Grassroots Medicine: The Story of America's Free Health ClinicsThis book describes the emergence of the free health clinic from its roots in the late 1960s and early 1970s, created by medical and lay social activists for young, alienated persons with substance abuse problems and by African American social activists for racial and ethnic minority groups. However, in the mid to late 1980s and 1990s, a second generation of free clinics began to develop rapidly in many different communities throughout the country, shifting their focus to the working poor and the uninsured. This growth has occurred with relatively little public attention and almost no scholarly investigation. This book fills this gap in academia by delving into both the history of the free health clinic and the stories of the volunteers, staff members, and patients of the modern free health care clinic. Through countless research and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews, this book gives the reader a view into the free health care community, represented by 45 clinics—old, new, big and small—spread throughout 10 states and the District of Columbia. The book includes many quotations from the many interviews conducted by the author to provide an honest, passionate view of the free health care clinic from the frontlines. |
Other editions - View all
Grassroots Medicine: The Story of America's Free Health Clinics Gregory L. Weiss Limited preview - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
able Angeles Free Clinic Association of Free benefits Berkeley Free Clinic Bradley Free Clinic Buncombe County California cost counterculture coverage created David Smith Davidson Medical Ministries dental develop diabetes donated drug early free clinics eligibility emergency room Executive Director Fan Free Clinic feel focus free clin free clinic association Free Clinic Council free clinic patients free health clinics Free Medical Clinic funds Greater Cleveland Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics health care needs health care system health insurance hospital important increase individuals Jack McConnell Jeri White Medicaid Medical Ministries Clinic Medicare medicine national association National Free Clinic needed medical NFCC nonprofit North Carolina number of free nurse offer organization percent personal interview physicians primary private medical problem programs Roanoke sexually transmitted infections Seymour and Smith social staff and volunteers staff members tion uninsured West Virginia workers