News & Events

11/15/24

During the 2024 NHCR Annual Summit, the Rhode Island Free Clinic (RIFC) was one of three honorees awarded the inaugural Sal Lucido Hypertension Hero awards. Named after the late Salvatore Lucido, a longtime CD administrator, in recognition of his vast contributions to the HTN Roundtable, this award recognizes innovative, collaborative programs or partnerships addressing inequities in hypertension control.

11/12/24

The Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Free Clinic (RIFC) is pleased to welcome Jessica Eagles as its CEO. Jessica began with the RIFC on October 28, 2024 after most recently serving as a Practice Director at Thundermist Health Center where she provided operational leadership and oversight of a non-profit, federally qualified health center that serves over 22,000 unique patients from underserved communities in Rhode Island. Prior to that, Ms. Eagles served in leadership roles at behavioral health facilities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

10/18/24

On Thursday, October 31, from 1pm-2pm, Josh Kraft, president of the New England Patriots Foundation, and Kevin Tracy, president of Bank of America Rhode Island will visit the Rhode Island Free Clinic – the only Rhode Island-based non-profit to be awarded a Community Captain grant – to celebrate our shared interest in fighting breast cancer.

10/18/24

Several RIFC dental staff and volunteers did overtime from October 5th to October 6th as they supported the 10th annual Mission of Mercy Event-a two-day free dental clinic that is held once a year and provides free dental care to the uninsured, underinsured or anyone who cannot access dental care.

09/27/24

(September 27, 2024, Riverside, RI) – The Rhode Island Free Clinic’s Medical Director, Dr. Melinda D. Delaney, was awarded one of the Rhode Island Medical Society’s “4 Under 40” awards at their Convivium meeting and awards dinner at the Squantum Association on Thursday evening. This honor is awarded to early career physicians who have demonstrated a strong commitment to their profession and are making an impact in our community.

09/23/24

Annually, URI hosts a Careers for the Common Good fair, and we are proud to announce that Laura Perez and Elise Erickson represented RIFC for 2024. They informed students, especially those seeking exposure to healthcare environments, about all the volunteer opportunities available at RIFC. This annual fair is a golden opportunity for students to explore and learn how to get involved with local nonprofits and state agencies. Thank you, Laura and Elise, for spreading the word at URI. We are one step closer to completing our mission.

09/11/24

We are eager to announce that the Rhode Island Free Clinic and Baystate Children’s Hospital will be benefiting from the Charity game: Providence College Men’s Basketball vs. UMASS at Amica Mutual Pavillion. Tickets will go on sale on September 16 and are priced at $15 each for Friar season ticket holders and waitlist members. Season ticket holders will have the ability to buy their specific seat(s) until September 27. Non-season ticket holders will be able to purchase tickets for $25 each. Students tickets are $5 and will go sale on October 21. The event will be held on Saturday, October 26th at 4:00 pm. We are thankful for this unique opportunity to aid us to complete the mission, to provide free comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to Rhode Island uninsured adults.

08/22/24

The Rhode Island Free Clinic is proud to recognize our Dental Hygienist, Pedro Madera, on his licensure as a Public Health Dental Hygienist. This is a separate licensure within the RI Department of Health. Pedro met the requirements which include 3 years’ experience in clinical practice in a community health center setting and a series of classes at CCRI focused on infection control, risk and practice management, and management of medical emergencies in public health dental environments. As a Public Health Dental Hygienist, Pedro is certified to perform dental hygiene procedures without immediate or direct supervision of a dentist. “His licensure is a true "game-changer," said Volunteer Dental Director Dr. Mary McCabe, in that it will serve to increase access to our patients who require late afternoon or evening appointments. Pedro is active in the Rhode Island Dental community and is the only alumnus on the CCRI Dental Advisory Board.

05/31/24

The Rhode Island Free Clinic was awarded an Economic Mobility grant from Bank of America to provide additional investment in staffing at the Free Clinic and support our efforts to recruit more volunteer practitioners. This was a new opportunity for the Free Clinic, and the first award the RIFC has received from Bank of America. In 2023, Rhode Island Free Clinic provided care for 1,877 patients through 8,474 appointments. This new partnership with Bank of America will advance our shared efforts to address barriers to healthcare and ensure every Rhode Islander has access to comprehensive, high-quality medical, dental and behavioral care at no cost. #BofAGrants #AccessToHealthcare #EconomicMobility #RIFC

04/19/24

The Rhode Island Free Clinic earned a 2024 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program. The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinic's mission is building healthy communities for all through quality, equitable, accessible healthcare. The NAFC and its members are dedicated to ensuring that patients receive access to quality healthcare.