Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton
Alex Central Health Center, 5 S. Alexandersville Rd., Miamisburg 937-247-0304. Grand Opening: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 5 to 7 p.m.
Southview Health Center, 25 Thorpe Ave., Dayton, 937-258-6330. Grand Opening: Today, Oct. 3, 5 to 7 p.m.
Dr. Charles R. Drew Health Center, 1323 West Third Street, Dayton, 937-461-4336
Corwin Nixon Health Center, 2351 Stanley Avenue, Dayton, 937-228-0990
East Dayton Health Center, 2132 East Third Street, Dayton, 937-528-6850
Victor Cassano Health Center, 165 South Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, 937-558-0180
The Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton network has opened two new clinics in the greater Dayton area, expanding its services from four locations to six.
The public is invited to grand opening celebrations from 5 to 7 p.m. for the Southview Health Center today at 25 Thorpe Dr. in Dayton and on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the Alex Central Center, 5 S. Alex Road in Miamisburg.
“The main purpose of the grand opening celebrations is to inform those in our community who are not receiving adequate health care that Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton has a health center near you, regardless of where you live in the Dayton area,” Gregory Hopkins, executive director of the network said. “We hope the community will respond by coming out to see what we have to offer.”
Community Health Centers currently serves more than 11,000 residents of Dayton and Montgomery County. The network accepts most commercial health insurances, Medicaid and Medicare. For individuals without insurance, fees are set on a sliding scale based on family size and income.
“We know people put off receiving health care when they don’t have insurance. We’re hoping people will seek out a medical home like ours instead of using an emergency room,” Hopkins said.
Initially, the new clinics will only offer pediatric services. Hopkins said he is searching for additional doctors specializing in family practice or internal medicine. Once they are hired, the clinics will expand services to all age groups.
“The challenge is to find doctors willing to work with the undeserved population,” Hopkins said. “It’s not for everybody, but it is rewarding.”
The Alex Central Center, located in the former Kings Furniture building, includes 10 exam rooms in 6,700 square feet of newly remodeled space. The Southview Center, which has nine exam rooms, is a former public health clinic.
The network of community health centers was founded in 2007 through a collaboration of local hospital systems and Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery County. Over 51 percent of the health center’s board of directors is comprised of patients who receive care at one of the health centers.
“The residents of Dayton and Montgomery County should be proud of Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton’s commitment to providing quality, affordable care to our medically undeserved neighbors, regardless of their ability to pay,” Jim Gross, president and secretary of the CHCGD board and the Montgomery County health commissioner said. “Our consumer board members keep us focused on what’s important to families and their communities.”
Public Health has experienced a reduction of about $2.6 million a year in Montgomery County Human Services Levy funding since 2010. The department closed clinics serving women and children in 2011 due to budget cuts, then shifted patients to the Community Health Centers network, but not all of them have made the transition.
“Our challenge, as always, we don’t have big money to advertise,” Hopkins said. “Patients are making the transition, but it’s been slow.”
The health centers network did experience an increase in patient visits this year going from 24,850 between Jan. 1 - Aug. 31, 2012, to 30,572 for the same time period in 2013.
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