CHC/SEK to assume operations at Independence clinic

Community Health Centers of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is taking over the operation of the Ascension St. Johns Primary Care operation in Independence, Kan. (Ascension.org website)

News release

INDEPENDENCE, Kan.—The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is pleased to announce an agreement with Ascension St. John to assume operations of Ascension St. John Primary Care in Independence, Kan., effective July 1, 2026. 

As part of this transition, Ascension will donate the clinic's building and land to CHC/SEK. CHC/SEK and Ascension St. John are committed to ensuring a seamless transition for every patient. 

“We very much appreciate Ascension's trust in us and are committed to ensuring that every patient in Independence receives the quality care they deserve,” said Krista Postai, CHC/SEK Chief Executive Officer.

This agreement deepens CHC/SEK's longstanding roots in Montgomery County. The organization first came to the area in 2012 with the opening of its Coffeyville location. CHC/SEK’s Independence clinic, established in partnership with Four County Mental Health Center, opened in 2014. 

Moving forward, CHC/SEK will operate two locations in Independence. The new CHC/SEK Independence clinic will open on August 10, 2026, offering primary care services as well as specialty services in collaboration with Ascension. Erica Whitson, APRN-C, will join the CHC/SEK team, providing family medicine services. Walk-in care and pharmacy services will be introduced later in the year.

Earlier this year, CHC/SEK released the results of its 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment, which serves as a blueprint for the organization’s plans to address the region’s largest health challenges.

“Our Community Health Needs Assessment made one thing clear: the people of southeast Kansas need more access to care,” said Jason Wesco, CHC/SEK President and Chief Strategy Officer. “Every barrier we remove, whether it's distance, cost, or availability, is a step toward a healthier community.”

Expanding access to quality, affordable care is not just a goal for CHC/SEK, it is the mission.

The organization serves more than 85,000 patients annually across Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma, a region that faces persistent provider shortages and generational poverty. This investment into the Independence community is one of the many ways CHC/SEK strives to meet these challenges head-on.  

CHC/SEK has built its recent growth by developing partnerships aimed at preserving healthcare access in rural communities. Before opening a new location, CHC/SEK works to first understand the community’s unique needs and tailors services accordingly.

Over the past several years, the organization has opened clinics in: 

• Arma, Fort Scott, Mound City, Pleasanton, and Miami, Oklahoma (2019) 

• Garnett (2022) 

• Pittsburg State University campus and Bartlesville, Oklahoma (2023) 

For more information, visit chcsek.org.