Am I eligible?

How do I make an appointment/schedule a visit?

• Call the Venice Family Clinic Call Center (appointment phone) at (310) 392-8636.
• You must call to make an appointment/schedule a visit.
• You cannot walk in to make an appointment (except for HIV testing).
• If the appointment is for a Medi-Cal, L.A. Blue Cross, Healthy Families, or L.A. Healthy Kids member, call (310) 664-7700.
• The phone is not answered 24 hours a day so it is very important that you call when people can answer the phone.
• A taped voice (not a real person) will answer the phone.
• Listen carefully to the taped instructions. You will choose what type of appointment (visit) or service you need by pressing a number on your phone. You may have to do this a few times.
• Please do not hang up. You may need to wait several minutes before the phone is answered by a Call Center staff person.

When are the best times to call?

• The best times to call are after 1:00 p.m.
• Try not to call on Monday morning because it is usually very busy.

What questions will the person who answers the phone (Call Center staff) ask me?

• Have you ever visited the Clinic before?
• What is your zip code?
• What is your monthly (before taxes) household income?
• What is your name?

These questions are important because the services at the Venice Family Clinic are only available for low-income people who live in the cities of Santa Monica, Venice, West Los Angeles, Mar Vista, and Culver City. You will be asked to bring to the Clinic something that shows that you live in this area.

When will I get my appointment?

• The person who answers the phone (Call Center staff) will help find an open appointment at the Venice Family Clinic location closest to your house.
• We will find an open appointment within a 2-week period of your phone call.
• Write down the day, location, and time of the visit on a piece of paper or a calendar.

What happens if I cannot make it to my appointment?

• If you cannot make the appointment, please call the Call Center at (310) 392-8636 at least 2 hours in advance to cancel so that someone else can use that space.
• If you are late more than 20 minutes to your scheduled appointment, you will lose your appointment.
• After 2 missed appointments in 1 year, you will get a warning letter. If you then miss another appointment (3 total missed) without canceling at least 2 hours in advance, you will get a letter asking you to go to another clinic for care. We will provide you with a list of other local clinics.

What if I move or change phone number?

• It is very important for the Clinic to have all of your updated information.
• Please call the Call Center at (310) 392-8636 if you move or change your phone number.

How long will my visit to the Venice Family Clinic take?

• Your visit to the Venice Family Clinic can take up to 4 hours.
• It is important that you arrive 15 minutes before your visit to fill out paperwork.

While this may seem like a long time, your visit to the Venice Family Clinic often includes lab tests and a visit to the dispensary (pharmacy, place to get medicine) for prescription medicine. If you were to include these lab tests and a dispensary (pharmacy) visit as separate errands after your visit, you would have to drive all over town, wait in many lines, and it would probably take you longer. You do not need to go to 3 or 4 different places because the Venice Family Clinic has almost everything you and your family need in just one place.