Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Submitted by Kendra Majors Love

Alabama Values

A new free clinic in Montgomery’s Ridgecrest community has opened to serve citizens in Lowndes, Montgomery, and surrounding areas and hosted its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 31. 

The grand opening of The Beacon Clinic represents a significant milestone for Five Horizons Health Care Services, as it demonstrates the organization’s unwavering commitment to enhancing health care access and quality for individuals across the region. The dream of opening the clinic goes back to the core mission of The Beacon Center, which is to remove the barriers for their neighbors to create a better life for them. The clinic’s establishment is the culmination of months of meticulous planning and dedicated efforts to provide comprehensive, compassionate, and patient-centric care to the community.

The Rev. Richard Williams, executive director and founder of the Beacon Center, said one of those issues the community faces is access to health care. Many of the community’s residents lack insurance or adequate health insurance. 

“I’m very thankful for the collaboration with even having a social worker present,” Williams said. “Many of our neighbors have many different issues, and sometimes they need that case management.”

Five Horizons Health Services CEO Billy Kirkpatrick said the company strives to develop footprints in the communities they serve.

 “We want to set up a footprint in that community making it convenient, affordable and comprehensive,” he said. “We are going to serve people whether they are insured, uninsured or underinsured.” 

Five Horizons has many resources to help those who do not have the means to pay for health care including helping them with access to medications and insurance.

The clinic will offer services such as:

• HIV testing and treatment;
• PrEP navigation and clinical services;
• STI treatment and testing;
• Primary care;
• Case management and social services;
• Behavioral health;
• Pharmaceutical services;
• Sexual health education and risk reduction counseling.

 

The Beacon Clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology and staffed with a team of highly skilled and experienced healthcare professionals. With a diverse range of medical specialties, including primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, internal medicine, and more, the clinic is poised to serve as a beacon of hope and healing for the community it serves.

 

The Beacon Center is located at the former location of Dr. Albert Lester’s clinic, who was a physician and community leader who served the neighborhood for more than 50 years. Lester was committed to serving the health and wellness of the west Montgomery community. 

“To know that individuals and neighbors will be serviced not only in health services but behavioral health and the array of services here at the Beacon Center,” he said. “I am thankful to co-labor with so many other leaders.”

The Beacon Clinic will not only offer medical treatment but also serve as a community hub, promoting wellness, education, and health awareness.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees enjoyed guided tours of The Beacon Clinic, obtaining firsthand knowledge of the cutting-edge facilities, an introduction to the wide variety of healthcare services available, and the opportunity to meet the doctors and staff.

The clinic will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is located in the Beacon Center at 3091 Gaston Avenue in Montgomery.

For more information, visit https://www.fivehorizons.org/tuscaloosa/services/beaconcenter.