Heritage Health to break ground on phase two

COEUR d’ALENE — Phase 2 of the Heritage Health Center for Healthy Living kicks off with a groundbreaking ceremony at noon Feb. 5, at 3700 W. Seltice Way. The project comes with a $4 million price tag.

“This is such an exciting thing for us,” said Heritage Health CEO Mike Baker. “We consolidated six buildings into that one building, and all of the teams are working together, and it’s magic.”

Phase one of the Center, which began a little over a year ago, brought behavioral health and psychiatry under one roof, reducing reliance on emergency and crisis systems.

When the project is complete in the fall of this year, the Center for Healthy Living will bring together medical, dental, pediatric, behavioral health, substance use treatment, psychiatry, pharmacy services and workforce training.

The model intends to remove barriers by eliminating the need to refer patients elsewhere for health care.

“We’ve had a year seeing patients inside the clinic and it’s so cool just seeing the collaboration that happens, better patient care because we can get patients between therapists by walking them there, that part’s been amazing,” Baker said

The expanded campus will include prevention and long-term health elements, as well as a teaching kitchen, a community gathering space, a movement studio and an outdoor walking trail.

“This is the dream we’ve been building for 10 years and it’s so cool to see it come together,” Baker said. “We can really look at primary care from a different lens.”

Baker said that Heritage Health will also be creating new iterations of some of its past preventive health programs focused on physical fitness and healthier eating, and is currently working to secure community partners for the program.

Developer Parkwood Business Properties is currently one of those partners. The Center for Healthy Living and Young Construction Group are ready to resume construction on the project.

“Now you’re going to be able to go to this building on Seltice and just show up, and we’ll take care of you,” Baker said.