Serving the Uninsured and Underinsured

The Community Outreach Health Clinic serves uninsured and underinsured residents of Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital's service area. Service area includes parts of Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties. The clinic provides quality, medical care with dignity and confidentiality, using the services of volunteer professional staff under the oversight of a physician medical director and nurse practitioner.

The Community Outreach Health Clinic is a private, non-profit organization under the auspices of Community Outpatient Health Services and Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital. The clinic relies on private contributions and grants for most operating expenses.

Although services are free, a $10 donation is requested from each patient at each visit.

Gold Seal of Excellence

Our Community Outreach Clinic was awarded the Gold Seal of Excellence from the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (WAFCC). The Standards of Excellence covers a wide range of topics such as governance and administration, optimal access to care, quality improvement, and medication management.

Location

The Outpatient Care Center is at Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital. Take Driveway B to the back of the hospital. Park in parking lot C and enter the hospital through the door titled "Conference Center". Go straight down the hall past the windows and turn right at the end of the hallway and turn left to the elevator E4A. Take elevator to the first floor. It is the only floor the elevator goes to. The registration for the clinic is right when you exit the elevator.

Clinic Hours

Tuesday and Thursday, 5 – 9 p.m.
To schedule an appointment, call 262-257-3393.

Services Provided

The Community Outreach Health Clinic provides:

  • Non-emergent medical care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment and counseling, and pharmaceutical assistance
  • Treatment for chronic conditions, including but not limited to:
    • Type 1 or 2 diabetes
    • Hypertension
    • Hyperlipidemia
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Asthma
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Substance use disorder
  • Treatment for acute conditions, including but not limited to:
    • Respiratory infections
    • Joint injuries
    • Rashes
    • Eye infections
    • Ear infections
    • UTIs
  • Referrals to specialty care for limited number of visits
  • Education and counseling to promote a preventative wellness lifestyle

Patients who require more services than what is covered at the clinic will be referred to Froedtert & MCW Patient Financial Services for financial assistance information.

Patient Eligibility

To receive care at the Community Outreach Health Clinic, patients must:

  • Live in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington or Ozaukee County.
  • Be uninsured or underinsured.
  • Be an adult or emancipated minor whose income from all sources does not exceed 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
  • Be a minor under 18 accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or with written consent from a parent or guardian.

 

Donating to the Clinic

We accept donations of select medications and durable medical equipment from 3 – 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All medication donations must be under 9 months past the expiration date. We accept:

  • Unopened over the counter medication
  • Unopened/unused inhalers
  • Unopened insulin pens and vials (that has been refrigerated until donation delivery)
  • Unopened injectable medications
  • Unopened creams and ointments
  • Opened or unopened pills
    • Excluding narcotic medications

Programs Offered at the Clinic

  • Self-monitoring blood pressure (SMBP)
    • Qualified patients will be loaned an AHA certified blood pressure cuff and educated on how to check blood pressure at home.
    • Patients are required to report home readings once a week.
    • When patients achieve a stable blood pressure under 130/80 they graduate from the program and receive a gift card.
  • Glooko – blood sugar monitoring program
    • Qualified patients will be loaned a OneTouch Verio or ReliOn glucometer and educated on how to check blood sugar at home.
    • Patients are required to check blood sugar daily at home and blood sugars are monitored on Glooko’s website.
    • Patients graduate from the program when they achieve an average blood sugar below 130.
  • Medication assisted treatment
    • Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies. This is effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) and can help some people sustain recovery.
  • Psycho-education for depression, anxiety and substance use
    • The Outreach Clinic provides treatment for a range of mental health and addiction challenges. We are committed to helping patients gain insight into behaviors and feelings, setting and achieving realistic goals, and discovering ways to make and maintain lasting improvements.

Becoming a Volunteer

Apply Online

Requirements for Volunteering

To be a volunteer, you must be 16 years of age or older. We are unable to support any court ordered community service.

The volunteer process includes:

  1. Application
  2. Health screen (flu shot required during flu season)
  3. Background check
  4. Two online classes and on-boarding paperwork
  5. First day

Volunteer Roles

  • Receptionist — Greet and register patients, prepare medical files, schedule appointments, basic computer knowledge is essential
  • Screener — Screen patients for insurance and financial eligibility, assist with referrals to appropriate resources, basic computer knowledge required
  • Pharmacy assistant — Gather and package patient’s medications, write prescription label for medication dispensing, maintain and organize medication room
  • “Triage” — Room patients, take vital signs, obtain brief history regarding reason for visit. For this role, volunteers should be 18 years old, and know how to do vital signs. Good backgrounds, include EMT/Paramedic, CNA, MA, LPN, RN, or medical student
  • Provider — Licensed in Wisconsin as an NP, MD, DO, or PA

Clinic Staff

Linda Smith, APNP, ANP-BC, PMHNP-BC

I am a board certified adult nurse practitioner since 1997, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner since 2020. I graduated from Marquette University and then UW-Madison. I have an interest in caring for people that suffer from mental health and addiction. I have completed extra education for medication-assisted treatment in order to care for patients with substance use disorders. I was instrumental in starting the Community Outreach Health Clinic in 2000; I continue as lead nurse practitioner and clinic coordinator.

Julie Brady, RN

I started my career in nursing in 1975 after earning my ADN from Lincoln Land Community College then my BSN at Marquette University. Having a mutual love for teaching and nursing, I also earned my MEPD at UW-Whitewater; I spent over 30 years teaching emergency medical services while continuing to work as an RN in the hospital. When I retired from teaching full time, the RN care coordinator position opened up. Throughout my professional life, my mission is to make a difference in the life of others. Working in Community Outreach Health Center allows me to fulfill this goal.

Heather Vartanian, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, APNP

I am a board certified adult nurse practitioner since 2008. I completed my BSN in 2005 and MSN in 2008 from Marquette University, as well as my PhD in Nursing in 2015. When I am not working at the clinic, I am privileged to teach nursing students, mostly at the graduate level. I feel blessed to work at the Community Outreach Health Clinic and enjoy interacting with our patients and wonderful team.

Emily Kraus, MSN, APNP, FNP-C

I am a board certified family nurse practitioner and have been in practice since 2020. I graduated from Marquette University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. I then went to Vanderbilt University where I graduated in 2020 with a Master of Science in nursing practice with a focus in family medicine. I have been a volunteer at the Outreach Health Clinic since 2014. Throughout my time at the Outreach Clinic I have volunteered as a CNA, RN, receptionist, screener and pharmacy tech. I have been a NP at the clinic since April 2022.