A new St. Vincent de Paul medical clinic in Mesa is offering free care to uninsured and underinsured patients, giving East Valley residents an option closer to home than the organization’s existing Phoenix clinic. The clinic, at 2352 W. Main St. near North Phyllis Street, opened in October. Office visits and medications are free; services provided by outside organizations may carry a charge. The site is less than a block from a Valley Metro Rail stop. Before the Mesa clinic opened, some East Valley patients had to make long bus trips to St. Vincent de Paul’s clinic on West Watkins Road in Phoenix. The new location is intended to make care more accessible for people who might otherwise delay treatment or turn to hospital emergency departments. More than 759,000 Arizonans are uninsured or underinsured, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. John Anwar, who directs both St. Vincent de Paul clinics, said the Mesa site can provide continuity of care that emergency rooms are not designed to offer. The $6 million facility was funded entirely by an anonymous donation. Physician assistant Brenden Smith is among the clinic’s few full-time employees; most of the staff are volunteers. Medical students from Arizona State University and Creighton University are also expected to train at the clinic. Anwar said the organization hopes to establish a formal arrangement with a nearby medical provider for laboratory services and ultimately see more clinics open around the Valley. The clinic can be reached at 602-261-6825.