The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland

What The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland does

The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit safety-net clinic founded in 1970 and headquartered at 3100 East 45th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. It operates with approximately 51 staff and provides comprehensive primary and specialty healthcare entirely free of charge to uninsured, underinsured, low-income, homeless, veteran, and immigrant/refugee populations in the Greater Cleveland area. The clinic runs nine integrated service lines: Medical Services, HIV Services, Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse Treatment (SAT) Services including medication-assisted treatment and Project DAWN, Dental Services, Pharmacy Services, Case Management Services, Community Education Services, and Advocacy Services.

The clinic has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is in-person at the single Cleveland site, supplemented by phone, walk-in, and online patient registration. The organization operates an in-house laboratory capable of rapid HIV testing (~20-minute results) and hair drug testing. All services are provided with no fees, co-pays, insurance claims, or proof-of-income/identification/documentation requirements, and the clinic operates under HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality protections. A named clinical team includes a Lead Primary Care Physician, an HIV Medicine & Infectious Diseases Specialist, and an Addiction Medicine Physician (MD, FASAM), plus dentists, mental health clinicians, nurse practitioners, a public health educator (MPH), and case management staff.

The business model is donation-and-grant funded: there is no patient revenue, no billing infrastructure, and no insurance claims processing. Patient acquisition is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth referrals, partnerships with schools and local agencies, and a recurring calendar of branded wellness events (Women's Wellness Day, Vaccines & Wellness Day, Oral Health Days, HIV Awareness Days, Mind-Body & Community Wellness Festival). The organization is governed by an independent Board of Trustees and is not owned by, controlled by, or affiliated with any parent entity or institutional investor.

Name

The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland

Legal name

The Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland

Website

https://thefreeclinic.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland is a 55-year-old nonprofit safety-net clinic providing 100% free medical, dental, mental health, HIV, substance abuse, pharmacy, case management, and education services to uninsured, low-income, veteran, homeless, and immigrant populations across Greater Cleveland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI), Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO), Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

Keywords

• Free medical clinic
• Community health services
• Primary care services
• Dental health services
• Mental health counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The clinic operates entirely on community donations, grants, and partnerships. All services are provided free of charge to patients with no billing, co-pays, or hidden fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Free Clinic provides free, comprehensive healthcare services to uninsured, underinsured, low-income, homeless, and undocumented individuals in the Greater Cleveland area. Service offerings span primary medical care, preventive screenings, chronic disease management, HIV testing and treatment, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment (including MAT), dental care, pharmacy services, case management, community education, and patient advocacy. All services are delivered at no charge with no insurance, income, or documentation requirements.

Product overview

The Free Clinic is a free medical clinic providing comprehensive healthcare services to low-income families, veterans, and uninsured individuals in the Greater Cleveland area. The clinic offers a unified portfolio of nine interconnected healthcare departments: Medical Services (primary care and preventive screenings) serves as the core, supported by specialized services including HIV Services, Mental Health Services, SAT (Substance Abuse Treatment) Services, Dental Services, Pharmacy Services, Case Management Services, Community Education Services, and Advocacy Services. All services are provided completely free of charge with no insurance, income proof, or documentation required.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Services Primary care, check-ups, treatment for common illnesses, chronic disease management, preventive screenings, and general health support provided free of charge to uninsured and underinsured patients.
• HIV Services Confidential rapid HIV testing (approximately 20-minute results), PrEP education, treatment support, monitoring, and linkage to specialized HIV care for at-risk individuals.
• Mental Health Services Counseling, therapy for anxiety, depression, stress, and other concerns, plus medication management where available.
• Substance Abuse Treatment (SAT) Services Support for addiction recovery, counseling, harm reduction, referrals, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and resources to manage substance use disorders including Project DAWN overdose prevention.
• Dental Services Exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, basic oral health care, preventive treatments, emergency dental relief, and pediatric dental services for all ages.
• Pharmacy Services Free or low-cost medications, prescription assistance, refills, and patient assistance program enrollment support for registered clinic patients.
• Case Management Services Personalized help navigating healthcare, social services, housing, benefits, transportation, and resources to overcome barriers to wellness.
• Community Education Services Workshops, health education on topics like disease prevention, nutrition, healthy living, and community wellness programs focused on women, adolescents, and the wider community.
• Advocacy Services Support advocating for patients' rights, access to benefits, insurance navigation, and connecting to additional resources through legislative engagement and coalition building.

Quantifiable outcome

• No fees, no insurance needed — professional, compassionate help without any cost or stress.

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Volunteers in Medicine (national network): National network of 90+ free clinics using volunteer clinicians to deliver care to uninsured patients. Operates the same free-clinic model (no fees, no insurance required) with comparable scope of primary care, dental, and behavioral health services.
• Asian Services In Action (ASIA): Cleveland-based community health and social services organization providing primary care, case management, and interpretation services for Asian and immigrant populations. Comparable in serving uninsured/undocumented communities with language-accessible care in the same metro.
• Care Alliance Health Center: Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) based in Cleveland providing primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to uninsured and underserved populations in the same market. Directly comparable by service mix, target population, and free/sliding-fee model, though federally funded rather than donation-dependent.
• Neighborhood Family Practice: Cleveland-based FQHC network operating multiple community health centers serving uninsured and underinsured residents with primary care, behavioral health, and pharmacy. Closely comparable as a community-rooted safety-net provider in the same metro, with similar patient demographics and sliding-fee structure.
• Medworks: Cleveland-based nonprofit providing free medical and dental care to uninsured Northeast Ohio residents through volunteer-driven clinics. Highly comparable mission and free-care model, though with greater reliance on volunteer providers and pop-up events rather than permanent full-time staff.
• Remote Area Medical (RAM): National nonprofit operating pop-up free clinics delivering medical, dental, and vision care to uninsured and underserved populations across the U.S. Comparable free-care mission and volunteer-driven delivery model, but uses temporary event-based clinics rather than a permanent facility.

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Clinic: Major academic health system headquartered in the same Cleveland market providing broad primary, specialty, and inpatient care. Operates some community health and financial assistance programs serving similar populations, but as a flagship incumbent rather than a free-clinic specialist.
• MetroHealth System: Cuyahoga County's public hospital system providing full inpatient, outpatient, and safety-net care across Greater Cleveland. Overlaps substantially in serving the same uninsured and Medicaid populations, but as a large hospital-based system rather than a free standalone clinic.

Others

• National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC): Industry association representing 1,400+ free and charitable clinics nationwide, including The Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland. Indirect comparator as the umbrella organization defining standards, advocacy, and grant programs for the free-clinic sector.

Emerging players

• Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio: Regional affiliate providing reproductive and sexual health services including HIV testing, PrEP, and primary care to underserved populations across Ohio. Partial overlap with the Free Clinic's HIV services and reproductive health education offerings, but narrower service scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-free-medical-clinic-of-greater-cleveland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland