Milwaukee County Celebrates Grand Opening of New Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County today celebrated the official opening of the new Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center, located at 1230 W. Cherry Street, Milwaukee. This is a generational investment in the delivery of high quality human services and community health. For the first time, Milwaukee County will have a building designed specifically to deliver health and human services, eliminating physical barriers, creating a warm and welcoming location, and improving access for families and individuals to resources and services. The new facility is home to the County’s Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), while also housing a new location for NourishMKE, Milwaukee’s largest network of community food centers.

“The opening of the new Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center is a powerful step toward achieving Milwaukee County’s vision of becoming the healthiest county in Wisconsin,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said. “This facility reflects our commitment to advancing equity, accessibility, and upstream investment in community well-being. I’m deeply grateful to the Coggs family, our DHHS staff, the County Board of Supervisors, and federal leaders who made this vision a reality for the Milwaukee community.”

The Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center is the first new county building constructed in or near downtown since the Criminal Justice Facility in 1992. The four-story, 60,000 square foot building features a warm, welcoming, and accessible first-floor entry point for County residents needing information or access to services. As it has been for more than 50 years, this facility will continue to be a trusted location to access services in the King Park neighborhood with the inherent benefits of walkability and public transportation.

“This new facility is more than just a building, it’s a lifeline. It’s a community-centered space where residents can access the care, resources, and the support they need to thrive,” said Shakita LaGrant-McClain, DHHS Executive Director. “Our new building is ‘No Wrong Door’ in action. When you come into the new building, you are definitely entering the right door – we are committed to person-centered care and connecting residents to DHHS services and those of our partners, across the continuum of care—Together, creating healthy communities.”

The building’s namesake, Marcia P. Coggs, was a political trailblazer and strong advocate for human needs. She was the first African American woman elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly and the first Black person to sit on the state Legislature’s Joint Finance committee. She served on the Health and Human Services Committee the entire time she was in office, and many of the committees she served on were focused on children, families, and employment. Coggs was famously quoted as saying, “You cannot legislate the heart, but you can legislate laws. My mission is to work for social change. Period. When I say social change, that is self-explanatory—human needs.”

“The new Marcia P. Coggs Center is a living tribute to my grandmother’s extraordinary legacy,” said Milwaukee County Supervisor Priscilla Coggs-Jones. “Her lifelong fight for social change and equitable access to human services laid the foundation for what we celebrate today. This building continues that legacy—serving as a safe, respectful, and empowering space for all. It represents Milwaukee County’s ongoing commitment to honor her vision and uplift every member of our community.”

Milwaukee County DHHS is committed to a ‘No Wrong Door’ model of customer service, providing person-centered, holistic care to adults, children, and families through the health and human services continuum of care. Through ‘No Wrong Door,” however a community member connects with DHHS, they have access to comprehensive services as well as resources offered by community partners.

The new Marcia P. Coggs Center advances the county’s vision of becoming the healthiest county in the state through pursuit of racial equity and improved accessibility of health and human services. This building’s location adjacent to the Mental Health Emergency Center, is an investment in the King Park neighborhood, along with the construction of 120 single-family homes to improve BIPOC homeownership, and recent upgrades to the nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, all representing unprecedented economic development in the neighborhood.

The new Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center was made possible through the allocation of $32 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, unanimously approved by the County Board members of the Committee on Finance in 2022 to ensure these key services remained in the heart of the community.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.