The dedication of the Rebuilt Forrest County Health Department took place on Thursday.

The Forrest County Health Department building on Old Highway 42 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi recently underwent a $5.5 million reconstruction project, funded by a combination of county, state, and federal funds. The grand reopening ceremony was held on Thursday to showcase the newly renovated facility.

The reconstruction included the addition of several new exam rooms, a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) distribution center, and a drive-thru vaccination area. Staff had been working out of a temporary location on Klondyke Street during the construction, but will be moving back to the new building on May 17 and will begin seeing patients on May 21.

Chad Bridges, southern region administrator for the Mississippi State Department of Health, noted that about 3,500 square feet were added to the building. The new area will serve as the entrance for patients to check in with clerical staff before proceeding to the nurses’ stations.

One of the medical assistants at the Forrest County Health Department, Irene Hollingsworth, who has been working there for over 40 years, expressed her admiration for the newly renovated building. She described it as “so beautiful” and credited Chad Bridges and the team for doing a wonderful job.

Construction work on the project began in April, 2023. Subscribe to the WDAM 7 newsletter for more news updates. Copyright 2024 WDAM. All rights reserved.