At the ICNA Relief clinic in Decatur, patients ranging from women to children, young men to the elderly, all wait to be seen by the medical staff who are working diligently to provide free health care to residents in metro Atlanta who need it the most.
In a modest office tucked away off Memorial Drive, the clinic provides services including primary care, pediatric care, cardiology, women’s health services, and more to residents without any health insurance or very limited coverage.
The national organization, which aims to provide community services like health care and food assistance to the underserved, has two clinic locations in Georgia — one in Decatur and another in Duluth — and conducts weekly health care fairs across the metro Atlanta area. In total, they help serve basic care to thousands of uninsured residents each year hailing from all backgrounds and walks of life, including refugee populations and Black residents in the metro area.
But in Georgia, there are racial inequities when it comes to accessing health care coverage. Black and Hispanic residents experience higher uninsured rates than white Georgia residents where in 2023, approximately 12% of Black residents and 30% of Hispanic residents in the state were uninsured, while the rate for white residents was about 10%, according to a report from KFF.
Shamik Sahadat, the national director of revenue for ICNA Relief, said that the demand at the clinics is growing, and he worries that with the looming cuts to Medicaid, the organization will struggle to meet an even larger demand.
“We’re seeing the numbers go up, and we’re expecting the numbers to rise even more as cutbacks are happening on a federal level,” Sahadat said. “So when we are looking at nonprofits like ours, who are filling in the gaps, the demand is coming up more, and so we always are constantly seeking more providers to come in and to help us.”
ICNA Relief is a national organization that provides community services like health care and food assistance to the underserved. (Alyssa Johnson/Capital B)
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed into law the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which cuts billions over the next 10 years from Medicaid, the federal-state health care insurance program that helps pay for health care for low-income people.
As nonprofits try to meet the demand of people in need of health care, federal cuts to funding in the public health sector put an extra strain on them and other free and cost-reduced clinics in the area. What’s more, the landscape for private donations and other sources of funding has now become more competitive.
“What you’re starting to see is federally qualified care centers and larger charitable clinics that were receiving federal funding as a big part of their budget getting cuts that are now making all health funding in Georgia even more competitive,” said Rachel Barber, the director of development at a free health center in Fulton County called the Urban Clinic of Atlanta.
“Some of these larger clinics are now maybe going after smaller foundations that they normally didn’t need to worry about that were going to some of the smaller free clinics around. So now we’re all competing for some of the same dollars to try to continue to do the work that is needed,” Barber said.
For those in search of free or reduced cost medical care, here are clinics in the metro Atlanta area that serve uninsured or underinsured residents:
Mercy Care Chamblee
Address: 5134 Peachtree Road, Chamblee
Hours: Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mercy Care at City of Refuge
Address: 1300 Joseph E. Boone Blvd. NW, Atlanta
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mercy Care Decatur Street
Address: 424 Decatur Street SE, Atlanta
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Mercy Care at Gateway Center
Address: 275 Pryor Street SW, Atlanta
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, Friday 8 a.m. to noon.
Services: Primary care, pediatric care, health screenings, radiology services and more.
Fees: Fees afre based on a sliding scale, starting as low as $35
Make an appointment: Call (678) 843‑8600, or visit mercyatlanta.org
Address: 777 Cleveland Ave. SW, Suite 209 Atlanta
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m to 2 p.m.
Services: Management of chronic and acute illnesses, STI screening and treatment, lab services, preventive screenings, counseling and flu vaccines.
Fees: Free
Make an appointment: Patients are seen by appointment only; they can be scheduled online.
Address: 1340 Boulevard SE, Atlanta
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Services: Primary and chronic care, prenatal care, labs, immunizations, STD and HIV testing and health education.
Fees: The clinic offers sliding scale fees based on the patient’s income and family size.
Make an appointment: Walk-ins are accepted, but patients are encouraged to schedule an appointment to minimize wait time. To schedule an appointment, visit the website or call (404) 627‑4259.
Duluth
Address: ICNA Relief Duluth 3650 Savannah Place Drive, Duluth
Hours: Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Decatur
Address: ICNA Relief Decatur, 4773 Memorial Drive, Decatur
Hours: Friday from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
Services: Primary care, pediatrics, psychiatry, diabetes management, women’s health services, vaccinations and more.
Fees: Free
Make an appointment: Service is by appointment only; to schedule an appointment, email shifaclinicduluth@icnarelief.org
Address: 3700 Market Street, Building B Clarkston, GA 30021
Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Services: The clinic offers primary care, women’s health, vision, dermatology, cardiology, mental health services and more.
Fees: Patients will be charged $60 for a new patient appointment or annual physical exam. Follow-up visits are $30. For internal specialty care (cardiology, gynecology, dermatology, and ophthalmology) pricing depends on the service but can range from $30 to $60.
Make an appointment: Appointments are recommended, as only a limited number of walk-in patients are seen each day. To schedule an appointment, call or text (678) 383-1383.
Address: 6392 Murphy Drive, Morrow
Hours: Monday to Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Services: Primary medical care, laboratory services, some free vaccinations, and prescription medicine assistance.
Fees: Free
Make an appointment: Call (770) 968-1310 or visit the website.