QUITMAN — Brooks County is scheduled to receive one of 75 nationwide health centers funded by the Affordable Care Act.

In December, Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell announced $50 million of Affordable Care Act funding would be awarded to fund 75 additional health centers across the nation.

One of these will be in Quitman, according to a press release.

Primary Care of Southwest Georgia will “fill a critical need in Quitman and surrounding counties,” according to the press release.

The center is scheduled to open April 3 as a “federally qualified community health center,” a designation that means it meets certain stringent criteria to be eligible to receive some federal funding, according to the press release.

The Quitman site serves in conjunction with PCSG’s corporate office in Blakely.

PCSG operates health centers in Bainbridge, Thomasville and Blakely and operates a Midwifery Center in Thomasville which offers the services of three midwives, according to PCSG officials.

The center will use a family-practice model of care.

“The board of directors and staff of PCSG are very pleased that we will be able to provide high quality, affordable healthcare services made possible by the collaboration between Primary Care of Southwest Georgia and Archbold Memorial Hospital,” said Ann Addison, Ph.D., CEO of PCSG.

“We worked closely with Archbold President and CEO Perry Mustian and the leadership team of Archbold and Brooks Medical Associates while applying for the New Access Point funding. The practice will assure access to local health care to those in need and bring new services which will include behavioral health provided by a licensed clinical social worker and a full-time Outreach and Enrollment Specialist/Navigator.”

“We are excited about the opening of this health center in Quitman. We applaud the work of Dr. Ann Addison and Primary Care of Southwest Georgia to help increase access to primary care for the residents of Quitman, Brooks County and surrounding counties. We will continue to collaborate with PCSG to improve the access to healthcare,” Mustian said.

PCSG will offer primary-care services with two family practice physicians, a physician assistant and the team that served at Brooks Medical Associates as part of Archbold, located at 907 N. Court St.

Dr. Michael Sopt, Dr. Frantz Felix and Robyn Jimenez, PA-C will join PCSG and continue providing health care to their current patients and new patients who will access care at the community health center, according to the press release.

PCSG is a non-profit corporation that is governed by a board of directors made up of community members, 51 percent of whom are required to be active patients.

“PCSG works to ensure that its patients have access to all levels of the health-care system and is especially committed to providing services for the medically underserved,” according to the press release. “Patients are accepted with insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. There is a discount program for those who are income-eligible, whether they are uninsured or are meeting deductibles for insurance. A full-time outreach and enrollment specialist will be employed to assist patients in enrolling in affordable health insurance or determine eligibility for other programs such as Medicaid.”

Beginning April 3, services will be available for walk-ins and those with appointments. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Extended hours will be offered on Monday for those who need access to care after 5 p.m.

More information: Contact Donna Wilford, operations manager, (229) 584-2540 or (229) 227-5510 ext. 4220, info@pcswga.org or visit our website www.pcswga.org.