Eastern Health Center
The Eastern Health Center is a medical clinic operated by Jefferson County Health Services which provides outpatient medical care for uninsured and underinsured residents of Roebuck, Woodlawn, East Lake, Center Point, Gate City and other communities in eastern Jefferson County.
Eastern Health Center provides pediatric care, dental care, family planning, immunizations, nutrition counseling and pharmacy, case management and interpreting services.
The clinic was founded in 1917 and was the first clinic opened by the county's health department. Until 2008 it was located in a 13,000 square-foot building at 5720 1st Avenue North in Woodlawn. Short on space, the center moved many of its records to the vacant historic Birmingham Fire Station No. 12 next door.
In November 2008 Eastern Health Center moved to a new two-story 43,107 square-foot facility at 601 West Boulevard in Roebuck. The new building was designed by Designform and constructed by Golden & Associates. It was named the Dr Carole W. Samuelson building for Carole Samuelson, Jefferson County's health officer from 1985 to 2001.
The former clinic and the fire station were purchased in 2008 by Church of the Highlands for renovation into the Christ Health Clinic and "Dream Center" missions office.
Due to the building's location next to Don Hawkins Park and Village Creek, Jefferson County Health Services worked with Birmingham-Southern's Southern Environmental Center, to complete the $50,000 Eastern Health Center EcoScape nature area. Plans also call for a farmer's market, and sidewalks from 1st Avenue North along the Roebuck Municipal Golf Course to the facility, since the closest bus stop is on 1st Avenue.
References
- Garrison, Greg (September 13, 2008) "Church of the Highlands to purchase Eastern Health Center and Woodlawn fire station to establish a ministry-run health clinic." The Birmingham News
- Velasco, Anna (January 5, 2009) "Eastern Health Center to blend nature, greenery in holistic approach to care." The Birmingham News