Bowen Center breaks ground for new health clinic in Whitley County
Bowen Center broke ground this week on a new building that will serve as an integrated health care facility in Whitley County. The clinic will offer primary health care, mental health care, and addiction recovery services under one roof, offering a total person approach to healthcare for infants, children, adolescents, and adults. By integrating mental and physical healthcare, the center’s goal is to address the unique healthcare challenges that underserved populations face by treating the whole person to improve their quality of life and extending their life expectancy. “People living in poverty and especially those with mental illness live shorter lives. Sadly, 10 - 20 years shorter,” said Dr. Rob Ryan, Bowen Center President/CEO. “Our vision is to improve access to income-based care, where patients come to one location where they can see their primary care physician, their therapist, and eventually other specialties like a dentist, optometrist, and more. That multidisciplinary team will work together to improve and extend the lives of our patients. At our current location on the square in Columbia City we are landlocked, and parking is a challenge. In order for us to grow to meet the need in Whitley County, we need a new facility with room to grow, so we are excited to break ground on a new vision for healthcare in the county,” said Dr. Ryan.
Site preparation has begun at the corner of State Road 205 and US 30, a prominent corridor leading into Columbia City. “This whole corridor is really the welcome mat for people who come to Columbia City,” said Mayor Ryan Daniel. And the fact that Bowen Center will be one of those buildings, those first campuses that individuals will see coming into Columbia City, I think is a really great part because it shows what an interest and an emphasis we have in healthcare and the wellness of our
people here in Columbia City and certainly in Whitley County at large,” said Mayor Daniel.
Construction will be completed by Fall 2023.