Bowen Health opens third Fort Wayne clinic

Dec 18

Share this Story!

Bowen Health cut the ribbon on its third health clinic on Washington Center Rd. in Fort Wayne. Offering mental health care, primary health care, and substance use counseling, the new clinic serves everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. It is located at 1313 W Washington Center Road – West Entrance , Fort Wayne, the site of the former Hall’s Guest House, co-located with the YWCA of Northeast Indiana.

“You know, there are many choices for healthcare. And you might be thinking, well, what is different about Bowen Health?” said Dr. Rob Ryan, Bowen Health President and CEO. He explained that Bowen Health is named after Otis R. “Doc” Bowen, a former two-term Indiana governor and career physician, and that while the organization serves urban areas like Fort Wayne, Bowen Health upholds the "country doctor" philosophy of its namesake by prioritizing deeply personal patient relationships and local accessibility while insisting on clinical excellence with a resourceful, "scrappy" approach to problem-solving, ensuring that all communities receive top-notch, determined care.

“The other thing that Doc Bowen did that we are so proud of is he was a big proponent for mental health and addiction (treatment). This idea that you can't just treat one area of the body and not pay attention to the other. So, while our origins are with Doc Bowen, our future is here with you, with us, finding ways to serve you in a very personal way, closer to home, in a way that you can be sure is the absolute best that you can get.”

“Bowen has been doing a lot of ribbon-cutting lately, and every one is special,” said Jay Baumgartner, Bowen Health CFO. “Every one represents a new beginning, new opportunities, new chances to access patients where they are, make it convenient, and be able to meet them and meet their needs and really help them make their life better.”

Judge Andrew Williams of the Allen County Superior Court Civil Division agreed that proper mental health services are critical to a thriving community.

“As the mental health judge in Allen County. I do all of the civil mental health cases, and it's become very clear to me that mental illness touches everybody in our community,” said Judge Williams. “It doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what you have, what you don't have, where you live, what your race is, what your politics are. Mental illness affects all of us.”

Judge Williams said that his experiences with Bowen Health have shown that the organization is always eager to step forward and make efforts to improve lives in the community.

“Bowen Health is an organization that cares about the community that they're in, and they want to make a difference. I think it's probably not a coincidence that we're one week away from Christmas, and I see this as a gift to our community, and I truly appreciate it. Please continue to do what you're doing. It is so important to our community and the folks in our community that don't have other options.”

The next speaker, a long-time area advocate for mental health, noted that things today are improved from decades ago, and not by accident.

“Thirty years ago in our community, we had very, very, very, very little resources. As I stand here today in 2025, almost 2026, so much has changed, and Bowen has been at the center of that,” said Brenda Gerber Vincent, Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., Chief Impact Officer. “Bowen has been at the center of that, leading the way. This new Bowen Health facility benefits our entire community, a place where our community can come to be seen, to be heard, and provided with health care with the whole person in mind, regardless of their ability to pay. That's big.”

“I'm reminded of why Bowen health exists in the first place, and that's to ensure that anyone, regardless of their circumstance, has the opportunity to live a healthier, dignified life. This new location reflects that commitment from Bowen Health,” said Kylie Riecken, Bowen Health Executive Director. “It was designed with intention, expanding primary care, mental health care, and supported services. More than brick and mortar, this space represents an opportunity, an opportunity for a parent to manage their health care while still caring for their family, or for an elderly person to receive care closer to home. It's an opportunity for a young adult to feel heard and seen and supported, and for every person that walks through our doors to know that they are valued. Access to care is more than just providing services; it's about eliminating barriers, financial, cultural, logistical, so that even though health care is available, it's also reachable,” said Ms. Riecken.

One important way for patients to reach the clinic is by bus, but the new site did not have bus service, at least until Bowen Health, the YWCA, and Citilink put their heads together. Today, the site is one of the city’s busiest bus stops, and Bowen Health will soon be installing a new accessible bus shelter.

“This is more than a facility. It's a promise that everyone deserves support regardless of where they are in their journey,” said Casey Claypool, Citilink Marketing and Development Director. “It's also a reminder of the power of partnership. Progress like this does not happen in silos. It happens when organizations are willing to set aside their own mission and come together with a shared purpose and vision.”

“What makes today especially meaningful is not just the opening of a new facility, but how it came to be,” said Shannon Hannon, Bowen Health COO. “This space represents organizations intentionally choosing to work side by side, with a common commitment to serving our community more effectively, to stepping up and doing just a little bit more. By co-locating with the YWCA, we're making care easier to access, more coordinated, and more responsive to the real needs of the people who walk through these doors, but also to the larger community. It's convenient, a little closer to home, and maybe just a bus ride away.”