Clinic History

In 1974, a group of women were working on a VD Awareness Program for the community when they learned that there were no county health department services in the Conejo Valley and no plans for a county health department. They also identified a lack of adequate public transportation that would provide access to communities that did have services.

In 1998, the Conejo Free Clinic moved to its current location in the Community Conscience “Under One Roof” building. The building houses a variety of social service agencies that are committed to making services available to needy residents in the Conejo Valley. The Conejo Free Clinic continues to lead the way as it actively advocates for its patients and is a model for the goals that Community Conscience work that it supports:

	maintain permanent social service facilities
	provide information to local residents in pursuit of such assistance
	provide for maximum coordination between agencies providing assistance services
	heighten awareness of the need for assistance services not presently being provided for
	make such services available to those dependent upon public transit
	foster courtesy, respect and human dignity in the public dealings of basic assistance agencies

The cost of operating the building is met through Community Conscience fund raising activities and cooperative fair market lease agreements with federal, state, and local government agencies such as the Social Security Administration. Additionally, having government and non-profit social service groups in the same location prevents duplication of programs and helps fill gaps in services.

In 2001, the Clinic partnered with local Rotary Clubs on a “Bears for Mammograms” project. The proceeds from the sale of bears provide mammograms for women who cannot afford them. The Patient Assistance Program was introduced in 2003 to assist patients in obtaining prescription medications. The program works to qualify patients to receive free medications from pharmaceutical companies.

The first annual Women’s Health Fair was offered in 2004. Women in the community had the opportunity to receive blood pressure screening, cholesterol and glucose screening, STD testing, comprehensive lab screening, breast exams, mammogram referrals and information on women’s health issues. Having just completed our fifth year of this well received program, the Women’s Health Fair served over one hundred women in April of 2008. In addition to the one day screening process for the fair, follow-up appointments were coordinated and additional referrals were prepared for issues identified in the screening process. Community response for this program continues to grow and requests are being made to make a similar event available for men in the community.

Throughout 2007 and into early 2008, we realized our plans to automate and develop our donor base – moving from a paper system to a computerized database. With a dedicated resource for Development in 2008, fund raising and donor base development have been an important priority. In spite of the challenges of a declining economy, increased demand for services and a greater level of need within the community continue to drive Clinic efforts to meet demand for services.

In 2008, the Clinic has been involved in an extensive transition to prepare for the retirement of our Founder, Sharron Baird at the end of December of this year. Sharron Baird has been with the Clinic since its inception in 1976 – single-handedly operating the Clinic in its early years and eventually expanding to add an additional staff member. She continues to play an extensive role in assuring that the Clinic will be around to serve the needs of our community for many years to come.

During this transition period, Sharron has focused her efforts on securing funding to meet operational needs for the Clinic as the Director of Operations for the Clinic. In addition to her very active role in development for the Clinic, she has generously offered her support in training a successor.

Looking forward, we continue to expect great things! Work is underway to expand our volunteer base, offer additional services and provide additional clinics to meet community need.

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