Mashantucket Pequots, Hartford HealthCare Partner

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is partnering with Hartford HealthCare to build a new one-stop health center on tribal land.

The 21,000-square-foot facility will offer services including primary care, same-day care, and pharmacy.

“This project is about more than bricks and mortar; it is about reclaiming our health future,” said Mashantucket Pequot chair Rodney Butler.

The facility will expand access to modern, patient-centered care, while focusing on the values, history, and culture of the Mashantucket Pequot people.

Expanding Access

“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,” Butler said.

“True wellness comes when the entire community has access to the care and support they need.”

“We are creating an innovative model of care that honors tribal heritage and delivers world-class services.”

Hartford Healthcare’s Jeff Flaks

The health center will feature two distinct but connected areas—a Tribal Health Services space exclusively serving federally recognized tribes and a Hartford HealthCare clinic open to the public.

“We are creating an innovative model of care that honors tribal heritage and delivers world-class services close to home,” said Hartford HealthCare CEO Jeff Flaks.

“This is an extraordinary privilege and a meaningful opportunity to work together to make health care more accessible, more affordable, and more equitable for everyone.”

Rooted in Tradition

The health center’s design will also be rooted in tribal traditions.

It will incorporate natural landscaping with native plantings, water elements, and symbolic references.

There will also be spaces designed for community gatherings and support.

Tribal leaders said the center represents a new model of care, blending Western medicine with tribal traditions.

“This health facility reflects the vision, land, and investment of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation,” said tribal councilor Michele Scott, who also serves on Hartford Healthcare’s East Region Board of Directors.

“It demonstrates what is possible when tribal sovereignty and healthcare innovation come together.”

Officials will hold a groundbreaking event for the health center this spring.