Good
Samaritan
Clinic

In the late 1980s, a local group of concerned individuals recognized that the greater Fort Smith community was trying to grow, but had many challenges to overcome. Unemployment rates and local poverty levels were on the rise. In an effort to help those in need, these leaders decided to address the issue of health and wellness, or more specifically, access to affordable and quality medical care for area residents regardless of condition, age or ability to pay.

A free clinic night at St. Paul’s Methodist Church on Grand Avenue was held with volunteer doctors and nurses meeting the medical needs for the underserved in our community. Much to their delight and surprise, 70 people showed up for the opening night and from there, the present-day Good Samaritan Clinic was born. In 2003, under the direction of Dr. Kemal Kutait, a retired family practitioner, and Ramona Roberts, a veteran real estate professional (both from Fort Smith), the group organized to offer a more formal clinic setting in its location at 615 North B Street, in partnership with St. John’s Episcopal Church. After over 20 years in the same location, the clinic relocated to 1400 S. Zero Street (Fort Smith) in the summer of 2024. The Good Samaritan Clinic’s new building was generously gifted by Mercy. The Clinic now has more room to better serve patients, and also has additional space for training medical/nursing students. The Good Samaritan Clinic not only provides medical care to a growing number of people in the community, but also helps train the doctors and nurses of tomorrow.