Patient Care
Community Connections
Community Care
The six colleges of the University of Florida Health Science Center, Shands HealthCare and many community volunteer partners work together to act as a health care safety net for many of the most vulnerable citizens of north Florida. Making primary care and advanced clinical services accessible to those beyond our doors, including economically disadvantaged residents, is one way we strive to meet our public service mission. The following are several of our multidisciplinary community health programs and services.
Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program
Acting as a resource for the families and school districts of Florida, MDTP provides quality, comprehensive direct services for pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade children through the use of an interdisciplinary diagnostic clinic, consultation and technical assistance, parent and professional education, and direct intervention services for children. The MDTP team consists of professionals from pediatrics, school psychology, communicative disorders, occupational therapy, and special education.
Interdisciplinary Family Health Program
Interdisciplinary teams of students from the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Public Health and Health Professions are assigned to individual Alachua County families to assess their health needs and offer help. Each volunteer family is matched with a team of students, who make home visits throughout the year to gather health data and develop a "prevention prescription" for one family member to promote health maintenance or disease prevention.
The Equal Access Clinic
Weekly clinic that provides free medical and dental care to less fortunate Gainesville citizens, staffed by volunteers from among the College of Medicine faculty and students, with help from the College of Dentistry and UF pre-med students.
Helping Hands Clinic
College of Medicine faculty volunteers are part of the Helping Hands Clinic operated at the Salvation Army Lodge in downtown Gainesville, which serves the needs of the areas homeless. Social workers, registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, physicians, and community service volunteers staff the clinic.
Alachua County Organization for Rural Needs, Inc. (ACORN)
ACORN Clinic is a nationally recognized program that provides low-cost medical and dental care to residents of north central Florida. Each year more than 100 physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physical therapists and dental hygienists volunteer their time to provide patient care. College of Public Health and Health Professions, Department of Physical Therapy faculty members provide physical therapy consultation services for clients of ACORN.
ElderCare of Alachua County
Advocates for the elderly and provides services that will build capacity, maximize independence, and enrich the quality of life. Provides services to seniors such as delivering meals to homebound seniors, providing daycare for Alzheimer's patients, and providing transportation.
Aging Resources and Care Management
The professional care managers of ARCM work with elderly individuals, their families, and their caregivers to identify community contacts, referral sources, and care options that best suit the client's situation. ARCM care management process ensures continuity of communication between clients, their families and service providers.
Sunna Program
Operated by the Women's Health Research Center, the Sunna program is a Cancer Support Services Program to help women, especially low-income women, access education and supportive therapies and maximize their quality of life. Includes counseling, social service referrals and education; complementary therapies such as massage, acupuncture, reiki, and guided imagery. Women with all stages of cancer are eligible for treatment.
Center for Musculoskeletal Pain Research - Patient Resources
Dedicated to the study of mechanisms responsible for musculoskeletal pain and associated patient care.
UF Rainbow Center
The only comprehensive pediatric AIDS program in Northeast Florida, located at Shands Jacksonville. The center provides primary, secondary and tertiary care for HIV-exposed and -infected women, adolescents, children and families living in North Florida and South Georgia.
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
Provides individualized, direct assistance to those with autism and similar conditions and their families. Services include technical assistance and consultation, professional training programs and public education activities.
Florida Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind
Committed to promoting educational practice that leads to the full participation of people who are deaf-blind as active members of the community.
Many of the College of Dentistry Off Campus Clinics provide oral health services to low-income and low-access populations in Florida ranging as far south as Miami and as far north as Jacksonville.
UF Veterinary Medical Center Community Programs
Includes:
Operation Catnip
A non-profit organization dedicated to humanely reducing the stray and feral cat population through a no-cost Trap-Neuter-Return program.
Companions Pet Loss Support
Provides reading material to help in grieving the loss of beloved animal friends.
Center for the Arts in Healthcare Research & Education
CAHRE facilitates research, education and training in the use of the arts to enhance the healing process, to further develop arts in health care as career options for artists and to promote art and creativity as catalysts for developing healthy lifestyles. The Center provides a framework for interdisciplinary collaboration among University of Florida faculty and students, healthcare providers, clinical artists, and our local and global communities.
Shands Arts in Medicine
Associated with CAHRE, includes artists in residence working in the clinical setting using dance, music, drama, creative writing and the visual arts to enhance the patient experience, and incorporating the creative arts to transform the physical hospital setting.
back to top Community Resources
Volunteering at Shands HealthCare
Shands HealthCare offers an array of volunteering opportunities within its hospitals and at outlying facilities.
Shands At Work
Helps local companies keep employees healthy by conveniently providing health promotion services. The program offers members reliable health information, education and preventative screenings at the work site or convenient locale.
UF Shands Cancer Center Community Events
The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience Public Lecture Series
Public lecture series called Evenings at Whitney. Monthly presentations include current science topics, plus subjects from on-going research programs.
The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience PK-8 Outreach Education
Educational outreach programs are presented on Tuesday mornings by advanced reservations during the school year. During the summer, special programs may be arranged.