Canton Health Department Temporarily Relocates Nursing and WIC Services
Starting Thursday, Canton’s nursing and WIC services will operate from a new location at the David A. Fettman Professional Building, located at 128 Wertz Ave. NW, Suite B behind Davies Pharmacy. The relocation is temporary, made necessary by renovations at the health department’s current office.
To ensure a smooth transition and allow for set up at the new location, the nursing and WIC departments will be closed from Monday, Jan. 2 through Wednesday, Jan. 4.
Canceled clinics during the closure include Monday’s immunization, tuberculosis, and WIC clinic appointments. Tuesday’s sexually transmitted infection (STI) walk-in and WIC clinics are also canceled. These cancellations impact services typically offered at the department’s Market Avenue North location. The Tuberculosis (TB) clinic will remain closed until January 6.
The closure will not impact Canton’s air pollution control, environmental health, laboratory, or vital statistics (birth and death records) services. WIC services at the Alliance, Massillon, and Stark County health departments also remain available during the temporaryClosure.
Appointments for Thursday, January 5th and after at the David A. Fettman Professional Building can be scheduled by calling Canton’s nursing division at 330-489-3322 and Canton’s WIC division at 330-489-3326.
Renovations Improve Space for Serving the Community
The relocation stems from a $1.7 million renovation project for the Canton health department’s office and clinic space located at 420 Market Ave. N, formerly the building that housed the city’s Sears store for many years.
The renovation project is multi-faceted. It involves remodeling the building’s vacant second floor in preparation for relocating some first-floor operations to that space.
This move will free up space to expand and remodel the existing clinic space on the first floor. The project also includes reconfiguring the building’s main entrance
향상된 보안 및 방문객 유동 개선을 목표로 합니다.
This project is expected to begin in January and be completed by next fall. Federal coronavirus relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is financing these renovations.
The need for expanded space was evident during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, explained city officials. The existing clinic space could not accommodate the influx of individuals seeking COVID-19 vaccines, prompting the department to host vaccination clinics at offsite locations.
Syringe Exchange Program Finds a New Home
Separately, the Canton health department has relocated Stark County’s only syringe access program, known as SWAP (Stark Wide Approach to Prevention) to provide more space for its growing operations.
The program is now located in a Suite B at 832 McKinley Ave. NW, within the Recovery Center building.
Hours of operation remain unchanged: Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m.
In 2023 alone, the program recorded 5,246 visits, including at least 210 individuals who identified themselves as new clients according to the SWAP 2023 annual report.
The cost to rent the 5,000 square foot space is $50.000 annually, funded through a state grant.
The space is also temporarily home to the department’s HIV prevention and education team due to renovations at the Market Avenue N location.
What services offered by the Canton Health Department are temporarily relocating?
## Canton Health Department Temporarily Relocating
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re discussing the temporary relocation of Canton’s nursing and WIC services. Joining us is Alex Reed, [Alex Reed Title] at the Canton Health Department. Thank you for being here.
**Alex Reed:** Thanks for having me.
**Interviewer:** So, can you tell our viewers why the nursing and WIC departments are moving?
**Alex Reed:** Sure. We’re undergoing a much-needed $1.7 million renovation project at our Market Avenue North location. This project will improve our space and allow us to better serve the community. While the renovations are underway, our nursing and WIC services will temporarily operate out of the David A. Fettman Professional Building located at 128 Wertz Ave. NW. [[1](https://www.cantonohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6707/2024-11-Resolution_HC-Authorized-to-Make-Purchases-and-Enter-into-Contracts-for-Building-Renovationspdf)]
**Interviewer:** That’s great news about the renovations, but I understand there will be a brief closure during the relocation.
**Alex Reed:** That’s right. To ensure a smooth transition, the nursing and WIC departments will be closed from Monday, January 2nd through Wednesday, January 4th.
**Interviewer:** What does this mean for people who rely on these services?
**Alex Reed:** We understand this might be inconvenient, and we apologize for any disruption. During the closure, some clinics, including immunizations, tuberculosis, WIC, and STI walk-in clinics, will be canceled. The Tuberculosis (TB) clinic will remain closed until January 6th. However, it’s important to note that other essential services, like air pollution control, environmental health, laboratory, and vital statistics, will not be impacted. People can also still access WIC services at the Alliance, Massillon, and Stark County health departments.
**Interviewer:** When will services resume at the new location?
**Alex Reed:** Appointments for nursing and WIC services will resume at the David A. Fettman Professional Building starting Thursday, January 5th. People can schedule appointments by calling 330-489-3322 for nursing and 330-489-3326 for WIC.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing this information with us and for all the work you do for our community.
**Alex Reed:** You’re welcome. We’re committed to providing quality healthcare services to the people of Canton, and we appreciate everyone’s patience during this transition.
