Registration Opens for C.A.R.E. Free Health Care Clinic for Uninsured People in Seattle-Tacoma Area

TACOMA, Wash., April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Uninsured Washingtonians can register now for the massive free clinic to be held in Tacoma on April 30. Patients should call 877-233-5159 to make appointments.

The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC), in cooperation with the Washington Free Clinic Association (WFCA), will sponsor the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic at the Tacoma Dome, 2727 East D Street, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

"Communities across Washington have experienced hard times over the past few years," WFCA Executive Director Katie Rains said. "Many people have lost their jobs and find themselves newly uninsured, while many others cannot get insurance through their employers. This C.A.R.E. Clinic is an opportunity for those uninsured people to receive the medical care they need."

At the C.A.R.E. Clinic, each patient will be seen by a doctor or nurse practitioner, may receive additional medical tests and resources as determined by the medical professional, and will be connected to local resources, such as free clinics and other safety-net providers. The clinic will highlight not only the urgent need for the uninsured to receive care but also the work that free clinics and other safety-net providers do across the country every day.

This will be the 10th in a series of large, mostly one-day C.A.R.E. Clinics held around the country to bring together physicians and other health care professionals, as well as non-medical volunteers, to serve the needs of thousands of people who might otherwise go without medical care. Since September 2009, more than 11,000 uninsured patients received medical treatment at C.A.R.E. Clinics in Houston, New Orleans (twice), Little Rock, Kansas City, Hartford, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington, D.C.

"While Congress has moved on to different issues and is not discussing health care or its reform, the uninsured's need for access to medical care has not diminished," NAFC Executive Director Nicole Lamoureux said. "Time and time again, we hear from patients that 2014, when most federal health care reform measures will take effect, is too long to wait for access to the care they need today. This C.A.R.E. Clinic will be able to help uninsured people get the care they need and get them connected to resources that will keep them on paths to healthy lives."

Most of the past C.A.R.E. Clinics have served more than 1,000 patients each, so the NAFC encourages patients to call 1-877-233-5159 to make appointments. The number of patients who will be seen on a walk-up basis will be limited, are not guaranteed to be seen and are likely to face long waits. Information about the free clinic for both patients and volunteers is available at: www.freeclinics.us.

About the National Association of Free Clinics:

The National Association of Free Clinics is the only nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more than 1,200 free clinics and the people they serve in the United States.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, as well as the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation.

For more information about the NAFC and to donate to help support the work of the organization, visit www.freeclinics.us.  

About the Washington Free Clinic Association:

The Washington Free Clinic Association (WFCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen and support the free clinics of Washington through advocacy, education and professional networking.  The WFCA currently represents 26 of the 30+ identified free clinics in Washington state.  These clinics are formed in an effort to improve access to care for the uninsured.  Each clinic offers unique services ranging from acute medical, chronic disease management, dental care, vision care, counseling, as well as referral to many more valuable resources.

The WFCA was founded in 2008, and in just 3 short years, the WFCA has developed a variety of programs to strengthen the free clinics around the state, as well as to support the start-up of new free clinics. To learn more about the WFCA or to make a contribution to support this important work, please visit www.wafreeclinics.org.

SOURCE National Association of Free Clinics