Tzu Chi Foundation Australia will build a fully accessible Special Needs Clinic inside its Salisbury Community Centre to close a critical care gap for people with disability in Brisbane. By integrating medical, dental and allied-health services with Tzu Chi’s existing inclusive health hub, the clinic will deliver holistic, trauma-informed care in a familiar, culturally safe ...
Tzu Chi Australia
Special Needs Medical Centre
GOAL
$200,000
Australia > National / Multi-state > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
- Individual/family services and support
Target Population
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
- Asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and people from CALD backgrounds
Tzu Chi Australia
Tzu Chi Foundation Australia is a registered, non-profit, non-sectarian humanitarian organisation that mobilises compassion in action across the country. Guided by its core values of Great Love, Respect, and Gratitude, Tzu Chi addresses urgent community needs through 4 integrated program pillars:
(1) Rural Healthcare – volunteer doctors, dentists, and allied-health professionals operate pop-up clinics and tele-health follow-up, delivering more than 9,000 free consultations and procedures to remote communities since 2002;
(2) Relief & Resilience – rapid-response teams provide emergency cash cards, eco-blankets, and household kits within 72 hours of floods or bushfires, then transition to long-term rebuilding and psychosocial support, benefiting over 5,500 households in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria;
(3) Food & Basic Needs – monthly food-parcel programs supply nutritious staples to 1,200 low-income families, while an inclusive health hub in Brisbane coordinates referrals to partner agencies such as Mater Hospital, Micah Projects, and St Vincent de Paul; and
(4) Youth Development & Community Education – collegiate camps, school outreach, and a youth service-learning pathway cultivate leadership, environmental stewardship, and cross-cultural understanding, engaging more than 800 young Australians each year.
Powered by 16,000 volunteers annually, Tzu Chi Australia leverages a global network spanning 68 countries to develop best practices, yet tailor grassroots community-based solutions in collaboration with local governments, and multicultural partners.
Project Summary
Tzu Chi Foundation Australia will build a fully accessible Special Needs Clinic inside its Salisbury Community Centre to close a critical care gap for people with disability in Brisbane. By integrating medical, dental and allied-health services with Tzu Chi’s existing inclusive health hub, the clinic will deliver holistic, trauma-informed care in a familiar, culturally safe setting.
The project’s keystone purchase is a three-dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography (3D CBCT) unit. This low-dose scanner produces high-resolution images that allow precise diagnosis of impacted teeth, airway problems and jaw pathology, while reducing radiation exposure by up to 85% compared with conventional CT. On-site CBCT eliminates external referrals, enabling same-day treatment planning and shorter, safer procedures guided by digital surgical templates.
Project Outcomes
In its first 12 months the clinic will provide 2,400 special-needs dental appointments, including 300 CBCT scans, along with 1,200 allied-health sessions and 100 multidisciplinary case conferences. Wait times are projected to halve, surgical complication rates to drop by 20 %, and caregiver travel hours to fall by 70 %.
Backed by over 1,000 Brisbane volunteers and a lean administrative principle, Tzu Chi will create a replicable model that advances Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 10 by delivering equitable, dignity-centred healthcare.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $2,000,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| TZU-CHI FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA | $1,500,000 |
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