About Good Shepherd Clinic
Our Mission
Our Mission….Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc. (GSC) provides quality medical and emergency dental care for people without health insurance and takes the light of Christ into the community.
Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc. is a major health care and resource partner within the Northern Hills. GSC deters emergency room visits, engages our communities and humbly offers life-changing service for families with a sense of hope, respect, and dignity.
How Do We Sustain Our Mission
Our 501 (c) 3 and ecumenical organization continue to sustain GSC’s mission through:
Funding sources: grants, private and corporate donations, memorials, and fund raising events.
90 trained volunteers
16 Health Care Providers (rotating schedules)
7 Dentists (rotating schedules)
12-member Board of Directors
4 Pharmacy Partners (Safeway, Walmart, Monument Health and Prairie Hills Pharmacy) for discounted medications.
Services Offered
Medical Services
Our free, walk-in clinic is open on Monday evenings, registration from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to:
Provide quality medical and emergency dental care to financially eligible Northern Hills residents (ages 19-64).
Address health care needs for those who do not have personal health insurance or qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, Indian Health Services, Veterans Health Services and/or CHIP assistance for youth.
Manage up to 22 medical care visits by 20 trained volunteers, and two health care providers.
Health care services provided by GSC proactively deter emergency room visits and costs. Over 50% of the GSC patients have serious chronic illnesses that if left untreated, would magnify their health care issues thus contributing to the even more significant costs to the community, jeopardize their employment status as a family provider and live without a sense of hope.
Dental Services
For every American without health insurance, there are almost three times as many without dental insurance. GSC sees first-hand the need for dental services. Responding to this gap in care led to the decision to expand GSC’s services into emergency dental care. GSC’s past medical director, Forrest Brady, M.D., estimates that over 50% of GSC patients have unmet oral health care need. Approximately 20% those patients most likely experience chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, gum disease, risk of stroke and/or other inflammatory related illnesses due to poor dental health.
In partnership with 15 Northern Hills dentists and four dental assistants the GSC Emergency Dental Care Program focuses on relieving patients’ pain, identifying the source of the pain, and eliminating oral infections. Since the initiation of the program in October 2015, over 790 patients have received emergency dental care through GSC at an approximate value of $682,000.
Immunization Program
Research suggests that financial barriers reduce vaccination rates among uninsured adults, and proper immunization lowers the chance of contracting and/or spreading disease. In 2017, GSC further expanded our services through the pilot of an Immunization Program in which GSC provided influenza shots to eligible patients at no cost. Due to the success of this pilot program, we are now able to offer more adult vaccines such as shingles, pneumonia, Tdap, HPV, etc.
History & Philosophy
Begun as a ministry of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc. (GSC) opened its doors in 2009. GSC proudly serves our local communities through our mission of providing quality health and emergency dental care for the uninsured. Approximately 15% of these residents live below the poverty level and do not have health insurance. GSC patients often acknowledge that choosing to pay monthly necessity expenses, such as rent, utilities, food and staples, versus optional personal health care, challenges them.
Each Monday evening, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is transformed into a welcoming and safe environment for patients to receive caring, professional and confidential clinic services, a warm meal, and a path for improved health and better life conditions.
We continue to “staff” the clinic on a weekly basis with an ecumenical team of 24 medical professionals and trained volunteers, both from the Northern Hills’ communities. There are currently 20 medical providers plus 90 rotating scheduled volunteers trained in various capacities to meet the clinical operations and administrative needs of the Clinic. In addition, the twelve member Board of Directors and other Leadership Team representatives uphold the highest standards of business practices to ensure sound operational and fiscal sustainability.
2009-GSC Medical Program includes free limited medical exams for patients with common illnesses and chronic conditions. GSC’s pharmacists educate patients on formulary-approved prescriptions paid by GSC.
2010-GSC Resource Center is staffed by specialists who advocate and assist patients with community referral information for safe and healthier lifestyles and distribution of basic human necessities.
2011-GSC Chronic Care Program allows patients to be consistently and more frequently monitored by a physician for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, asthma, etc.
2015-GSC Emergency Dental Program focuses on relieving pain, identifying pain source, eliminating oral infections and providing ancillary dental care when appropriate.
2017-GSC Immunization Program proactively addresses the growing need for health prevention and promotion through adult vaccinations (influenza, shingles, pneumonia, etc.).
Who Is Eligible For GSC Services?
Persons qualifying for Medicare or Medicaid, Veteran's Assistance, Indian Health Services, or those who have personal health insurance are NOT eligible for health care services offered at GSC. The Clinic uses the current Federal Poverty Level Guideline (200%), which in 2024 is $31,120 for a family of one, to determine financial eligibility.
Each person attending the GSC, must visit with a member of the Eligibility Team to verify that our eligibility requirements are met.
