Last Wednesday, CareArc announced they would be closing their Eureka campus, located at 1602 N. Elm Street, on Thursday, Feb. 29. The press release came just a few hours after Eureka staff learned the facility would be closing in four short weeks.
CareArc, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), came to Eureka in 2014 through a grant. The facility offered medical, dental and behavioral health services over the years, but in most recent years has not been able to find providers to fill the dental and behavioral health services. “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity we’ve had to serve the Eureka community. Our patients’ well-being has always been our top priority, and it has been our honor to provide quality care to this wonderful community,” said Renee Hively, CEO of CareArc.
The press release, shared by CareArc last week, noted contributing factors to the closure included financial losses tied to the decreasing population in Eureka, the challenge of its rural location in Greenwood County, far from larger population centers, difficulties in recruiting dentists and providers, and an oversaturation of providers in the Eureka healthcare market. CEO Hively noted that in a five year span, the facility saw a decrease of patients from 4,000 in 2018 to 2,000 in 2023.
“We understand that this transition may be difficult for our patients. I assure you that our team is dedicated to making this transition as smooth as possible,” added Hively.
On Thursday morning of last week, CEO Hively shared with The Eureka Herald that she had been in communication with other facilities; however, couldn’t share who communication was being held with or what their future plans for the facility would be.
The Eureka CareArc location will remain open through Feb. 29. Staff members at the Eureka location were also notified last Wednesday that their last day of employment would be Feb. 29.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the residents of Eureka and surrounding areas for entrusting us with their care over the years. It has been a privilege to be a part of this community,” Hively remarked.
For more information, or for assistance with transitioning care, CareArc patients are recommended to contact CareArc at 620-342-4864 Option 7.
