The center will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Dental care will not be offered during the expanded morning and evening hours.

“At Community Health Center, we are committed to meeting the needs of our patients, many of whom work in local factories and face challenges accessing health care during traditional office hours,” said Renae Kruckenberg, chief executive officer of the health center.

“By offering expanded hours, we provide more flexibility so our patients can receive the care they need without missing work or relying on emergency services for non-emergent issues,” she added.

Colleen Miller, the center’s chief operating officer, said the expanded schedule “relieves some of the stress on families trying to manage their schedules and health care needs.”

These services will be provided during the expanded morning and evening hours:

• Primary care.

• Urgent walk-in care.

• Pediatric and adult wellness exams.

• Mental health care, such as medication management and therapy.

A $500,000 federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration made the expanded hours possible. The grant, awarded in December, helped pay for hiring additional clinical and administrative staff needed to operate the new schedule.

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is a federally qualified facility that provides medical, dental, and behavioral care to patients of all ages. It accepts most health insurance plus Medicare and Medicaid. It offers a sliding fee scale for qualifying patients.