Day of Giving: LifeLong Medical Care provides free, comprehensive health care to Bay Area communities
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As part of ABC7's Day of Giving, CEO David B. Vliet and Deputy Director Lucinda Bazile of LifeLong Medical Care joined us to talk about the health and social services they deliver to underserved communities.
The organization provides comprehensive medical care services throughout Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties. This includes the full spectrum of health care, from dental to mental health services.
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"We help individuals get on a program that they may qualify for, to receive the services that they need," said Bazile, who started her public health career with LifeLong Medical Care.
She says the mission of LifeLong Medical is to make sure that everyone who needs access to care receives access to care."
This access to care applies to everyone, Bazile explains, regardless of their ability to pay, and regardless of their immigration status.
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The company is going on 45 years of providing their services. They first began in 1967 at a medical center founded by the Gray Panthers.
CEO David B. Vliet said as the years go by, there is "always more need, and more demand."
"I see our mission continuing to be what I call an acronym, A.R.E.," Vliet said.
This stands for accessible, responsive and engaged, Vliet explained.
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He says they are also expanding to work with the homeless, to make sure their needs are met like everyone else.
"We just had a gentleman who hadn't sought care in a while," Bazile explained, speaking of a homeless man.
She says they were able to convince him to the care he needed, by assuring him his dog could come along for the process.
"That was an opportunity to connect with a patient and have that patient come in for care, the care that he needed, just by showing empathy," she said.
"That was showing the compassion that our team does."
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When it comes to the coronavirus crisis, Vliet said it has a major impact community organizations like theirs. mainly because it has such a broad impact on the people they serve.
Aside from providing health care, they are also providing jobs by hiring members of the community.
They also provide COVID-19 testing, and are hoping to get funding so they can provide people with basic needs like face masks and hand sanitizer.
That funding would also go toward helping individuals and families with food insecurities spurred by the pandemic.
If you'd like to make a contribution, you can access their website here. Just click the donate button.
"We certainly would appreciate and welcome your help," Vliet said.
