$1 Million Investment for Expanded Hours at Jordan Valley Community Health Center

Jordan Valley Community Health Center sees patients regardless of their ability to pay; expanded hours will provide new availability for patients who lack sick leave or struggle with  transportation, childcare, and other issues during typical business hours.

Today, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced a $1 million investment (over the course of two years) in Jordan Valley Community Health Center, a HRSA-funded community health center that serves 67,000 people annually, to expand their hours of operation to improve access to health care services. 

Which locations have expanded hours? What are the hours? Jordan Valley Community Health Center will leverage HRSA funding to significantly enhance accessibility to critical healthcare services for its community. This funding will allow for expanded hours of operation for both the Pediatric Express Care clinic and the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) walk-in clinic. 

The expanded care hours are as follows:
• Pediatric Express Care - Medical
o 1720 W Grand St, Springfield, MO 65802
o Monday through Friday | 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM

• Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Behavioral Health, and Medication Management 
o 618 N Benton, Springfield, MO 65806
o Monday through Friday | 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM 

This expansion will ensure that vital medical attention is readily available during expanded evening hours, addressing the urgent needs of children experiencing acute illnesses and individuals struggling with SUD. By increasing availability and reducing barriers to care, Jordan Valley aims to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations and strengthen the overall health of the community.

Who is this for?
Since health centers see patients regardless of their ability to pay, this expansion of operating hours will be particularly critical for people who are uninsured, underinsured, or have Medicaid coverage and struggle to find affordable care outside of traditional business hours and cannot afford expensive visits to urgent care, retail clinics or emergency 
departments. This funding will also help health center patients with common challenges in accessing health care – for example, taking a child to the doctor after work or getting a timely appointment when you are not feeling well on the weekend – and help connect patients to preventive services and resources for health-related social needs to improve healthoutcomes. 
Many patients currently forgo care altogether in these circumstances, putting their health at greater risk and leading to more expensive visits to emergency departments when conditions get more serious.
 

Why expand hours?
Jordan Valley Community Health Center "We believe that everyone deserves convenient access to healthcare, and we're committed to breaking down barriers and improving the health and well-being of our community. Life demands can make it difficult to see a doctor during traditional daytime hours. That's why we're thrilled to expand our services, thanks to the support of HHS and HRSA. By offering extended hours, we're making quality care more accessible to everyone in our community.

This means parents can bring their children in after school, working adults can schedule appointments before or after their shifts, and individuals facing transportation challenges have more flexibility to receive the care they need. These expanded hours will give people another option than the emergency room for after-hours care. " stated Dr. Matthew Stinson, CEO of Jordan Valley Community Health Center.
HHS. “No one should have to delay or skip a trip to the doctor because of work or school. The millions of Americans who can’t miss their daytime work shift, whose kids are in school, who have limited childcare, or who face transportation challenges deserve the same access to quality care,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These investments will help to extend operating hours, especially for patients in rural or underserved communities 
nationwide. I'm proud to be part of an Administration that leaves nobody behind.” 

HHS
“No one should have to delay or skip a trip to the doctor because of work or school. The millions of Americans who can’t miss their daytime work shift, whose kids are in school, who have limited childcare, or who face transportation challenges deserve the same access to quality care,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These investments will help to extend operating hours, especially for patients in rural or underserved communities nationwide. I'm proud to be part of an Administration that leaves nobody behind.”

HRSA
HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson shared, “Having the option to get to the doctor before or after work or on the weekend not only helps families get the care they need, but it also helps relieve some of the stress and burden on families trying to arrange care. HRSA’s investment is expanding access to care in a way that recognizes the day-to-day realities of working families across the country.” HRSA-supported health centers provide access to primary care services—regardless of an individual’s ability to pay—for over 31 million patients at more than 15,000 service sites in high need communities. More than 90 percent of health center patients have incomes below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. 

For a list of all of today’s awardees, visit: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/funding/fundingopportunities/expanded-hours/fy-25-awards
To find a health center, visit: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov