A new health clinic designed specifically to serve students and personnel within the East Providence School District is now open, just a stone’s throw from East Providence High School.

Dubbed the East Bay Health Center, the facility will be run by the East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) and is located at 610 Waterman Ave., in the same complex as the Robert E. Rock Senior Center and what will become the city’s new $16 million recreation center, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open in October of 2026.

“What I envision this whole complex to be is a place of community, wellness, and gathering,” said Mayor Bob DaSilva at the ribbon cutting event on Nov. 18.

DaSilva explained how getting the new clinic open stretched into a more than three-year-long process. It involved a collaborative effort, including more than $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding from the city to renovate the building, and a $100,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island.

“When I first became aware of the shortage of behavioral health specialists available to support our youth, particularly our East Providence School District students, and hearing that often times when a student was in crisis and a school psychologist or nurse intervened, that it would take weeks, sometimes months, before they could get an appointment, I knew that we needed to do more,” said DaSilva.

Working in collaboration with East Providence Superintendent Sandra Forand and EBCAP personnel, the shared vision for the clinic ultimately became a reality.

“This center represents a shared commitment to health, safety, and success for our students and staff,” said Forand. “Here, we are creating a place where every member of our school community can access both mental health and physical health services with dignity, compassion, and care. We know that we when we invest in wellness, we invest in learning, growth, and brighter futures.”

The clinic will offer a suite of services, including serving as a primary care provider if a patient does not have a primary care physician.
“We all know that in Rhode Island, it's harder and harder to find a primary care physician or primary care services,” DaSilva said.

The clinic will also be able to administer vaccines, provide behavioral health services, perform annual check-ups and physicals, test for various ailments like the seasonal flu, strep and Covid, and provide GYN services for women. They also say they will welcome same-day, walk-in appointments for registered students.

“We know that we're going to serve people in East Providence High School, we’re going to serve people across the district,” said Rilwan Feyisitan, President and CEO of EBCAP, adding that people have already received services during a soft launch earlier this month. “And we’re going to be able to serve educators and others that need to come in and get services.”

Decorations add a nice touch
The 50 or so people who came to the ribbon cutting were invited inside to look at the facility and admire the artwork that can be seen in every different room throughout — a collection of colorful drawings and murals cut from construction paper that were created by local elementary school students.

“When I walked into the facility, I said ‘These walls are blank.’ There were lots of suggestions about how we should decorate,” said Kristen Hylan, APRN, FNP-BC, IBCLC, who will help run the clinic for EBCAP. “And I said, ‘We really want student artwork.’ Because that’s what this clinic is all about. All the youth in the school system, their health, and how that impacts their ability to have academic success.”

Hours of operation
Appointments can be scheduled Mondays to Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Same-day medical appointments will also be available. Behavioral Health services can be scheduled Mondays to Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Call 401-437-1008 to schedule an appointment.