The Illinois Association of Free & Charitable Clinics serves free and charitable clinics, to enhance their ability to care for uninsured and underinsured populations in Illinois. We also serve organizations that have a stake in the success of free and charitable clinics.
Through the efforts of the IAFCC and Julie Darnell at University of Illinois at Chicago, approximately 46 free and charitable clinics have been identified in Illinois. These clinics are distributed across Chicago, suburban and rural Illinois. Free and charitable clinics are primarily operated by volunteer, licensed health care professionals and other volunteers that perform a variety of clerical and administrative tasks.
IAFCC serves clinics by providing a unified voice; developing major projects that enhance clinic services and revenues; fostering partnerships; and advising clinics especially regarding their ability to navigate health reform.
The association also provides networking opportunities – through webinars, online discussions and at annual meetings; capacity building for administrators, board members, providers and clinicians; and access to expertise in grants development, operations improvement, and health policy.
Clinic Testimonials
“The association has provided us with a forum for connecting with other Illinois clinics to share information, attend educational workshops together, and to aggregate data, which has given us greater focus. Our small start-up clinic has had a successful opening year in large part, because of the encouragement and support from the IAFCC. We were grateful for the opportunity to present about Quality Indicators at the IAFCC conference, and this in turn, has bolstered our support from the IFN community in service to the uninsured and underinsured population we serve. We are grateful for the friends and colleagues we have met through the IAFCC and look forward to our continued relationship, as we expand our clinic by building on each small success.”
Nancy Romanchek, RN, BSN
Nurse Manager
IFN Health Clinic
“Being a member of the IAFCC has been a true benefit to Tri City Health Partnership and to me personally as Executive Director. From the support and tools available through the website, the networking options provided with other clinics, to the individual help Melissa generously gives. I firmly believe that the staff, board and other clinics want us all to succeed. We are blessed to have this is in our Executive Director bag of tricks!”
Kim Lamansky
Executive Director
Tri City Health Partnership
“The Indian American Medical Association Charitable Foundation Free Health Clinic (IAMA-CF) has been part of the Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (IAFCC) for roughly seven years. During that time IAFCC has provided great support and beneficence to the free health clinic and the community. The clinic has been awarded grants through IAFCC which has been used to provide better nutritional education to a patient population prevalent in Diabetes Mellitus Type II. IAFCC has also been integral in the clinic’s workflow, by being the voice that allowed the Illinois free health clinics to maintain a free electronic health record subscription.”
Dr. Rambah Radhakrishnan
Medical Director
Indian American Medical Association Charitable Foundation
Health Safety Net Stakeholders
IAFCC helps a wide range of organizations understand free and charitable clinics, enhancing their ability to help clinics. Examples include charitable foundations, educational programs for health professionals, policy makers, health providers such as hospitals, physician groups, and FQHC’s, vendors, and donors.
Funding Groups
The IAFCC helps funders understand the free and charitable clinic sector and also connects these funders with potential grantees.
Health Providers
The IAFCC serves hospitals, physician groups, FQHC’s and other health care providers that want a relationship with free and charitable clinics.
Clinic Partners
The IAFCC also partners with coalitions, collaborations and associations whose missions and values are aligned with ours.