A McKinney clinic set on reaching underserved residents has a bright prognosis.

Family Health Center on Virginia, located at 1620 W. Virginia St., began seeing medical, dental and behavioral health patients at a new, specially designed office in May. In that time, Marketing and Outreach Consultant Valerie Lengel said reception has not only been steady but that she expects the clinic to reach 12,000 unique patients over the next three years.

The federally qualified organization has been serving patients since 2018. Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP are accepted at Family Health Center, and uninsured clients have a sliding-scale payment option. In 2020, Lengel said Family Health Center served roughly 4,000 patients.

Lengel, however, said the purposefully fresh, homey design of the 25,000-square-foot building allows for many patients to more easily access health care than before when they were closer to US 75.

“Our patients have been eager to get to a regular, consistent location,” she said. “The building is really meant to be easily accessible so families can walk there as needed.”

Lengel said one of the initial goals for Family Health Center in the new space was to provide more care for residents in eastern McKinney. In addition to that, the new space is designed with comprehensive community involvement in mind.

She said a goal over the course of this year and into 2022 is to expand partnerships with other area organizations. For instance, Lengel said that may look like Family Health Center partnering with an area food bank to offer food in the clinic’s community area or a nonprofit holding informational seminars.

“Social determinants of health are really important to us,” Lengel said. “What can we do to help patients that are experiencing trauma or are needing other resources?”

Lengel also said a top priority for Family Health Center is expanding the staff, which is a goal more overhead space has allowed.

Since May, Lengel said the clinic has added two additional pediatricians, which has allowed for expanded services for younger patients. Family Health Center staff also hope to eventually partner with area medical schools to train resident physicians on-site, she said.

Ultimately, Lengel said the new facility positions at Family Health Center continue to be a trusted resource for McKinney and the North Texas area.

“That’s really what the building is meant to reflect,” Lengel said. “A warm, welcoming structure that shows that we're part of the community.”

More information about the health center is available at www.fhcntx.org.