Tribal Health Center: Expanded Care in Southeastern CT

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announced plans to build a 21,000-square-foot health center in partnership with Hartford Healthcare, according to a community announcement.

The new facility will expand access to patient-centered care for both tribal members and the greater community. It will include two distinct but connected spaces: Tribal Health Services, which will exclusively serve members of federally recognized tribes, and a Hartford Healthcare clinic that will be open to the public.

“This project is about more than bricks and mortar; it is about reclaiming our health future,” Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, said. “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. True wellness comes when the entire community has access to the care and support they need.”

The design of the facility is rooted in tribal traditions and incorporates natural landscaping with native plantings, water elements and symbolic references such as the Whale’s Tail and Turtle Island. In addition to clinical care, the new facility will provide spaces for community gatherings and support.

“This health facility reflects the vision, land and investment of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation,” Tribal Councilor Michele Scott, a member of Hartford Healthcare’s East Region Board of Directors, said. “We are honored to partner with an outstanding health system, and 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. It demonstrates what is possible when Tribal sovereignty and healthcare innovation come together.”