Third Street Clinic Story…

Third Street Clinic is a non-profit organization that provides health care, emergency dental care, vision care and limited prescription medication assistance for persons who have no health insurance, who cannot access treatment through other agencies and do not have the resources to purchase their own medical or dental care. Third Street Clinic has been meeting the needs of the medically underserved who are low income or even homeless in the Grand Forks area for 16 years.  We are a “clinic without walls.”

The clinic was opened by Tim Hockenberry, a resident at UND Medical School back in 1989. It began by being open one night a week with doctors coming into the clinic to care for those who are low income, have no insurance, no Medicaid, no Medicare, no medical assistance at all.  It was located on 3^rd Street (hence the name) in the mall which stood where the town square is located now.

Today, Third Street Clinic is unique because it provides health care for the medically indigent population, by integrating them into the community health care clinics. Patients have direct contact with the physicians during their regular office hours. A patient is assigned a primary care physician to assure their medical needs are being met and follow-up care is provided when necessary. Each physician has agreed to see Third Street Clinic patients pro-bono.

As of June 2004, Third Street Clinic has joined forces with the local dentists and has begun serving those in need of emergency dental care. There are 21 dentists in the area and 6 specialists who also see Third Street Clinic patients pro-bono. Dental care of low income people often means a trip to the doctor or hospital because the problem has become a dangerous medical emergency. With emergency dental care being a part of the Third Street Clinic program we may be able to detour visits to the emergency room.

The care does not stop with the medical or dental visit. Prescription medications are available from a network of participating pharmacies. The pharmacists provide medications, at their cost, through Third Street Clinic. The client pays a $2 co-pay per medication and the balance is covered by Third Street Clinic. We will also help with vision services for our adult clients, through Valley Vision, who have been on the program for 3 months.

Medications for children who are experiencing behavioral problems in school because of a diagnosed medical condition is another program that we have. The parents of these children have few places to turn for help and Third Street Clinic is providing help with these medications.

We are aggressively seeking funding sources to help aid in the costs to cover the operation of the referral center and the cost of medications and supplies.  We operate on private grants and private donations. We are not state or federally funded.  We want to continually remind people that the money given to Third Street Clinic through donations or grants remains in this community. Third Street Clinic’s intervention has saved the Grand Forks/East Grand Forks communities thousands of dollars in emergency room, and hospital stays, by seeing that low income people’s illnesses are treated before they become severe.

We hope to grow and reach out to help more of those in need hoping one day they are able to give back to the community. We are not here as a hand out, but a hand up. We are a “clinic without walls.”  

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