Newark Community Health Centers, Inc. joined thousands of communities around the nation to recognize and celebrate the innovative work of Community Health Centers during National Health Center Week 2016 from August 7, 2016 to August 13, 2016. As we celebrated across all six health centers throughout the week, NCHC Outreach Workers were able to make over 125 encounters with new and existing patients. CMTs were able to provide Blood Pressure and Glucose screening to over 89 new and existing patients.

Since 1986, Newark Community Health centers has committed to provide affordable and quality healthcare to the Newark and its adjoining communities. On 20th June, 2016, NCHC celebrated its first Welcome Refugees event at 101 Ludlow Street. It was the first event in collaboration with the International rescue committee. The resettlement Director, Alison Milan joined forces with NCHC to provide Arabic translator for all Syrian refugees and started a collaboration that will change the curve of future for more events.

NCHC’s hardworking and diligent staff understands the difficulties that new refugees face and this event reflected their willingness to go extra mile- to help Communities bridge in. NCHC is regarded as a pioneer health care center for depicting it’s no discrimination policy towards patients, and has established variety of departments including Internal medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Podiatry, Dental Nutrition and Mental health. This event was held to welcome all refugees into our health center and to inform them of the importance of using preventive measures in health, as well as maintaining one’s wellness.

President and CEO of NCHC, Dr. Pamela Clarke, gave a warm and interactive welcome to all the refugees and explained the role of NCHC’s as a patient centered medical home- that works to make every patient a part of our NCHC family. There was a noticeable enthusiasm in regards to all that NCHC can do to provide high quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare for them and their families. Dr. Clarke also reflected on the role of accountability, quality, service, teamwork, integrity and respect- the very foundation of NCHC.

The audience participated by asking questions regarding cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure and diabetes. Folks from all walks of life attended the event and the active participation made it an astounding success. NCHC has made a promise to provide excellent healthcare services at the door step. Approximately 18.2 million Americans have the disease and almost one third (or approximately 5.2 million) are unaware that they have it. An additional 41 million people have pre-diabetes. NCHC’s staff was able to help refugees understand the physiology of numerous clinical conditions and its treatment.

The acting CMO of NCHC Dr. Chidi Achebe helped the masses understand the concept of BMI and cholesterol. It was a great introspective for folks to understand when is their cholesterol borderline high or they are on risk of have heart disease. Nurses and Staff at NCHC were open to discuss their options to check LDL and HDL levels and determine conditions or risk factors.

NCHC welcomed them with open arms. It provided to be a brilliant chance to collaborate and understand different cultures. Imbued with food, music and a chance to understand American culture, the event came to an end. The end itself promised a new horizon for similar events in future. There was an array of excitement and laughter that filled the room as refugees and NCHC staff began to interact with one another despite the language barriers present. The refugees and their families were seen by our dedicated staff and physician’s so that every single event attendee was registered into our healthcare system. As eager as we were to give them a welcoming hand from all of NCHC, they too embraced us as their healthcare family!

NCHC’s first Annual Women’s Symposium was historical for NCHC. This monumental event was one of health literacy, maternal knowledge exchange and health advocacy education. The day was filled with two exciting panel discussions and vendor tabling.

PANEL 1 “Reshaping Lives for Healthy Moms and Babies” Provided a clinical overview of the future of maternal health from the provider and health administration lens. In this session clinician’s shared views about the challenges faced by women and children of Newark and surrounding communities showcasing NCHC’s efforts to lay down a foundation for a healthier future.

PANEL 2 “Transforming Maternal Health in the 21st Century for Essex County” Encompassed a legislative and advocacy perspective focusing on a women’s access to care, securing funds for public health programs, and elimination of maternal health disparities. NCHC core focus is to improve maternal and child health aligning to the messages from these panelist in this session speaking at the state and federal level. Such conversations on initiatives to improve maternal and child health are our passport to transforming healthcare for the community.

All in attendance expressed their engagement, enthusiasm and anticipation to replicate future forums of this kind to include a multi-cultural and multi-linguistic focus throughout the year to help improve maternal family health literacy in Essex County.

For more information Please contact us at 800.994.NCHC (6242) to make an appointment today. Walk-Ins are welcomed!

Today, health organizations and New Jersey’s 10th(NJ-10) congressional district joined forces as they held an event at Newark Community Health Center in effort to save lives from colorectal cancer. NJ-10 and Newark Community Health Center announced their commitment to implement changes within their individual organizations that will increase colorectal cancer screening in New Jersey. Partners in attendance included:

NJ-10’s congressman Donald Payne
Mayor of Irvington, Tony Vauss
Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka
Health directors Dr. Monique Grifflth and Dr. Hanna Hamdi
American Cancer Society and Greater Newark healthcare Coalition

“Colorectal cancer can be prevented or detected early through appropriate screening and tens of thousands of lives can be saved if we increase screening to reach 80% by 2018” says Jim McGoven, Senior Vice President of American Cancer Society’s Eastrern Division.

Congressman Donald M. Payne talked about the seriousness and importance of early detection for the disease as he gave his own personal experience having lost his father to colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the nation’s third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and the second leading cause of cancer death when men and women are combined, yet it is preventable, treatable, and beatable. Through proper colorectal cancer screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) in the colon, before they become cancerous. Removing polyps can prevent cancer altogether.

For more information about colorectal cancer screening, please visit www.cancer.org/colon or contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. For more information about the 80% by 2018 initiative, visit www.nccrt.org

The Newark school district has hired water-testing labs to collect samples of water in all school building. Newark schools showing lead levels above the federal threshold have been ordered to shut off all water fountains and kitchen faucets.

In an effort to assist with the lead screening in Newark schools, we encourage parents to call to make an appointment with NCHC Pediatrics Providers.

There has been a total of 134 lead screenings across all our health centers as of April 28th, 2016. We provide quality care, lab testing, and follow up care.

We at Newark Community Health Centers understand that this is a very trying time for families in our communities. We are extending out services to help guide and navigate our patients every step of the way. Please contact us at 800.994.NCHC (6242) to make an appointment today. Walk-Ins are welcomed!