“We are addressing the health care desert that we have out here, so this is a incredible milestone for many of us in southeast.”

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TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Central Health hosted the grand opening of its Del Valle Health & Wellness Center on Saturday morning.

For many, this occasion marks a vital step forward in increasing health care access to the Del Valley community, achieved through years of advocacy.

According to officials, the 18,000-square-foot center was made possible in collaboration with Central Health and CommUnityCare. It’s set to serve over 20,000 residents and bring much-needed primary care, dental services, pharmacy access and behavioral health care closer to people in the community.

“Folks might take half an hour, 45 minutes to come downtown, and that’s if they could get the ride. There’s no public transit out here, so they have to get a car. And a lot of times, folks just went without. People didn’t get the care they needed,” said Dr. Pat Lee, CEO of Central Health.

Since opening its doors in March, Lee said the health center has already served thousands of patients.

“It’s important because here east in Travis County, folks actually have a life expectancy that’s 10 to 20 years lower than someone living in a neighborhood west of Travis County,” he said. “And that’s a structural failure for a long time. This kind of community health center, this kind of years of advocacy and investment, this is what we need to close the gap.”

Austin City Council member Vanessa Fuentes echoed the importance of the center, calling it a step toward addressing health care disparities in the region.

“By having this health and wellness open at Del Valley, we are addressing the health care desert that we have out here, so this is a incredible milestone for many of us in southeast,” said Fuentes.