On Tuesday nights, Dunn United Ministerial Association (DUMA) hosts a Campbell University Community Care Clinic, which offers free visits, lab work, imaging and medications to people who would not otherwise have access to health care. The Dunn clinic, which has been open for several weeks, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially christen the healthcare facility.

DUMA Director Todd Snyder said during the ceremony that the clinic is a place people go to for help, a “hub” for community services. Snyder talked about the origins of DUMA and its subsequent growth, about its many services and partners, which include the Salvation Army, the state Department of Aging, United Way and the Harnett County Health Department.

“It was like God sent these people, because they knew that this was a hub for people that needed help,” Snyder said in a press release.

Established in 2014 within Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, the Campbell free clinic is composed of physicians and physician assistants who oversee teams of medical and pharmacy students. The clinic gets funding through multiple state grants, including, for example, a recurring grant from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Rural Health, primarily for operational funding. Additional funding, from the N.C. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), comes in the form of an Interprofessional Education grant, which has provided startup funds and operational funds for two years at DUMA.

The Campbell clinic sees only uninsured patients, living at or below 250% of the U.S. poverty line.

Dr. Joe Cacioppo, director of Community and Global Medicine at the medical school, said 13% of people in Dunn live at the poverty level, and 12% are without health insurance.

In addition to the grants, the clinic also largely relies on private donations and other support, such as fundraising events.

It’s the only such clinic in the country run solely by students, with some faculty oversight. 

Two years ago, Campbell mobile and freestanding clinics saw 1,589 patients, which is 89 patients more than the defined limit, according to the grant. Last year, the clinic saw some 1,670 patients, about 170 over the prescribed threshold.