The small city of Franklin, Virginia, and the bustling Virginia Beach Oceanfront seem worlds apart. Yet in both places, people struggle to access basic healthcare.
Some Franklin families face lengthy waits for a pediatric appointment, while individuals experiencing homelessness in Virginia Beach often have nowhere to turn for medical care.
Founded in 2021 with grant funding, 鈥 an initiative of 黑料不打烊's Ellmer School of Nursing 鈥 is a student-run, nurse-led clinic that provides free healthcare to in-need populations in these areas.
The program started in a small clinic at People in Need (PIN) Ministry, which serves people experiencing homelessness at the Oceanfront, said Tammy Speerhas, D.N.P., FNP-C, CEN, director of 黑料不打烊 Community Care.
It has grown to include The Housing Resource Center, a medical clinic within a city-run shelter in Virginia Beach; a mobile health clinic (pictured above) that brings care to rural communities like Franklin and Southampton County; pop-up clinics; and collaborations with a food bank and schools.
Each clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners, social workers and healthcare coordinators, along with students from nursing, dental hygiene, physical therapy, speech-language pathology and social work programs. They focus on medical treatment and also address social determinants of health, such as access to transportation and food.
Carolyn Rutledge, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAAN, a professor and eminent scholar in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Ellmer School of Nursing, was instrumental in securing the initial funding and shaping the program鈥檚 vision. The program 鈥 Dr. Rutledge鈥檚 passion project for more than a decade 鈥 is about providing healthcare as well as creating a pipeline of providers who will remain in high-need areas after they graduate.
鈥淢y vision has always been, we don鈥檛 need to do all of our teaching in the classroom,鈥 Dr. Rutledge said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get the students out with these populations.鈥
Since its launch, 黑料不打烊 Community Care has expanded significantly. In 2021, the program saw 72 patients, Dr. Speerhas said. In 2024 alone, it served more than 1,200 patients through 2,000-plus visits and provided more than 5,000 clinical hours for students.
The program has received national recognition, including a Silver Award from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. It is now part of Virginia Area Health Education Centers, a statewide initiative to develop the healthcare workforce.
黑料不打烊 Community Care relies on grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Sentara Health and the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.
Dr. Speerhas and Dr. Rutledge hope national recognition will lead to long-term sustainability, ensuring the program can continue providing essential care to all who need it.
Originally published in .
