Ascension Donates $7 million to Unity Health Care to Strengthen Primary Care in the District of Columbia
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Unity Health Care (“Unity”) and Ascension Providence Health Services, Inc. (“Ascension”) are pleased to announce the transition of Ascension’s well‑respected primary care practices, located on the campus of the former Providence Hospital and at the Perry Health Center, to Unity.
This transition will materially strengthen the District’s primary and specialty care infrastructure, expanding convenience and access for both Unity and Ascension patients while achieving operational efficiencies and cost savings. With the inclusion of Ascension’s patients, Unity will become the primary care provider of choice for more than 90,000 District residents.
As part of the transaction, Ascension is endowing Unity with a historic $7 million charitable contribution and community benefit grant to support the successful integration of the practices into Unity’s broader health care system. Through the transition, Ascension patients will gain access to the comprehensive benefits of a community health center, including coordinated medical, dental, and behavioral health services, as well as enabling supports such as transportation and housing assistance to reduce barriers to care.
Ascension Medical Group’s primary care practices, including internal medicine, family medicine, behavioral health, and geriatric medicine, will continue operating at 1160 Varnum Street NE and the Perry Health Center at 128 M Street NW. Unity will assume Providence’s lease obligations for these properties, ensuring continuity of care for patients across Wards 5 and 6.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Ascension patients and providers to Unity Health Care. This transition supports continuity of care for patients and contributes meaningfully to the long‑term sustainability of the District’s health care system,” said Rashad A. Collins, President and CEO of Unity Health Care. “We are excited to operate and grow these practices so that even more patients can access the comprehensive services Unity provides, directly in the communities where they live. We are grateful to Providence for supporting this vision.”
Providence underscored its commitment to the community through this partnership. “This transition reflects Providence’s enduring commitment to improving the health and well‑being of our community,” said Beau Higginbotham, President of Ascension Providence Health Services, Inc. “We are proud to support Unity Health Care’s mission and are confident that this transition will strengthen access to high‑quality, compassionate care for thousands of District residents.”
Unity Health Care reaches people wherever they are to provide compassionate, comprehensive, high‑quality health care that is accessible to all and advances health equity in Washington, DC. As the largest network of community health centers in the District, Unity’s team of compassionate and multicultural health professionals brings whole‑person care to patients through nearly 30 traditional and non‑traditional health sites, as well as a mobile medical outreach vehicle.
Ascension is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit Catholic health systems, delivering compassionate, personalized care with special attention to those most vulnerable. In FY2025, Ascension provided $1.7 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs, along with $1.8 billion in unreimbursed Medicare services. Across 15 states and the District of Columbia, Ascension’s network includes approximately 97,000 associates, 23,100 aligned providers, 91 wholly owned or consolidated hospitals, and ownership interests in an additional 29 hospitals through partnerships. The system also operates 26 senior living facilities and numerous other care sites offering a wide range of health services.
CONTACT: mediarequest@unityhealthcare.org
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SOURCE Unity Health Care
