After nearly two decades as a medical lifeline for uninsured and low-income neighbors, Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic in Fayetteville is heading into its final chapter. The volunteer-run clinic says it will close on May 14, 2026, shrinking the already thin safety net for people who depended on its free primary care, dental work, and specialty referrals. Clinic leaders say mounting financial strain and fatigue among long-time volunteers finally caught up with the operation.
The clinic's website lists May 14, 2026 as the official closure date and notes that it has partnered with Peachtree City's Healing Bridge Clinic to accept referrals, with staff helping coordinate patient transitions. According to Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic, patients can call 770-719-4620 to request medical records, while the Healing Bridge site explains scheduling and eligibility rules for new appointments. The announcement urges patients to contact the receiving clinic as soon as possible so care can be lined up without a break in treatment.
Staff packing up and patients referred out
As the countdown winds down, staff have already stopped seeing patients and are boxing up equipment and closing records, clinic leaders told CBS News Atlanta. Executive Director Geneva Weaver said fundraising became harder to sustain and the long-serving board grew tired. "Money became more and more difficult to obtain," she told the outlet. The clinic treated more than 1,000 patients last year, many of whom had to document low income and a lack of health insurance to qualify.
A farther trip for many
Patients are being pointed toward the Healing Bridge Clinic in Peachtree City, which for many Fayetteville residents is a roughly 20 to 30 minute drive, but providers caution that is not a simple one-for-one swap. "For patients without reliable transportation or the means to pay even a modest co-pay, that 'alternative' may not be accessible at all," clinic staff told CBS News Atlanta. The Healing Bridge Clinic's website outlines the free primary and specialty services it offers to eligible patients and how to request appointments.
The bigger picture
Local closures like this mirror a wider coverage problem in Georgia. State data show about 1.22 million residents were uninsured in 2023, leaving many people reliant on charity clinics and other safety-net programs. The Kaiser Family Foundation has also flagged a sizable coverage gap, with hundreds of thousands of adults stuck between Medicaid eligibility and Marketplace subsidies, which makes volunteer clinics a crucial backstop for basic care. Public-health and hospital partners warn that the loss of small free clinics deepens pockets of limited access across south metro Atlanta.
Anyone who needs care is being urged to call the Healing Bridge Clinic at 770-681-0157 to ask about appointments, or call Fayette C.A.R.E. at 770-719-4620 to request records transfers, according to the clinic's website. Staff and partner organizations say they will try to help patients navigate the handoff, but caution that a single referral cannot substitute for broader coverage solutions for uninsured residents. Community groups and health systems that worked with the clinic say they will be watching how former patients are reconnected with care in the weeks ahead.
