The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation will partner with Hartford HealthCare to open a wellness center in Eastern Connecticut.
Hartford HealthCare will work with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe to build a 21,000-square-foot health center. In a statement released by the tribe, it said the location will include a space for Tribal Health Services (THS), which will be for recognized Tribe members, and another space for a Hartford Healthcare clinic that will be open to the public. Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler said the project is about more than bricks and mortar; “it is about reclaiming our health future.”
“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. True wellness comes when the entire community has access to the care and support they need,” Butler said
Padmanabhan Premkumar, MD, is a representative for Hartford HealthCare. Premkumar told WSHU that patients of the center will have full access to the Hartford HealthCare system. Health services will include primary care, same-day care, specialty care, behavioral health and rehab services.
“We both share values in the sense of providing high-quality healthcare to not just the tribal nation but to the entire community in the eastern part of the state,” Premkumar said. “I think the shared value has really allowed both organizations to come together."
The tribe said the design will be a collaborative effort, but will seek to honor Tribal traditions, incorporating natural landscaping with native plantings, water elements, and symbolic references such as the Whale’s Tail and Turtle Island. The facility will also have spaces for community gatherings. Tribal Councilor Michele Scott is a member of Hartford Healthcare’s East Region Board of Directors.
“We are honored to partner with an outstanding health system, and this center represents a new model of care, one that blends Western medicine with Tribal traditions, and sets an example that can be replicated across Indian Country. It demonstrates what is possible when Tribal sovereignty and healthcare innovation come together,” Scott said.
The new health center is slated to open by spring 2027, and a groundbreaking ceremony is planned for spring 2026. Premkumar said patients of the center will have full access to the Hartford HealthCare system, including online access to medical records from anywhere.
“The combined goals of Hartford and high-quality health care, connecting to healthcare beyond primary care, adding specialty care, and behavioral health. It's a needed resource, not just for the tribal nation but for all of the communities in the Eastern part of the state," Premkumar said.
