Fort Worth nonprofit expands uninsured health services to new ZIP code
The Mercy Clinic nonprofit offers services to a third ZIP code, 76115
By Alicia Barrera • Published August 5, 2024 • Updated on August 6, 2024 at 10:14 am
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Free healthcare is being expanded in South Fort Worth to address the health disparity for the uninsured. The faith-based nonprofit “Mercy Clinic” is working to help those in need. NBC 5’S Alicia Barrera has more.
A nonprofit community clinic in Fort Worth is expanding services to a new part of the city.
Mercy Clinic, which offers check-ups, sick visits, dental needs, prescription services, and preventative care for uninsured adults in the 76110 and 76104 ZIP codes, is now accepting patients from the nearby 76115 ZIP code.
Aly Layman, executive director of Mercy Clinic, said about 30% of residents of the 76115 ZIP code are uninsured. The area is largely Hispanic and matches the demographics of patients served by the clinic in other neighborhoods.
Layman said the expansion is made possible through community support and collaboration.
“We’ve had more volunteers and more money coming in. We’re able to take care of more patients,” Layman said. “We’ve probably had another 12 providers come volunteer for us just this year. A lot of times they’re volunteering one night a month … We’re also really blessed to have an amazing partnership with the TCU School of Medicine. And so, the medical students, under the direction of their (professors) are here offering services to all our patients every Monday. And we started with that just one Monday a month, and now they’re coming every Monday.”
The expansion, Layman said, is a huge investment.
“Our budget this year is to raise about $725,000. So, all revenue is greatly appreciated,” Layman said. “We know that we are keeping people at work, we’re keeping families together. We’re keeping people healthy. We’re keeping uninsured people out of the local emergency departments. So we’re saving taxpayers money.”
According to Mercy Clinic, 70 new patients from the 76115 neighborhoods will join the 1,300 they already serve.
“We were planning on doing a slower opening than this, but we are ready for it. And we will take on all those folks,” Layman said. “We know that (the number is) going to grow drastically … We would love to eventually be the health care home for anyone in Tarrant County that doesn’t have insurance and that meets our qualifications.”
Candidates include uninsured adults ages 18 and up living in the 76110, 76104, and 76115 ZIP codes with an income not greater than 200% of the national poverty level, which is $15,060 for individuals and up to $31,200 for a family of four.
The 76115 ZIP code is in South Fort Worth, generally in the Oakridge Terrace neighborhood east of Interstate 35W and near the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary west of I-35W.
Mercy Clinic is located at 775 W. Bowie Street, just north of the 76115 ZIP code near the intersection of Bowie and Hemphill Street. For more information or to request an appointment, click here.