For 17 years, a health clinic on the east side of Indianapolis has been working to break down barriers to care. The Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic offers free healthcare for uninsured and underserved Indianapolis residents. The Indiana University School of Medicine operates the office with help from volunteers, including medical students.

Meeting the Need

The medical center was founded in 2009 as a response to the Great Recession. Dr. Javier Sevilla, the medical director, noticed that many people were forgoing necessary medical care due to cost. He partnered with Neighborhood Fellowship Church to operate a free clinic out of the church one day a week.

The need has only grown over the years, especially following the pandemic. The medical center has since expanded by offering an additional day of service and moving to a building across the street from the church.

A Welcoming Environment

The goal is to be a welcoming environment, said Dr. Anna Pendrey, adviser and associate medical director. She said some people might be hesitant or worried about medical care due to systemic barriers and generational mistrust of medicine.

To ease this hesitancy, the patients are referred to as neighbors. The clinic serves as a one-stop shop for medical care. Services that can be addressed include infections, women’s health, lab work, and mental health. There is even a pharmacy on site. In addition to healthcare, the clinic provides some social services such as getting people connected to jobs and legal help.

The Student Outreach Clinic is located at 3125 E. 10th St. It is open from 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The clinic is open to everyone and operates on a first come, first served basis.

Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.