Image by Jess Bailey
WHAT: Affinia Healthcare will celebrate the addition of its new $7.5 million location in Ferguson, MO with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new facility, built adjacent to the Emerson YMCA, will provide medical, behavioral, and dental care to residents, and is the home of Affinia Healthcare’s new Midwifery program. The new health center is approximately 15,000 square feet in size, and includes 23 medical exam rooms, four dental operatories, two behavioral health exam rooms and two Medication-Assisted Treatment (substance use disorder) exam rooms.
WHEN: Thursday, November 2, 2023
10:30 am: Ribbon Cutting
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Tours of new health center
1-3 pm: Open House (health screenings, scheduling appointments, giveaways)
WHERE: 3396 Pershall Rd., Ferguson, MO 63135 – Adjacent to the Emerson YMCA
Expected elected officials include:
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush
Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones
Dr. Sam Page, County Executive – St. Louis County
Other speakers will include Dr. Kendra Holmes, President & CEO at Affinia Healthcare, and Tim Helm, President & CEO at the Gateway Region YMCA
WHY: To celebrate the collaboration of Affinia Healthcare and the Y, and the positive impact this new health center will have on the well-being and mental, physical and oral health of the North St. Louis County community.
Additional story angles:
Two North County natives, now physicians, return to serve Ferguson community – Drs Kristia Abernathy and Iesha Draper both grew up in North County and went on the earn their medical degrees and have returned to serve in nationally accredited community health center.
New health center led by African-American medical professionals – The new Affinia Healthcare center in Ferguson is led by four African-American female medical professionals: family medicine physician and pediatrician, assistant vice president for operations, and family nurse practitioner.
Midwifery Offered at New Ferguson Health Center – DYK – Black women, regardless of socioeconomic or level of education, are three times more likely to die from post-partum complications? To help close this gap and in response to the lack of women’s wellness/OB-GYN services in the North County area, Affinia Healthcare has added midwifery to its offering at the new Ferguson location. They have hired two certified nurse-midwives, who will operate out of the Ferguson location, with an additional one to join later this year. One of the midwives is originally from North County as well.
###
About Affinia Healthcare
Affinia Healthcare is a dynamic and transformative health system, providing affordable primary and preventive health care located in St. Louis, Missouri. Affinia Healthcare is a community health center, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is accredited through The Joint Commission and NCQA organizations. Affinia Healthcare serves over 43,700 people per year at its 11 health centers located in St. Louis City and County. Many of the health center’s patients have incomes under 100 percent of the federal poverty level. Approximately 70 percent of patients served are Black or African American, 11 percent are Hispanic/Latine, and over 4,000 are un-housed. For more information, visit www.affiniahealthcare.org or call 314.814.8700.
About the Gateway Region YMCA
The Gateway Region Y is a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Featuring 24 traditional Y branches in Missouri and Illinois, along with the Campus Y student leadership facility at Washington University, the Y also includes YMCA Camp Lakewood and Trout Lodge in Potosi, Missouri. The Carondelet Park Rec Complex and O’Fallon Park Rec Complex are owned by the City of St. Louis and operated by the Y. Additionally, the RiverChase YMCA is owned by the City of Fenton and operated by the Y. The Y is committed to serving people of all abilities. For those who qualify, the Y offers financial assistance so everyone has the opportunity to participate in its programs, regardless of ability to pay. The Y is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.gwrymca.org or call 314-436-1177.
Â