Rep. Schmidt visits SIUE’s WE CARE Clinic in East St. Louis at the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus

Rep. Schmidt visits SIUE's WE CARE Clinic in East St. Louis at the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus

On Jan. 13, Illinois State Rep. Kevin Schmidt, of the 114th district visited Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's WE CARE Clinic on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus (WHYHEC) in East St. Louis to explore its holistic healthcare services, including its community outreach an d training models focused on underserved populations in Madison and St. Clair counties.

Rep. Schmidt toured the clinic's medical, dental, and community resource facilities and met with the faculty and staff involved, including Director Myjal Garner, DNP, APRN, FNP-C. The visit underscored the clinic's growing role as a vital community health resource and its importance to the region's public health infrastructure.

Located on the second floor of Building D at the East St. Louis Campus, the WE CARE Clinic provides primary care, behavioral health support, vaccinations, chronic disease management, and social resource assistance regardless of a patient's ability to pay. The clinic shares the floor with the SIU SDM Dental Clinic.

A focal point of the visit was the clinic's Mobile Health Unit, extending services beyond campus and allowing healthcare teams to reach individuals who may face transportation, financial, or logistical barriers to accessing traditional clinics.

Rep. Schmidt also learned about the clinic's asthma outreach program, funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The program focuses on providing education and resources such as vacuums, air filters, mattress covers, cleaning supplies, and home assessments to help manage asthma more effectively.

"This program goes beyond prescribing medications," Garner noted. "It includes home assessments to identify asthma triggers where people spend most of their time, in their homes, which is essential for managing chronic illness."

Garner added, "In addition to patient care, the WE CARE Clinic serves as a clinical training site for undergraduate and graduate students in nursing, public health, nutrition, pharmacy, and related disciplines."

"This is exactly the kind of community-centered healthcare model we need more of," said Schmidt. "By meeting people where they are and addressing health needs early, clinics like this help reduce emergency room visits, lower long-term healthcare costs, and strengthen entire communities."

Schmidt's staff donated several clothing items for the Community Resource Center.

The visit concluded with a discussion on future collaboration, workforce development, and expanding healthcare access across southern Illinois.

PHOTO: Illinois State Rep. Kevin Schmidt of the 114th district and Director Myjal Garner, DNP, APRN, FNP-C in the WE CARE Clinic lobby; Schmidt and Garner in the Mobile Health Unit; Schmidt and Emma Pieper, SIUE Director for Government and Community Relations outside with the donations