The Harbor Community Clinic was established as the Harbor Free Clinic in 1970, in answer to the need to provide health care to those who could not afford it. For nearly 38 years it has continued this tradition, growing from a small storefront facility providing limited services to a full service medical clinic. In 2005 the Harbor Free Clinic became the Harbor Community Clinic. Today, the Harbor Community Clinic provides pediatric, general medicine, and family planning sevices along with prenatal referrals. It also provides one of the few men's clinics available in the Los Angeles area. Children are provided immunization, sick and well child checkups, sports physicals, and any other health needs they have. We have a pediatrician who is employed three days per week.
Every month there are approximately 1400 patient visits. This is up from an average of 700 only two years ago. Services are aimed primarily at the working poor; those people who are employed but do not have access to health insurance. Unfortunately, this is one of the few growth industries left in this country. Changes in staffing patterns are leaving more and more working people without insurance. A recent report by the County Department of Health Services showed that the Harbor area has the highest percentage of uninsured children in the county, with over 40% not covered.
The vast majority of our patients (92%) come from within the 15th Council District. They cover every age group, although very high percentages are children under the age of twelve. Sixty-three percent (63%) of our patients live on less than $500 per month and seventy percent (70%) are below the federal poverty level.
Currently the Harbor Community Clinic is located in a building at 6th and Grand in San Pedro, in a building of approximately 7800 square feet. It contains six exam rooms. In October 2007, the Harbor Community Clinic obtained a grant from L.A. Care that will allow us to add five additional exam rooms for a total of 11 exam rooms. Completion of this expansion is slated for October 2008.
The Harbor Community Clinic is one of the most capable, cost-effective non-profit agencies in the community. It is a major supplier of health care to the residents of San Pedro and the surrounding Harbor Area.
