Educating Students, Serving Communities

Expanding the reach of student-delivered healthcare and cultivating community-driven solutions

One of the remarkable aspects of the approach used by Ball State University’s College of Health (COH) is its students’ active provision of healthcare services. By immersing students in the delivery of healthcare—and blending that with community engagement—the University educates future healthcare professionals and positively impacts the people it serves.

“Through training and educating students, we’re helping people in the community with their healthcare and decreasing healthcare disparities at the same time,” said Dr. Scott Rutledge, dean of the College of Health.

The College of Health’s Interprofessional Community Clinics (ICCs)—the Healthy Lifestyle Center, the Counseling Practicum Clinic, the Audiology Clinic, and the Speech-Language Pathology Clinic—play a pivotal role in the broader effort to address community healthcare needs and educate future healthcare professionals.

“Serving as a student clinician in the Ball State Audiology Clinic made a tremendous impact,” said Rylee Ellett, ’21, a Doctor of Audiology student. “Within the first couple of weeks, I was able to begin applying skills learned in the classroom to patients and gain hands-on experience. Within my first year, I had already worked with cochlear implants, vestibular pathologies, and a variety of appointments. Not only did this deepen my understanding of audiology, it made me a strong clinician. While my growth as a clinician soared, so did my passion and confidence.”

In 2023, the ICCs welcomed nearly 15,000 patient visits and provided a wide range of services to community members of various ages. The ICCs are always actively looking for ways to fill gaps in local healthcare, such as the ICCs’ relatively new falls prevention program, a community walking program, and speech and communication rehabilitative services for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

The Interprofessional Community Clinics is a non-profit organization that provides its services at reasonable rates. While some services are offered at no cost, others are billed through insurance, and those fees for services are used to support and maintain clinic operations. However, patients are not turned away for an inability to pay.

A Catalyst for Access

COH envisions using the Our Call to Beneficence campaign as a catalyst for transformative change. Through the strategic allocation of funds, the college aims to preserve and enhance its facilities, expand the reach of healthcare services in the clinics and beyond campus, and champion financial inclusivity.

The campaign offers a way for the ICCs to help address financial disparities in access to healthcare services. Portions of the funds could be allocated to defray costs for those who may struggle to pay for services, aligning with the University’s commitment to inclusivity. By ensuring financial accessibility, COH strives to make healthcare services available to all, irrespective of economic challenges.

The ICCs seek to facilitate more outreach efforts, allowing them to meet people where they are and remove or reduce barriers that may hinder community members from seeking healthcare on campus. Although ICCs make visiting their clinics effortless by offering easy access and ample parking, its leadership hopes that making their clinical services mobile and participating in local events and health fairs extends the reach of ICCs’ services.

“Much of this planning is already in progress,” said Dr. Blair Mattern, ’06 AUD ’10, associate dean for clinical affairs, “but we hope to raise $5 million to provide more health assessments, screenings, and education in the community, which would allow the ICCs to see an additional 500 patients annually. This funding would also allow us to update essential equipment and deliver top-tier services imperative to student success and quality, ensuring accessible healthcare to the community we serve.”