Northwest Family Planning in Cody has begun to evolve, and to reflect its growth as an organization, it has changed its name to Northwest Health Care. 

“We are branching out to do more minor health care,” explained Executive Director Michelle Gutierrez. 

The nonprofit’s primary focus has been reproductive health, but with the expansion of services, staff will also see patients for minor health care needs — such as the common cold, bronchitis, sore throat, hypertension and prescription refills. 

Northwest Health Care’s motto is “Access. Empowerment. Prevention.” 

“That’s the three things that are most important to us to provide to the community,” Gutierrez said.

Besides support from their private donors, Northwest Health Care receives federal funding through the Title X Family Planning clinic. The federal dollars allow them to provide services on a sliding scale, based on a patient’s income. 

“Our patients are our number one priority, and they can come in without worry about how they’re going to pay for it,” said Lindsay Ruble, president of the Northwest Health Care Board of Directors. 

Gutierrez said they’ve detected cancer early in some patients who otherwise would not have seen a doctor. 

“They came back to tell us how thankful they were that we were here,” Gutierrez said. 

The clinic also stresses the importance of empowering their patients by letting them take charge of their health and medical decisions. 

And lastly, the organization provides many services as preventative measures that keep their patients healthy in the long term. 

“It’s pretty amazing to see the patients come in and stay with us over the years,” Gutierrez said. 

They see patients at their Cody offices (1231 Rumsey Ave.) by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and in Powell at the Park County Annex on Monday afternoons. 

As they always have, staff at Northwest Health Care will continue to provide wellness exams, contraceptive counseling and supplies, breast exams and mammogram referrals, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, rapid HIV testing, non-judgmental pregnancy testing and counseling, emergency contraception and sports physicals. 

The provider was founded in 1993. Gutierrez, who is originally from and lives in Powell, has been with the organization since about 2000, when she started out as an administrative assistant. 

Northwest Health Care does accept private insurance for those who have it, and Gutierrez said those who don’t qualify for free care are still charged much less than at many other providers.