HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, formerly named Loudoun Community Health Center, announced its merger with the Herndon-based Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic. The merger brings together two strong nonprofit organizations and expands HealthWorks’ service delivery to the residents of Fairfax County, 140,000 of whom are low income and lack health insurance. This move is poised to improve access to health care to thousands of Northern Virginians.
HealthWorks is a community health center, also known as a federally qualified health center, with two locations in Loudoun County including the headquarters in Leesburg and the Center for Children and Families in Sterling. HealthWorks is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive health care while emphasizing wellness and disease prevention to all persons seeking care. HealthWorks does not deny anyone primary health care services—all community residents have equal access regardless of ability to pay, culture, age, gender, religion or insurance status.
Since opening its doors in 2007, the Leesburg and Sterling health centers have provided quality care to 12,000 patients by effectively reducing the barriers to affordable health care.
The Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic is in its 10th year providing comprehensive primary health care to the low income, uninsured residents of Northwest Fairfax County. With the need for access to health care in Fairfax County growing and at a critical level, JSFC brings to HealthWorks its commitment to serving the community and welcomes the opportunity to join with the Loudoun Community Health Center to create a new and larger center in Herndon to able to see many more patients.
This merger promises an immediate impact on the residents of Northern Virginia by offering a broader segment of the community access to care and expanded services, such as pre-natal and new baby care, not previously offered by Jeanie Schmidt.