In 2024, RiverStone Health celebrates half a century of dedicated service, evolving from a small public health department into a cornerstone of healthcare in Yellowstone County, Montana. Founded on July 1, 1974, as the Yellowstone City-County Health Department, RiverStone Health has expanded to meet the growing needs of its community with compassion, resilience, and innovation. From its first days, the organization has held a clear mission: to improve life, health, and safety for all who live, work, and play in the region.
RiverStone Health’s journey as a community health center began with the opening of its clinic in 1984. Nestled in a modest robin’s-egg-blue building on South 27th Street, the clinic quickly became a lifeline, treating over a thousand patients in its first four months. Operating with just five exam rooms, the clinic’s small team served a community where three-quarters of patients lived below the poverty line, and private insurance was a rarity. Over the years, this little clinic, then known as Deering Clinic, grew and adapted, reflecting RiverStone Health’s commitment to evolving with its community.
In 1996, an expansion allowed RiverStone Health to partner with the Montana Family Medicine Residency (MFMR), Montana’s first medical residency program. This initiative has trained 178 “homegrown” physicians, with 60% remaining in the state to serve communities. In 2011, the clinic became one of the nation’s first eleven teaching health centers, leading the way in training primary care doctors for a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Through these programs, RiverStone Health ensures that the next generation of healthcare providers is both highly skilled and deeply connected to Montana’s communities.
Throughout the years, RiverStone Health has expanded and diversified its services to address the changing needs of Yellowstone County. In 2010, a grant-funded remodel doubled the size of the dental clinic, and by 2018, the new Ballard Center added 25,000 square feet and 48 exam rooms, allowing the organization to serve approximately 60,000 patient visits each year. With more than 350 employees and a robust range of over 40 services, including medical, dental, behavioral health, school-based health centers, and Healthcare for the Homeless, RiverStone Health embodies its commitment to accessible and holistic care.
Recognized at national, state, and local levels, RiverStone Health’s leadership is a team of forward-looking problem-solvers who drive the organization’s mission with both passion and innovation. RiverStone Health’s name reflects this dual identity: the river, symbolizing change and responsiveness, and the stone, representing a firm commitment to public health as the bedrock of a thriving community.
As RiverStone Health marks its 50th year, the organization celebrates a legacy built on resilience, community engagement, and a steadfast dedication to health equity. With a clear vision for the future, RiverStone Health remains committed to adapting and expanding to meet the evolving needs of its community. Whether through pioneering healthcare programs, training future medical providers, or addressing public health issues, RiverStone Health’s impact on Yellowstone County will continue for generations to come.
