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In celebration, a ribbon cutting event will be held Wednesday, Jan. 15, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at Swope Health Belton. The free event is open to the public.

Introducing Dr. Blacknall

To coincide with the expansion, Swope Health is pleased to announce the addition of Frank Blacknall, D.D.S., to the Belton clinic staff. Blacknall, a general dentist in practice for more than 20 years, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in Memphis, Tenn., as well as a veteran of the U.S. Navy. As a military dentist, Blacknall helped ensure that thousands of U.S. Marines serving at Camp Pendleton, Calif., were dentally qualified for deployment overseas

Blacknall relocated to Kansas City at the conclusion of his military career and owned two dental practices prior to joining Swope Health. His extensive background in providing comprehensive dental care to adults, teens, and children will provide a much-needed resource to the Belton community.

“The decision to expand Swope Health Belton was due, in large part, to feedback received from current patients who cite access to transportation as a factor hindering their pursuit of dental care,” said Swope Health President and CEO Jeron Ravin, J.D. “Now, with dental services provided within the clinic they already visit, we can create a hub of comprehensive healthcare and remove barriers for our Belton patients and the broader Belton community. As we go on our eleventh year of service to the Belton community, we will continue to work to be both responsive to the community’s need and the provider of choice for high-quality healthcare.”

Healthcare professionals, community members, patients, and media are invited to attend the ribbon cutting event on Wednesday, Jan. 15, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The brief ceremony will be followed by a tour of the newly expanded clinic. For more information about the event or the services offered at Swope Health, or to arrange an interview with Swope Health leadership, please contact Bridget Locke, director of strategic communications, at blocke@swopehealth.org  or 816-830-2494.

Swope Health has provided comprehensive primary care, dental care, and behavioral health services in the Greater Kansas City area for 55 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health is also recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Swope Health served 52,114 patients in 2023 and is in 22 locations throughout the area, including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills, and Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties in Kansas. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

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At the forum, plans for Swope Health Village will be shared by Swope Health leadership, including President and CEO Jeron Ravin, J.D., and remarks will be given from guest speakers, including Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and Mid-America Regional Council Integrated Care Program Director Melody Elston. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation and remarks. The forum is intended to be a community conversation where neighbors share feedback on the project’s goals and plans.

Swope Health Village is a 12-acre multi-phased campus project that will turn the 5900 block of Swope Parkway into a modern residential campus offering affordable housing, supportive healthcare services, mental health services, geriatric and aging services, community gardens, and a community center. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

Swope Health Village aspires to be the State of Missouri’s first purpose-built community, designed to address health and well-being, and reduce socioeconomic and health disparities. Plans include 200 units of senior affordable housing and 75 units of mental health housing supported by comprehensive mental health services. Fifteen apartments will support participants in Swope Health’s Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE KC). The development also includes office and retail space, as well as an extension of the Kansas City Health Department, including a new Kansas City Health Department office, and 10 additional beds for substance abuse treatment in collaboration with the Kansas City court system.

In support of the project, the City of Kansas City announced in May an appropriation of up to $5 million for its development. Additionally, a $7.5 million American Rescue Plan Act-funded capital improvement allocation was received from the Missouri Department of Mental Health for the development. Swope Health will launch a capital campaign to raise the additional funds for program activation and construction.

The community forum is free and open to all, but RSVPs are required at RSVP@swopehealth.org.

For inquiries or further information, please contact Bridget Locke at blocke@swopehealth.org or (816) 599-5554 / (816) 830-2494.

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Primary care appointments are available for current and new patients of all ages. Current Platte County Health Department patients were first notified about the impending change in July and received additional instructions about navigating the transition early last week.

“The core functions of public health are assessment, assurance and policy development. Assurance in public health is the process of ensuring that people’s health needs are met in a safe and effective way. For many years, the Platte County Health Department (PCHD) has provided primary care services. However, in order to most effectively provide these services and expand public health services, the board of trustees elected to partner with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) to provide primary care services,” said Andrew Warlen, MPH, director, Platte County Health Department.

“After a competitive bid process, Swope Health was selected to provide primary health services at PCHD,” he continued. “We look forward to this partnership and are excited to provide Platte County citizens with this new resource from which to obtain medical services.”

This is Swope Health’s third location in the area; Swope Health Northland opened in 1993, and Swope Health Maple Woods opened in 2017.

“We are grateful for our enduring relationships in the Northland and feel privileged to expand our reach in the area,” said Swope Health President and CEO Jeron Ravin, J.D. “Every clinic location provides a unique opportunity for Swope Health to impact community health outcomes in positive, intentional ways. We look forward to providing the same level of high-quality care that the patients of the Health Department have come to expect.”

A ribbon cutting event for the new location is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the clinic. Platte County Health Department patients, the public, and members of the press are invited to attend.

For inquiries or further information, please contact Bridget Locke at blocke@swopehealth.org, or (816) 599-5554 / (816) 830-2494.

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Swope Ridge Geriatric Center, which closed in early 2022, served older adults for 65 years on the planned new Swope Health Village site. Swope Health re-imagines the 12-acre site and adjacent parcels into a campus that will foster social interaction through indoor and outdoor spaces for neighborhood and community events, classes, physical activities, and family playtime. In support of the project, the City of Kansas City has announced an appropriation of up to $5 million for the development of the project.

“Every Kansas Citian deserves access to resources, amenities and neighborhoods that prioritize health, wellness and an improved quality of life,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, who represents the 5th City Council District of Kansas City. “I am proud of the work that Swope Health has done and will continue doing through this development to impact more favorable outcomes related to the social drivers of health. The City of Kansas City is eager to support and partner with them in this work.”

Swope Health Village includes plans for 200 units of senior affordable housing and 75 units of mental health housing supported by comprehensive mental health services. Fifteen apartments will support participants in Swope Health’s Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE KC). The project will include an extension of the Kansas City Health Department and 10 additional beds for substance abuse treatment in collaboration with the Kansas City court system, in addition to office and retail space, including a new Kansas City Health Department office.  As a purpose-built community, the project addresses the need for affordable, quality housing units in the neighborhood, and strengthens the neighborhood through a design that brings people together through healthy living. 

Further, the purpose-built community is poised to become a driver of economic growth in the region, through capital investment and job creation. The projected investment of $100 million into facilities and services, along with 80 to 90 new quality jobs created in construction and dozens in healthcare, will represent one of the largest East Side investments in decades. 

Demolition of the existing structures on the site began in January 2024, and construction of Swope Health Village will begin in early 2025. Swope Health is partnering with architectural firms Perkins Eastman, HFG Architecture and Moody Nolan for master planning and design support of the campus and residential structures. McCownGordon Construction is the general contractor. Swope Health plans to work with a developer for future phases.

In addition to support from the City of Kansas City, Swope Health has received a $7.5 million American Rescue Plan Act-funded capital improvement allocation from the State of Missouri. The health center will launch a capital campaign to raise the additional funds for construction and program activation.

“We are extremely grateful for the City’s vote of confidence in Swope Health Village,” said Swope Health President and CEO Jeron Ravin, J.D. “We have served this neighborhood for 55 years and will continue to honor our strong connections by being wise stewards of these investments. In all that we do, we remain steadfastly committed to the cause of health equity and access for everyone.”

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Swope Health, the Kansas City region’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center, has provided comprehensive primary care, dental care and mental health services in the Greater Kansas City area for 55 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health served more than 52,000 patients in 2023 at 23 locations throughout the area, including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills, and Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties, in Kansas. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

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Appointments for dental and behavioral care are available to students at the request of parents/guardians. Through the clinic, families can also receive assistance with obtaining health insurance and referrals to other services, if needed.

Swope Health KidsCARE integrates healthcare services for children in community- and school-based settings. With the convenience of on-site care, students can be seen for appointments with minimal disruption to their school day and caregivers’ workdays. Research indicates that access to healthcare services within schools improves health outcomes, attendance rates and overall academic performance.

Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to bring our comprehensive healthcare services to the students and staff at University Academy. By offering a wide range of services at their doorstep, we aim to support the health and well-being of the entire school community.”

Rebecca Gudde, University Academy Superintendent, agrees. “The onsite clinic provides essential services in the most convenient and accessible way. Swope Health shares our vision for improved access to quality care, and we are thrilled welcome KidsCARE to University Academy.” 

In addition to the site at University Academy, Swope Health KidsCARE clinics are located in Emmanuel Child and Family Development Center, Operation Breakthrough, and the Excelsior Springs Early Childhood Center.

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Swope Health, the Kansas City region’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center, has provided comprehensive primary care, dental care and behavioral health services in the Greater Kansas City area for 55 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health served nearly 50,000 patients in 2023 at 23 locations throughout the area, including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills, and Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties, in Kansas. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

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Since 2009, Resurrection has given away nearly $19 million through their annual tradition of donating the entire Candlelight Christmas Eve Offering to fund Kansas City-based projects and global initiatives. Resurrection intentionally selects organizations and programs that are purposed to transform the lives of children and families. 

Through its mobile dental services program, the Swope Health mobile dental unit team serves more than 2,500 children annually in collaboration with 85 Kansas and Missouri organizations. Purchasing a second dental mobile unit will open capacity for more children to be served each year.

“This partnership reflects an intersection of mission and vision,” said Jeron Ravin, JD, President and CEO of Swope Health. “Resurrection has a vision to close opportunity gaps and provide a future with hope for all children, which perfectly complements our mission to provide accessible, comprehensive, quality care to all—particularly, to those in marginalized and underserved communities. We are incredibly grateful to each person who gave an offering at this service, as well as to the Resurrection Church leadership team for supporting our work and investing in our community.”

Reverend Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor of Resurrection, believes the timing is perfect to consider the impact that giving can have on those in need.

“During the Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, there is perhaps no better way to honor the Spirit of the season than by giving a gift to benefit these children,” he said. “We are excited to partner with Swope Health to provide dental care for thousands of kids in Kansas City.” 

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Swope Health has provided comprehensive primary care, dental care and behavioral health services in the Greater Kansas City area for 54 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health is also recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Swope Health served 44,300 patients in 2022, and is located in 21 locations throughout the area, including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills, and Wyandotte and Leavenworth Counties, in Kansas. Learn more at swopehealth.org.

Resurrection, a United Methodist Church with 23,000 member and six locations in the Kansas City area, is committed to loving our neighbors, and demonstrating that love and support through ministries that include addressing justice and kindness gaps, providing food, health, and housing resources, and encouraging students, teachers and healthcare workers. Since 2009, the church has given away nearly $19 million through their Candlelight Christmas Eve Offering.

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