Bread of Healing Clinic Seeks to Understand Social Determinants of Health for Patients

Bread of Healing has been working on social determinants of health among our patients for several years, seeking to answer a number of important questions:

What impact does insecurity in housing or food have on health?  

How does receiving grant dollars for heating costs reduce stress in a patient’s household?  

Can we reduce no-show rates of our patients if we provide Uber or Lyft rides to the clinic?  

We have learned much, but still have work to do. By screening all of our patients, we have learned that 4% of patients have health insurance, but cannot navigate the system to access health care. 60% of patients identify a social or medical need that they are motivated to work on.  As many as 20% of patients are eligible for some kind of insurance and our social work services staff assisted those patients in enrolling.  

Click here for more information about our work in this area and the related costs.

Volunteering at the Bread of Healing Clinic offers pharmacy students a different perspective

Click here to learn how Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) School of Pharmacy students broaden their range of experiences by volunteering at the Bread of Healing Clinic.

Greater Milwaukee Free Clinic Closes After 24 Years

At its start, the Bread of Healing Clinic found great generosity and an excellent model in another Milwaukee-area free clinic: the Greater Milwaukee Free Clinic. As Rick Cesar noted upon hearing of their closing, “They are wonderful people and were doing a free clinic long before us. We stood on their shoulders as Barb and I looked for examples of how to be a free clinic.”

The Bread of Healing Clinic staff and volunteers wish only the best for Kathy Schneider, who founded and managed the clinic, and her husband, George Schneider, who staffed the clinic with other volunteer physicians.

Please follow this link to learn more about the closing of the Greater Milwaukee Free Clinic.

Bread of Healing Clinic Is Recipient of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin’s Adult Healthy Vision Award

The Bread of Healing Clinic team at the Cross Lutheran Church location.

In recognition of the Bread of Healing Clinic’s contributions toward vision health, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin has recognized the Clinic with its Adult Healthy Vision Award. This award recognizes an Adult Program Partner who makes vision health for at-risk adults a priority.

The Bread of Healing Clinic has partnered with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin to help improve at-risk adults’ access to vision care through the Vision Care Voucher Program. This year, 57 low-income patients who are served by the Bread of Healing Clinic received a free voucher for an eye exam and glasses. The Bread of Healing Clinic goes above and beyond when helping their patients who qualify for Prevent Blindness Wisconsin’s voucher program access vision care, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to successfully navigate the vision healthcare system. Clinic social workers are dedicated to helping their patients through every step of the voucher process, from assisting with the application and gathering proof of income documents, to scheduling the appointment once approved. The Bread of Healing Clinic demonstrates the impact possible when a community partner is dedicated to making healthy vision a priority for the at-risk adults they serve.

The Bread of Healing Clinic is a Primary Care Medical Home for low income, uninsured individuals. Founded nineteen years ago, the clinic initially served adults with chronic medical conditions. Volunteers, working alongside a small group of paid staff, provide a wide range of services. The clinic has grown over the years and has both primary and specialty providers, as well as medical care coordination and social service navigation provided by the Resource Center team who serve about 2,000 clients annually.

Click here to learn more about the Prevent Blindness Wisconsin awards and recipients.

WTMJ Radio Weekend Host Mark Siegrist Interviews Rick Cesar about Bread of Healing Clinic

Helping to get out the good message for the Bread of Healing Clinic is WTMJ Radio Weekend Host Mark Siegrist. He interviewed our own Rick Cesar on the morning of Saturday, March 16, as part of Wisconsin's Weekend Morning News magazine. The station kindly shared a portion of that broadcast in the following audio file. The clinic thanks both Mark and Rick for their time and effort in helping people understand all that our clinic provides to the uninsured and underserved in our community.

WTMJ Radio Host Mark Siegrist Interviews Rick Cesar about the Bread of Healing Clinic

Medical Society Milwaukee Hosts an Evening to Remember at the Wisconsin Club

Bread of Healing Clinic leadership came together on March 9, 2019 to celebrate Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler’s recognition at the Medical Society of Milwaukee’s Annual Awards Dinner. Dr. Horner-Ibler received the Dr. Erastus B. Wolcott Distinguished Service Award, specifically for her care for the underserved. We are happy to see Dr. Horner-Ibler receive this honor and, while she accepts it on behalf of the clinic, she would tell you that her work and the people she serves are far more important than any award. This is why we love her!

Please click on the images below to view a brief photo gallery from the evening.

Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler Recognized with a Distinguished Service Award

The Medical Society of Milwaukee is recognizing our own Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler with their Dr. Erastus B. Wolcott Distinguished Service Award for her care for the underserved. If you wish to join this wonderful event, please visit www.Medical19.givesmart.com to register. This event sells out annually!

Bread of Healing Clinic Partners with MyHealthDirect to Schedule Appointments

As a free clinic, Bread of Healing has spent years figuring out how to “make do” for resources. One challenge has been scheduling patient appointments. While great technology has been available for years, it has been cost prohibitive for us to use.

MyHealthDirect learned of our predicament and, in honor of the service we provide, offered their scheduling module at a price we can afford: no cost. We are deeply appreciative for their generosity.

Additionally, MyHealthDirect created the following video to provide an overview of the Bread of Healing Clinic, along with describing how our partnership works. Enjoy!

Bread of Healing Clinic Featured by Shepherd Express

We are honored to have the Shepherd Express highlight both our origin story and our integrative healthcare approach that combines medical, social and behavioral factors into a treatment approach that brings hope and health to our patients. Please click here to read the article.

Bread of Healing Clinic Co-Founders: Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler and Rick Cesar

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIN BLOODGOOD

UWM - Helen Bader School of Social Work Recognizes Bread of Healing Clinic

It was a good spring when it comes to recognition for the Bread of Healing Clinic. 

The Bread of Healing Clinic was recognized by the UWM- Helen Bader School of Social Work with its Outstanding Social Work Field Agency of the Year award.

This is one of five community awards that recognize local agencies that host student learners so they can have meaningful field experiences. Bread of Healing Clinic has been taking student social workers for 16 years and this is a first award for the field work experience we offer. Beth Thorson, our Director of Social Work Services, received the award on behalf of the clinic at the Awards Dinner on May 18, 2018. Many of our field work students, former and current, were our guests at this event!

Please click here to read more about the UWM School of Social Welfare 2018 awards.