Disrupting Poverty

Clara’s House is a no-cost clinic for people without health insurance. Appointments are available for men and women, without respect to race, culture, ability to speak English, or spiritual beliefs. In addition to primary care medical services, we offer health seminars in diabetic education, nutrition, chronic disease self-management, and health promotion. New patient appointments are by referral from partner agencies to provide the social services needed by our shared clients. Volunteers staff the clinic weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

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Clara's House works to fill multiple gaps. For people who are eligible for county health services, the forms are often complicated, and it often takes weeks before an individual may see a doctor. Meanwhile, for many, health situations worsen, and the emergency room becomes the only means of access to primary medical care. For less acute health needs, resources often are not available. Clara's House works to provide primary care in a timely manner, preventing care needs from advancing, and avoiding the need for emergency room care.

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In addition, we attempt to meet other needs of our patients. A diabetic woman who has never learned to read needs a tutor in order to learn how to monitor her glucose meter. A homeless, disabled man needs help completing his paperwork. Clara’s House volunteers, benefactors, and partner agencies work fill some of these needs. We help fill out forms. We help make phone calls. We listen. We advocate for health.

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Disrupting Disease

Health doesn’t magically happen during a 15 minute office visit. We take the time to listen. We take the time to teach. We take the time to make sure the patient understands. At Clara’s House we provide comprehensive, compassionate medical services that address the needs of the whole person.

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Enabling Health

The program provides free medical services in a culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate manner to people who:

• Need medical services

• Have no insurance

• Lack money to pay for services

• Do not know about existing services

• Are unable to use existing services
   

The clinic is run by family nurse practitioners who work with volunteer doctors, registered nurses, nutritionists, and other health care specialists. The clinic staff works in coordination with existing services in the community to help people stay healthy through education, assessment, and preventative health care. Clara’s House personnel coordinate ongoing care with professionals, agencies, schools, clients’ families, and the larger community. The project serves the health needs of the voiceless and vulnerable.