BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh Valley medical providers are celebrating National Health Centers Week with an array of events across the region.
One center will meet with legislators to share what the facility has to offer.
- National Health Centers Week raises awareness about federally qualified community health centers
- Those in the Lehigh Valley are marking the occasion with events, such as Dental Health Day in Easton
- Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley will hold a Patient Appreciation Day Wednesday and a Children’s Health Day on Saturday
Star Community Healthoffers health care to people who are uninsured or underinsured in Allentown, Easton and Bethlehem. It's affiliated with St. Luke’s University Health Network and offers primary care, pediatrics and dental care, among other areas.
"Unfortunately, until people actually have challenges into obtaining their health care, they don't know anything about community health centers."Alycia Walty, chief medical officer for Star Community Health
“They did provide us additional funding in order to start and grow our offices," Star Community Health Chief Medical Officer Alycia Walty said. "Most of our offices were transitioned from former St. Luke's offices and so they remain a very steadfast and dedicated partner to community health.
"Unfortunately, until people actually have challenges into obtaining their health care. They don't know anything about community health centers and the reality is we're able to provide not just your regular basic health care, but we have a lot of additional services to make sure that the patients are able to receive their health and dental care, but also to try to make some of those challenges easier for them," she said.
'Life-changing for families'
The community health center held or are holding events during National Health Centers Weekincluding a breakfast with local legislators Tuesday, to let people know about the service they offer.
"We wanted to make sure that our local and our national representatives were really aware of the work that we were doing for their constituents, to make sure that they knew that there is a good segment of the population that really can't obtain health care is unable to obtain health care in a traditional way," Walty said.
“Services like this are life-changing for families. It's preventative medicine, which will have a healthier community."State Rep. Tarah Probst
State Rep. Tarah Probst, D-Monroe/Pike, said "health care for underserved communities, it's a big deal, it's nationwide and we're lucky enough to have community health partners that are in the Lehigh Valley expanding, who have expanded this practice and have helped thousands and thousands of people already.”
Probst asked questions about expanding community health services into the more rural parts northeastern Pennsylvania. She said it’s a problem that is not specific to that area, but spans the state and parts of the country.
“My northern Monroe district and southern Pike are 30 minutes from a hospital and it's life or death,” Probst said. “Services like this are life-changing for families. It's preventative medicine, which will have a healthier community. "
More events to mark the week
Following the breakfast, lawmakers had the opportunity to tour the facility at the Fowler Building on East Third Street in Bethlehem.
Community Health Centers are federally funded and payment for services are often determined on a sliding scale.
"If you have public or Medicaid or Medicare, we will absolutely see you, and if you are uninsured or underinsured and have any difficulty in obtaining services, please come in, meet with our financial counselors and we'll check to see if you're eligible for some other kinds of payment or if you're eligible for a sliding fee program."Star Community Health Chief Medical Officer Alycia Walty
"If you have private insurance, we will see you," Walty said. "If you have public or Medicaid or Medicare, we will absolutely see you, and if you are uninsured or underinsured and have any difficulty in obtaining services, please come in, meet with our financial counselors and we'll check to see if you're eligible for some other kinds of payment or if you're eligible for a sliding fee program."
Star Community Health also has a Dental Health Day planned from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9. The event included free adult oral cancer screenings at West Ward Market at 12th and Northampton streets in Easton.
National Health Centers Week is a time dedicated by the National Association of Community Health Centers to let the public know what the country’s 1,400 community health centers have to offer. It runs Aug. 6-12.
Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley will hold events to mark the week, including a Patient Appreciation Day at varying locations Wednesday and a Children’s Health Day on Saturday in Allentown.
Here are some:
Healthcare for Unhoused People: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, Aug. 8:
At Sixth Street Shelter in downtown Allentown, there will be free toiletry and first aid items with snacks from Salvation Army; information on the hot meals program from Salvation Army; information on NHCLV services and the Neighbor-2-Neighbor Time Banking Program; chair yoga demonstration with a representative from NHCLV; health insurance information from event sponsors and raffles with prizes.
At Cay Galgon Life House in Bethlehem, there will be information on NHCLV services and the Neighbor-2-Neighbor Time Banking Program; chair yoga demonstration with Gina from NHCLV; health insurance information from event sponsors and raffles with prizes.
Patient Appreciation Day: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9
At all four NHCLV health center locations, there will be free snacks and drinks, raffles with prizes, and giveaways from NHCLV partners. There will also be a free performance by The Magic of Sasso.
Children's Health Day : 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12
At the NHCLV 160 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown, there will be free face painting; free food and drinks; dental health education and information; information from NHCLV’s healthcare partners; raffles with prizes and giveaways; back-to-school physicals and school-based vaccines (ages 5+) and information about NHCLV healthcare services. There also will be a performance by The Magic of Sasso at 11 a.m.
At Northside Bethlehem, 635 E. Broad St., there will be free a clown with balloons; food and drinks; dental health education and information; information from NHCLV’s healthcare partners; raffles with prizes and giveaways; back-to-school physicals and school-based vaccines (ages 5+) and information about NHCLV healthcare services. There will also be a performance by The Magic of Sasso at 9 a.m.
Digital content producer Samara Ahmed contributed to this report
