Staff Report
Published May 4, 2012

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation gave $5.25 million to the South Carolina Free Clinic Association today, enabling the 42 member clinics across the state to have a centralized and integrated support system.

Harvey Galloway, BlueCross BlueShield of S.C. Foundation executive director

The system will include such functions as establishing a statewide certification program and special projects to strengthen individual clinics’ capabilities.

“South Carolina’s free clinics have been taking care of our state’s uninsured citizens for years but they cannot offer quality health care services without support from our community, both locally and statewide. The BlueCross Foundation is pleased to present this $5.25 million grant that will be used for central support to collectively strengthen this large network of independent clinics,” said Harvey Galloway, the foundation’s executive director.

“The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation is an unparalleled ally in ensuring that low-income South Carolinians have access to the quality health care services they need and deserve,” said Amanda Berrier, executive director of the South Carolina Free Clinic Association. “This year’s award is unprecedented — it allows us to look beyond providing access to health care for our state’s uninsured, to being able to demonstrate as a network that the quality of care free clinic patients receive is allowing them to live healthier lives.”

The free clinic association and its members together will receive $1.75 million for each of three years.

Since the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation was established in 2003, it has allocated more than $37.8 million in South Carolina to address issues such as childhood health, community health, mental health, obesity, diabetes, nursing and health research, and the increasing need for free medical clinics. The foundation is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Founded in 2001 under the umbrella of the S.C. Hospital Association, the free clinic association is now an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that provides training and technical assistance, research, resource development and advocacy to free clinics throughout South Carolina.

South Carolina Free Clinic Association members

United Christian Ministries — Abbeville
Community Medical Clinic of Aiken County
Anderson Free Clinic
Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic
Beaufort-Jasper VIM
Live Oak Free Health Clinic — Berkeley
Clemson Free Clinic
Community Impact for Christ — Dorchester
Community Initiatives Inc. — Greenwood
Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County
Crisis Ministries Health Clinic — Charleston
Dillon Free Medical Clinic
Dream Center Clinic — North Charleston
Edisto Indian Clinic — Dorchester
Free Medical Clinic of Darlington County
Free Medical Clinic of Newberry County
Friendship Medical Clinic
Good Neighbor Free Medical Clinic — Beaufort
Good Samaritan Medical Clinic — Chester
Good Shepherd Free Clinic — Laurens County
Greenville Free Medical Clinic
Greenwood Free Clinic
Harvest Free Medical Clinic — Charleston
Helping Hands Free Medical Clinic — Mullins
ICNA Relief Shifa Clinic — Mount Pleasant
Joseph Sullivan Center — Clemson
Le Clinica Del Buen Samaritano — Richland/Lexington
Live Oak Free Health Clinic — Moncks Corner
Mercy Medicine Clinic — Florence
Mercy In Me Free Clinic — Chesterfield
Palmetto Volunteers in Medicine — Rock Hill
Peachtree Medical Clinic — Seneca
Rosa Clark Free Medical Clinic — Seneca
Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County
Smith Medical Clinic — Pawleys Island
St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic — Spartanburg
Sumter Free Clinic — St. Stephens
Taylors Free Medical Clinic
The Free Medical Clinic Inc. — Columbia
Volunteers in Medicine — Hilton Head Island
Woodruff Free Medical Clinic
The Early Learning Partnership of York County