Family Health Centers of Okanogan County (FHC) will hold a grand opening celebration for its new facility at 1003 Koala Drive in Omak on Tuesday (Aug. 12) at 10 a.m.
The event will include a free community health fair beginning at 11 a.m. in conjunction with National Health Center Week.
The celebration will begin with remarks by CEO Mike Hassing and introductions of key staff. Other invitees include Sen. Maria Cantwell, Okanogan County Superior Court Judge Christopher Culp and Omak Mayor Cindy Gagné. After the opening ceremony, there will be a tour of the facility and a reception.
The health fair will offer booths featuring some of FHC’s preventative services such as glucose checks, vision and blood pressure screenings, information on dental, healthy lifestyle, disease prevention, pharmacy services, community outreach, WIC nutrition, and insurance enrollment. The Providence Hospital mammogram van will also be on-site to screen qualified individuals.
Throughout the day, there will be family activities, games, and prize giveaways. Musical entertainment will be provided by Okanogan Sound. Facility tours will continue several times an hour.
The new facility was designed by architectural firm KDF and built by Bouten Construction. With 19,793 square feet, 24 exam rooms, four procedure rooms and a drive through pharmacy, this facility quadruples FHC’s space for medical services and doubled the size of the existing pharmacy, helping the FHC system expand to more than 70,000 patient visits per year.
Work by local artists Ginger Reddington, Cheryl Wrangle, Jenn Tate, Dan Brown and photographer Tom Reichner can be seen in the corridors, waiting areas and exam rooms.
The new facility was financed through the Healthy Futures Fund, a collaboration of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Morgan Stanley and the Kresge Foundation.
As the only Federally Qualified Health Center in Okanogan County, Family Health Centers and its new facility will increase community access to high-quality, affordable health care. It has over eight locations throughout the region, and is soon opening a combined medical and dental clinic in Bridgeport, and has plans for a new dental clinic in Twisp.
FHC is a countywide health system offering primary medical, dental and pharmacy services in north central Washington. It serves more than 30 percent of residents in a county where poverty is nearly double the state rate. The new clinic replaces FHC’s outdated medical clinic and pharmacy in the neighboring town of Okanogan.
