A full-service health center is coming to Ferguson in November thanks to Centene Corporation, its Missouri subsidiary Home State Health, Schnuck Markets, which will host the clinic, and Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, which will operate it.
Schnuck Markets is donating the space in its Ferguson store, 49 N. Florissant Rd., for the primary care and urgent care center for adults and children over the age of three. Centene will support the health center’s operations, while clinical staff from People’s will provide medical services. Once the facility is fully operational, it will be able to provide services to over 8,000 people annually.
Services offered at the clinic will include immunization services, laboratories, dental services through a mobile unit, and referral to other needed services, including primary care, X-Ray and screening mammography, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) services, women’s health (OB-GYN) and social services.
Centene, a Fortune 500 company healthcare service firm based in Clayton, reported its initial investment as more than $1.3 million.
“We are proud of the relationship we have with Schnucks and People’s Health on this project. I want to compliment Schnucks for their willingness to work on this important project in such an expeditious manner. Equally important is the partnership and longstanding relationship we have with People’s Health,” said Michael F. Neidorff, chairman, president and CEO of Centene, said in a statement. “All three of us are committed to serving the population of Ferguson and continuing with the incredible revitalization of the area.”
Todd Schnuck, chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets, thanked Centene “for their commitment to the residents of the North St. Louis County area.”
Dwayne Butler, CEO of People’s Health Centers, said People’s is “very excited to work with Centene, Home State Health and Schnucks to bring valuable primary health care resources to the Ferguson community, together providing and increasing access to quality healthcare in that community. Clearly, potent partnerships will be critical in our efforts to help heal our vulnerable communities.”
Centene made a series of major investments in Ferguson after it received international attention for the unrest following the Ferguson police killing of Michael Brown Jr.
In 2016, Centene invested $30 million by opening a service center in Ferguson, providing 250 new jobs to the Ferguson area. The 45,000-square-foot facility, located at 2900 Pershall Rd. includes a state-of-the-art bistro, fitness center, and on-site early childhood development center, as well as a community center available to the Ferguson community.
Centene was also a partner to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis to launch Ferguson’s first club. Additionally, Centene contributed to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to build a job training center at the site of the bombed out QuikTrip – Ferguson “Ground Zero” – on West Florissant Avenue. Neidorff chairs the National Urban League’s Board of Directors.
When it opens in November, the clinic’s hours will be Mondays through Fridays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
