BELFAST, Maine — The Seaport Community Health Center in Belfast has moved to a new bigger location on Schoodic Drive and will be able to serve thousands more in the area.
"It's a population that really needs access to care, so we're really excited about that," Rachel Jewett, Seaport Community Health Center Practice Manager, said.
The new clinic is increasing services for patients and space for staff. "I think that everybody is excited to be able to expand our patient population here. Growth is awesome, it's job security," Jewett said. "I think it's really had a very positive impact, on employee morale and the culture itself, and if we can help more patients, that's like, everybody's mission."
The new clinic is 32,000 square feet, over twice as large as its previous 12,000 square foot building.
Lori Dwyer, president and CEO of Penobscot Community Health Care, the Belfast center’s parent organization, said they are working to meet the community’s needs.
"Our mission is to really serve everybody including the very vulnerable populations and folks who don't often have access or aren't able to access healthcare," Dwyer said.
The clinic is hiring four new providers that will start this summer and creating multiple other jobs, with the ability to expand. "We also have room for more to be able to add services if we need to to meet community needs," Dwyer said.
Dwyer said that PCHC is helping to bridge the gap of health care access in rural and low-income communities. "Rural healthcare is in crisis for sure," she said. "Health centers are part of the solution to rural healthcare challenges."
PCHC has more plans to expand. It has purchased the whole complex that the Seaport Center is part of and hopes to create spaces dedicated to health and housing. "We view this as a very important economic revitalization project for the community," Dwyer said.
At the Seaport Community Health Center, staff like Jewett are embracing the changes. "I'm really excited, I grew up in Waldo," she said. "For me it's sort of full circle to be here and to be able to help in that way and be part of it."
The next project for the Seaport Community Health Center is a dental clinic, which is expected to begin construction in 2025.