California CareForce takes seriously our responsibility to our volunteers, staff, and patients to put into place safety procedures to our clinic services. These changes may impact an individual’s ability to receive care. While our clinic flow and requirements may look different during this time, we assure you we will continue to provide quality healthcare to as many people as possible, while also practicing new and necessary safety procedures as a result of COVID-19. 

NOTE: If you have symptoms of any respiratory infection (e.g., cough, runny nose, fever), you must not attend a California CareForce clinic, and must take appropriate preventive actions (e.g., wear a facemask while in the presence of others).

COVID-19 safety procedures will include the following: 

All patients will be required to have completed a full COVID-19 vaccination series, with booster, prior to receiving care at at any California CareForce clinic – please bring proof of vaccination (including booster) with you to the clinic.

If a patient has not been vaccinated, the patient must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of clinic service (limited COVID-19 testing will be available at the California CareForce clinic).

All patients will undergo a COVID-19 screening (questionnaire and temperature check) upon entering the clinic. Patients with positive COVID-19 symptoms will not enter the clinic and will be referred within the county for follow-up care. 

All patients are required to wear a California CareForce-specified face covering (N95) at all times except while receiving dental treatment and/or medical examination (California CareForce will provide N95 masks for all patients receiving services).

Only those receiving services will be allowed to enter the clinic. Other family members, or children, not receiving services will not be permitted within the clinic (except for caregivers, or parents and/or legal guardian accompanying a child under 18 years of age).

Other safety procedures like social distancing, distancing between services, and outside patient waiting will also be set in place.

If you have received the COVID-19 vaccine, please bring proof of your vaccination.

If you have not been vaccinated, you must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of clinic service (limited COVID-19 testing will be available at the California CareForce clinic). For a list of testing sites in your area, please search "COVID-19 testing location near you."

Bring a list of the medications you are currently taking. Be sure to take any medication on your normal medication schedule.  Please ensure you bring any blood pressure medication that has been prescribed for you.

Please bring food and beverages. Because of the demand for our services, you will likely be asked to wait several or more hours. Therefore, we recommend you bring breakfast, lunch, snacks, and plenty of water. Once inside, there will be designated waiting areas with seats.

Do not bring food or beverages that will adversely impact your blood sugar level or your blood pressure. High blood sugar or high blood pressure levels may prevent us from providing you with treatment at the clinic. 

Please bring a folding chair for each person in the family to sit on while they are waiting in the parking lot. We also suggest bringing reading materials or other forms of portable entertainment for adults. Toys for small children are highly recommended. 

Also, if you have received the COVID-19 vaccination, with booster, please bring proof of your vaccination.

Anyone who brings alcohol, illegal drugs, or firearms to a clinic will be denied service and asked to leave.

California CareForce is not responsible for lost or stolen items, so please don’t bring anything too valuable!

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, California CareForce has changed some of our previous clinic flow practices to promote patient and volunteer safety.  Wristbands will not be distributed the day before clinic service. 

Clinic services will be on a first come, first serve basis on the day of service as capacity allows. The clinic will open at 7:00 am, March 25-27, 2022.  The fairgrounds parking lot opens at 5:30 am. No one is allowed on to the fairgrounds property until the parking lot opens at 5:30 am. 

There will be two lines outside the main clinic gate: a veteran’s line and a line for everyone else. Then, you will be directed into the clinic (inside the gate) based on the service you wish to receive and available space.  

Once inside the gate, patients will line up based on the service they wish to receive. There will be six lines:  Vision, Medical, Hygiene, Restorative (fillings), Extractions, and Veterans. Patients will enter the clinic area throughout the day from each line every 15 minutes as capacity allows.

NOTE: Most of the patient waiting will be outside of the clinic area. 

Only those receiving services will be allowed to enter the clinic area. Other family members, or children, not receiving services will not be permitted within the clinic area (except for caregivers, or parents and/or legal guardian accompanying a child under 18 years of age). 

Veterans who have their DD-214, VA card or military ID or California driver’s license/ID cards that have the military designation, there will be a separate line for veterans only. You will be given priority to the entrance of the clinic. Please arrive by 11:00 am to be admitted to the clinic that day.

Yes. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the process of them receiving services.

Our policy is to provide only one dental or vision service per patient per day to meet as much demand for them as possible. Most patients can receive a medical and dental service or medical and vision service in the same day. You are more than welcome to return the following day after you have received care the first day you visit the clinic to receive a second service. 

Yes. Please look for the “Veterans Line Starts Here” sign when you arrive on the day you wish to receive services. Veterans receive priority entrance into the clinic. Veterans do not get to cut to the front of the line. Services begin at 7:00 AM on each clinic day. You must arrive by 11:00 am to receive service. Indicate that you are a veteran and bring a copy of your DD-214 or military, reserve or VA ID card or California driver’s license/ID card that has the military designation. Service is not limited to those with an honorable discharge status.

Active members and veterans of the U.S Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserve, and their families will receive this service.

Veterans Resources:

The below link is a community effort that summarizes the care available to veterans and how to navigate the VA, federal programs, and private insurance. It also provides information for special cases, such as disabled veterans, those without insurance and other support organizations.

https://www.byteme.com/community/resources/article/veterans-dental-resources/ 

No. California CareForce does not have any restrictions on our services based on insurance, income, employment, age, residency, or immigration status.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional safety procedures have been put into place. Therefore, if you have symptoms of any respiratory infection (e.g., cough, runny nose, fever), you must not attend a California CareForce clinic, and must take appropriate preventive actions (e.g., wear a facemask while in the presence of others).

All patients will be required to have completed a full COVID-19 vaccination series prior to receiving care at the 2022 Coachella Clinic – please bring proof of vaccination with you to the clinic.

If a patient has not been vaccinated, the patient must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of clinic service (limited COVID-19 testing will be available at the California CareForce clinic).

All patients will undergo a COVID-19 screening (questionnaire and temperature check) upon entering the clinic. Patients with positive COVID-19 symptoms will not enter the clinic and will be referred within the county for follow-up care. 

All patients are required to wear a California CareForce-specified face covering (N95) at all times except while receiving dental treatment and/or medical examination (California CareForce will provide N95 masks for all patients receiving services).

Only those receiving services will be allowed to enter the clinic. Other family members, or children, not receiving services will not be permitted within the clinic (except for caregivers, or parents and/or legal guardian accompanying a child under 18 years of age).

Other safety procedures like social distancing, distancing between services, and outside patient waiting will also be set in place.

No. We will not check your insurance and having insurance does not make you ineligible to receive our services.

No. We do not require photo ID.

You will be provided a wristband to be identified as a patient that is returning for care based on the doctor or dentist’s instructions.  You will be given instructions when you receive the returning wristband which line to stand in when you return the next day for services.

Dental screenings, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, and extractions. Some clinics offer stay plates and crowns. Due to the short timeframe and high demand, dental patients are limited to one dental service (cleaning, filling/s, OR extraction/s). Our providers will assess your needs and come up with the best treatment plan. 

Deep cleanings, root canals, crowns, bridges, and dentures.

If you are currently prescribed a blood thinner and believe you may need an extraction, contact your physician prior to the clinic for instructions on how to manage, if necessary, your blood thinner. If you are regularly tested, please bring your most recent INR test result.

Complete dilated eye exams, glaucoma testing, diabetic retinopathy screening and free prescription eyeglasses made on-site*

*The complexity of your prescription may prevent us from making you a pair of prescription eyeglasses on-site. We do have an arrangement with a glasses fabricator to manufacture glasses for such prescriptions off-site though. This will require your glasses being mailed to you following the clinic.

Bring your current vision prescription (within one year) to avoid the wait for an eye exam at California CareForce clinics. Please be aware that we may not be able to make glasses for everybody each day due to the high volume of patients. If eyeglasses are the ONLY service you intend to receive on a given day, please inform the California CareForce line volunteer that you only need eyeglasses made. Please arrive early in the day, so our Vision Lab can start making your eyeglasses first thing in the morning. Eyeglasses take at least one hour to complete and finish.

Physical screenings, general exams, and chiropractic care.

COVID-19 vaccinations offered at the California CareForce Free Healthcare Clinic – provided by the Riverside County Public Health Department and Coachella Valley Pharmacy

COVID-19 Vaccines available for 5 – 11-year-olds, plus individuals 12 years old and above.

Booster vaccinations available

Vaccinations will be offered Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 9 am to 12 pm (noon)

While appointments are not required, those seeking vaccinations are encouraged to make an appointment through the county’s website (www.rivcoph.org/covid-19-vaccine)