$1M grant helps vision of new facility for Good Samaritan Health Clinic

CULLMAN – “If you build it, they will come.”

This is a famous, oft-quoted movie line about a man’s vision.

For Good Samaritan Health Clinic, they are coming and there is a need to build it.

“They” are the growing population of Cullman County; “it” is a new medical clinic.

Thanks to the Appalachian Regional Commission, the clinic’s vision will be fulfilled for a new facility to serve uninsured people in Cullman County.

A $1 million grant from the ARC will help fund the construction of a 5,040-square-foot building to house the Good Samaritan Health Clinic, which provides medical care to uninsured residents whose household incomes are 2.5 times the federal poverty level or less.

“The Good Samaritan Health Clinic provides an invaluable service to community members who might otherwise have to turn to hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency needs,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in announcing the grant. “I am pleased to announce this grant to support a new home for this nonprofit organization that has been serving Cullman County for 20 years.”

The clinic operates as a primary care provider that treats patients between the ages of 19 and 65 for routine illnesses and chronic conditions. The clinic offers additional services including dental extractions, hearing evaluations and mental health counseling.

The new facility will be larger than the current and will help meet a rising demand as Cullman County continues to grow. The new building is expected to benefit more than 3,600 patients.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the ARC program in Alabama.

“This will be a much-needed upgrade for the Good Samaritan Health Clinic and a major benefit to the people of Cullman County,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in applauding the Appalachian Regional Commission for its dedication to improving the lives of residents in its Alabama region.”

Ivey notified Good Samaritan Executive Director Jolanda Hutson that the grant had been approved.

ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments. The agency’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. Thirty-seven Alabama counties, including Cullman County, are part of the ARC region and eligible for funds.