THE CLINIC PROVIDES FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT TO PERSONS WITHOUT INSURANCE, SERVING THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS A YEAR. TODAY, AN ESTIMATED 500,000 PEOPLE LIVE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE IN THE GREATER BAY AREA, INLCUDING MORE THAN 195,000 PEOPLE IN ALAMEDA COUNTRY. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT, HISTORICALLY, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR FACE BARRIERS TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE, RECEIVE LOWER-QUALITY CARE, AND ULTIMATELY EXPERIENCE WORSE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE CLINIC EXISTS TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG THESE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. THE CLINIC SERVICES PATIENTS WITHOUT INSURANCE AND DOES NOT REQUIRE PAPERWORK OR PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP. MANY ARE UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES WHO ARE WARY OF SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION AT DOCTOR'S OFFICES OR HOSPITALS. MORE THAN HALF OF OUR PATIENTS DO NOT VISIT A DOCTOR REULARLY AND MOST NEW PATIENTS HAVE RECEIVED LITTLE TO NO MEDICAL ATTENTION IN RECENT YEARS. FOR MANY, THE CLINIC IS THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF MEDICAL CARE.