WSJM: Ribbon cutting held for new Berrien County Health Department office in Niles

The ribbon cutting has been held for the Berrien County Health Department’s new office in Niles.

County commissioners, representatives of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, health department staff, and Congressman Tim Walberg came out for the celebration Friday. County Commissioner Sharon Tyler said the new office will better serve the health needs of southern Berrien County residents who can find it difficult to travel to the office in Benton Harbor.

“This is more than a building, it’s a promise to our community that we will provide better care, more resources, and expand services for everyone who needs them,” Tyler said.

Congressman Tim Walberg said the office is an example of the services a county health department can offer residents in rural areas. He said those local departments carry a large load.

“We went through something I think just recently called COVID, a pandemic, and I know health departments were asked to carry out some things that weren’t necessarily of their planning, but they were to carry them out,” Walberg said. “And they did them to the best means possible.”

Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller told us the Niles office hasn’t received a significant renovation since the 1960s. This $1.3 million improvement project took about a year to complete. He’s pleased with the results.

“It’s nice to have a state-of-the-art facility,” Miller said. “It makes our community residents feel dignified in the services they receive here. It makes our staff feel good too. So we’re all about it. We’re really happy to establish or re-establish our presence down here in the Niles community.”

The county received a roughly $700,000 grant from the CDC to help pay for the project.

Services offered at the Niles office include sexual health and family planning, WIC, vaccinations, and family health. Miller says about 15 staff members, including nurse practitioners and social workers, will be stationed there. The improvements include a new waiting area and private check-in and check-out.

You can learn more about Berrien County Health Department services right here.