Our History
In 1993 a needs assessment of social service clients in Killeen showed that transportation and affordable medical care were their top needs. A task force was formed to create a Clinic for the Killeen area. Many community leaders, medical practitioners, and other concerned citizens brought the idea to fruition in less than a year. In November, 1994 the Clinic began its operations on a Thursday evening.
The board operated the Clinic with a five hour per week clerical employee until January 1996 when an executive director was hired. In 1999, the Clinic expanded its operations to two evenings a week. In 2002, the Clinic received its first Komen grant, and began holding two mammogram clinics a month. In November 2004, the Clinic gave a reception honoring its 10 years of operation.
The Clinic faced the greatest challenge in its history with the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005. As the city of Killeen realized the numbers of evacuees in the community, we were called upon to set up a medical clinic at the Killeen Community Center shelter. The Clinical Director coordinated much of the care with the assistance of many physicians, nurses, medications from Scott & Whites pharmacy, In the two weeks the shelter clinic was open, over 1000 patients were treated.
The Greater Killeen Community Clinic, in coordination with the health district, added an additional clinic on Monday mornings during September and October 2005, specifically to provide medical services to evacuees, and appropriate referrals to other medical facilities. This was difficult, and could be done only on a short-term basis, because of the lack of space in the building. In two months, over 400 patients were treated or referred to other medical facilities.
The Clinic received a $60,000 grant from National Association of Clinics in 2006 to provide medical case management to the over 600 Katrina families living in Killeen and surrounding towns.
In June 2010, the Clinic received a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant from City of Killeen to renovate space in the Killeen Arts and Activities Center (formerly the First Baptist Church). The move into its beautiful new facility was made in November 2011.
Today the Greater Killeen Community Clinic offers a full range of primary health care services, and is open Monday Thursday. It has become the "medical home" for many who formerly used the local Emergency Departments as their health care provider.