Chiricahua’s Willcox Clinic – For years, residents of Willcox and the surrounding rural communities have faced long drives, limited provider availability, and gaps in care that made even basic healthcare harder than it should be. In early 2025, that began to change in a lasting way.

Chiricahua Community Health Centers officially opened a permanent medical clinic in Willcox, marking a major step forward in healthcare access for rural Arizona. The clinic replaces temporary and mobile services with a stable, full service location designed to meet the long term needs of the community.

Local and regional media highlighted not just the building itself, but what it represents.

In its coverage, Alexis Ramanjulu at KGUN9 reported on how the new clinic expands healthcare access for Willcox residents, replacing a mobile unit that had served the community for years and bringing more consistent services closer to home.

Read the full KGUN9 story by Alexis Ramanjulu here:

New clinic in Willcox expands healthcare access for rural Arizona community

L.M. Boyd and Danny Sax at AZPM emphasized the importance of permanence in their reporting, noting the shift from mobile medical and dental services to a brick and mortar location that allows care five days a week and opens the door to future services like behavioral health and pharmacy.
Read the full AZPM story by L.M. Boyd & Danny Sax here:
Chiricahua Community Health Centers opens permanent clinic in Willcox

Built for the Community It Serves

The Willcox clinic was designed with the realities of rural life in mind. It serves patients across a wide geographic area, including agricultural workers, families, seniors, and individuals who may be uninsured or underinsured.

Chiricahua’s care model focuses on comprehensive, culturally responsive healthcare. That includes an open door policy that prioritizes access regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, while also meeting patients where they are culturally and linguistically.

This commitment is supported not only by clinical services, but by strategic investment.

Strengthening Health for All

In the January February 2026 issue of SSVEC Currents, Chiricahua Health Foundation announced the receipt of a $250,000 grant from the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. The funding directly supports Chiricahua’s Health for All vision and helps offset the growing burden of uncompensated care across Cochise County.

As reported in Currents, between 2019 and 2024 the number of Chiricahua patients without insurance increased significantly, including a sharp rise among children. In 2024 alone, Chiricahua cared for tens of thousands of individuals, many without insurance or the ability to pay due to changes in federal funding and coverage.

This grant helps ensure that the opening of the Willcox clinic is not just symbolic, but sustainable. It supports staffing, services, and program continuity so patients can continue to receive care when they need it most.

As Chiricahua Health Foundation Executive Director Dennis Walto shared in Currents, Health for All is more than a slogan. It is a promise that every person who walks through the door is welcome.

A Lasting Impact for Willcox and Beyond

The opening of the Willcox clinic reflects years of planning, partnership, and community advocacy. It also reflects a broader truth about rural healthcare: access matters most when it is consistent, local, and rooted in trust.

With the support of community partners, funders, and dedicated staff, Willcox now has more than a clinic. It has a dependable healthcare home.

We are grateful to Alexis Ramanjulu at KGUN9, L.M. Boyd & Danny Sax at AZPM, and SSVEC Currents for documenting this milestone and helping share the story of what is possible when communities invest in health, dignity, and care for all.