How Grace Health Started

Chad Stevens, CFO at Grace Health, and Alesia Anderson, Grace Health's Senior Director of Community Programs, are two employees who have been with Grace Health from the beginning. Each of these individuals shared about the journey from the start of the organization in 2008. In addition, Dr. David Worthy served as the CEO at the start of Grace Health and recently shared his story with Alesia -- there was a group of physicians in the Corbin area who shared a vision to start a faith-based clinic with the mission of showing the love and sharing the truth of Jesus Christ.

One day, one of the physicians in this group received an email from HRSA regarding a grant for Knox and Clay Counties, which led them to apply. Due to difficulties when trying to electronically submit the application, the staff called HRSA and requested to send the application through paper instead. The race was on because there was another FQHC that was competing to try and receive the grant as well. In the end, the other organization's submission was not received by HRSA, so Grace Health was able to receive the full grant. Alesia made it clear that "this wasn't just a coincidence, but I had faith that this was all in God's control."

Once they received the grant, many employees and volunteers had to hit the ground running in order to open the first clinic before the deadline. Chad Stevens said the help that they received from volunteers was amazing. Chad explained how the team and community volunteers literally helped put up the walls of the first clinic and made it possible to open the Grace Health Clinic in Gray by the deadline.

In 2013, the leadership and Board of Directors at Grace Health made a strategic decision to start meeting with local independent physician practices to create opportunities for growth. This led to Grace Health being able to acquire Women's Care in 2014 and Watts, Perry, & Perry, the largest family practice in Corbin, in 2015. In 2017, we were then able to bring on the largest internal medicine practice, Turner, Whitley, & Morton. After Dr. Samuel Kreis and his Mountain View practice in London, KY came on board. Since then, Grace Health has been able to continue to see the growth -- even during this previous pandemic year -- with the opening of Grace Health's newest clinic, the Levi Center Clinic, in London, KY.

Chad Stevens shared that he believes the core of the mission is what has fueled all of the growth and success at Grace Health: The foundation of Jesus Christ; Grace Health's core values; Pillars to success (Access, People, Quality, Community); and A team focused on serving.

Chad and Alesia both shared that it has been a privilege to be a part of the journey of Grace Health from the beginning and witness the astonishing work that God has done and provided throughout the years at Grace Health.

03 2021 Q1: ACCESS