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“Whether it’s someone going through the end of life or someone experiencing homelessness, we often feel helpless in someone else's vulnerability,” says Dr. Lippman, a mental health social worker and operations manager at the Washington state clinic, which provides basic health care and support to people experiencing homelessness. “The mentality of the clinic is to just listen and be there for them.”
Dr. Lippman says this philosophy goes hand in hand with Providence’s larger mission to be “steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.” That’s why Providence Community Clinic values intentional relationships.
Everyone who comes in has their picture taken and attached to their file so that Dr. Lippman and his colleagues can learn to put names with faces and stories. It’s the first step in working to better understand each individual and the unique circumstances in which they live.
If there is one thing that Robert Lippman, DBH, MSW has learned during his health care career, it’s that sometimes the most important thing you can do for someone in need is to just be present. Now, Dr. Lippman and his colleagues at the Providence Community Clinic in Spokane are applying that lesson to helping people experiencing homelessness.
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“We understand that everyone walking through that door falls well below the federal poverty level – most either have no income or a fixed income through federal benefits programs, like SSI or SSDI” says Dr. Lippman.
The Providence Community Clinic was the first medical clinic designated specifically for Spokane’s houseless community members when it opened in 1976. It continues to be the only clinic of its kind in Eastern Washington. Staffed by Dr. Lippman and three others, along with volunteer physicians and nurses, this small but mighty facility cares for more than 1,400 people per year. That includes seeing patients at the downtown Spokane clinic and through outreach at shelters and camps.
Having an open-door policy is a great way to help people in need. But there are always some people who, for whatever reason, are unable to make it to a specific facility. They might lack transportation, time off work, or knowledge of the clinic’s location or existence. And with many immigrant and migrant populations, there is a barrier of language, culture, and trust that can prevent them from seeking care and assistance.
That’s why Providence makes it a point to take its compassionate services and support outside the clinic walls to meet people where they live and work.
“We try to foster relationships with those we encounter,” says Dr. Lippman. “Within our clinic, we have the capacity to take our time and get to know our patients. Everyone knows your name. There is relational value and social capital in every interaction. Patients come back here because they trust us.”
Providence Community Benefit covers the cost of care for people who cannot afford it, whether they are uninsured or underinsured. In 2021 alone, Providence provided $15 million in free and discounted care for patients in the Inland Northwest alone, including many at the Community Clinic. This opens the door for many people who may have put off care because they couldn’t afford it.
Patients receive everything from routine screenings to emergency care, from hygiene kits to sack lunches. If interested, people can also connect with social services, government and nonprofit programs, and even a continuum of care through the Providence network. And patients know they can walk in anytime during clinic hours, no appointment needed.
“When you’re on the hunt for your next meal or where you’re going to lay your head that night, any other appointments go out of your mind,” says Dr. Lippman. “Our clinic tries to be a safety net for those people whenever they might need us.”
Walla Walla County is full of farms, vineyards, orchards, wineries, and
other agriculture-related businesses
that employ many immigrant and migrant workers. A large number of agricultural workers are among the 24 percent of the county’s population that is LatinX. The work is often difficult, and the hours are long. Many people accepting these jobs are low-income and uninsured. They may not speak
English.
Maria Remington, a native of Ecuador and Spanish-speaking liaison for Providence St. Mary Medical Center, goes into the fields as a Promotora de Salud (Promoter of Health) as a community health worker.
“My passion is community,” says Remington. “Immigrants come to this country and work hard and are important contributors to the economy and the community. If we take care of our people, keep them healthy, they will continue to contribute.”
Remington organizes workshops, creates programs, and visits the workplaces, schools, and homes of Hispanic residents. In her native tongue, she raises awareness of the need for and availability of screenings, particularly mammograms, vaccinations, and any other preventative care and health services they might need. And perhaps most importantly, she communicates to people who often can’t apply for or afford health insurance that Providence will help them through financial assistance, including free or discounted care for those who are eligible and in need, and by assisting them in identifying and applying for medical coverage.
At the core of Remington’s efforts is a mission to empower people to take care of their own health needs and those of their families. That involves an enormous amount of trust, which is cultivated by building relationships. Remington does that by going the extra mile. For example, she noticed a woman with diabetes who was frequently in the emergency room, and she reached out to help. Remington visited the woman’s home and noticed she had been sleeping on the floor. She not only helped the woman to arrange health checkups and get her medication costs covered, but Remington also found the woman a bed and warm food via Meals on Wheels.
Despite all these kindnesses, Remington says she has found that her most vital role in the woman’s life is to be a friend. Like Dr. Lippman, Remington says she’s discovered that the most important thing is often to just be there. “I call her every day,” says Remington. “That phone call is like family. I’m not a mental health professional, but I’m here for her until I can connect her with one. I’m here to give
her hope."
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Robert Lippman, Ph.D.
Mental Health Social Worker
“Within our clinic, we have the capacity to take our time and get to know our patients ... Patients come back here because they trust us.”
Meeting people
where they are
Sometimes the most important thing a caregiver can do
is just be present