by Hanna Singh
A new era for healthcare in Lincoln Parish has begun.
Friday morning the Lincoln Parish Police Jury cut the ribbon for the new Lincoln Parish Health HUB, a central facility designed to provide affordable and free healthcare options for residents across the parish.
Founded through a partnership between the Lincoln Health Foundation and the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, the Health Hub represents a significant step toward bridging the gap in healthcare disparities locally. The facility now houses both the Louisiana Department of Health Unit and a new location for the Health Hut, a nonprofit clinic that focuses on serving individuals who lack access to health insurance and other medical services.
Lincoln Parish Police Juror and Chair of Health and Welfare, Annette Straughter, highlighted the importance of the new facility and its potential to meet a wide range of community needs.
“The police jury had a vision and a budget to try to close the gap on healthcare disparities. It will not fix it, but it will improve it,” Straughter said. “By building this new health hub, we will give our community access to healthcare from newborn to elderly. We are excited to have used this money on this matter for our community. I am proud to be a part of this.”
Serving the entirety of the Lincoln Parish Community, the health unit will serve residents by offering services such as vaccinations, preventative healthcare, WIC services, and many other services that local health units provide. The program aims to ensure that all residents, regardless of income level, are able to access basic medical care and health resources.
The Health Hut will serve as a free clinic, providing free healthcare services to community members who are either uninsured or on Medicaid. This will give them the opportunity to receive necessary care including lab work, diagnostic testing and clinical checkups.
The project was funded through COVID American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant, designed to create more convenient and accessible healthcare avenues for the underserved.
Medical Director of the Health Hut and the Lincoln Health Foundation, Jackie White, described the process of bringing the vision to life.
“The Lincoln Health Foundation is an amazing program here in Lincoln Parish that puts money back into this parish for healthcare needs. They have put over 20 million dollars back into serving this parish,” White said. “This was a joint effort with the Police Jury. They were looking at how to help fill the gap for those who are uninsured and don’t have somewhere to go. The Jury has been looking at ways to fund a new health unit, knowing that ours was getting older. With the grant that they received they both decided that this was what was needed. So, we put it together.”
With a dedicated team of professionals behind it, the new Lincoln Parish Health Hub will offer exciting and impactful new opportunities for healthcare in the community. The facility’s comprehensive services show a growing commitment to health equality and community well-being in the parish. For more information about the future of healthcare in Lincoln Parish, visit www.lincolnhealth.com.
