Family Health opens new office on Dauphin Island Parkway in Mobile

A variety of community leaders took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony for Family Health's newest clinic opening. From left to right, B.C. Rain principal Marlon Firle; Shayla Beaco, city of Mobile Mayor’s Office; Pillans Middle School Principal Edward Henderson, B.C. Rain administrative intern David Weems; Mobile County Public School Superintendent Martha L. Peek; Family Health Governing Council vice president Mervin Thomas; Family Health’s Dr. Mark Donahue and Family Health’s Dr. Linda Davenport.

 

MOBILE, Ala. -- Family Health, a division of the Mobile County Health Department formerly known as Primary Care, officially opened its newest health center today at 2601 Dauphin Island Parkway (DIP).  MCHD Health Officer Dr. Bernard Eichold II, Family Health CEO Susan Stiegler and other community leaders spoke at the ceremony.

"It starts with an idea and a need in the community," Stiegler said of how opening a new health center begins. "Our grants allow us to provide services on a sliding fee scale so we can open clinics with deidicated staff members who will provide care."

 

 The Mobile County Health Department and Family Health strategically locate health clinics in areas where access to quality primary care is most limited. In late 2012, the organization won a competitive national grant for $500,000 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to pay for the renovation of the newest health center location on DIP. A local architect and contractors were used to complete the renovation.

 

In 2013, the Health Department and Family Health applied for and won a second competitive national ongoing grant for $650,000 from HRSA to pay for the annual operation of the Dauphin Island Parkway Health Center. This ongoing grant ensures the health center will be able to serve the public for years to come, health officials said.

The Dauphin Island Parkway Health Center will be open on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering pediatric and adult health care services and family planning. A behavioral health coach also will be available to see patients. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program will offer scheduled appointments as well. An outreach and enrollment specialist is on staff to assist with enrolling in health insurance through the federal marketplace. To make an appointment, call 251-690-8889.

 

The 4,300-square-foot facility features state-of-the-art exam rooms, new equipment and experienced health care providers. Fees are based on a sliding scale chart and no one is turned away because of an inability to pay.

 

About Family Health: In 1979, the Mobile County Health Department launched its primary care division  as a way to provide quality health care in areas where the needs are the greatest in Mobile County. Thirty-five years later, a new name and logo have been launched to reflect Family Care’s continuous commitment to providing healthcare for all generations. In 2013, more than 40,000 patients visited Family Health’s nine primary care sites. The DIP clinic is the tenth site for Family Care in the Mobile area.

About MCHD: Since 1816, the Mobile County Health Department and its staff have worked to promote and protect the health of those who live and work in Mobile County.  For more than a decade, MCHD has been continuously accredited by the Joint Commission and was the first public health agency in Alabama with this designation.