Two Mahoning County cities are quietly toying with a big idea: make urgent care visits free for locals. Girard and neighboring Struthers have been in talks with QUICKmed, a regional urgent care operator, about opening clinics that would waive visit fees for city residents and some local employees. City leaders say they are eyeing grant funding to jump-start the clinics as a pilot program, and consultants are already working through the details.
As reported by Local 12, Girard Mayor Mark Zuppo told WFMJ he sees the concept as a possible regional test case. “It’s going to help all of us in this whole region,” he said. The outlet reports that officials in both cities have already sat down with QUICKmed and outside consultants to talk through where clinics might go, how they would be funded and how a pilot phase could be structured.
What the clinics would offer
According to QUICKmed's public materials, the company’s clinics provide walk-in urgent care and primary care for non-emergency illnesses and minor injuries, with online pre-registration and same-day appointments available at many locations. Local reporting indicates the proposed Girard and Struthers sites would mirror the existing Youngstown-area model, handling routine diagnostics and treatments that keep lower-acuity patients out of crowded hospital emergency rooms. Under the cities’ concept, qualifying residents and participating local employees would see certain visit fees waived.
How the cities would pay for it
Per Local 12, QUICKmed estimated the program could cost around $1.5 million per year to run. Mayor Zuppo said he expects Girard could secure grant money to support the clinics for an initial five-year period. Staffers in both Girard and Struthers are working with consultants to track down possible grant sources, explore partnerships with employers and scout potential locations before anything formal is sent to city council. Officials say the plan would almost certainly roll out first as a pilot to test both demand and financial stability.
Why leaders say it matters
City officials argue that putting no-cost urgent care within easy reach would improve quality of life and give the local economy a bit more shine. Girard’s mayor has suggested that accessible, free care could make the city more appealing to businesses, especially after a recent retail prospect fell through. Nationally, urgent care centers have grown as a way to expand access and ease the load on emergency departments, and experts say these clinics often act as a public health pressure valve where primary care capacity is stretched thin. The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine has highlighted the sector’s role in managing patient surges and filling gaps in communities with limited frontline care.
For now, city leaders emphasize that talks are ongoing and no contracts are in place. Residents are expected to hear more at upcoming council meetings once consultants complete funding plans. If the pilot moves ahead, officials say it will be closely watched as a possible blueprint for other towns across the Mahoning Valley.
