1151 16th St.
Douglas, AZ 85607
Clinic Hours
- Monday – Friday: 7am – 5pm
520-364-5437
At the Early Childhood Center Douglas, we provide high-quality, family-centered care for children from birth through age 11. Our mission is to ensure every child receives the medical, dental, and developmental support they need to thrive—right here in Douglas, Arizona.
Comprehensive Pediatric Services
Our pediatric team delivers a wide range of services, from well-child exams, immunizations, and sick visits to care for special health needs. With integrated dental care, behavioral health counseling, and dietetics available on site, your family can access complete care under one roof. This collaborative approach ensures that each child’s health is addressed in a holistic, coordinated way.
A Space Designed for Kids and Families
We believe that healthcare for children should be both supportive and engaging. That’s why the Early Childhood Center Douglas features screen-free waiting areas, colorful reading corners, and toy boxes to create a welcoming environment. Programs like First Three and volunteer-led reading sessions promote learning and healthy development while families wait for appointments.
Support for Special Health Needs
Children with complex medical or developmental needs benefit from our specialized care plans and close provider coordination. Our team partners with parents to offer resources, guidance, and compassionate care every step of the way.
Location & Access
You’ll find the Early Childhood Center Douglas at 1151 16th Street, Douglas, AZ, next to other Chiricahua Community Health Centers locations. We welcome all families—regardless of insurance status—and offer sliding fee discounts for those who qualify.
Learn More
To explore more about our pediatric services and programs, visit our Pediatrics page or contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Providers
Darlene Melk, MD FAAP CPE
Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Officer
- 520-364-1429
- Early Childhood Center of Excellence
Darlene Melk, MD FAAP CPE
JOINED CCHCI IN 2010
Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI
I believe in community medicine. In order to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive care to our patients, we need partners. At CCHCI we have care coordination, nursing expertise, and administrative support to practice the kind of medicine that everyone deserves.
DARLENE'S BACKGROUND
Raised by a single mom, Dr. Darlene Melk’s journey to becoming Chief Medical Officer at Chiricahua Community Health Center, Inc is both impressive and inspiring. As the daughter of a Cuban refugee, Spanish is Dr. Melk’s first language, and she remains bilingual to this day. Diagnosed with Type One diabetes at age eight, Dr. Melk knew early on she wanted to be a doctor to take care of children like her and set her mind to realizing that dream early on.
After graduating from the University of Arizona Medical School and completing her residency training at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she was recognized as “Senior Resident of the Year”, Dr. Melk stayed true to her passion in serving children with barriers to care. Her first job was working for a Federally Qualified Health Center or FQHC in Phoenix and knowing that she could see any child, regardless of the circumstances into which they were born, solidified her resolve to serve in the FQHC environment.
Dr. Melk joined Chiricahua in 2010 as a Community Pediatrician and over the next ten years served as Director of Community Pediatrics and Director of Community Medicine before becoming Chief Medical Officer in 2020. She was a member of First Things First Regional Council from 2016/2023 and was the Chair for the Council from 2019/2023. In 2024, Dr. Melk was appointed by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board, which is the First Things First State level directorate. Dr Melk has also served as a Board Member of the Western Clinician Network since 2021 and was elected President for a one-year term in 2023. Dr. Melk additionally served on the Steering Committee for Douglas Education Partnership Council from 2017/2023 and is currently Chair of Pediatric Leaders Peer Network Committee for the Arizona Association of Community Health Centers.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Dr. Melk completed her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University Tempe with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She went on to complete Medical School at the University of Arizona in Tucson and did her Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center. Dr. Melk was recognized as a Certified Physician Executive in 2022 by the American Association of Physician Leaders. She is currently completing her Masters of Applied Science in Population Health through Johns Hopkins University with an expected graduation in 2027.
Jonathan Melk, MD, FAAP
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Jonathan Melk, MD, FAAP
JOINED CCHCI IN 2006
Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI
I believe that ALL people deserve access to excellent healthcare. I believe that what we do every single day at CCHCI is important and meaningful in ways beyond what words can even express. I believe that only through the diligence of teamwork can CCHCI be an exceptional organization. I am inspired and driven forward daily by the conviction and talent of my colleagues who believe the same.
JONATHAN'S BACKGROUND
Dr. Jonathan Melk is a community pediatrician committed to eliminating health disparities in the borderlands of rural southeastern Arizona. Raised on a small family farm, he developed a keen drive to “make a positive impact” for rural people early in life. Later, public health work amongst children living in poverty in both the United States and abroad resulted in his pursuit of a medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and training as a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
To master Spanish, Dr. Melk led public health and community health worker projects in Costa Rica with the intention of one day practicing in a global health environment. He was long fascinated with the US/Mexico border, and that combined with his deep interest in working with rural and medically underserved communities brought him to Cochise County, Arizona in 2006 to serve as the first pediatrician in the border community of Douglas, Arizona with the not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. (CCHCI) (www.cchci.org).
He quickly became captured by the comprehensive, community-based, mission-driven healthcare provided to all people regardless of ability to pay made possible by the FQHC healthcare model embodied by CCHCI. He became Director of Community Pediatrics in 2008, then Chief Medical Officer in 2012.
Beginning in 2014, he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and is honored to lead a team of highly capable, motivated professionals who are dedicated to the health and well-being of the people of Cochise County (a service area the size of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined). Since 2014, CCHCI has grown rapidly from an approximately $13 million budget to $65 million budget (FY25) staffed with ~80 providers and ~465 employees. Dr. Melk’s primary strategy to overcome the significant challenges faced by Chiricahua has been to recruit a team of professionals with experience and commitment unheard of in many other under resourced rural and board regions.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Dr Melk received his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and trained as a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Jessica Crewse, FNP
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioner
- 520-364-1429
- Ginger Ryan Clinic - Douglas AZ, Benson Family Health Center
Jessica Crewse, FNP
JOINED CHIRICAHUA IN 2023
Jeffrey Holzberg, MD MSc FAAP
Community Pediatrician
Community Pediatrician
- 520-364-5437
- Early Childhood Center of Excellence
Jeffrey Holzberg, MD MSc FAAP
JOINED CCHCI IN 2017
Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI
In Line with the mission of Chiricahua, I believe in putting patients first and providing a high level of care, no matter who comes to the clinic's doorstep. Chiricahua also allows the opportunity to partner with the community outside of the clinic doors.
JEFFREY'S BACKGROUND
I enjoy being a pediatrician because I work directly with kids on their immediate health concerns while simultaneously working with the community to prevent those same health concerns in future years. Before entering medical school, I spent a year in the urban Bronx of New York and then the next year in rural India. Both of these experiences trained me to look at the upstream factors of health, the aspects of life that affect patient’s health before they ever arrive in the clinic. These years showed me the power of community workers to care for their local population better than any doctor could. In residency, I evaluated the effectiveness of community workers to improve development in early childhood among local residents.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Professional School
Undergraduate at Tufts University
Medford, MA 2003-2007
Medical School at Emory University
Atlanta, GA 2009-2014
Residency Training
University of Colorado
Children’s Hospital of Colorado
Aurora, CO 2014-2017
Specialty
Pediatrics
Practice Interests
home visitation, holistic care, community empowerment
Patients Seen
All patients ages 1 day to 21 years old
Claudia Pleitez, MD FAAP
Pediatrician
Pediatrician
- 520-364-5437
- Early Childhood Center of Excellence
Claudia Pleitez, MD FAAP
JOINED CCHCI IN 2016
Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI
I believe in the project and I like the community. I love that we are the patient's health care home for the community where we serve.
CLAUDIA'S BACKGROUND
I was born and raised in El Salvador. I always wanted to do something productive in life. I have always been a people person and have found myself in caring for others. I have a strong belief in preventative care, that is the best medicine. I came to CCHCI after residency with my husband and son. I am a happy member of the Douglas community, doing my best to promote health within the whole community.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Professional School
Universidad de El Salvador
San Salvador, El Salvador
Masters in Tropical Medicine
Universidad de Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Pediatric Residency
Lincoln Hospital
New York City, NY
Pamela Oliphant, RDN
Registered Dietitian
Registered Dietitian
- 520-364-1429
- Early Childhood Center of Excellence, Pediatric Center of Excellence
Pamela Oliphant, RDN
JOINED CCHCI IN 2016
Why I Believe in the Mission of CCHCI
I'm excited to be working with the employees of CCHCI in providing excellent healthcare for all in Cochise County.
PAMELA'S BACKGROUND
I’ve spent 29 years as a clinical and consultant dietitian utilizing my strong interest in cooking, gardening, and cultural foods to assist patients with meeting their nutrition goals.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Professional School
B.S. Food, Nutrition, Dietetics
California State University, Los Angeles, CA
Residency Training
Coordinated Undergraduate Dietetics Program
Board Certification / Specialty
Certifications in Food Safety and Food Allergy Management
Patients Seen
All Ages