- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Health Care
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation will build a new 21,000-square-foot health center in partnership with Hartford HealthCare, expanding access to medical services for tribal members and the broader southeastern Connecticut community.
The facility will house two separate operations under one roof: Tribal Health Services, serving members of federally recognized tribes exclusively, and a Hartford HealthCare clinic open to the public. The tribe will own the building on tribal reservation trust land and operate Tribal Health Services and Pequot Pharmaceutical Network, while Hartford HealthCare will run its services under a lease agreement, a tribal spokesperson said.
"This project is about more than bricks and mortar; it is about reclaiming our health future," said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. "We are proud to create a space that combines modern medical care with cultural affirmation, one that serves not only Tribal citizens, but our neighbors throughout Southeastern Connecticut."
The tribe will lead development with project management support from Hartford HealthCare, the spokesperson said. The nation is not disclosing project costs or financing details at this time.
The design incorporates tribal traditions through natural landscaping with native plantings, water elements, and symbolic references including the Whale's Tail and Turtle Island. The facility will also provide spaces for community gatherings beyond clinical care.
Specific employment numbers remain under development, though the tribe anticipates more than 100 construction jobs for a project of this scale, the spokesperson said. Existing Tribal Health Services and Pequot Pharmaceutical Network teams will relocate to the new facility once completed. The tribe follows Indian preference in hiring under tribal law.
"This health facility reflects the vision, land, and investment of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation," said Tribal Councilor Michele Scott, a member of Hartford HealthCare's East Region Board of Directors. "This center represents a new model of care, one that blends Western medicine with Tribal traditions, and sets an example that can be replicated across Indian Country."
Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Jeff Flaks said the collaboration will expand access to care in southeastern Connecticut and improve health outcomes across the state.
By co-locating Tribal Health Services and the pharmacy, the tribe aims to improve access and continuity of care, the spokesperson said. The project builds on the nation's existing relationship with Hartford HealthCare and represents an investment in long-term community health outcomes.
A groundbreaking is planned for spring, with details to be announced at upcoming tribal meetings and information sessions.
