Conceptual drawing of the future Health and Wellness Center at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center. (Submitted photo)
CANFIELD – The Mahoning County Career and Technical Center (MCCTC), with grant funding from Appalachian Community Innovation Center (ACIC), will develop a 13,000-square-foot Health and Wellness Center. This new facility will be located on the grounds of the MCCTC and is designed to enhance healthcare access, workforce development, and educational opportunities for students, staff, and the greater Mahoning Valley community.
The grant-funded project is designed to provide comprehensive medical and mental health services through strategic partnerships with Mercy Health and Cadence Care Network. Mercy Health will staff the facility with on-site healthcare professionals, ensuring that students and community members have direct access to primary and preventive care. Additionally, Cadence Care Network will offer professional mental health counseling and behavioral health services, addressing the growing need for mental wellness support among students and families.
“The funding for this center represents a major investment in the health and future of our students, staff and larger community,” said John Zehentbauer, MCCTC superintendent. “By partnering with Mercy Health and Cadence Care Network, we are ensuring that both physical and mental health services are accessible, removing barriers that often prevent individuals from seeking care.”
The health and wellness center will provide a range of services, to include primary and preventive healthcare for students and residents, walk-in care, mental health counseling and behavioral health support, and wellness programs focused on student and community health.
“Mercy Health is excited to work with MCCTC to add this practice location to our robust network of primary and walk-in care clinics as we continue expanding health care access across the Mahoning Valley through new, enhanced points of care. Primary care is the front door to health care and is essential to overall health and wellbeing. Primary care physicians are trained to have a full understanding of a patient’s health, treating the whole person and developing long-term relationships with their patients,” said Dr. Jim Kravec, Chief Clinical Officer, Mercy Health – Lorain and Youngstown. “This practice will be open to the public, providing this level of care for MCCTC students and staff, as well as members of the community. It will also offer walk-in care, which means patients can walk-in to the practice and be seen by a primary care physician the same day, with no appointment.”
This initiative aligns with MCCTC’s mission to prepare students for success, through career and technical education and supporting their overall health and well-being. By integrating healthcare services within the educational setting, the center will contribute to better student outcomes, stronger workforce development, and a healthier Mahoning Valley community.
Matt Kresic, CEO at Cadence Care Network added “Cadence Care Network is excited about the opportunity to build on our relationship with MCCTC by opening our behavioral health services to the broader MCCTC community. Our staff will now have a state of the art facility that will allow us to meet students’ behavioral health needs after traditional school hours.”
The community is invited to save the date for a groundbreaking ceremony on April 30 to celebrate the launch of this transformative project. Event details will be announced in the coming weeks.
link