As rural health care systems across the country face growing demand, workforce shortages and access challenges, Valley Health Care (VHC) is entering 2026 with a clear strategy: invest locally, expand essential services and build long-term capacity for the communities it serves.
At the center of this effort is a major campus expansion in Mill Creek, WV, alongside the integration of Randolph County Eye Care into the Valley Health Care family, two initiatives that reflect a broader, future-focused approach to rural health care delivery.
Construction began in June 2025 on a new 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art health center in Mill Creek, which will more than double VHC’s existing clinical space. The new facility, built within a repurposed commercial building, is designed to support expanded primary care, integrated specialty services and modernized infrastructure capable of meeting patient needs well into the future.
Once operations transition to the new building, VHC’s original health center, nearing 30 years of service, will be repurposed as a dedicated behavioral health center, significantly expanding access to mental and behavioral health services and reinforcing VHC’s commitment to whole-person care.
In parallel with its physical expansion, Valley Health Care is strengthening access to specialty services with Randolph County Eye Care in Elkins joining the VHC family. Randolph County Eye Care is a long-standing local provider that has served the region for decades. This ensures continuity of trusted vision care while expanding capacity through VHC’s broader system of support.
With this growth, Valley Health Care’s optometry service line will expand from one provider to four by March 2026, dramatically increasing appointment availability and introducing additional optometry services at the Mill Creek campus. The expansion addresses persistent access gaps in Randolph County, where vision care is closely tied to chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
“For more than 35 years, Valley Health Care has adapted alongside the communities it serves,” says Jordan Godwin, CEO of VHC. “This next phase is about being intentional, building a system that’s resilient, responsive and here for the long term.”
As VHC moves into 2026, its combined investments in infrastructure, specialty care and community-rooted services signal a forward-looking model for rural health systems, one focused not just on growth but on lasting impact to the communities they serve.
