York County Free Health Clinic is a local health care provider located near Winthrop’s campus on Cherry Road. The clinic provides free health services to those who qualify in the surrounding community.
To qualify, patients have to be York or Lancaster County residents who are between the ages of 18 and 64, have no government or private health insurance, and be at or below the federal poverty line.
The mission of the York County Free Clinic is “to provide compassionate, quality health care to the uninsured, eligible adults in York County. It is our vision that York County residents have access to high-quality health care, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Kathy Grier, executive director of the York County Free Clinic.
The clinic provides services including “blood pressure management, pap smears, mammograms, prescription assistance, lab procedures, optometry, eye care, and acute and chronic medical care,” Grier said.
The clinic also provides pregnancy and STD testing for those who qualify. Clinical partners provide colon cancer screenings as well as other social and educational services. Patients can receive free medication through the Welvista Medication Assistance Program.
Health care services are the number one cause of bankruptcy to families, and it can often be difficult for lower-income citizens to afford services. In York County, 8.6% of the county’s residents live at or below the poverty line.
The clinic’s average patient is a 53-year-old female with a monthly household income of $1,320 a month. Patients average four visits a year and are on approximately five medications.
Last year, the clinic provided health care services that were valued at $3.4 million, which included 18,188 prescriptions and 1,058 on-site diagnostic tests. The clinic had a total of 2,139 in-person patient visits and 375 telehealth visits last year during April and May.
The services are provided by a combination of staff and 50 active volunteers.
The Winthrop community agrees that having these services are important.
“As a social work student, having clinics like this is so important for not only college students but for the surrounding community,” said Charlotte Kinder, a senior social work major.
