EASTON, PA — Valley Health Partners (VHP) is thrilled to announce a significant expansion that will bring accessible and affordable healthcare to the heart of Easton’s South Side. The Community Health Center will soon step in to bridge the South Side’s healthcare services gap by offering a broad array of services, along with a walk-in retail pharmacy, in a new facility located at 440 West Lincoln Street, Easton, PA 18042.

The South Side neighborhood has long been considered a medically underserved area, making it a perfect fit for Valley Health Partners’ Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC-LA) model, designed to provide essential care to vulnerable members of the community. The neighborhood is also classified as a “food desert,” where affordable, healthy food options are scarce within walking distance.

Valley Health Partners’ South Side expansion plan encompasses a wide range of services, including extensions to their existing primary care, dental, vision, and pediatrics practices based in Allentown. VHP Family Health Center, VHP Children’s Clinic, VHP Community Vision Center, VHP Community Smiles, all with integrated behavioral health and social services, along with an entity-owned pharmacy will all open at the new site. VHP Centro de Salud, the health center’s internal medicine practice dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of the Hispanic community will also expand to the South Side. “Valley Health Partners at West Lincoln Street” demonstrates the health center’s commitment to extending their mission to the Easton community.

In just three years since embarking on their community health center journey, Valley Health Partners has achieved remarkable progress by expanding various areas of the health center. The demand for services in the community continues to grow, and “VHP at West Lincoln Street” will help meet that demand more effectively.

With redevelopment assistance capital funding support from the Governor’s Budget Office of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a public-private partnership between the City of Easton and Stewart Silk Mill Redevelopment Partners, L.P. (“SSMRP”), soon will complete Phase II of the Mill at Easton redevelopment project, which includes the health center’s new facilities, along with a recently opened Dollar General “DG Marketplace” store offering a full line of groceries, aimed at addressing the food scarcity issue. Valley Health Partners’ satellite location will sit adjacent to the grocer.

While specific timelines are still being finalized, a soft opening for “VHP at West Lincoln Street” is targeted for fall of 2024.

About Valley Health Partners:

Valley Health Partners Community Health Center’s (VHP) mission is partnering with the people of our community to achieve health and wellness through the delivery of extraordinary care that is compassionate, accessible, and affordable in a family-centered and culturally sensitive environment. VHP offers comprehensive primary care, including OBGYN, pediatrics, dental, vision, street medicine, veteran health support, and many other wrap-around services. Created from well-established community-based practices previously under Lehigh Valley Health Network, and now operating as an independent Community Health Center, VHP is community-driven, and is nationally recognized for health center quality. Community Health Centers (FQHCs) have existed for over 50 years and were created to remove barriers to care and offer high quality preventative healthcare services to vulnerable rural and urban communities regardless of the ability to pay. Health Centers across the country proudly continue that work today. VHP is proud to be part of this movement, empowering our community to reach their health and wellness goals. To learn more about Valley Health Partners, visit valleyhealthpartners.org

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Nate Boateng, MS
Director, Community Engagement & Marketing
Valley Health Partners Community Health Center
https://valleyhealthpartners.org