WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Family Health Center of Marshfield has secured a $3 million state grant to build the Wisconsin Rapids Health Center (WRHC), aiming to improve access to healthcare, including dental care and addiction treatment, for the local community.
Executive Director Greg Nycz highlighted a significant gap in local healthcare. “Many people in the greater Wisconsin Rapids area travel to our Neillsville and Marshfield clinics for dental care. One year, 1,600 residents sought treatment elsewhere—1,000 to Marshfield and 600 to Neillsville—totaling roughly 150,000 miles of travel,” he said.
Nycz credited legislators with helping address local needs through targeted funding. “Congressional spending works best when representatives closest to the problem help direct resources,” he said.
The WRHC will operate as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), granting cost-based Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and access to 340B drug discounts. While all FQHCs are community health centers (CHCs), not all CHCs qualify as FQHCs.
The center will be located at 220 24th St. S, Wisconsin Rapids, on land donated by Mike Bovee, Executive Director of The Legacy Foundation of Central Wisconsin, as part of a regional redevelopment initiative.
Plans call for a 24,000-square-foot facility with dedicated spaces for dental, behavioral health, and primary care. Groundbreaking is expected in fall 2026, pending USDA approval.
Modern technology will be incorporated, including telehealth services to reach rural or underserved patients and those unable to travel.
Nycz also emphasized the center’s economic impact. “[WRHC] will create jobs, supporting community growth while expanding healthcare access,” he said.