Pocatello Free Clinic outlines expanded services, asks Bannock County to consider modest funding increase

Sherry Joseph, executive director of the Pocatello Free Clinic, told Bannock County commissioners that the clinic has expanded services and capacity since she became executive director in 2019 and would welcome an increase in county support.

Joseph said she stepped in as a volunteer when the clinic’s finances were poor and later took a part-time executive director role to preserve budget flexibility. She said staffing has grown from three employees in 2019 to 27 (mostly part time), supported by eight AmeriCorps members and more than 60 volunteers.

The clinic has doubled patient visits since 2019, Joseph said, reporting “about 46,700” visits in the most recent year and that a majority of patients come from Bannock County. “The more that we have, the more we can do,” she said, and later added, “I would love to see a…