The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington’s building will undergo a $1.5 million renovation in the spring.
It’s the first large-scale upgrade for the Vancouver nonprofit that offers free health care to uninsured Clark County residents. The Free Clinic will stay at its current location, 4100 Plomondon St., but patients will soon notice a new layout, updated flooring and fresh paint.
Executive Director Rebecca O’Brien said the goal of the renovation is to attract more providers and volunteers, serve more patients and modernize the clinic in a way that reflects the community.
O’Brien has led the organization since July 2021 after former Executive Director Ann Wheelock retired in June of that year.
Information
The Free Clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only. Donors and community members can donate to the renovation project through the Free Clinic’s website. For more information, visit freeclinics.org or call 360-450-3044.
“In the last three years, the Free Clinic has really settled into our role as a primary care home,” O’Brien said. “Regardless of your insurance status, or your immigration status, you can find a place here to receive ongoing primary care. We just want to refresh it and make it a safe, comfortable space for our patients to be.”
New space
The Free Clinic partnered with Battle Ground-based Aetta Architects for the project. O’Brien said she hopes fundraising efforts and potential grants will help offset construction costs.
After renovations are complete, likely in the summer, the clinic will include a seventh exam room, a redesigned reception area, an updated dental suite, a conference room and a more private provider workspace.
During construction, the clinic will not close, but patient services will move to the back half of the building.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Free Clinic used a walk-in urgent care model, but it has shifted to an appointment-based system so patients can receive repeat, routine care. The Free Clinic only serves patients 18 and older and currently sees about 375 patients every month, O’Brien said.
The clinic also partners with Medical Teams International to host a mobile dental van twice a month to provide extractions and fillings.
Dental provider Natalia Sakun said the clinic is hoping to recruit more dental partners in the community for referrals, as the dental team can only offer limited services for patients in the van.
Addressing the need
Most of the organization’s services are provided by retired health professionals who offer their services free to patients.
Many providers offer routine care, but the clinic also has several specialists, including a cardiologist, endocrinologist and neurologist.
Linda Buckley is a retired clinical social worker who has been volunteering with the clinic for about six years.
Since the pandemic, her role has shifted to encompass behavioral health and translation services. As the clinic’s only mental health provider, Buckley often works closely with a wide range of clients who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and trauma.
But the need in Clark County is still great, especially for low-income, uninsured and immigrant communities, Buckley said.
“I saw a gap in the mental health services. There’s a lot of patients who have never even told anyone about traumas that they’ve had and a lot of the stressors of dealing with being recent immigrants,” Buckley said. “It’s very meaningful to feel like I can make a difference. I can be that impetus and be that sounding board to validate someone’s experience. That makes my day.”
O’Brien said she hopes the renovation will enable the clinic to serve the community in an even greater way.
“Free clinics like ours are really providing a service for people who fall through the cracks a little bit,” O’Brien said. “All kinds of things can preclude people from obtaining insurance. Our role is really to help those people still have quality health care.”
