MILWAUKEE — A clinic opened on Milwaukee’s north side with the goal of getting healthcare services to an under-served community.
Saturday morning, church and community leaders were there to cut the ribbon on the reopening of the C.H. Mason Clinic inside the Holy Redeemer of God in Christ Church.
“I am so excited and my excitement today is because now you can have preventative care,” said Bishop Sedgwick Daniels.
Parishioner Ryan Gray says this means even more access to health care.
“When you have a church or institution like this you have individuals of so many backgrounds, so many perspectives and so some people who may not necessarily go to the doctor and all they have to do is walk down the hall and there is immediate access for them,” said Gray.
It is the big reason why Bishop Daniels worked to get the CH Mason clinic opened originally in 2008.
At that time, it was run by St. Michael’s Hospital. When that hospital shut down a parish nurse took over. But when that nurse retired the clinic closed in 2016 leaving a hole in the area until Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield offered help in reopening the clinic.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley says without health care access on the north side of the city, it only widens the disparity gap people in the area live with.
“As a Black individual living in the City of Milwaukee my life expectancy is 14 years less than my white counterparts and we all should be up in arms about that,” said Crowley.
Crowley says having this clinic inside a church that so many in the community know and trust makes a difference.
“To have something like this right here in our own community is giving greater access to many individuals who may not trust the system themselves. Who may have had issues and want to go somewhere where they feel more comfortable,” said Crowley.
It will start with basic services including blood pressure and cholesterol checks, HIV/STI testing, vaccines, and health education. But they already plan to expand.
"This will become a full services clinic and eventually this will be a medical home for people to get services and care here,” said Taniasha Collins-Johnson, project manager of the C.H. Mason Clinic.
“It makes me feel really good to know we have holistic help for everything we need right here with it being connected to our ministry whatever you need,” said parishioner Amber Gray.
C.H. Mason Health Clinic at 4858 N Mother Daniels Way, Milwaukee; is now open Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
