A nonprofit in Wahiawa that has been working for years to build a community health center in the former plantation community said it has received preliminary approval for a $4.7 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The loan will help the Wahiawa Center for Community Health move forward in constructing a $9.5 million facility that could open as early as April 2016, said former state legislator Bev Harbin, program development coordinator for the center, a nonprofit established in 2012.
"This is a major milestone for the entire community," she said. "A lot of people have worked tirelessly to get to this point. It’s a great feeling, but we know this is not a done deal. This has been a dream for many, and everyone is pulling together to make sure we have a health center that will serve the Wahiawa community."
The organization has been working since 2011 to develop the center in the rural neighborhood, after former U.S. Sen Daniel Inouye initiated the project, Harbin said.
Wahiawa has a population of about 43,000 residents, many of whom face socioeconomic barriers to health or may not be able to access the traditional health care system, she said. There also is an insufficient number of primary care physicians practicing in the area.
The nonprofit has scheduled a public meeting for Saturday at noon at Dot’s Restaurant, 130 Mango St. In addition to the meeting, the nonprofit must submit a financial feasibility study to the Department of Agriculture as a condition of the loan.
The USDA’s Rural Housing Service, which grants funds for community facilities in rural areas, approved the health center’s initial application for federal funding under a 40-year loan.
The funds will be used to purchase and renovate six privately owned medical offices at the Wahiawa Medical Building to create the health center and to buy medical and other equipment for primary care, pediatric, OB-GYN and dental services. The health center will also use the money for operations in its first year.
"Our ultimate goal is to provide access to health care and wellness for all of the citizens of Wahiawa and surrounding areas," said registered nurse Mary Talon, board president of the Wahiawa Center for Community Health. "This is a big step forward to improve health care for this rural, medically underserved community."
In addition to the USDA loan, lawmakers granted the health center $250,000 in capital improvement funds last year, which will be used to cover planning and design and the first phase of construction of two offices. The City and County of Honolulu also has awarded the group $93,750 for planning and community outreach.
The nonprofit also plans to request funds for operations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Health Resources and Services Administration.
If awarded, the Wahiawa Center for Community Health will be recognized as a federally qualified community health center.
