Community Health Center Incorporated

IMPROVING HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES AND BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES (SEE SCHEDULE O)COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC. ("CHC") IS BUILDING A WORLD CLASS PRIMARY CARE ORGANIZATION, COMMITTED TO SPECIAL POPULATIONS, IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES AND BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES THROUGH CLINICAL EXCELLENCE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION. CHC IS BASED ON CONSUMER CONTROL AND IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESPECTING HUMAN DIGNITY; AS SUCH, IT STRIVES TO BE A VOICE AND VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

MEDICAL SERVICES: COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC. (CHC) PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE TO PATIENTS OF ALL AGES, FROM NEWBORNS TO GERIATRIC PATIENTS THROUGH ITS PRIMARY CARE OFFICES ACROSS THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. IT PROVIDES CARE IN TRADITIONAL OFFICE SETTINGS AS WELL AS IN SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTERS. CHC'S MODEL OF CARE IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF ADVANCED ACCESS, PLANNED CARE, AND THE CHRONIC CARE MODEL SUPPORTED BY ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS AND A TEAM-BASED APPROACH TO CARE. CHC ALSO PROVIDES PRENATAL CARE AND SPECIFIC SPECIALTY AND SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING HIV/AIDS, PODIATRY, DIABETES EDUCATION, NUTRITION, AND PHARMACY CONSULTATION.(SEE SCHEDULE O) FY 2022 MARKED THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER'S TRANSITION FROM THE MOST INTENSELY DEMANDING FIRST FULL YEAR OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, FY 2021, AND A FOCUS ON RESUMING AND RESTORING THE FULL CLINICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC OPERATIONS OF CHCI WHILE STILL BEING A VITAL PARTNER IN OUR COMMUNITIES IN SUPPORTING ON-GOING COVID PREVENTION AND TREATMENT EFFORTS. THE END OF FY 2021 BROUGHT THE END OF CHCI'S STATE OF CT. FUNDED MASS VACCINE CLINICS WHICH PLAYED SUCH A VITAL PART IN CONNECTICUT'S OUTSTANDING VACCINATION RESPONSE, AND A TRANSITION TO MORE TARGETED VACCINE CLINICS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR SERVICE AREA, AVERAGING MORE THAN 20 EVENTS PER WEEK IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LOCATIONS. IN FY 2022, THE DENTAL DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO RESUME FULL SERVICES AND THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT TRANSITIONED THE MAJORITY OF CLINICAL SERVICES BACK TO IN-PERSON CARE, WHILE STILL ALLOWING FOR TELEHEALTH WHERE CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE. THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZED THAT PATIENTS OVERWHELMINGLY PREFERRED TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR SERVICES VIA TELEHEALTH, AND CHCI RESPONDED TO THAT PREFERENCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.CHCI CONTINUED ITS FOCUS ON REACHING PATIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS W.Y.A. (WHEREVER YOU ARE) HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS PROGRAM, ITS NEW HORIZONS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM, AND ITS CENTER FOR KEY POPULATIONS ALL OF WHICH CONTINUED TO EXPAND THEIR RANGES OF SERVICES AND TARGETED POPULATIONS. SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS CONTINUED TO GROW IN NUMBER, AND AFTER THE FY 2021 SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO COVID, RESUMED NORMAL OPERATIONS WITH HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON THE INCREASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES DOCUMENTED IN YOUNG PEOPLE NOT JUST WITHIN CT. BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.CHCI CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE IN PRACTICE TODAY, AND TO TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. THROUGH THE WEITZMAN INSTITUTE'S NATIONAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH HRSA FOR CLINICAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CHCI WORKED INTENSIVELY WITH HEALTH CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ON ADVANCING THEIR CLINICAL MODELS OF TEAM BASED CARE AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS TRAINING PROGRAMS. THROUGH WI'S PROJECT ECHO SERVICES, CHCI REACHED THOUSANDS OF PRACTICING CLINICIANS WITH EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERIES RANGING FROM MANAGING SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT TO ADDRESSING PEDIATRIC TRAUMA IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING. CHCI CONTINUED TO SPONSOR POSTGRADUATE NURSE PRACTITIONER RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN PRIMARY CARE AND IN PSYCHIATRIC/MH SPECIALTIES AND CHCI SPONSORED A POSTDOCTORAL RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS. BOTH PROGRAMS ARE FULLY ACCREDITED. THE WEITZMAN INSTITUTE RESEARCH AND POLICY ARMS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THEIR IMPACT IN THE AREAS OF RESEARCH, WITH A FOCUS ON HEALTH EQUITY, AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS. THEIR HEIGHTENED VISIBILITY WAS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE RETURN TO THE ANNUAL WEITZMAN SYMPOSIUM, NOW IN AN ENTIRELY VIRTUAL FORMAT, WHICH ATTRACTED A NATIONAL AUDIENCE.INNOVATIONS LAUNCHED YEARS AGO BY CHCI CONTINUED TO MATURE AND GROW IN IMPACT AS SEPARATELY INCORPORATED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH CHCI SERVING AS THE SOLE CORPORATE MEMBER AND PROVIDING STRONG STRATEGIC INPUT AND GUIDANCE AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND SERVICES. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANT ADVANCEMENT (NIMAA) , FULLY ACCREDITED BY ABHES, CONTINUED TO GROW IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED AND COMPLETING THE PROGRAM AND THE NUMBER OF STATES IN WHICH IT IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS. CONFERMED/CECN CONTINUED TO GROW IN PROVIDING CLINICAL "ECONSULTS" TO HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY VIA CONTRACTS WITH BOTH INSURERS AND PRACTICES, INCLUDING OTHER COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS. THE "CONSORTIUM" (NATIONAL NURSE PRACTITIONER RESIDENCY AND FELLOWSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM) CONTINUED TO GROW ITS ACCREDITATION BUSINESS AND RECEIVED LONG-AWAITED FORMAL RECOGNITION BY THE (FEDERAL) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.THROUGHOUT ALL OF FY 2022, CHCI RECOGNIZED THAT THE INTENSE DISRUPTIONS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD A VERY MAJOR IMPACT ON STAFF WHICH WILL LIKELY BE FELT FOR A LONG TIME. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STAFF WHO HAD ONCE WORKED EXCLUSIVELY ON-SITE AT CHCI, HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK REMOTELY, EXPRESSED PREFERENCE TO CONTINUE THAT, WHILE OTHERS RETURNED IN HYBRID FASHION. CHCI'S ABILITY TO MANAGE A REMOTE WORKFORCE ALLOWED IT TO RECRUIT NATIONALLY, PARTICULARLY FOR POSITIONS LIKE CALL CENTER STAFF, AND THIS HAD SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT TALENT.

DENTAL SERVICES: THE DENTAL CARE TEAM, INCLUDING BOTH DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS AT CHC IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE INTEGRATED CARE TEAM. THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THE STAFF TO ENSURE THE PATIENTS ORAL HEALTH IS CARED FOR. IN ADDITION TO THE MAIN CARE SITES, CHC OFFERS DENTAL CARE AT MANY OF THE SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS, AND HAVE MOBILE DENTAL CLINICS THAT BRING CARE TO PATIENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS: COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC. (CHC) IS CONCERNED WITH THE INTERFACE OF PERSONAL HEALTH WITH POPULATION HEALTH AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. TO THIS END IT IS EXTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND PREVENTION/WELLNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE "FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER AND ITS DANCE/PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPACE, "VINNIE'S." IT OPERATES A 24/7 BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER, CONDUCTS HOME VISITATION PROGRAM SUCH AS THE NURTURING FAMILY NETWORK, AND PROVIDES EXTENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES TO SPECIAL POPULATIONS SUCH AS HOUSING SERVICES FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS.

SCHOOL BASED SERVICES: OUR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH STAFF ARE LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, WHO WORK WITH SCHOOL STAFF AND NURSES TO PROVIDE EXPANDED MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND DENTAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THEY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STUDENT'S PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS. CHC PROUDLY SERVES OVER 17,000 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT.AS PART OF OUR RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS, THE WEITZMAN INSTITUTE ALSO TEAMED WITH THE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR A NATIONAL WEBINAR SERIES ON LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE, AND TELEHEALTH STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT A VIRTUAL SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER MODEL.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC. (CHC) PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND FAMILY TREATMENT FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN REFERRED PRIMARILY FROM ITS PRIMARY CARE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS FROM COMMUNITY SOURCES. THE CHC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM INCLUDES PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHIATRIC APRNS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, LCSWS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WORK IN AN INTEGRATED MODEL WITH THE PRIMARY CARE TEAM TO ASSURE COORDINATED, COMPREHENSIVE CARE. CHC PARTNERS WITH MULTIPLE SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO IMBED A CHC BEHAVIORALIST WITHIN SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EARLY INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. A MEMBER SUBSTITUTION WITH CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT, INC. EXPANDED THESE PROGRAMS. (SEE SCH. O)IN ORDER TO EXPAND ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE, CHC EXPANDED ITS OPERATIONS BY SIGNING A MEMBER SUBSTITUTION AGREEMENT WITH THE CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT, INC. IN JANUARY 2020, CHC BEGAN OPERATING THE MAJOR PROGRAMS PERFORMED BY CGC WHICH INCLUDED:-THE PROVISIONS OF CGC PROVIDES CHILD AND FAMILY THERAPY SERVICES.-THE CHILD FIRST PROGRAM WHICH IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED, INTENSIVE, HOME-BASED SERVICE THAT IDENTIFIES VERY YOUNG AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN FROM HIGH RISK FAMILIES BEFORE ABUSE OR NEGLECT HAS OCCURRED AND BEFORE A CHILD DEVELOPS SERIOUS PROBLEMS. -THE STATE'S DESIGNATED MOBILE CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICE ("MCIS") PROVIDER FOR STAMFORD, GREENWICH, DARIEN AND NEW CANAAN.