The Little Clinic That Could: Inside the JC MASH Free Clinic
Bayside Housing’s hidden gem in Port Hadlock is redefining community healthcare.
PORT HADLOCK, WA — The JC MASH Free Clinic, run under the umbrella of Bayside Housing & Services, is quietly revolutionizing how low-income and unhoused residents of Jefferson County receive medical care.
The clinic is celebrating over 30 years of service and has never been more stable or vital, thanks in part to its partnership with Bayside, which is now in its fourth year. The clinic is a cornerstone of Bayside's “wraparound services.”
More than just band-aids
Most free clinics stop at basic triage; JC MASH goes further. While they offer primary medical care, thanks to Dr. Richard Lynn and Dr. Douwe Rienstra, they have cracked the code on expensive diagnostics with the help of Jefferson Healthcare.
Because the clinic operates in partnership with Jefferson Healthcare, patients can receive vouchers for essential tests that are often unaffordable. This includes lab work, blood draws, X-rays and mammograms at the local hospital. For a patient without insurance or one facing a hefty deductible, a mammogram voucher isn't just helpful: it is life-saving.
Franklin noted that many patients are insured, but can’t afford their co-pays or they face a two-month wait for a primary care appointment. “We have never turned anybody away,” she stated.
The human connection is the medicine
The clinic’s success hinges on trust, not just medicine.
Franklin conducts proactive outreach at Bayside’s various housing locations. She helps residents fill out Social Security Disability Insurance disability papers, build resumes on Indeed, and apply for jobs.
“It’s the relationships,” she said about visiting transitional housing communities. “ People now trust me, so they’re coming in and seeking counseling or medical [treatment]. It’s a really feel-good job.”
Mental health is a primary focus. The clinic currently provides counseling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with plans to expand to three days a week. Retired therapist Tom Duke is a beloved figure among patients, and the demand is surging.
Mobility and meals
JC MASH isn't anchored to a single address.
“Our clinic has been all over the place,” laughs Qianna Franklin, Clinic Director. “We were in the front of this building in 2023, then we moved back to Port Townsend, then we moved back out here. We’ve been here [at our current location] for a year and a half.”
Every Tuesday evening, the clinic travels to the emergency homeless shelter under the American Legion in Port Townsend, with Physicians Assistant James Blair and Dr. Sarah Heiner seeing patients on-site. Franklin recently launched a volunteer van service where drivers shuttle residents to food banks, grocery stores, the laundromat and to pick up prescriptions.
She also set up a free food and clothing pantry in the clinic, after realizing many of her patients were often going days without eating.
The future: MASH meets DBH
Perhaps the most significant development on the horizon is a deepening collaboration with a local mental health facility, Discovery Behavioral Health (DBH). Franklin said Bayside is potentially moving part of its operations to DBH’s location in Port Townsend. This would co-locate medical care, like managing diabetes or blood pressure, directly alongside substance use and mental health treatment. This move could substantially fill the cracks between services.
“Let’s not have these cracks,” Franklin said of the collaboration. “Let’s fill them in the best we can.”
How to get help or help out
The JC MASH Clinic operates on a walk-in basis, no appointment required for medical care, though mental health appointment slots fill fast. Medical hours are typically on Monday evenings, with mental health available mid-week. The clinic serves uninsured, underinsured and low-income residents of Jefferson County.
For those inspired to help, the clinic urgently needs more volunteers, particularly for its expanding mental health schedule.
Location: 175 Chimacum Road, Port Hadlock, WA
From Bayside’s website: Mental health services are provided every other Monday by psychologist Diane Johnson. Tuesday 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Appointment Only) and Wednesday 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. by Tom Duke.
Key Services: Primary care, mental health counseling, hospital vouchers (labs, x-rays, mammograms), prescription assistance, and transportation to essential services.
