Sixteenth Street Healthcare Center
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers (SSCHC) is set to expand its clinic and headquarters with the addition of a new pharmacy, which was announced Wednesday. The expansion project will serve the South Side community, and will be one of few pharmacies in the area. The new pharmacy is the second to be located within the SSCHC clinic on Cezar Chavez Drive, joining an Advocate Aurora Health pharmacy already located at its Parkway Clinic at 2906 South 20th St.
Groundbreaking for the new expansion is expected to start this spring, with the pharmacy set to open in 2024. The expansion will be a valuable addition to the clinic, as patients will be able to go straight from their appointment to pick up prescribed medication.
The expansion is partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), with $2 million of the $8 million project coming from the grant and the remaining $6 million from funds raised by Sixteenth Street. The funding from the ARPA grant was awarded to the organization by Governor Tony Evers in March 2022, as part of a $97 million federal grant to health care providers across Wisconsin to address health care access needs.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore was instrumental in securing additional funding, with $1.25 million being added to the project. The Health Resources and Services Administration also will provide funding, accounting for approximately $4 million of the $8 million project. Sixteenth Street plans to obtain the remaining investment through additional fundraiser efforts.
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers operates seven clinics in Milwaukee and one in Waukesha, providing bilingual care to all patients regardless of insurance status. Additionally, SSCHC has opened clinics in 23 schools in the area, with the most recent being located inside of South Division High School as of October 2022.
According to SSCHC President and CEO Julie Schuller, “We are here to help everyone in our community to live their healthiest lives. That means meeting our patients where they’re at and ensuring that they are able to receive top quality health care no matter what their situation may be. We are looking forward to this new pharmacy becoming a shining light for this community, and we are proud to provide it for our patients and their families.”
For more information about the new expansion, visit the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers website.