Westminster Free Clinic

Target demographics: Increase access to care for the uninsured and advance college readiness and career advancement opportunities for low-income youth in the growing healthcare sector

Direct beneficiaries per year: 10,000 people

Geographic areas served: Ventura County

Programs: Since 1994, Westminster Free Clinic (WFC) has been an innovative non-profit whose mission is to provide free medical care (including labs, diagnostic tests like mammograms, and medications) to the uninsured, working poor of our community through caring, compassion, community partnerships, education and student training. It is the goal of the organization to provide: 1) easy access to free medical care to hard-to-reach populations facing transportation, language, cultural and financial barriers to care; and 2) provide high school students with a pathway to careers in health through exposure and hands-on training in the delivery of health care, dental and vision care. The organization is a nonprofit health and human services organization exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code (code). During the year ended December 31, 2022, WFC provided over 12,000 health services to uninsured people in Ventura County. Free services include primary care, physical therapy and chiropractic services, podiatry, case management, nutrition counseling, vision and dental services, and referrals to the organization's network of specialty care providers. Volunteer ophthalmologists screen patients at the organization for cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Mental health services include a weekly grief & loss program called start again, not over, in addition to one-on-one and group counseling. Electronic health records track patient progress and enhance the clinic's capacity and quality of care. The organization serves as a community center to support the whole health of the person including weekly zumba/yoga classes, food distributions, weekly health education classes, health literacy activities, homework help, clothing distribution, and over2,200 backpacks with school supplies for students. These activities are all part of the organization's prevention strategies to address all social determinants of health which affect people's health and ability to thrive. The organization serves fit into four categories: 1) medical; 2) whole-person-centered preventive health; 3) pathways to self-reliance, and 4) health & education equity & advocacy. Over 200 teens (70% of whom are low-income and bilingual) are enrolled in the organization's two-year teen health academy & internship program that assists physicians in the delivery of care and offers hands-on-training in basic clinical skills preparing students for careers in healthcare and the opportunity to help their community. College and career counseling, free sat/act prep classes and math tutoring result in 90% enrollment of the organization's students in college or a university after high school graduation. As part of their internship at WFC, interested students can complete the requirements to become a certified medical assistant. The organization's community outreach, led by bilingual teen interns, screen people in the community for diabetes and high blood pressure, and works with Latino markets in five cities to offer healthier food options. The organization's Corazones Sanos (healthy hearts) program and diabetic specialty clinic empower clinic patients to take charge of their health, become health literate, educate others, and receive the extra support they need to achieve positive health outcomes. Salud students also focus on education equity and provide presentations to english learning parents, as well as school administrators and teachers to help them know the challenges first generation students face, what they need to succeed, and how parents can help. They also share their own college goals and academic successes and create parental awareness of a-g requirements for their children to be eligible to apply to a 4-year college. The salud students' goal is to create a college-going culture in the latino community, and to break down barriers to success for low-income students. The level of one's education is an important social determinant of health and longevity. Another public health program offered by the organization is a seven-week paraprofessional victimization prevention training program, called z-tap (zonta-funded training & advocacy program). This train-the-trainer program was founded in 2006 through funding from zonta club of the conejo valley area, california, and through which more than 1000 low-income women have been trained, and numerous domestic violence situations have been resolved. Free individual mental health counseling is offered weekly at the clinic in spanish and english for people needing further support as well as weekly start again not over grief and loss classes. A healthy hearts kids club designed and lead by salud teens offers a weekly kid-friendly curriculum addressing healthy eating and active living and emotional well-being that mirrors what their parents are learning in the corazones sanos (healthy hearts) program. The program also provides home-work help, free play and a literacy program. It runs while parents are participating in the many one-stop services offered.