Jun 6, 2024
Waterville – Connie Coggins, HealthReach President & CEO, is pleased to announce that HealthReach has received the highest award level for tobacco-free achievements. The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI) Breathe Easy Maine initiative recognized forty-four healthcare, hospital, higher education, and behavioral health organizations – as well as four individual Gold Star Champions – for efforts to address tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.
HealthReach Community Health Centers was recognized for meeting Platinum Status through the 2024 Gold Star Standards of Excellence program, for efforts to both prohibit smoking and tobacco use on campus, and to address patient tobacco use. This was the first year that HealthReach has participated in the initiative, and we look forward to a continued partnership with CTI to address tobacco use and exposure.
All Maine behavioral health organizations, hospitals, higher education organizations, and healthcare organizations were encouraged to apply for recognition. Qualifying organizations are recognized at Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels, based on program criteria. Best practice criteria include smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies, annual screening practices for tobacco use, referral processes for tobacco use treatment, and the provision of employee education in tobacco treatment topics.
“We applaud the ongoing efforts of Maine hospitals, healthcare, higher education, and behavioral health organizations to address tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure, and nicotine dependence, by meeting the Gold Star Standards of Excellence,” says Sarah Rines, Senior Program Manager for CTI. She continued, “Advice and assistance from healthcare providers are powerful tools to help individuals quit tobacco products. These awardees are taking key steps to support their patients, clients, and communities.”
For more information about Breathe Easy Maine and the Gold Star Standards of Excellence, please visit BreatheEasyMaine.org/GSSE.
MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence’s Breathe Easy Maine initiative is dedicated to providing Maine’s hospitals with the information and resources needed to make all organizations smoke- and tobacco-free. Learn more at BreatheEasyMaine.org. This initiative is supported through a grant from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Department of Health & Human Services.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
May 1, 2024
Waterville – Connie Coggins, HealthReach President & CEO, is happy to announce a new partnership with the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine (Lunder-Dineen), an initiative of the Slavin Academy at Massachusetts General Hospital and their Time to Ask program. Time to Ask is an educational program transforming conversations around alcohol use. This program teaches interprofessional teams in primary care to intervene early and routinely with patients so they can make informed decisions about alcohol consumption.
Many people consume alcohol, yet know little about specific risks and impacts on their bodies. Primary care practices are uniquely situated to identify patients who are at risk for unhealthy drinking. By empowering HealthReach’s healthcare teams with the necessary education, skills, and onsite practice support that Time to Ask provides, clinicians and staff alike can confidently engage with patients and address alcohol use before patients are at a greater risk of developing a disorder.
Coggins shares, “We are pleased to be working with Lunder-Dineen in implementing their Time to Ask program. Supporting our staff with education and workflows to identify and address unhealthy alcohol use is a critical element in our Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative.“
This partnership is a part of HealthReach initiatives in 2024 and beyond to broaden access to Substance Use Disorder services and education, and to decrease barriers that prevent patients from getting the help that they need.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
Apr 17, 2024
Waterville – Connie Coggins, HealthReach President & CEO, is happy to announce a new partnership between HealthReach Community Health Centers and The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI). CTI administers the statewide tobacco treatment contract on behalf of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
HealthReach + MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence
Under this partnership, CTI supports HealthReach in expanding its tobacco treatment services by providing staff with enhanced skills and resources. CTI provides staff training, technical support, and data monitoring to ensure that HealthReach staff have what they need to support patients in treatment.
Coggins shares, “Our long-term collaboration with the Center for Tobacco Independence has been strengthened by partnering in a grant-funded effort in 2024. This effort has brought training opportunities for our staff to improve our engagement with patients in addressing tobacco use and offering resources – such as The Maine QuitLink – to help patients become tobacco-free.“
This partnership is a part of HealthReach initiatives in 2024 and beyond to broaden access to Substance Use Disorder services and education, and to decrease barriers that prevent patients from getting the help that they need. By integrating evidence-based tobacco treatment into routine healthcare services, HealthReach improves health outcomes and reduces the burden of tobacco-related disease. For more information about CTI and the additional resources and trainings they provide, visit CTIMaine.org.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
Apr 16, 2024
Madison – This April, staff of Madison Area Health Center are happy to welcome Dr. Stacey Anderson to their professional healthcare team.
Dr. Stacey Anderson
Anderson earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Previously, she attended graduate studies in Biochemistry at the University of California and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University. Dr. Anderson has a strong background in medicine, including a wealth of experience in OB/GYN and women’s health. We look forward to the knowledge and skill that Dr. Anderson will bring to the HealthReach team.
Anderson shares, “I am excited to join the team at the Madison Area Health Center. My goal, since starting Medicine as a career, has been to provide healthcare to underserved populations. My areas of special interest include Reproductive Health, Endocrinology focusing on Diabetes Care, and Whole Person Wellness.”
Anderson joins the existing Madison clinical team – Family Nurse Practitioners, JoHanna Davis and Jeanne Stokes; Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Kelly Bell Bragg; Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Danna Lee; and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Lauren Emery.
Madison Area Health Center, founded in 1977, is part of HealthReach Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across rural Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
Mar 6, 2024
Jenny Boyden
Carolyn Tranten
WATERVILLE – Connie Coggins, President & CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, is pleased to announce that two new members joined the organization’s Governing Board of Directors.
Carolyn Tranten of Kingfield, Maine, has a rich history with the HealthReach organization. Working with the organization for over 25 years, Tranten began as a Practice Manager for the Mt. Abram Regional Health Center before graduating to the position of Compliance Officer. In 2015, she became Director of Operations, serving in this role until her retirement in 2023.
Jenny Boyden of Clinton, Maine, comes from a finance background with particular expertise in healthcare. She spent four years with HealthReach as its Director of Finance before transitioning back to the State of Maine’s Department of Administrative & Financial Services in the role of Associate Commissioner.
Of the new board members, Coggins says, “We are glad to welcome Carolyn Tranten and Jenny Boyden back, and onto the Board of Directors at HealthReach Community Health Centers. Their previous experience in health center management and finance will be invaluable as the board continues to evaluate opportunities to improve services to our patients across rural Maine.”
In 2024, returning to serve as officers are Jack Ducharme, Chair; Bruce Harrington, Vice Chair; and John Opperman, Secretary & Treasurer.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across rural Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, He
althReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
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