Big Ivy Health

05/25/2026

Big Ivy Health Free Clinic will be closed for Memorial Day. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday as we honor those who have served our country.

Today, we are especially honoring Big Ivy Health’s medical director, Dr. Ann Smith, whose service to our nation and dedication to our community continue to inspire us all.

We are also sending our love and support to Ann and her family as we remember the life of her husband, Michael Smith, who passed peacefully at home last Saturday with Ann and their son Sean by his side.

Please keep Ann, Sean, and their family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time 💞

05/18/2026

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is today, 3p to 6p, in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville. Our RN today is Katrina Tobin, our providers are Dr. Sonal Smith and Amanda Weaver, NP. Dr. Ann will be back at the clinic in a few weeks.

🔍 It's tick season and we're bumping our friend Danu's excellent post about ticks. We are expecting a rough year for tick borne illnesses, please be diligent in checking for ticks on yourself, your family and your pets.

If you have a tick bite, and you are unsure, come see us!

05/11/2026

Hi friends!

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today, 3p to 6p. Located in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd. All are welcome!

🩹Got a wound that looks infected? Poison Ivy that keeps spreading? A bite from some kind of critter? Come on by, we can help with wound care, prescriptions, and send you home with some supplies. We got you!

🫐 We still have a few bottles of Elderberry tincture to give away! Come on by if you need some!

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a, widely used medicinal plant packed with antioxidants and vitamins that help boost the immune system, particularly for preventing and easing cold and flu symptoms. It is commonly used in syrups, teas, and capsules to reduce inflammation, lower stress, protect heart health, and potentially shorten respiratory illness duration.

05/04/2026

Free Clinic Today! New Hours! 3p-6p

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today with new hours! 3pm to 6pm. In the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville. All are welcome!

🌸 Wow, the pollen is next-level this year! Trying to figure out how to manage your severe allergies? Come on into clinic! We can answer questions, help rule out other issues, and prescribe medication if needed

🐍 Venemous snake bite? Copperheads and Timber Rattlesnakes are out and about this time of year.

A few things NOT to do if you've been bit by a venemous snake:
*Don't tourniquet the affected limb
*Don't try to suck, suction, or cut the venom out (does not work, adds bacteria and further damage to the site)
*Don't take aspirin or ibuprofen for pain. Those medications thin the blood. Copperhead and Rattlesnake venom also thin the blood, which can lead to more internal bleeding.
*Don't try to capture a live, venomous snake and bring it to us or to any clinic or ER. Don't bring in the dead snake either. A dead snake head still has venom and the mouth still has a bite reflex. If you can safely take a picture of the snake, bring that, otherwise just try your best to remember what it looked like.

What to do in the event of a venemous snake bite:
*Do keep the affected limb below the level of the heart if possible
*Do call 911 for any child or frail elder with a suspected venomous snake bite
*Do seek prompt medical help for copperhead bites in adults. While they do sometimes give a dry bite, a full venom bite can cause the affected limb to swell and lead to severe tissue damage. Particularly if you note any swelling, bruising, redness, or increasing pain around the bite, seek medical help immediately.
*Do go to the ER immediately or call 911 if you think you were bit by a rattlesnake. Rattler venom is systemic (travels to the entire body), a full-venom rattlesnake bite is rarely survivable without antivenom.

Watch for snakes when working outside, and wear boots if you'll be mulching, bushwacking, or hiking anywhere a snake might be hiding. And remember, snakes are our friends and help control rodents! Keep the black snakes close, avoid the venomous snakes, and get outside!

Timber rattlesnake photo: Robert Wallace

04/27/2026

Hi friends🐝!

➡️ Big Ivy Health free clinic is open today, 4:30p to 7:30p! We're in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville. All are welcome!

🌻Need primary care or specialty care and don't have insurance? Come on in for a referral to Project Access, a WNC project that connects uninsured adults with providers who offer free care.

🍵We still have some elderberry tincture donated by our kind friends at the Free Herbal Clinic! Come on by and pick up a bottle!

🦋 Big Ivy Health wishes you a safe and healthy week!

04/13/2026

Hey friends! 🌻🐝

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today, 4:30p to 7:30p, in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville. All are welcome!

💜 Mental Health Resources: We're living through some very hard times! And we're not made of stone, there is absolutely no shame in having some struggles with mental health. Come by Big Ivy Health if you need to check in with someone today. And here are some free/reduced mental health resources for both crisis and ongoing mental health support:

https://allsoulscounseling.org/

https://rhahealthservices.org/services/behavioral-health-services/behavioral-health-north-carolina/comprehensive-care-centers-in-nc/

https://mahec.net/psychiatry

Additionally, RHA offers a free mobile crisis mental health team that will come to anyone in Buncombe County with a mental health crisis, at any time of day, wherever you are, at no cost to you. They will come to your home or literally sit with you on a curb or come to you under a bridge if needed. They will help you navigate your mental health crisis and will connect you to ongoing services.

https://rhahealthservices.org/services/crisis-services-nc/mobile-crisis-services/

Or call them directly at:

Mobile crisis response
888-573-1006

🦋 Please take care of yourselves and each other! And come on over to the clinic for help with any illnesses or injuries, we got you!

RHA's mobile crisis response team serves individuals in NC experiencing urgent issues with mental health, disabilities, or substance abuse

04/06/2026

Hello friends ☀️

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today, 4:30p to 7:30p, in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville. All are welcome, no payment or insurance required or accepted, no proof of income needed. Just neighbors helping out neighbors 🧡

🦝🌱🕷🐝🕸 Bite and rash season has begun! We've been seeing the usual uptick in animal bites, insect stings, poison ivy, tick bites, etc at the clinic. Take care out there, wash all stings and bites thoroughly, and come on in if you need medical assistance, particularly for those tick bites.

🌻Our friends at the free herb clinic will be back this Saturday, April 11th, 12p to 4p, at Morgan Hill Baptist Church, 594 Barnardsville Highway!! Many of you have asked about this clinic, head on over for free consultations and custom herbal formulas with their highly-trained clinical herbalists!

03/09/2026

Hi friends, happy springtime! 🪻🌱🐝🦋

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today, 4:30p to 7:30p, in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd. All are welcome!

🌱 Times are intense and difficult, folks! Caring for our mental health is a critical part of a healthy lifestyle. All Souls Counseling in Asheville provides free and sliding scale counseling. They offer sessions via telehealth for those who may not be able to easily get to town. Click on the link below for more info, or stop by Big Ivy Health free clinic for mental health screenings and referrals.

Community Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you are not alone. Support is available. Explore local and national resources to find the help you need. Please click here to view the full list of resources. To schedule an appointment for therapy with All...

03/02/2026

Hi friends!

➡️ Big Ivy Health Free Clinic is open today, 4:30p to 7:30p, in the RV behind the Fire Dept, 100 Dillingham Rd. All are welcome, no insurance or payment required or accepted!

✅️ Answers to recent questions about clinic services:

Yes we can write prescriptions for most medications! We cannot write prescriptions for controlled substances, and if you are presenting with a new concern, we might refer you for primary or specialty care, and further testing, before writing a prescription. If you don't have prescription insurance, we can refer you to Med Assist for free medications.

We only provide point-of-care lab work (strep, covid, flu, blood sugar, UTI, and pregnancy tests). We can write an order for your routine lab work and send it to Labcorp, but you will have to pay out-of-pocket.
If you have lost insurance, we can send a referral to Project Access, a local org that connects uninsured individuals with providers who provide free care, including primary care providers.

🧡 We're reaching the tail end of a hard winter for communicable diseases, and Barnardsville has done an amazing job preventing disease spread in our community! We're demonstrating how community care works!! Big Ivy Health appreciates each and every one of you, and we wish you continued good health as we head into spring.

02/23/2026

❄️ Hi friends! The clinic is canceled today due to the weather. Stay warm, everyone and we'll see you next week!