In partnership with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the Charitable Healthcare Network (CHN) is thrilled to recognize the Ohio University Heritage Community Clinic as the 2024 Free Clinic of the Year. This honor celebrates the clinic’s dedication to improving health outcomes for underserved populations in Southeast Ohio through innovative, patient-centered care.
“As Community Health Programs celebrates its 30th year in 2024, the Heritage Community Clinic continues to demonstrate its extraordinary commitment to ensuring high-quality healthcare for Southeast Ohio's most vulnerable populations by putting our patients and community at the center of care,” reads the nomination for this award.
The Heritage Community Clinic serves as a beacon of healthcare equity in one of Ohio’s most underserved regions. With a social return on investment of $51 for every $1 invested, the clinic exemplifies the extraordinary value and efficiency of free clinics in improving community health. Over the past year, the clinic expanded its reach through strategic partnerships and innovative services. A key addition in 2024 was a new 27-foot "mini" mobile unit, enhancing its capacity to provide specialized care such as primary care, women’s health, and sexual health and wellness through a collaboration with Equitas Health. This expansion complements the clinic’s existing fleet of mobile health units, which are vital in reaching rural and underserved communities.
Between 2023 and 2024, the clinic provided care to 6,481 unique patients across 7,947 visits, including 941 prescriptions, 2,182 lab and diagnostic tests, and 64 immunizations. Its outreach programs reached 9,626 children through vision and hearing screenings for school nurses and offered 438 low-cost bus driver physicals in partnership with local school districts. The Heritage Community Clinic emphasizes holistic care by addressing social determinants of health through innovative programs like its pantry partnership with the Southeast Ohio Foodbank, which distributed over 42,000 meals to individuals in need. This integration of healthcare and community support creates meaningful, lasting impacts on patients’ lives.
“We are honored to receive this recognition and to serve the people of Southeast Ohio,” said Sherri Oliver, Executive Director of Community Health Programs and the Area Health Education Center at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. “This award reflects the tireless dedication of our staff, faculty, and volunteers to ensuring healthcare access and equity for all.”
The Ohio University Heritage Community Clinic operates through a combination of brick-and-mortar facilities and a fleet of mobile health units, allowing it to reach rural and underserved communities effectively. Its innovative model has demonstrated a social return on investment of $51 for every $1 invested, highlighting the clinic’s extraordinary efficiency and impact. For more information about the Ohio University Heritage Community Clinic, visit ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/community-clinic.
As part of Free Clinic Appreciation Month (FCAM), the Charitable Healthcare Network and the Ohio Department of Health recognize the accomplishments of Ohio's free clinics through annual Free Clinic Award presentations. FCAM was established in 2013 by the Ohio Legislature through H.B. 320 to honor and raise awareness about the vital role free clinics play in delivering essential healthcare to Ohio’s most vulnerable populations.
This year’s award recipients will be celebrated at the 2025 Charitable Healthcare Network Safety-Net Symposium, held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Columbus. This annual event brings together healthcare leaders, policymakers, and community partners to recognize the impact of free and charitable clinics in strengthening Ohio’s healthcare safety net, fostering equity, and delivering high-quality care to underserved populations.
More information about FCAM, CHN and the upcoming symposium can be found at charitablehealthcarenetwork.org.
