
Patient Care
HAVEN Free Clinic is a student-run free clinic dedicated to providing compassionate, accessible healthcare to uninsured community members. Because our clinic is student-run, our services are delivered under physician supervision and are intentionally focused on conditions our team is equipped to manage safely and effectively.
Our broader mission goes beyond treating illness. We are here to help every patient navigate the healthcare system and find a path to permanent, sustainable care.
Scope of Care
HAVEN is a student-run clinic that runs one session a week under physician supervision. That shapes what we can safely take on. Here is the short version, and the full list is one page away.
What we provide
- Primary care visits
- Chronic disease management
- Lab testing and vaccines for our own patients
- Breast exams and STI screening
- Contraception and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Gender-affirming hormone therapy
10 more services are on the full list.
What is outside our scope
- Urgent, same-day illness or injury
- Emergency or life-threatening care
- Weekday or after-hours care
- Prenatal care
- Diabetes that is treated with insulin
- Surgery, imaging, oncology, and specialist procedures
This is not the whole list. There are 5 more things we cannot do. Read all 11, each with where to go instead.
When we can't provide something directly, we connect you to someone who can. You never leave HAVEN without a next step.
Departments
Primary Care is where most patients start. We handle everyday health needs, including prevention, early detection, and long-term health management.
The services we offer include, but are not limited to:
- Routine checkups
- Preventive screenings
- Chronic condition management
- Tailored health guidance
We are open one morning a week, so we are not the place for an illness or injury that needs attention today. For that, an urgent care or walk-in clinic will see you sooner and cost far less than an emergency room.
Whether you're coming in for an annual physical, managing an ongoing condition, or addressing a health concern that can wait for your appointment, our primary care team is here to be your first point of contact and trusted health advocate.
Vaccines are one of the safest, most effective ways to prevent serious illness. They help your immune system recognize and fight specific infections before you ever get sick. We offer several routine and preventive vaccines in clinic to help protect your health. Vaccine availability varies. Please ask your provider about what is currently in stock.
You must be an established HAVEN patient to receive a vaccine. Vaccines are offered as part of your ongoing care at the clinic. We are not able to provide standalone or walk-in vaccine-only visits. If you are not yet a patient, see our eligibility information to establish care first.
Vaccines Available at HAVEN
- Shingles / herpes zoster (Shingrix)
- HPV (Gardasil)
- Hepatitis B (Heplisav-B)
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap / Boostrix)
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
- Hepatitis A & B (Twinrix)
COVID-19 & Flu Vaccines
- HAVEN does not carry COVID-19 or flu vaccines. We are not able to give you either one at the clinic. Visit vaccines.gov to find a location near you that offers them.
If you are interested in receiving a vaccine or have questions about which vaccines you may need, please ask your provider.
Our Behavioral Health Department focuses on psycho-education and connects patients with trusted community partners for long-term mental health care.
Learn more on our Behavioral Health pageIf you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Our department is not equipped to handle emergency situations.
We provide routine and problem-focused reproductive and sexual health care for patients of all genders and anatomies. Our goal is to support your health, comfort, and choices in a respectful and inclusive environment.
Routine Care
- Annual well-visits
- Breast exams
- Referrals for mammograms
- Sexual health counseling and testing
Care for Specific Concerns
- Menstrual concerns (irregular, heavy, or painful periods)
- Pelvic, breast, or genital pain
- Vaginal discharge or urinary/genital discomfort
- Menopause counseling and treatment
- Family planning counseling
- Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and counseling
- Support and care related to intimate partner violence (IPV)
Gender-Affirming Care
- Masculinizing or feminizing hormone therapy
- Referrals for gender-affirming surgeries
Contraception & HIV Prevention
- Birth control counseling and prescriptions (pill, injection, IUD, implant)
- HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Pregnancy Testing & Referrals
- Pregnancy testing
- Referral to trusted partner clinics for prenatal care
Important Information
- We welcome patients of all gender identities.
- We do not see patients who are pregnant, but we can help connect you to prenatal care services.
- We do not provide infertility counseling.
- Care is available regardless of immigration or legal status, and services we refer you out for can often be covered by the YNHH Free Care program.
- We work closely with other clinic teams to ensure you receive the right care and referrals when needed.
If you have questions about reproductive or sexual health, need counseling, or want to schedule a visit, please let our clinic staff know. We're here to help.
If your provider orders blood work, we can usually draw it in clinic on the same Saturday. Samples are processed at the Yale New Haven Hospital lab, and your care team goes over the results with you.
For anything we cannot collect on the day, your provider will give you a lab order to take to the hospital's weekday walk-in lab in the same building.
YNHH Walk-In Lab
800 Howard Ave, 2nd Floor
Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
No appointment needed. Just bring your lab order from your provider. This is the hospital's lab, not HAVEN's, and it is open during the week rather than on Saturdays.