Healing and Hope – Goshen, I N, The Good Samaritan Clinic of Haywood County – Waynesville, NC, Coastal Medical Access Project – Brunswick, GA, Vineyard Free Health Clinics – Westerville, OH, WATCH Healthcare Program – Goldsboro, NC, Christian Free Clinic in Botetourt – Fincastle, VA, Grace Medical Home – Orlando, FL, Hope Within Community Health Center – Elizabethtown, PA, Saint Luke Community Clinic – Front Royal, VA, St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic – Waukesha, WI, Conejo Free Clinic – Thousand Oaks, CA, Free Clinic of Meridian – Meridian, MS, CommunityHealth – Chicago, IL, HealthReach Community Clinic – Mooresville, NC, Community Clinic of High Point – High Point, NC, Safe Harbor Free Clinic – Stanwood, WA, People’s Health Clinic – Park City, UT, Rose Garden Center for Hope and Healing – Covington, KY, Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley – Elkin, NC, Community Health Clinic – Brenham, TX, DEAC Clinic – Winston Salem, NC, Hope Medical Clinic – Atoka, OK, Florida Hospital Waterman Community Primary Health Clinic – Eustis , FL, Family Community Clinic – Louisville, KY, and Partners for Healing – Tullahoma, TN.
  • $8,000 worth of scholarships (administered by the NAFC) to the NAFC Charitable Health Care Symposium with our partner RXOutreach. Scholarship Recipients: Ohio Association of Free Clinics, Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, Inc., Illinois Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, Free Clinics of Iowa, Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, Inc., Tennessee Charitable Care Network, California Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, Missouri Association of Free Clinics, Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, South Carolina Free Clinic Association, Washington Healthc are Access Alliance, Georgia Charitable Care Network, Texas Association of Charitable Clinics, North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, Oklahoma Charitable Clinic Association, Ubi Caritas Health Ministries (Beaumont, TX), HelpCare Clinic (Kearney, NE), Crossings Community Clinic (Oklahoma City, OK), Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (Hackensack, NJ), WelcomeHealth (Fayetteville, AR), Bridges to Health (Marion, IN), Volunteers in Medicine of South Jersey (Cape May Court House, NJ), and St. Martin’s Healthcare, Inc. (Garrett, IN)
  • $3,000 cash prize (administered by the NAFC) for the Annual Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Award for Health Equity presented by the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC).  Awardee: Dr. Steve Crane, Volunteer Medical Director of The Free Clinics (TFC) in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

The NAFC expanded funding and product opportunities through partner organizations.

  • Point of Care, Enhancing Clinical Effectiveness (PoCECE) initiative administered by Heart to Heart International and BD (Becton Dickinson) – A multi-year initiative that provides clinics caring for underserved and vulnerable populations throughout the United States the essential diagnostic point of care testing they need to evaluate their patients on site in a timely manner. PoCECE, funded by Becton Dickinson (BD) and implemented by Heart to Heart International (HHI) in conjunction with the NAFC, provides awards to safety net clinics with a desire to use point of care testing to diagnose and set treatment protocols to improve patient outcomes. Award Recipients: Community Health Services of Union County – Monroe, North Carolina, Downtown Clinic – Laramie, Wyoming, Free Clinic of Franklin County, Inc. – Rocky Mount, Virginia
  • BD’s Advancing Community Health – Driving Quality Outcomes Award, administered by Americares and BD (Becton Dickinson) – A multi-year, multi-clinic Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition and direct clinic award program that will provide direct coaching to recipients on the transformation of care delivery and obtaining recognition from the National Community of Quality Assurance (NCQA); the goal of the initiative is to drive quality improvement in Free and Charitable Clinics. Award Recipients: CommunityHealth – Chicago, Illinois Community Health Care Clinic – Normal, Illinois

The NAFC provided important education and technical assistance.

  • Charitable Health Care Symposium was held in Denver CO with over 350 attendees from across the country.
  • 20 FREE technical Assistance Webinars were held for NAFC members in topics such as end of year fundraising, specific disease state programs administered at various member organizations, immigration, getting to know your Muslim patients, storytelling, health reform, social media training and many more!

The NAFC worked to increase public awareness and support of the medically underserved, and the critical role of Free and Charitable Clinics.

The NAFC, our clinics and patients were featured in various news pieces throughout the year:

To read more related news on the NAFC, Free and Charitable Clinics and our patients, please visit: https://www.nafcclinics.org/news-content.

The NAFC was also honored to have received the following organization recognition.

A huge thank you to our Board of Directors, members, partners, sponsors, volunteers and donors for helping staff continue our mission to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care.

If you would like to continue to support the work of the NAFC, please consider making your year-end, tax-deductible donation today!