Healing Center provides health care for underserved Atlanta community

ATLANTA — The Healing Community Center, in southwest Atlanta, is giving people who cannot afford health insurance the critical care they need.

Channel 2's Fred Blankenship spoke with the doctor who started the center about the services it offers and how it helps people with nowhere else to turn.

Grady emergency room doctor Charles Moore said, "When you take that first step, it's kind of scary."

Moore originally operated the community center out of his car in underserved Atlanta areas. Now, with the help of donations and a new federal grant, the healing center has expanded.

"It's really humbling and exhilarating at the same time to know that that small action that I took when I went out in my car to set up the temporary clinics has grown into this," said Moore.

Moore said that the healing center offers primary care for adults and pediatrics; ear, nose, and throat; cardiology; pulmonology, Ob-Gyn; mental health services; and nutrition and exercise assistance. Dental service is also coming soon.

Terry Johnson is seeing pulmonologist Dr. Graham.

She said, "They make it affordable to get health care. It's a tremendous blessing because without this, I couldn't afford to come and see a pulmonologist."

Moore said, "Our primary care is done on a sliding scale so that it's affordable for everyone, and all our specialty care is completely free."

By providing all the services in one place, it cuts down on the cost. They are also in a convenient location, right across from the train station for easy access on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

When not at the healing community center, Moore enjoys giving back to the community. His new program is called Walk with a Doc, which takes simple steps for better health.

The community center just received a federal grant for nearly $800,000 a year. Moore says that will go a long way to help patients.

WSBTV