ETSU Health Hancock County clinic celebrates expansion, renovation
Published 9:19 am Wednesday, April 2, 2025
- Photo Contributed ETSU Health’s Hancock County Elementary School-Based Health Center celebrated a recent renovation and expansion on Friday, March 28, with a ribbon-cutting. From left are Hancock County Director of Schools Charlotte Mullins; Center Manager Sandra Marion; East Tennessee State University College of Nursing Dean Dr. Dena Evans; donor and ETSU nursing alumnus Anne Rhome; ETSU Health Chief Executive Officer and ETSU Vice President for Clinical Affairs Dr. Bill Block; ETSU Health Chief Nursing Officer and ETSU College of Nursing Associate Dean for Practice and Community Partnerships Dr. Ros Robinson; ETSU College of Nursing Executive Director Melissa Queen; Clinical Director Amanda Moorhouse; Practice Administrator Vanessa Smith; and Hancock County School Board members David Jones, chair, and Jack Mullins.
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ETSU Health held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate renovations and an expansion of clinic space at the Hancock County Elementary School-Based Health Center.
The clinic is open to the public but also serves as a resource to the elementary school’s faculty, staff and students.
“For the past 25-plus years, parents have had the peace of mind that the clinic will treat their child’s illness with knowledge, kindness and compassion. Many children would not receive care without the clinic,” said Charlotte Mullins, Hancock County director of schools.
The Hancock County Elementary SBHC provides affordable primary care and urgent care services through sliding-fee discounts. With the recent expansion, the clinic anticipates improved access to mental health services as well.
“Community-based health centers bring vital primary and urgent care services to regions where they are in the shortest supply,” said Dr. Dena Evans, dean of East Tennessee State University’s College of Nursing. “Our patients will now enjoy not only new furniture, fresh paint and more space, they will enter a welcoming space that speaks to the professionalism and value that we place on the work that we do here. We thank this community for its warm reception and for allowing us to serve you.”
The clinic is one of five managed by ETSU’s College of Nursing. Its sister clinic is the Hancock County Middle/High School-Based Health Center.
The renovations were made possible by the hard work of clinic and College of Nursing staff to obtain a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) federal grant as well as a generous donation from ETSU College of Nursing alumnus Anne Rhome.
Rhome gave her donation as a testament to her belief in the importance of nurse-led clinics to serve the uninsured, underinsured and the homeless in our region.
The Hancock County Elementary School-Based Health Center is located at 391 Court Street in Sneedville, on the grounds of Hancock County Elementary School.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (423) 733-2121 or visit ETSUHealth.org.
