Ever since being started by a small group of caring individuals in 1971, the Free Clinic of Simi Valley has made an indelible mark on the community of Simi Valley, saving lives, reducing health care costs, and improving the physical and mental health of the community.
The mission of the Free Clinic of Simi Valley is to provide medical care, counseling, dental and legal assistance to individuals and families in need, regardless of their ability to pay. This includes those of all ages, ethnicities, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Free Clinic provides medical, counseling, legal aid and dental services through the generosity of volunteer professionals. Through the efforts of over 160 volunteers, the Free Clinic had over 17,000 client contacts with 7,600+ people in 2013. This represents an increase vs. 2012 of 2.1% in client interactions. The largest increase was seen by the Clinic’s Dental Program, which increased contacts by 11.3%, or 371 contacts vs. last year. The Clinic remains extremely efficient, delivering these increased services at a cost of $23.83 per contact.
The Clinic further serves the community by assisting in the training of the next generation of professionals:
The Family Counseling Program provides training for Marriage and Family Therapists, as part of licensing in California. To date, 48 Clinic interns have become licensed MFTs.
Since 2006, the Free Clinic and Kaiser Permanente have partnered to provide the Family Practice Residency Program. Doctors in their 3rd year of residency provide primary care to the Clinic's clients.
The Clinic's Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Program, since 2006, has served as a trained pharmacy residents. To date, there have been 13 Ambulatory Pharmacists certified through Clinic training.
The Free Clinic is supported by the generous contributions of numerous individuals, businesses, service clubs and private foundations. No government funds are solicited for patient care.