For individuals living without health insurance, managing chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure can mean the difference between stable health and a medical crisis.
At Shepherd’s Hope Health Centers, Inc., a volunteer-driven free clinic in Little Rock, addressing these gaps is a daily mission – one that Clinton School of Public Service graduate student Myletta Moore-Dawson has now equipped with a comprehensive framework for long-term success and impact measurement.
Partnering with Shepherd’s Hope for her Capstone project, “Capacity Building in a Volunteer-Driven Free Clinic: An Evaluation Framework for Shepherd’s Hope Health Centers, Inc.,” Moore-Dawson designed an expansive toolkit evaluating the clinical, socioeconomic, and financial outcomes of the clinic’s services. Originally from Knoxville, Tenn., and currently residing in West Memphis, Arkansas, Moore-Dawson chose the nonprofit out of a deep belief that healthcare should be accessible to all.
“I appreciated that they serve the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in the community who lack insurance and need healthcare,” Moore-Dawson said. “This is without penalizing them and issuing a bill for services that everyone has a human right to.”
Data Tools to Measure Community Value
Shepherd’s Hope relies on a dedicated network of volunteers to provide essential medical, dental, pharmacy, and OBGYN care. To help clinic leadership systematically track patient progress, Moore-Dawson reviewed clinic data, mapped out operational processes, and delivered a suite of evaluative tools. Her deliverables included a foundational evaluation plan, a program logic model, data collection and tracking tools for specialty referrals, and a specialized cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis framework.
These materials give the lean, volunteer-based clinic the ability to demonstrate its precise medical value to external stakeholders, enhancing future fundraising and grant compliance.
“Myletta was very good to work with,” said Kathy Ransom, Executive Director of Shepherd’s Hope Health Centers. “She evaluated the medical values of services provided to our patients. This will help us better serve our patients and enhance efforts to obtain funding.”
Dr. Laura Hutchins, Chair of the Board of Directors and a volunteer provider at the clinic since 2016, noted the immediate confidence the research brings to the organization.
“She has been wonderful to work with and had good insight,” Hutchins said. “She did an excellent job assessing the medical value of the clinic.”
Driving Public Service from a High-Level Vantage Point
Completing the intensive, nine-month evaluation sharpened Moore-Dawson’s skills in program evaluation, data analysis, and strategic planning. These are competencies she already applies in her daily career as the Continuum of Care Director for The Community Alliance for the Homeless in Memphis, Tenn.
By bridging rigorous data analysis with compassionate, community-based care, Moore-Dawson’s Capstone leaves Shepherd’s Hope with a practical operational roadmap, ensuring the clinic can continue to provide high-quality chronic disease management and preventive care to those who need it most.