New facility will provide local medical services, immunizations and future treatment for county jail inmates
Orange County is preparing to expand its local health services with a new $6 million health department building designed to improve access to medical care, strengthen public health response and reduce county expenses.
The facility is located on FM 1442 near the Orange County Expo and Emergency Operations Center.
Orange County Judge John Gothia, speaking recently at a Chamber sponsored event, said the facility grew out of lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic when Orange and Hardin counties recognized that their long-standing shared health department was no longer the most effective arrangement.
The two counties had shared a health department for approximately 45 years before deciding to separate.
“When COVID came around, we realized during COVID that there was just no way that was going to continue to work,” Gothia said.
Gothia said he began exploring options for a separate Orange County facility after working with officials in Chambers County and visiting its health department to learn how its operation was organized.
The project was made possible through grant funding, which Gothia said helped cover the building’s approximately $6 million cost. Grant funding also supports the majority of the facility’s staff.
Although the project was developed without relying on local tax dollars as its primary funding source, Gothia acknowledged that grant money ultimately comes from taxpayers.
“I like to say that we did this all without tax dollars,” Gothia said. “But every dollar of the grant is still your tax dollars.”
The new facility will serve as Orange County’s local health department, offering immunizations and monitoring health conditions and public health concerns throughout the county.
Dr. Calvin Parker oversees the medical operation, which includes nurse practitioners, nurses and other staff. Jennifer Blankenship serves as the department’s director.
Gothia said the building was nearing completion and officials hoped to have it fully operational soon.
The facility is divided into office and administrative areas and a separate medical section. Security features throughout the building are designed to protect patient privacy and ensure the safety of employees and visitors.
One of the planned future uses is providing medical treatment for inmates housed in the Orange County Jail.
Gothia said state law requires the county to provide necessary medical care for inmates, but transporting them to medical facilities in Beaumont or elsewhere can be expensive. Those trips typically require two officers to accompany an inmate.
By treating inmates at the new health department building when appropriate, the county hopes to reduce transportation costs and the personnel time required for outside medical appointments.
“If we can treat those people here for most minor stuff, which is 90% of it, then that saves the county, saves us, saves you a lot of money,” Gothia said.
The county also plans to establish a system that would allow employees to receive treatment for minor medical issues at the facility.
Gothia said the county modeled much of its approach after Chambers County, which has an established program he described as effective.
“Why reinvent the wheel?” Gothia said. “We’re going to follow their lead on how they do that.”
Beyond routine medical services, the facility will provide Orange County with a central location for responding to major public health emergencies and disease outbreaks.
Gothia said the project reflects the county’s responsibility to provide services to residents while managing public funds responsibly.
Gothia thanked those involved in preparing the facility and said county officials were proud to bring the new health department building to Orange County.
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