Richmond’s Health Brigade, formerly known as Fan Free Clinic, is looking to sell their building in the wake of federal budget cuts.
But leadership at the facility is hoping the sale can keep things running at the healthcare organization that first opened its doors in 1970 as the first free clinic in Virginia.
“I think we were maybe informed in May and it ended in June,” said Charlie Davis, a case manager at Health Brigade, describing how he learned the program he was hired as part of, Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Resources and Linkages for Individuals experiencing Incarceration or CHARLII, was losing its funding after 22 years.
“We were spending 10s of thousands of dollars on rental assistance, on transportation that clients need to get to their medical appointments, their court ordered appointments with their probation officer, to the grocery store," Davis told Radio IQ. "Things they needed to survive and stay free.”
Congress cut funding to the CHARLII program along with billions to other federally supported healthcare programs. While Davis was able to get his clients into a different program, 65% of the funds were cut there too.
Karen Legato, executive director at Health Brigade, said the sheer mass of cuts, and increases in free clinic service demand, have become too much for their 55 year old free clinic.
“I often call us the safety net of the safety net,” Legato said.
She hopes the sale of the property at the top of Richmond’s Museum District will allow them to keep providing services and hopefully better meet demand, especially as federal cuts to health care subsidies may drive even more Virginians to free clinics.
Half the money from the sale would shore up the current challenges, the rest will cover the cost of services that are currently awaiting grant funds. In the meantime, Legato isn’t giving up.
“We have resolve about this, we will continue to serve the people we serve," Legato said. "And I believe we will make it through this; I don’t care what the circumstances are.”
Legato said Health Brigade has been in their current building since 1998. They hope to purchase a new facility closer to the lower income patients they serve.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
