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Gerrie Whitaker, president and CEO of North Texas Area Community Health Centers, speaks to guests during the grand opening of the Arlington Community Health Center at its new location on Oct. 7, 2024. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC00095-2-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC00095-2-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>Jessica Hampton, 34, has frequently walked away from doctor’s visits with a sense of mistrust in the care she receives.  Hampton said she often felt that her medical concerns as a Black woman weren’t being listened to by health providers. “My entire life, I would always get really frustrated anytime I would switch to a new doctor,” she said.But four years ago, Hampton’s experience changed when she began receiving primary care from the Arlington Community Health Center on North Cooper Street. The staff has been very gentle and kind, she said. Since 2015, the Arlington health center has offered affordable medical and vision services to residents regardless of income, employment, insurance coverage, residency or ability to pay.Previously, limited space forced the health center to restrict its services and patient intake. Now, thanks to a move, it has expanded its capabilities. The Arlington Community Health Center officially welcomed the public for a grand opening on Oct. 7 at its new location in the Vandergriff Building, connected to Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital. Located at 1001 N. Waldrop Drive, the new 1,200-square-foot facility increases the space to provide current services and allows for expansion of women’s health, adult health and pediatric care. The Arlington clinic is one of three locations operated by North Texas Area Community Health Centers.The other two are Northside Community Health Center and Southeast Community Health Center, both in Fort Worth.The centers receive federal funding to provide health care in communities that are considered medically underserved. Texas had more residents without health insurance than any other state in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available. In 2023, the three clinics treated over 13,000 patients in Tarrant County.What services are offered at North Texas Area Community Health Centers?

Services include adult primary care, pediatric care, women’s health, behavioral health, routine vaccines, health education and lab services. A pharmacy and eye care facility are available at the Northside location.The location change in Arlington will also allow the center to refer and receive patients from the emergency room at Texas Health Arlington. “We’re so happy to be in this building. Texas Health Resources made it possible for us to be here. They recognize that we’re doing good work and that we’re taking care of people in this neighborhood,” Gerrie Whitaker, president and CEO of North Texas Area Community Health Centers, said at the Oct. 7 opening. Gerrie Whitaker, center, cuts a ribbon during the grand opening of the Arlington Community Health Center at its new location. She stands alongside board members of the North Texas Area Community Health Centers. Whitaker was also joined on Oct. 7, 2024, by members of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Arlington City Council. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report) District 8 Arlington councilmember Barbara Odom-Wesley said she is excited for the new clinic and hopes a second health center opens in East Arlington in the future. “I told Gerrie, we’re not finished yet, because we need a second location,” she said at the Oct. 7 grand opening. “Thank you for bringing this service to our citizens in Arlington.” District 8 Arlington council member Barbara Odom-Wesley speaks to guests during the grand opening of the Arlington Community Health Center at its new location. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report) When Hampton first heard about Arlington Community Health Center’s location change, she was a bit nervous. She doesn’t like change, she said. But once Hampton visited the new health center, she felt at ease. “I appreciate the health center so much. It’s only been in my adult life that I’ve actually been listened to,” she said. “I can’t say how many times I’ve cried just because I feel taken care of.” David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.