Administered by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health eight city health centers that offer primary and some specialty care, including routine medical exams, prenatal care, behavioral health services, disease treatment, and immunizations. These centers treat patients regardless of their insurance status. Uninsured patients are charged small upfront fees for visits, treatment and other services.
Many centers offer language interpretation services for non-English speakers, which Huynh said has become critical for a growing number of immigrants moving into the area.
Northeast Philadelphia currently has only one such facility, Health Center 10. Estimated wait times for new patient appointments have increased to 12 months.
The two new health centers announced by the city last year were part of a plan to address this growing demand for health care services. One would be built across from the Frankford Transportation Center.
The second is proposed for a site on the Friends Hospital campus in Lawncrest, which is already home to a psychiatric hospital, a long-term residential program for people with severe behavioral health needs and one of Crisis Response Centers.
Zoning has been approved for the Frankford Transportation Center site, which is part of a larger redevelopment project led by the Frankford Community Development Corporation. Mixed-income housing is planned for above the new health center.
While city health officials and community leaders initially hoped to break ground this summer, Frankford CDC Commercial Corridor Director Ellie Devyatkin said construction is now slated to begin in early 2025 as the company hopes to initially secure low-income housing tax credits for additional financing;
