By Kristy Warren

Access to affordable dental care and family medicine remains challenging in many rural regions. The Laurel Health Centers are on a mission to change that by improving healthcare access for patients of all ages in rural northcentral PA. Over the past four years, Laurel Health has diligently expanded services in Tioga and Bradford Counties to help meet local need, and the health system was recently contacted about extending its services into Sullivan County.

Earlier this year, Laurel Health was approached for help with preserving an important, safety-net health resource in Laporte, PA. The health system stepped in quickly to avoid an extended disruption in local healthcare and to assure Sullivan County residents maintained access necessary primary and dental care close to home. The former Sullivan County Medical Center and former Sullivan County Dental Clinic successfully transitioned to Laurel Health's ownership to become the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center, a unified health and dental clinic located at 217 King Street in Laporte, PA.

On June 11, 2025, Laurel Health held a special event to celebrate the founding of the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center, featuring representatives from Governor Shapiro’s office and the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Human Services.

Attendees included Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; Dr. Debra L. Bogen, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health; Drew Popish, Northeast Regional Director for Governor Shapiro’s office; Laurel Health’s executive team; local and state legislative representatives; community leaders; the AllOne Foundation; the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC); Northeast AHEC; regional foundation representatives; senior board members; and clinical staff.

Photo Caption: On June 11, 2025, Laurel Health held a special event to celebrate the founding of the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center with local and state leaders in Laporte, PA. Pictured from left to right:

Anne Loudenslager, Laurel Health President; John Cosgrove, AllOne Foundation CEO; Jesse Ergott, AllOne Foundation Chief Advancement Officer; Deb Rudy, Field Representative for Sen. Gene Yaw (Wellsboro office); Mike Marabell, Field Director for Rep. Dan Meuser (Tunkhannock office); Matt Wise, District Director for Sen. Gene Yaw (Williamsport office); Scott Meyers, Jr., Sullivan County Commissioner and Laurel Health Board Member; Dr. Karin Rhodes, Special Advisor on Rural Health to the PA Dept. of Human Services; Philip Jones, Community Engagement & Outreach Representative from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; Dr. Debra Bogen, Secretary of the PA Dept. of Health; Brian Hoffman, Sullivan County Commissioner; Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Secretary of the PA Dept. of Human Services; and James Nobles, Laurel Health CEO.

The celebration kicked off with a welcome and remarks from James A. Nobles, Laurel Health CEO. “In 1973, we opened our first health center, and today, we celebrate our ninth health center, bringing us up to 13 total Laurel Health locations. Today, we recognize the hard work, passion, and commitment of community health centers," he announced. "We are forever grateful to the talented staff, board members, foundations, and community supporters who make it possible for us to provide quality, comprehensive healthcare services to thousands of patients across our rural region every year. Laurel Health has continued to flourish by placing patients first, employing excellent staff, remaining focused on each community’s unique needs, and guiding our mission, vision, and values with an open and committed heart.”

Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, shared, “Having access to healthcare in your community, close to home, is something that every Pennsylvanian deserves. Unfortunately, for too many people, where they live dictates the healthcare they have access to, and many people need to travel long distances to get the care they need. I look forward to working with Governor Shapiro’s Administration and the General Assembly to make sure Pennsylvanians get the healthcare they need no matter where they live.”

“Providing quality medical care for people close to their homes is essential,” Dr. Debra L. Bogen, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, underscored. “Currently, rural Pennsylvanians travel farther for their care than those who live in urban parts of the state. The Shapiro Administration is taking a multi-pronged approach to address healthcare workforce challenges across the Commonwealth and specifically in its rural communities.”

Nobles added, “Laurel Health was founded by concerned local citizens with a deep passion for serving their local communities, created to serve as a beacon of strength, service, hope, and care. When our team was approached about assisting with dental and primary care services here in Laporte, PA, we acted quickly in collaboration with local and state leadership to preserve a key safety-net resource as former tenants retired or withdrew operations from the county. Laurel Health is on a mission to improve access to quality care close to home, which we celebrate today with our expansion into Sullivan County.”

Following the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a guided tour of the facility and catered refreshments.

The center is led by experienced clinicians, including family physician Dr. Samuel Schrack and dentist Dr. Kate Craig. Laurel Health services offered in Sullivan County include: 

• Primary care 
• Pediatrics 
• Dental services 
• Women’s health 
• Preventive screenings and routine wellness care
• Care coordination
• Chronic condition management 
• Insurance enrollment assistance 
• Acute care for illnesses and injuries
• Same-day access for pressing health needs

There are further plans to add walk-in care, imaging, and mental and behavioral health services to the Sullivan County center in the future.

Community Health Centers like the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center are built to serve all patients, regardless of ability to pay or insurance status, and are focused on helping patients live their best lives by assuring comprehensive, quality healthcare is available close to home for rural patients.

Hours of operation for the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center:

• Primary Care: Mon to Tues. and Thurs. to Fri. from 8 am - 4:30 pm; primary care services are closed on Wednesdays.
  
  
• Dental Care: Monday - Thursday from 8:30 am - 3 pm; dental services are closed on Fridays.

The Sullivan County Laurel Health Center is committed to helping all patients get the healthcare they need; it offers a sliding fee program to income-eligible families to help with coverage gaps, medications, co-pays, and deductibles. Laurel Health’s certified application counselors also provide free help with health insurance enrollment and financial aid applications to ensure everyone can access the care they need.

To make an appointment at the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center, call 570-946-5101 (primary care) or 570-946-4363 (dental care).

For more information about the Sullivan County Laurel Health Center's services and providers, visit our provider directory, Laporte location, or healthcare services webpages.