Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Joins Friend Health, Ald. Taylor To Celebrate New Community Health Center Opening In Back Of The Yards
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CHICAGO ~ Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with Friend Health CEO Wendy Thompson, Alderwoman Jeannette Taylor, Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright, and members of the Back of the Yards community, gathered today for the grand opening of Friend Health's new community health center at 4700 S. Ashland Ave.

The state-of-the-art facility is a significant expansion for Friend Health, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), and will allow them to meet the growing demand for accessible medical and behavioral healthcare services in the area.

Mayor Johnson expressed his pride in celebrating this expansion of healthcare services on the Southwest Side. He emphasized that quality healthcare is a human right and should not be limited to certain zip codes. The new center is a testament to prioritizing the needs of communities and investing in their well-being. Together, they will continue to work towards a healthier and more equitable future for the entire city.

Alderwoman Taylor also spoke about the importance of community involvement in development projects. She highlighted how Back of the Yards residents have been advocating for quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare options in their neighborhood. The opening of Friend Health's new center is a direct result of their organizing efforts and serves as an example of what can be achieved when communities are listened to before development projects begin.

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This grand opening marks the largest expansion in Friend Health's history in Chicago. The new 15,000-square-foot facility triples the organization's former site in Back of the Yards and offers primary care and whole-person preventive care on the Southwest Side.

Wendy Thompson, CEO of Friend Health, emphasized that every household should have access to quality care. She explained that they designed this center with families in mind so that they can find family care through a trusted primary care provider with maternal and behavioral health support all under one roof. Thompson believes that when care is close to home and coordinated, people can get healthy and stay healthy.

The new facility will provide adult and pediatric primary care, maternal health, mental health services, an on-site pharmacy with discounted prescriptions, and a full-service laboratory. It features 21 exam rooms with dedicated spaces for pediatrics, adult medicine, OB-GYN, and behavioral health.

In addition to healthcare services, Friend Health will also offer community support programming such as insurance enrollment, social services navigation, fresh food giveaways, and workforce development through a community health worker training program.

The center is located within the New City United Yards project, which transformed the landmark Oppenheimer-Goldblatt Bros. Department Store building into a residential and commercial hub in the heart of Back of the Yards. This project includes 55 affordable homes and ground-level community health and retail space. The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) provided $9.2 million in financing and capital support for this project.

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Commissioner Boatright from DPD emphasized the importance of investing in spaces that bring care, dignity, and opportunity under one roof. She stated that projects like United Yards create mixed-use amenities for neighborhood residents and contribute to the future of their communities.

Friend Health currently serves over 40,000 patients annually across the South Side with a network of six neighborhood health centers and six behavioral health clinics. The new Back of the Yards center will complement their mission of providing integrated wraparound care and trauma-informed services to meet patients' needs.

Chief Clinical Operations Officer Tracey Robison highlighted their approach to treating the whole person with dignity and practical support. This includes coordinated medical and behavioral healthcare services, addressing social needs, and having a team that is familiar with the neighborhood. Robison stressed that no one should delay seeking affordable healthcare due to cost, distance or distrust - barriers that Friend Health aims to remove through their services.

The grand opening of Friend Health's new community health center at 4700 S. Ashland Ave is a significant step towards providing accessible and quality healthcare to the Back of the Yards community and beyond. With their expanded services and commitment to meeting patients' needs, Friend Health is making a positive impact on the health and well-being of Chicago residents.

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