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OCFC -Orange County Free Clinic receives $20,000 from Sentara Cares Health Foundation to support Behavorial Health Counseling...

April 18,2023 Orange County VA-

Orange County Free Clinic Receives $20,000 from Sentara Health to Support Behavioral Health Counseling Services

Funding supports collaborative partnership with Sentara Health

Orange, VA August 18, 2023-

Orange County Free Clinic (OCFC), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of our community, is pleased to announce a generous contribution of $20,000 from Sentara Health to assist with Behavioral Health Counseling services. The $20,000 donation from Sentara will be utilized by OCFC to behavioral health counseling for Orange County’s low income uninsured and underinsured residents.

As a non-profit organization, OCFC depends mostly on the generosity of private individuals, foundations and businesses to help keep services available. In April, OCFC held its “Hope Blooms” Gala to highlight the great need for behavioral health counseling in our community and was met with great support from the Community! This is an on-going effort and OCFC appreciates the support of organizations like Sentara Healthcare whose confidence in the Clinic’s services for low income uninsured and underinsured residents in Orange County is tremendously important to the entire community.

This contribution from Sentara reinforces their shared commitment to creating healthier communities through partnerships with organizations and individuals.

With support from Sentara Health , the County of Orange and others, the two day a week position has been increased to three days per week and works with other healthcare professionals for patients who look to the Clinic for their total care! The Clinic’s overall goal for its behavioral health counseling services program focuses on meeting patients’ mental healthcare needs consistently with access to a licensed behavioral health counselor to help address their concerns.

Dorren Brown, Executive Director at OCFC explains “depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses affect our patients. Sometimes it is because of struggles with a chronic illness, or they might be facing job loss, family issues, financial stress and or homelessness. Having access to a reliable source of care is important and often lifesaving.” Brown also emphasized that if not for this service, the patient could be left without the care that they may need to live their best life!”.

The Orange County Free Clinic is in its 16^th year of service and supported financially by its local Town (Orange and Gordonsville) and County governments (a reflection of a healthy community). The Clinic’s history began with local community physicians, advocates and leaders who saw the need for healthcare for residents who could not afford healthcare on their own. Today, The OCFC typically serves over 800 patients in 3500 medical visits annually. This does not include over 1800 visits in wrap around services for referrals, food and clothing pantry and for medication assistance.

“Sentara Health , an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates 135 years in pursuit of its mission—we improve health every day.” Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1.2 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” (2021, 2018), and was recognized by Forbes as a “Best Employer for New Grads” (2022), “Best Employer for Veterans” (2022), and “Best Employer for Women” (2020).

For more information on OCFC – ocfc@orangecountyfreeclinic.org

For more information on Sentara Health- www.sentara.com

OCFC -Free Clinic hosts mental health fundraiser:

March 27, 2023- Daily Progress/Orange County Review https://dailyprogress.com/news/community/orangenews/free-clinic-hosts-mental-health-fundraiser/article_4351c8dc-ccc8-11ed-ac09-6f1e2715b42b.html