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Free Clinic of the New River Valley: Working to Build a Healthier Community

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News & Events

Stay up-to-date on information about news, special events, clinics, and programs. Download our most recent newsletter at the bottom of the page.

Free Clinic of the New River Valley Announces Staff Change

March 21, 2008

The Free Clinic of the New RiverValley has announced that Rhonda G. Seltz, M.S. has been promoted to the position of Director of Programs.  Seltz will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the clinic’s programs which include pharmacy, dental and medical. 

Seltz has worked with the Free Clinic of the New RiverValley as a Dental Program Consultant since 2007. Seltz will continue to manage the Dental Program in her new role as Director of Programs. 

 Along with her full time position at the Free Clinic, Seltz is also an Assistant  

 Instructor at RadfordUniversity teaching Social Work classes to  undergraduate students and the coordinator for RadfordUniversity’s FAMIS  Outreach Project

where she assists families with their applications for state  health coverage.  Seltz helped in drafting a proposal for FAMIS which helped  the organization receive one of 18 grants offered throughout the nation.

 Prior to coming to the Free Clinic, Seltz was also a social worker for Floyd  County Department of Social Services and a Legal Aid in Christiansburg. 

 The Free Clinic of the New RiverValley provides high quality medical, dental,  and specialty heath care to people of the New RiverValley area who are  uninsured and who cannot otherwise afford health care.  Contact the Free  Clinic of the New River Valley at 540-381-0820 for more information.

 Leadership Change at New River Valley Free Clinics

 January 15, 2008

The Mental Health Association of the New RiverValley and the Free Clinic of the New RiverValley have announced that their Co-Executive Director, Amy Forsyth-Stephens, has resigned from both organizations, effective February 29, 2008.  Ms. Forsyth-Stephens has plans to concentrate her work in the area of health care fund development at the national level.

“The loss of Amy from our local non-profit leadership circle will be difficult, personally and professionally,” stated Harriet Dorsey, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of the New RiverValley.  “We so trust and respect her talent and vision. Over the past fourteen years, Amy has taken our small non-profit and turned it into one of the most progressive and prestigious Mental Health Association chapters in our nation.  She has been the primary creative force behind our remarkable growth.  We are truly fortunate and appreciative to have had her at the helm for as long as we have.”

Zach Slagel, Chair of the Board of the Free Clinic of the New RiverValley, underscores these sentiments.  “Over the past two years, Amy has successfully implemented many fantastic changes that have resulted in improved health care services to our area’s most needy individuals.  She has doubled our service volume with the addition of a full-time staff nurse practitioner at our Christiansburg facility, opened a strong satellite clinic in GilesCounty, and stabilized our much-needed Dental Program.  Her focus on documenting health outcomes of our patients has solidified our place as one of the most progressive and comprehensive free clinics in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Mental Health Association has appointed agency Associate Director, Patrick Halpern, to assume the position of Executive Director after a period of transition.  Likewise, the Free Clinic has chosen their second-in-command, Michelle Brauns, to assume the Executive Director job.  These internal selections will ensure continuity for patients, staff and community partners.

“I am very pleased that the Boards of both organizations have chosen as my successors two key people who have been instrumental in our successes over the past months.  Both are solidly behind our advancement toward increased “interoperability” of the local health care safety net.  The transition to new executive leadership should be virtually seamless as a result,” said Forsyth-Stephens.  “Leaving a position after fourteen years is not an easy thing to do, but it helps to know that the organizations will be in very capable hands and that momentum will not be sacrificed.”

Contact the Mental Health Association of the New River Valley at  540-951-4990 or the Free Clinic of the New River Valley at 540-381-0820 for more information.                                                          

 

Free Clinic Honors Volunteers in Annual Award Recognition Reception

December 6, 2007

The Free Clinic honored its volunteers in an appreciation reception and seven people received special "Volunteer of the Year" awards for their long-term involvement, leadership and activism.

Daniel R. Kelly, MD, received "Medical Volunteer of the Year." Michael Barry, MD, a physician volunteer at the Radford Satellite of the Free Clinic, was recognized with the "Satellite Volunteer of the Year.” William Armour, DDS, received the "Dental Volunteer of the Year" award. George Fetko, RPh, received the "Pharmacy Volunteer of the Year" award.   Sally Linares, RN, a retired nurse, was honored with the "Nursing Volunteer of the Year" award for 7-loyal years of service as the referral specialist. 

Margot Thompson, a 17-year volunteer of the Free Clinic, was honored with the "Administrative Volunteer of the Year" award. Zach Slagel of Blacksburg and current Board President of the Free Clinic was presented with the "Board Member of the Year" award.

"These honorees are representative of the 400 plus volunteers who are steadfastly dedicated to the Free Clinic's mission," states Amy Forsyth-Stephens, former Executive Director.  "Our agency has only 13 paid staff.  Yet each month, because of our wonderful crew of volunteers, we provide 600 medical visits, arrange 400 lab procedures and 150 specialty appointments, service 160 dental patients, and fill 2,000 prescriptions.” 

        

Amy Forsyth-Stephens, left                      Karla Soukup & Patrick Halpern of the Mental   

and Margot Thompson                               Health Association with Helen Robinson, FNP

William Armour, DDS (left) with Amy Forsyth-Stephens and  Rhonda Seltz, Dental Coordinator

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Clinic Highlights Opening of New Giles Satellite Clinic

in Pearisburg with Ribbon Cutting

October 29, 2007

The Free Clinic of the New River Valley officially opened its new Giles Satellite Clinic in Pearisburg with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Congressman Rick Boucher.  The ceremony took place at the new clinic located at 219 South Buchanan Street (in front of Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital), Pearisburg, at 11 a.m.

The Giles Satellite Clinic's intent is to expand access to health care for Giles residents who otherwise might have difficulty traveling to Christiansburg to receive medical, dental and mental health care services.  A federal grant through the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) was awarded to four local non-profit organizations to open the Clinic.  The non-profits (Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital, The Free Clinic of the New River Valley, The Mental Health Association of the New River Valley and The Virginia Rural Health Resource Center) have formed a collaborative - Rural Health Outreach Network - to provide this valuable service to all uninsured, low-income adult residents of Giles County.

                                

 

Free Clinic Conducts Dental "Tooth-tacular" for Clinic Patients

October 26, 2007

The Halloween-themed event for uninsured NRV residents is the 2nd of the year for the Dental Clinic and is scheduled to relieve the long list of patients seeking dental care.  35 patients who have been waiting several weeks received treatment (including exams, x-rays, fillings, and extractions) at "Tooth-tacular".

The event was possible due to a commitment from several local dentists and their staffs who volunteered their time to provide these services.  They include: Dr. William Armour, Dr. Charles French II, Dr. John Semones, and Dr. Michael Bond.  Several Virginia Tech student Free Clinic volunteers also commited their day to provide administrative and chair-side assistance.  One student, Dustin Bond, even recruited his father, Michael Bond, DDS, from Gretna, to provide volunteer services.

Click here to learn more about the Dental program.

 

Rhonda Seltz -  Free Clinic’s Dental Fairy

Next time you’re at your dentist’s office, you just might see a tooth fairy. 

 

Rhonda Seltz, the Free Clinic’s new dental program volunteer coordinator, has a goal of approaching every dentist in the New River Valley to ask for their help in supporting the Free Clinic.  But Seltz isn’t alone in this effort, she has a special helper to get her past the front desk.  A young girl, dressed in a tooth fairy costume, accompanies Seltz on all of her visits and has been the key to opening doors with the dentists.  “Before, I could never get past the front desk,” said Seltz.

 

Seltz’s ambitious goals for the newly expanded dental program center around increasing awareness within the community about the need for dental services, letting people know about the Free Clinic’s services, and moving toward proactive cleaning and education rather than reactive treatment.

 

She also is working with both dental hygiene schools in the area and hopes to be able to provide at least one full day of cleanings at the Free Clinic each month.  “By maximizing the use of volunteers, it becomes a win-win situation,” Seltz said.  “It’s a learning experience for the students and provides valuable services to the community.”

 

Seltz has had success with local dentists donating services and supplies and plans to follow up with each of them.  “I want to make sure they know on an ongoing basis that they’re appreciated,” Seltz said.

 

Seltz, who was born and raised in the New River Valley, has worked in Los Angeles county and Washington state with the Department of Health and Human Services.  “It’s nice to come back to the community and make a difference,” Seltz said.  “As long as I’m making a significant difference in healthcare access and making people’s lives better, I’m happy.”

 

Mental Health counselors move to Free Clinic

March 2007

The Free Clinic opened its doors to two full-time positions from the Mental Health Association of the New River Valley. The Free Clinic now offers medical, dental, pharmacy, and mental health services to its patients.

Click here to read coverage in the Roanoke Times.

 

Free Clinic Celebrates 25 Years of Service

December 2006

The Free Clinic is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary of providing comprehensive healthcare to the New River Valley community.  For more information about the initial grassroots effort of a few concerned local citizens, click the following link to learn more About the Clinic

 

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