In April of 2005 Whiteside County Health Department was notified that they would receive federal funding to establish a Community Health Center on or about December 1, 2005. Whiteside County leaders had been working on this project since the closure of the Northwestern Steel Mill in 2001. The project included developing a coalition, performing a county-wide needs survey and writing a 200-page grant applying for the funds.

Writing the grant took expertise from several different disciplines. A team of Whiteside County employees led by Beth Fiorini, the Public Health Administrator, along with Penny Duncan from the CGH Medical Center and Christian Tscheschlok from the Rock Falls Community Development Corporation worked diligently on the grant for approximately six months.

Notice of grant award was received in February of 2006, and the Community Health Clinic will be starting May 1, 2006. The Clinic will service the residents of Whiteside County and surrounding medically under-served areas, including the Medicaid, uninsured, and under-insured populations of the area, which comprise 43% of the services population. An emphasis will be placed on the Latino, homeless, and single parent populations. When fully operational, the Whiteside County Community Health Clinic will be able to serve over 5,000 patients. The clinical model will be a multi-disciplinary, holistic, comprehensive approach to provide preventative and primary health care.

The clinic will be located at the site of the Whiteside County Health Department in Rock Falls, 1300 West 2nd Street. Thanks to a $440,000 federal grant given to Whiteside County Health Department through Congressman Lane Evans, a new dental clinic has been built and is now serving the residents of Whiteside County.

Along with medical and dental services, the Community Health Clinic will provide a clinical therapist to do individual and family therapy. To obtain an appointment for medical, dental or behavioral health, call 626-2230.

Submitted by Beth Fiorini,
Public Health Administrator

Whiteside County Health Department