NEWS

CCHCI Celebrates National Health Week with Community Events

Chiricahua Community Health Centers Inc. CEO Dr. Jonathan Melk serves a cheeseburger to one of his employees Tuesday in Douglas. Bruce Whetten Herald/Review

DOUGLAS — In celebration of National Health Center Week 2025, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. (CCHCI) is recognizing the dedicated efforts of its staff across Cochise County with a week full of gratitude, outreach, and community connection.

To kick off the week, Dr. Jonathan Melk, Chief Executive Officer of CCHCI, and several members of his administrative team spent their Monday through Thursday lunch breaks grilling and serving up more than 320 hamburgers and hot dogs for staff at locations in Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Benson, and several rural satellite sites throughout the county.

“This week we celebrate our staff, we celebrate our patients, the work that we do and what we stand for,” Melk said while manning the grill at the Douglas location. “We appreciate our staff and all the hard work that they do. Things are going really well for Chiricahua right now—we have more patients than ever before, and our employees are working incredibly hard to meet that need.”

Observed nationwide from August 3–9, National Health Center Week honors the mission and impact of community health centers across the United States.

According to a CCHCI press release, the annual event spotlights the dedication of staff, board members, and supporters who help deliver quality, affordable care to more than 32.5 million Americans each year.

Locally, Chiricahua served more than 35,000 patients in 2024 across more than 140,000 visits, with a staff of over 420 professionals.

“With a mission to make high-quality, affordable care available to everyone—regardless of insurance status or ability to pay—health centers like Chiricahua are saving lives every day,” the release stated. “Our team goes beyond the exam room to address the root causes of illness, including poverty, substance use, domestic violence, food and housing insecurity, and mental health.”

Expanding the Vision

Melk also shared exciting news about the organization’s ongoing growth, announcing that CCHCI will soon open a new clinic in Willcox—a move that fulfills the original vision outlined by founders Ginger Ryan and the late Cliff Whetten, who launched the first Chiricahua clinic in Elfrida in 1996.

“If you go back to those founding documents, they actually wrote that their vision was to serve all of Cochise County,” Melk said. “Our team is proud to be carrying out that vision.”

Despite uncertainties at the federal level—particularly concerning insurance, Medicaid, and marketplace healthcare plans—Melk expressed confidence in Chiricahua’s continued presence and commitment.

“One thing we do know for sure is that Chiricahua will be here, and we’re going to do our best to serve every patient looking for healthcare,” he said.

Weeklong Activities Across the County

In addition to the staff appreciation cookouts, CCHCI organized a full slate of events to mark the occasion, including:

• Health Care for the Homeless & Public Housing Day – Chiricahua staff and board members provided wellness checks and meals at public housing sites in Douglas.
• Agricultural Worker Health Day – Leadership visited local farms, including Curry Farms in Pearce, offering wellness checks and meals to farmworkers.
• Patient Appreciation Day – All Chiricahua clinics and pharmacies were decorated with signs and snacks to thank patients for their trust and loyalty.
• Stakeholder Appreciation Day – Chiricahua recognized its healthcare partners—including Copper Queen Community Hospital, Canyon Vista Medical Center, Benson Hospital, Northern Cochise Community Hospital, and the Cochise County Health Department—with handwritten notes and small gift baskets.

As National Health Center Week continues, Melk emphasized that the celebration is as much about the future as it is about honoring the past.

“We’re proud of how far we’ve come,” he said, “but we’re even more excited about where we’re headed.”

Full Article at My Hearld Review Media