DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, Health Center South and the City of Dothan will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Monday, Feb. 2, at 10 a.m. for a new ADRS office located at 2826 Ross Clark Circle, Suite 201, inside the Health Center South Medical Tower.
The new location will house Children’s Rehabilitation Service clinics and offices for Early Intervention. Officials say the move will expand ADRS services in Houston County and surrounding areas and make programs for people with disabilities more accessible to local families.
Dr. Marnix E. Heersink, physician and founder of Eye Center South and Health Center South Partner, said the expansion benefits both the organization and the community.
“The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services brings an important and deeply meaningful layer of care to our campus,” Heersink said. “ADRS plays a critical role in supporting children and families across our region, and their presence strengthens the collaborative spirit of our campus and our shared commitment to accessible, high-quality care.”
ADRS Commissioner Jane Elizabeth Burdeshaw said the expanded space will help meet increasing demand for services across the Wiregrass.
“increasing the capacity of ADRS, the lead state agency serving Alabamians with disabilities, will better meet the growing need for services in Houston County and the Wiregrass. Our children’s programs often fill educational and healthcare gaps for services that are not readily available for families of children with special healthcare needs or developmental delays.”
DOTHAN Mayor Mark Saliba said the expanded services will have a lasting impact on families in the area.
“We’re so pleased to have Children’s Rehabilitative Service along with the state’s Early Intervention program here in Dothan,” Saliba said. “Their presence and support provide immeasurable assistance to those families in the Dothan area that really require their services.”
CRS District Supervisor Candace Mitchell said the new offices will improve services now and in the future.
“The new Dothan CRS Office at Health Center South is a high-quality property that consists of a variety of clinical and evaluation spaces, better meeting the needs of children and youth with special health care needs in the Wiregrass,” Mitchell said. “In addition, having higher quality and more adequate space facilitates opportunities for more local growth for the Dothan CRS office and team in the future.”
A reception will follow the ceremony in Suite 201, where visitors will be able to tour the new space.
Children’s Rehabilitation Service serves children and teens from birth to age 21 with special health care needs and their families, as well as individuals with hemophilia of any age. Services include medical clinics, clinical evaluation, hemophilia support and resources, care coordination, information and referral, and parent and youth connection programs.
Alabama’s Early Intervention System serves children from birth to age 3 by coordinating services statewide for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or medical diagnoses that could result in developmental delays. The program focuses on helping parents and families support children in reaching developmental milestones within daily routines at home and in their communities.
CRS and AEIS are divisions of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Created by the Alabama Legislature in 1994, ADRS is the state agency that serves Alabamians with disabilities at every stage of life. More information is available at rehab.alabama.gov.
