Ohio Town Gets $6.5M Health Clinic and Job Training Hub

A small Ohio town that hasn't had a doctor's office in years is getting a brand new health clinic, job training center, and youth programs all under one roof.

The Indian Creek Community Innovation Center is rising in Mingo Junction, a village where residents currently have to travel outside town for basic medical care. When it opens this summer, a walk-in health clinic operated by West Virginia University Medicine will serve the community with a nurse practitioner or physician on staff.

"There's currently no medical provider in the village of Mingo Junction, so it's going to be a great benefit to the residents there," said John Belt, assistant superintendent of the Indian Creek Local School District.

The 14,000-square-foot building will house much more than healthcare. The Jefferson County Community Action Council will staff computers where residents can search for jobs, build resumes, and apply for training programs. Staff will be on hand to help people navigate the Ohio Means Jobs website and connect with workforce development opportunities.

Dislocated workers and unemployed residents can access job training through the Workforce Innovation Community Act program. Young people ages 16 to 24 can find summer employment and career assistance through the Comprehensive Case Management Employment program.

The center will also provide educational programs for at-risk students from Jefferson and Harrison counties, plus a gym open to the public. Each program gets its own entrance for security and privacy.

Construction is moving forward smoothly despite winter weather, with crews using propane heaters to keep materials at the right temperature. Workers have finished foam insulation in the walls and are wrapping up interior electrical work. A brick facade goes on next.

The Ripple Effect

The center sits along an existing bus route, making it accessible to residents without cars. That matters in a community where transportation can be a barrier to healthcare, employment, and education.

The $6.5 million project comes entirely from an Ohio Facilities Construction Commission grant with no local match required. For a small town, that means transformative services without new taxes or budget strain.

Ground broke in June on land next to Indian Creek Middle School, and the facility should welcome its first visitors when school lets out for summer.

One building is bringing a doctor, job coaches, student programs, and community space to a town that had none of them before.