The Volunteers

The Willow Clinic is made of up of dozens of dedicated members (most are UC Davis faculty or students) who volunteer their time to improve the lives of others. As of 2010, we have 34 undergraduate members, 6 second-year medical students (co-directors), 2 volunteer resident physicians, and 2 volunteer attending physicians (preceptors) and a psychological counselor. Willow takes pride in the responsibility required of its undergraduate members. Three separate undergraduate committees are collectively responsible for running biweekly clinics, organizing annual events, and many other administrative tasks. In the clinic, members receive tremendous hands-on experience and build meaningful relationships with our homeless patients.

The Patients

Willow operates out of the Salvation Army’s Emergency Shelter located in Downtown Sacramento. Here, homeless residents (or clients) receive temporary housing and other services while seeking new employment and living arrangements. Though the majority of our patients are Salvation Army residents, our doors are open to all those in need of free health care. We see around 10-15 patients each clinic day, many of whom are returning patients.

History of Willow

Traditionally the most underserved and neglected members of our communities, the homeless are a visible reminder of the individuals who, for various reasons, fall through the cracks of society. Whether it be due to lack of community resources to treat mental illness and substance abuse, or simply unfortunate circumstance, the homeless face an abundance of challenges beyond not having adequate housing, including reduced access to health care and education, increased risk of violence and abuse, and very importantly, demoralizing social stigma.

In 2004, a small group of UC Davis medical students saw a need in the homeless community in Sacramento and were compelled to act. A symbol of healing and stability due to its deep roots, the Willow tree was chosen as the logo of their screening clinic, which became known as the Willow Project. In conjunction with the Salvation Army and the County of Sacramento, the Willow Project first opened its doors at the Salvation Army located in downtown Sacramento, staffed entirely by undergraduate and medical students. Although the clinic lacked prescription medications and physicians, and was funded entirely though fundraising events held throughout the year, its enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers were determined to change the quality of life of the neediest members of their community. Patients were screened for hypertension, diabetes, mental illness, lice/scabies, and other chronic illnesses, and referred to the appropriate community resources when required.

Working with this patient population, it immediately became clear just how prevalent chronic illness, in particular mental illness and substance abuse, was among the homeless and how desperately this gap in care needed to be filled. Thus, over the span of several years, the undergraduate and medical student volunteers worked with the UC Davis School of Medicine, with sponsorship from the Department of Psychiatry- Medicine and Psychiatry Advisory Group, to convert the Willow Project to the Willow Clinic, a fully functional university-affiliated student-run clinic. The newest of the seven UC Davis student-run clinics, the Willow Clinic is the only Med/Psych clinic, focusing not only on the general medical needs of its patients, but also the their mental health needs as well. The opening of the Willow Clinic at the start of 2009 signaled a newfound commitment to the underserved homeless population in Sacramento, and also underscored the importance of preventative and holistic patient care, being able to treat both the mind and body. Currently featuring an expanded pharmacy, extended community resources, and staffed with undergraduates, medical students, and volunteer physicians trained in both General Medicine and Psychiatry, the Willow Clinic is a growing fixture in the safety net of health care in Sacramento and excited to fulfill this unique niche for its underserved community!