Westminster Free Clinic

Access to healthcare: through its three Clinic locations in thousand oaks, oxnard and santa paula; wfc fills a unique gap in the local healthcare system and provides comprehensive services designed to meet the whole person needs, including basic primary care services, medications, labs, mental health counseling, vision and dental services, health screenings, flu vaccines, mammograms, colorectal cancer screenings, diabetes home test kits, physical therapy, chiropractic services, podiatry, case management, nutrition counseling, and much more. The use of electronic health records (ehr) enhances the Clinic's capacity and quality of care.

Economic supports: wfc helps families with economic supports by distributing Free grocery gift cards to recognize health accomplishments to help clients purchase basic necessities; and by giving out hygiene products (e.g., diapers, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and cleaning products) and gently used clothing and household items. For the children of patients, wfc distributes backpacks and school supplies, dental kits, and toys during the holiday season.

Workforce training programs for youth: wfc's healthcare careers training and internship program prepares over 225 high school students annually for college and careers in the growing healthcare sector. More than half of the students in this program are low-income, first-generation latinos and most are the children Clinic patients. The program exposes teens to careers in medicine, nursing, pharmacology, dentistry, optometry, etc., and provides them with trainings, adult mentorship, peer support, service learning, and college and career counseling. Students assist volunteer physicians in the delivery of care to the uninsured and gain hands-on-training in basic clinical skills. College and career counseling, and Free math tutoring result in over 85% enrollment of the organization's students in college after graduation. As part of their internship at wfc, select students can complete the coursework requirements to become certified medical assistants. In addition, bilingual latino high school students have the opportunity to participate in student advocates leading uplifting decisions (salud), a public health program that exposes them to careers in public health and builds their capacity to advocate for health and education equity in their community. Salud teen participants provide health education as they screen people in the community for diabetes and high blood pressure. They are also developing strategies to address teen substance use and vaping. Salud students engage in education equity by advocating for the elimination of barriers that they encounter in local schools. They have presented to school board members and school superintendents to advocate for increased access to mental health services and other emotional wellness strategies at schools to decrease student stress and anxiety as a way to prevent substance use/abuse among teens.