Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) is embarking on a $3.5 million capital campaign to renovate its flagship 34 Haverhill Street location and provide better medical services to patients throughout Greater Lawrence.

For 40 years, GLFHC has provided health care to the people of the Merrimack Valley, beginning with one location in Lawrence and expanding to six sites in Lawrence and Methuen, with each location including a pharmacy. The health center also provides addiction services, as well as health care to the homeless at 13 homeless shelters and through its Mobile Health Unit. In addition, GLFHC operates two school-based clinic-only sites at Lawrence High and Greater Lawrence Technical School. A seventh location and pharmacy are scheduled to open in Haverhill in September.

“GLFHC is taking the bold step to renovate our largest location to provide greater accessibility and stream-lined services,” said John Silva, President & CEO of GLFHC. “We are preparing for the future of integrated, cooperative health care for our patients and community.”

The Haverhill Street site is the largest and busiest of GLFHC’s locations, accounting for 33% of GLFHC’s 62,000 annual patient visits. The pharmacy is housed on the first floor, adjacent to the clinic waiting room, enabling patients to fill their prescriptions before leaving their doctor’s offices if they choose. The two upper floors of the three-story center are home to the pregnancy and parenting programs, and the nationally renowned Lawrence Family Medicine Residency (LFMR) program. LFMR was the first community health center-based Family Medicine Residency in the United States, established in 1994, and currently serves as the national model for primary care residency training based in underserved communities and focused upon understanding and treating area residents’ health care needs.

Renovations will include:

• Creation of a separate entrance and waiting area for the Family Pharmacy. GLFHC’s pharmacies fill 610,000 prescriptions a year, with 50% of them filled through the Haverhill Street Pharmacy.
• Creating space on the second floor for a dedicated Behavioral Health suite to support the full range of expanded behavioral and mental health programs.
• Plans for the third floor include creation of a customized learning environment for the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency program that inspires hope and healing.