HOPKINTON – Wood River Health Services Inc., a nonprofit community health center, has broken ground on a 9,000-square-foot addition to its facility on Main Street in the Hope Valley neighborhood.
The groundbreaking ceremony drew more than 100 attendees, including U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., and numerous Wood River leaders.
A $5 million project, the addition will expand clinical space by nearly 60%, including allowing for an additional 1,200 dental visits annually and creating more room for behavioral health services.
Plans also call for a community conference room, a pharmacy and space for a rotating schedule of specialist services.
Reed and Langevin helped secure part of the funding with their support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2022, out of which $1 million was earmarked for the project.
“This new facility will help [Wood River Health Services] to be much more effective,” Reed said. “[Wood River CEO and President Alison L. Croke] and her board have done a superb job in getting us to this very important day at the groundbreaking. They have been assisted in their daily activities by a tremendous group of doctors, nurses and staff and I want to salute all of them.”
Dr. Nadia Duvilaire, associate medical director at Wood River, said the addition is much needed.
“At Wood River Health Services, we are not just a medical practice,” Duvilaire said. “We have embedded dental services, social services, community support services and behavioral health services so that we can provide every patient with integrated, wrap-around care – all under one roof. And if you’re here today, you know that we need a bigger roof.”
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.