New free clinic to open in Harrisonburg

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - After the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic closed its doors at the end of last year, community members saw a need in the community and the idea for the Blue Ridge Free Clinic began.

The no-barrier, volunteer-based clinic was established on January 12.

Volunteers are still working to place furniture and put some finishing touches, then the clinic will be ready to go on April 12 -- exactly 90 days later.

Susan Adamson is a volunteer family nurse practitioner and is the chair of the board of directors for the Blue Ridge Free Clinic who said seeing the clinic come together has been like a “miracle in progress.”

The primary focus will be “care navigation” or helping patients find long-term solutions for their ongoing care.

Certain medical services will be available on site like primary medical care, mental and behavioral health, gynecological services for women, and patients can be referred to local dentists.

Adamson said this clinic will be run by the community for the community.

“That is the beauty of this. It is neighbors helping neighbors because they want to. We are not a business. We’re a non-profit. Mission driven. Run by volunteers. All volunteers at this point,” Adamson said.

The non-profit clinic is donation driven, and anyone who walks in will be helped.

“We just want to be a soft place to land for anybody who walks through the door,” Adamson said.

The clinic will partner with local non-profits, students volunteers, and those with specific medical training to try and help any need a patient may have, including food insecurity, housing insecurity, and behavioral health.

“We want everyone in our community to be healthy and focused on health because that is how a community thrives,” Adamson said.

Susan Adamson has been a Harrisonburg resident for 23 years and said she continues to be impressed with how much the community cares about its members and wants to continue helping the community be healthy and happy.

“I’ve been blessed, and I think if you have been blessed you should bless others. And I understand how when you are sick how it affects your family, your ability to work, and I just want to help other people maximize their lives and their happiness,” Adamson said.

You can find more information on the clinic here.

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