Health center program - shawnee mental health center, INC. (smhc) (DBA shawnee family health center) began providing primary care services in 2008

The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded Shawnee Mental Health Center Inc. $1.3 million on August 1, 2026, under the Health Center Program (CFDA 93.224).

The award funds continued and expanded delivery of comprehensive primary care integrated with behavioral health and addictions services across Shawnee's network in southern Ohio. The recipient operates clinics in Scioto, Adams, and Lawrence counties and is establishing a new primary care access point at 2237 Thomas Avenue in Portsmouth, Ohio, located within a public housing building. The new site will provide 40 hours per week of comprehensive primary care services to both general community patients and residents of public housing, a HRSA-designated special population.

Shawnee, which began primary care operations in 2008 and held FQHC Look-Alike status as of December 2018, addresses health needs including severe and persistent mental illness, opioid and other substance addictions, diabetes, COPD, hepatitis C, suicide, low birth weight, and infant mortality. The project targets access barriers including transportation, health literacy, remoteness of service areas, and insufficient access points.

The period of performance runs June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, with ultimate completion by July 31, 2027. Place of performance is Portsmouth, Ohio 45662, with subordinate clinic locations in West Union and Coal Grove, Ohio.

In december 2018, shawnee was designated as a federally qualified health center look-alike; there were no deficiencies found in our onsite compliance survey. We are seeking full designation as a fqhc for each of our current clinics: scioto county = 901 washington street, portsmouth OH 45662; adams county = 192 chestnut ridge road, west union, OH 45693 and lawrence county = 225 carlton davidson lane, coal grove, OH 45638. We are also adding a new site at 2237 thomas avenue, portsmouth OH. This site will be located in a building that provides public housing. We will serve general community health center patients and the special population of public housing patients. The people in the communities we serve have a variety of health care needs, including severe and persistent mental illness, opioid and other substances addictions, diabetes, copd, hepatitis c, suicide, low birth weight and infant mortality. Barriers that hinder access to primary care are transportation, education level, health literacy and knowledge of available resources, remoteness of towns; and sufficient access points. By becoming a fqhc-LAL, we have been able to expand access to care and impact the health of our communities by addressing the majority of these health concerns. The proposed project will address these barriers by ensuring the ongoing continuation of comprehensive primary care integrated with a full array PF behavioral health and addictions services. The project will also expand access for people residing in public housing, a hrsa designated special population, by establishing a new access point that will provide 40 hours of comprehensive primary care services within a building that also houses public housing. During the period of june 1, 2025, through may 31, 2026, we project the following people will be provided services by the end of CY 2026 8539