RACINE — Racine now has its second federally qualified health center, providing another option for accessible and consistent medical care for residents who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Outreach Community Health Centers opened its Racine branch on the Ascension All Saints campus along Spring Street.
"The society has totally changed in Racine. There are more people out there that need a lot of help," said Kimberly Harris, who is from Racine and works for Outreach Community Health Centers.
For residents without insurance or people with high deductibles, federally qualified health centers provide more flexible pricing options.
"We are an FQHC, so we will service anybody regardless of your ability to pay," said Rodney Ivy, who is also from Racine and works for Outreach Community Health Centers.
This comes after Pillar Health opened in July 2025, making Outreach the city's second FQHC to open within the past year.
"Being able to provide additional access, that makes a world of a difference," Ivy said.
FQHCs can help patients address factors beyond their physical health that may be impacting their wellness, thanks to federal government support that traditional hospital systems might not have.
Watch: Racine residents, medical providers say new health center brings access and hope
"We specialize in being able to navigate through some of those more challenging social scenarios," said Dr. Nicole Mubanga, chief medical officer at Outreach Community Health Centers.
Additionally, Outreach has a special designation for caring for homeless populations.
"There's a lot more that goes into caring for those that are really, really struggling," Dr. Mubanga said.
Starting in March, the Racine location will have a behavioral health nurse practitioner available to help better address this population's needs.
"This designation closes a longstanding gap by bringing federally recognized, trauma-informed primary care directly to people who too often fall through the cracks," Racine County Human Services Director Hope Otto said when the center was first announced.
Outreach is also partnering with Ascension to further serve local patients.
"By working together to open this FQHC, we're helping expand access to preventative care, mental health services and chronic disease management—the very areas where our community needs it most," Ascension All Saints President Kristin McManmon said in a statement.
This partnership may include rerouting people who may overuse the emergency room.
"Bringing them in here, helping them understand, 'Okay, what's the emergency department for? What is it not for?' A lot of times it can be, 'I can't get in with my primary care provider,'" Mubanga said.
Data from the city's Public Health Department shows Racine's patient-to-provider ratio is more than 5,600 to one, compared to the state's ratio of 1,250 to one.
"At the end of the day, I want everyone to have the healthcare they deserve," Mubanga said.
18% of Racine residents live below the federal poverty line, an indication of the need for affordable care in Racine.
City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason said in a statement, "Having two FQHCs in our city strengthens our public health system, reduces pressure on emergency rooms, and brings care closer to neighborhoods that have historically been underserved. These centers are not just healthcare providers; they are pillars of community stability, workforce health, and long-term economic resilience.”
For staff members like Ivy and Harris who live in Racine, it's an opportunity to bring accessible care to the community they call home.
"It's about taking care of the needs and the wants of Racine County, and we're here to make a difference in everybody's lives," Harris said.
"I think that's just an additional blessing for the community," Ivy said.
Outreach is located along the city bus route in the Medical Office Building B, Suite 140.
Current hours are Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Wednesday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Thursday 1-4 p.m.
The center will eventually be open Monday-Friday and plans to offer evening hours.
Racine Outreach Community Health Centers can be reached at 262-506-1695.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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