CLACKAMAS VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE

Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) aims to fill a gap in access to medical care by providing compassionate and culturally responsive free healthcare to uninsured and underinsured low-income residents of Clackamas County. 50% of our patients are Spanish-speaking, and depending on their immigration status may have no where else to turn for their medical care. Thought almost 50% of our patients are Caucasian US residents we are seeing more and more patients who have immigrated from other countries, and require care to be offered in languages that they understand. Providing increasingly complex culturally responsive care is a priority at CVIM.

CVIM's other priority is to both economize and provide a valuable service by utilizing the talents and skills of retired (volunteer) healthcare and social service professionals, and provide training opportunities for people entering the field through internships, residencies and "welfare to Work" programs.

Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) is modeled from the national Volunteers in Medicine organization. CVIM employs five staff who work diligently to support our volunteers and patients through volunteer recruitment/coordination and patient care coordination. CVIM also partners with the county government, and local healthcare systems, social services and businesses who support our operations through cash and in-kind donations, as well as small grants. Marketing is done through social media, word of mouth, community outreach and traditional media outlets. CVIM averages about thousand volunteer hours each month. CVIM hosts an annual luncheon which raises about a third of our operating budget. Another third is raised through small grants from local community partners and the remaining third is raised through individual end of year and Giving Tuesdays donations.

Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine opened it's doors in 2012 with a small endowment from the Willamette Falls Hospital Foundation. Our patient population has been slowly increasing since that time. We have a 14 member Board of Directors with links to the community and a balance of skillsets. Our volunteer Medical Director, Dr. Iris Schrijver, joined our team from Stanford University in November of 2017. Our new Executive Director, Martha Spiers LCSW, joined in July 2018 after retiring from a 25 year career with Clackamas County. With new leadership CVIM heading into this next year with renewed vision and energy to grow service access to our target population. CVIM will need to move it's clinic from the current location in 3 - 5 years, and will be embarking on a Capital Campaign in the near future.

CVIM has stayed in operation for six years with very few resources, and with a very small budget, providing excellent care to a community disproportionately effected by the social determinants of health. We provide health education classes in both Spanish and English and hope to continue improving the health literacy skills of the population we serve. We have excellent relationships and support from our community partners. We have been able to maintain a robust cadre of medical volunteers.

As mentioned above, CVIM will need a new clinic building soon. We will be embarking on a capital campaign soon. The resources required to accomplish this goal will likely exceed the limits of our small community. Increasing our funding base and expanding our reach into the community are our two priorities as we look to the near future.