Women's Health: Newark's 1st Stand-Alone Health Center Coming In 2016

Newark, NJ – City officials broke ground on Newark’s “first stand-alone health center” last week, gathering at the center’s future location at 276-300 Clinton Avenue, in the City’s South Ward.

According to a city news release, construction of the Mary Elizabeth Mahoney Women’s Health and Wellness Center will be part of the Model Neighborhood Initiative, “a collaborative effort by multiple city departments, private sector organizations, and residents.”

The facility – named for the first African-American person in the nation to graduate from a licensed nursing school – will be located across the street from the recently condemned Stratford Place apartments that were “a major blight on the neighborhood,” according to city officials.

When complete in July 2016, the center will provide area residents with comprehensive primary medical care, as well as OB-GYN services, a birthing center and access to lactation counselors, city officials said.

It will also be a focal point for “educating women on wellness programs and health related issues, equipping them to be proactive in managing their health and making wise medical choices,” city officials stated.

The center “will provide care to all people, regardless of ability to pay, or immigration status,” according to city officials.

“The establishment of a women’s health center in Newark is significant, as it recognizes that medical conditions affect women and men differently, thereby requiring different medical treatments,” city officials stated in a release.

Photos by the City of Newark