Houston County Health Department celebrates building expansion  

WARNER ROBINS — April 16, The Houston County Health Department held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its expansion. 

Many elected officials were in attendance, including Houston County Commissioners, Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick and Centerville Mayor John Harley. 

“This building is a one-of-a-kind facility and Houston County has a lot to be proud of with this facility,” said retired Department of Public Health Director of Special Projects Morris Hutcheson. “They’ve got a great space for the future to see patients, to serve the public health needs of the citizens of Houston County.”

According to Director of Administration for Houston County Robbie Dunbar, the expansion of this building was roughly a $6 million investment.

 The construction process started in January 2022 and was just completed in February 2024. The new space is about 13,000 square feet and expands the building’s footprint to 29,000 square feet.  

Hutcheson believed the building expansion will have a great impact on Houston County.

“I think you are going to see a huge impact on public health services,” he said. “Houston County has a very broad range of community partnerships that assist in public health in providing for a better range of public health services.” 

This new expansion building was funded by COVID relief money that came from the federal government. 

“We really appreciate the investment that not only this building, but all of those ARPA funds that are doing lots of good work around our community,” said Chairman Dan Perdue. 

Perdue then talked about the importance of the Health Department.

“There are lots of citizens that may never come through the doors of the Health Department here, but I can assure you there is not a single citizen in Houston County, and really our region, who is not affected by the work of the Health Department,” he said. “Everything they do from public health and disease control, immunizations and vaccinations, emergency and disaster response clinics, health inspections. If you eat at a restaurant, you are affected by the work of the health department.”

Perdue then discussed the importance of health department employees, who he said can best be summarized as public servants. 

“When we think of public service, we often think of elected officials and teachers and first responders,” he said. All those are certainly public servants, but I can’t think of any better public servants than the ones who work in this building.” 

Houston County Board of Health Chairman Daron Lee shared his remarks on the new expansion of the Health Department. 

“I’m so glad that like-minded individuals of the Department of Health came together to bring forward a vision to the powers that be, that was plain enough that we saw a desire, a need and importance to support in order bring into fruition,” he said. 

Lee also thanked Department of Health staff. 

“In order to bring full services for this community, it could not have been done without the shoulders that we’re standing on and that is the Department of Health staff,” he said. “Collaboratively, we’re working together to do great, be greater, be exceptional and continue to set the standard when it comes to the Department of Health.” 

For more information about Houston County Health Department, visit northcentralhealthdistrict.org/houston-county-health-department/