On July 14, 1986 the North Avenue Women’s Center (now Grace Health) opened its doors for the first time to provide women’s health services in our community. What started as seed faith money from W.K. Kellogg Foundation and a small number of staff providing care for just over 900 patients has now grown to the largest non-profit health center in Calhoun County with over 300 staff members providing care for almost 40,000 patients with more than 140,000 visits expected in 2016. Grace Health continues to increase access to care by providing expanded hours in Medical (open Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm) and Dental (open Monday – Saturday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm). Walk-in hours were also added to make it easier for patients to receive care when needed.
In the past 30 years, the Center has changed its name 3 times. It began as North Avenue Women’s Center, then changed to Family Health Center of Battle Creek and last year changed to Grace Health.
Although Grace Health started by only providing women’s health services, additional services were added in order to provide health care for the entire family and to meet the increasing needs within the community for access to quality care. Grace Health services include: Pediatrics; Family Practice; Internal Medicine; Dental; Ear, Nose, Throat and Audiology Services; Behavioral Health; and Vision/Optometry. Other services provided by Grace Health are: on-site interpreters, Portable Dental, Patient Advocates, Outreach & Enrollment Counselors, Maternal and Infant Health Program, CenteringPregnancy, Maternal Oral Health Program, Diabetic classes, Nutrition Counseling, Behavioral Health Group Therapy classes, Reach Out & Read program, and much more. The needs of Grace Health’s patients and the community are evaluated on a regular basis and Grace Health continues to look for ways it can expand services to meet the ever increasing needs. Within the past few years, Grace Health’s Behavioral Health staff has continued to grow and are now in each department to meet patients’ needs. Not only has Grace Health increased services provided in Battle Creek, but it also added a site in Albion back in 2003 which currently provides dental services.
Along with the addition of services, came the need to move to a new building and later multiple expansions and renovations. Grace Health was first located at 632 North Avenue and moved to its current building, located at 181 West Emmett Street, Battle Creek in February 1998. The multiple expansions and renovations that have been done throughout the building helped to increase efficiency and quality of care for patients. The main building (west campus) is now 66,000 square feet and the OB/GYN building (east campus) is 45,000 square feet for a total of 111,000 square feet at the Battle Creek location.
Throughout Grace Health’s 30-year history, its mission has stayed the same: At Grace Health, we provide quality health care with the belief that all individuals have the right to considerate services at all times, with recognition of their personal dignity. Grace Health is accepting new patients. Scheduled appointments and walk-in hours are available. If you have questions or would like additional information, call 269-965-8866 or visit the website at www.gracehealthmi.org. Grace Health thanks our community for all their support these past 30 years.
