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Commonwealth Health Corporation, including the Free Clinic, is a tobacco-free campus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the history of the Commonwealth Health Free Clinic?
In 1994, Commonwealth Health Corporation established a Community Outreach Committee to evaluate the healthcare needs of less fortunate individuals in the community.  Comprised of board members and management staff, this committee identified the growing need for access to adequate healthcare for all residents of Southcentral Kentucky.  In response, the Community Outreach Committee spearheaded efforts to establish a free medical clinic in Bowling Green to provide diagnostic and treatment services at no charge to qualifying patients.  Commonwealth Health Corporation provided seed money for the clinic, and the Free Clinic opened its doors to patients in December 1995.

What is the mission of the Free Clinic’s Medical Program?
The mission of the Free Clinic is to provide free basic medical diagnostic and treatment services to the “working poor” of Southcentral Kentucky.

Who are the "working poor"?
The working poor are those individuals who have done their best to stay in the work force but do not have insurance or any form of social assistance and do not have the means to pay for healthcare.

What is the mission of the Free Clinic’s Dental Program?
The mission of the dental program, reopened as The Dental Clinic in March of 2009, is to provide low cost dental services to low-income Southcentral Kentucky residents who do not have private pay dental insurance.

What determines ‘low income’ for eligibility?
Those interested can call for complete guideline information.  Income must not exceed 225% of the national poverty level, or an approximate annual income of $50,000 or less for a family of 4, would qualify for services. The dental clinic also accepts those patients covered under Medicaid.

What are the Free Clinic's hours of operation?
Medical services are offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings on a walk-in basis.   Patient screenings begin at 5:00 p.m.

Dental services are scheduled by appointment only.  The Dental Clinic is open from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday each week.

The Free Clinic is staffed Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Fridays until noon.

Where is the Free Clinic located and how can they be reached?
The Free Clinic/The Dental Clinic is located at 740 East Tenth Street in Bowling Green.  To speak with a Free Clinic staff member, call (270) 781-9260.

What is the service area for Free Clinic programs?
The Free Clinic services patients who reside in Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Monroe, Metcalfe, Simpson and Warren counties.

What are the financial eligibility requirements for a patient to be treated at the Free Clinic?
All financial eligibility is determined as a pre-determined percentage of the national poverty level baseline as set by the Department of Health and Human Services each year.   Because there are different eligibility guidelines for each program, potential patients should contact the Free Clinic at (270) 781-9260 to discuss their individual circumstances.

Can children be treated at the Free Clinic?
Within the abilities of the clinical staff, the medical program accepts patients of all ages, as long as their parents would be eligible to receive services.  Since KCHIP (Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program) covers children ages birth to age 18, the Free Clinic resolves immediate medical needs to its ability and then provides the family with KCHIP information.

The Dental Clinic accepts children of responsible age, from otherwise eligible families.  As long as the child can be treated in an outpatient setting, our staff can provide the same basic dental services for children and adolescents as adults.  

How is the Free Clinic staffed?
In addition to eight paid staff positions, volunteer physicians, pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners a other clinical and non-clinical volunteers staff the Clinic.  Since the Clinic opened, more than 950 volunteers have provided over 49,000 hours of service without any financial compensation.