The Board of Directors for The Wright Center for Community Health (TWCCH) conducted its annual meeting at the new integrated clinical, educational and administrative hub at 501 S. Washington Ave. in Scranton on Jan. 31, 2020. TWCCH was designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration as of June 1, 2019; 76% of this board of directors is composed of a majority of patients and other users of TWCCH’s services, exceeding federal requirements. Carlon Preate, who chaired the board during its inaugural year as an FQHC Look-Alike, was honored for his service with a crystal gavel presented in touching tribute by incoming Chair Gerard Geoffroy. Mr. Preate now assumes the role of Immediate Past Chair.

Mr. Preate, a Clarks Summit resident and TWCCH patient, has more than 40 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant in Northeast Pennsylvania. Prior to retirement, he supervised operations of a regional branch of Parente Beard LLC.

Mr. Geoffroy, a Jermyn resident, has been a patient of TWCCH for more than 20 years and is a fervent advocate of the patient’s voice at the governance table. His passion for health care was ignited while caring for his late wife during her illness, and he continues to advocate for patient education and quality health care delivery. He has worked in the fields of mental health and education for more than 40 years, retiring as an Adjunct Professor from the University of Scranton. 

The Wright Center for Community Health also recently welcomed the following new directors to the board:

• Tracy Hunt, Assistant Vice President of In-Home Services at Allied Services Integrated Health System
• Deborah Kolsovsky, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Institutional Advisory and Retirement Solutions at PNC Bank
• Ellen Walko, a retired Speech Therapist from Susquehanna Community School District

These recently appointed board members joined valued existing directors: William Waters, Ph.D. (Vice Chair); John Kearney (Treasurer); Mary Marrara (Secretary); James Gavin; Mary Ann Chindemi; LeeAnn M. Eschbach, Ph.D.; Patricia DeSouza; Susan Duckworth; Melissa Simrell; the Honorable Edward G. Staback; Kim Heritscko;  Francis Stevens; Lewis Marcus; Jeffrey Metz; and Jody Cordaro.

In addition to this promotion, Dr. Samonte continues to serve as associate program director for regional family medicine as well as a member of the physician faculty. He has assisted in administrative and clinical oversight of the graduate medical educational program and has also overseen workforce development and community partnerships to enhance primary care delivery in the region.

“Throughout Dr. Samonte’s tenure with The Wright Center, he has shown that he cares deeply about our patients by embodying our core values of being an exceptional team player, striving for excellence and spreading positivity,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, TWCCH Chief Medical Officer.

“The joyful and most welcomed, formal appointment of my partner Dr. Jumee Barooah as The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Designated Institutional Official is a notable landmark achievement for our organization and my executive tenure. Through her early years with our organization as an internal medicine resident and her subsequently joining as clinical faculty, she blossomed in her career as the Ambulatory Associate Program Director of our Internal Medicine Residency and Medical Director of the Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley Practice. Jumee is a fabulous testament of delivery of our mission to improve the health and welfare of the communities we serve through innovative and responsive health services and sustainable renewal of an inspired and competent workforce that is privileged to serve. She is well respected and loved by her patients and their families and our learners, as well as all of us who have the privilege to work with her. Her commitment to lifelong learning demonstrated through her impressive academic achievements, including her pioneering leadership and board certification in Addiction Medicine, is simply awesome. As our physician DIO, Jumee will be an incredible, collaborative and high integrity ambassador of our Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortium throughout our community-based partnership training network. We are so happy and proud of her,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, CEO of The Wright Center for Community Health and President of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

“I have been privileged to work alongside Dr. Jumee Barooah, who is a fellow graduate of The Wright Center’s residency program, and watch her grow along with our organization. As a respected colleague and also a personal friend, I’m proud to support her in this expanded role,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, Chief Medical Officer of The Wright Center for Community Health and Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. “Training at The Wright Center under the leadership of Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak has been an extraordinary journey. She really made me understand the strength of primary care in serving the community and building those relationships. I will work with our resident and fellowship learners as well as our provider faculty to help them all achieve their educational and professional goals and to continue to grow our programs. Spreading the word about The Wright Center across the country will be key to reaching our 10-year vision, which is to be recognized by the President of the United States as the Health and Human Services gold standard of a community-based model for primary health care and integrated workforce development. Part of my vision as the new DIO is building up an alumni network and outreach so that we can all connect and support each other. There is a huge gap in primary care not only in Pennsylvania, but also nationwide, so I feel communication will allow us to work together to identify and fulfill the needs of both our local communities and those throughout the country. I’m very humbled that I have been offered this opportunity. I have seen how much The Wright Center has grown since my early years with the organization as a resident, and I feel ready to assume this role and to further the expansion of the next generation of providers and integrated primary care,” said Dr. Jumee Barooah, new DIO of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

The Wright Center for Community Health (TWCCH) has received a federal grant of more than $1.5 million to help Northeastern Pennsylvania residents who are coping with opioid use disorder (OUD), according to an award notification this month from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The grant, totaling $1,561,494, will fund a three-year initiative that is expected to assist more than 1,550 people in Lackawanna County and several nearby counties. In particular, the administration’s grant will allow TWCCH to target its OUD treatment efforts at four particularly vulnerable, hard-to-reach populations: individuals involved with the criminal justice system, veterans, the elderly and pregnant women.

TWCCH’s physicians and other healthcare providers will work collaboratively with local partners such as the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas treatment courts, the Area Agency on Aging, the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, Maternal and Family Health Services, police departments and first responders. Their collective goal: Save lives by increasing the number of individuals who receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and the support of long-term recovery services.

TWCCH, a provider of primary healthcare services, began offering MAT to patients three years ago, responding to the nation’s opioid crisis and its disproportionately lethal toll on communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne and surrounding rural counties. At the time, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services designated TWCCH as a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence. TWCCH uses a team-based approach to provide MAT, compassionately delivering a whole-person intervention that includes physical and behavioral healthcare, case management, self-help, pain management, and referrals for social supports such as housing, job training and life skills. MAT should be offered to individuals with an OUD or an alcohol use disorder “on a routine basis,” according to advocates at SAMHSA.

“This generous federal grant from SAMHSA gives us the opportunity to launch to the next level of care delivery. It will bring us deep into the criminal justice system, where we will be able to offer more therapeutic alternatives and help people suffering from OUD. Our local criminal justice system is so ready for this type of needs-responsive care, which connects behavioral health with primary care, addiction medicine and oral care in the integrated Patient-Centered Medical Home model that we work within. These SAMHSA funds will enable us to continue finding the sweet spot that affords patients we serve their due privacy and confidentiality, while also letting us explore the new frontier of careful information sharing across cooperative platforms,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, CEO of The Wright Center for Community Health and President of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

“The Wright Center for Community Health has moved toward behavioral health and primary care integration, and this has definitely showed a very positive impact on our patient population. Though it is still in its infancy, we are getting better at identifying barriers for treatment in terms of the socioeconomic determinants of health and channeling our energy toward a more whole-person approach for better patient outcomes,” said Dr. Jumee Barooah, Designated Institutional Official for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

“This SAMHSA grant will allow us to optimize services to our clients, and it also supports our efforts to pioneer the training of psychiatry and primary care residents in this integrated-care model,” said Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, Psychiatry Residency Program Coordinator for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

“The encouragement and support we are receiving through this federal grant is imperative for our organization so that we may continue successfully in our daily commitment to serving our community in the best and most effective ways,” said Dr. Tasneem Khan, Psychiatry Residency Associate Program Director for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and Behavioral Health Medical Director for The Wright Center for Community Health.

The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley was recently recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) with a Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration. “Many times behavioral health conditions are first identified by a primary care provider,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “So adding behavioral health care services in a primary care setting is a real opportunity for patients. It knocks down barriers to behavioral care and improves overall health.” Based on the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) care model, practices that follow medical evidence to deliver high-quality, coordinated care and are committed to continuous improvement over time are eligible for a variety of NCQA distinctions. According to the NCQA, the Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration “helps practices provide comprehensive whole person care that acknowledges the behavioral health needs of the individual beyond the core requirements of NCQA PCMH Recognition. The Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration calls for a primary care setting to have a care team (care managers, psychiatrists, or other practitioners) in place to manage the broad needs of patients with conditions related to behavioral health, focusing on the use of evidence-based protocols and ongoing quality measurement and improvement. Integrating behavioral health into primary care can improve access, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.” The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley integrates a variety of healthcare services — including behavioral health, addiction/recovery, oral health, nutrition counseling and more — into primary care for a whole-patient approach to wellness. Its full-service, on-site behavioral health suite consists of licensed social workers, case managers, certified recovery specialists, psychiatrists, psychiatry resident physicians and a certified registered nurse practitioner. The team continues to expand and add new roles to meet patient needs.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded The Wright Center for Community Health $999,981 to implement a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. The goal of the program is to establish a comprehensive, integrated approach to addressing the opioid epidemic.

Working within a consortium of community funders, The Wright Center for Community Health will extend naloxone administration training, opioid pregnancy recovery and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs in Wayne and Susquehanna counties, leveraging existing telemedicine networks, behavioral health, Ryan White Infectious Disease/viral hepatitis C (HCV) service lines and its state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence (OUD-COE). The organization will lead the effort to establish medication-assisted treatment programs within each county, leveraging a network of MAT-waivered providers, case managers, certified recovery specialists, mental health counselors and psychosocial supports.

“We are pleased to serve as lead partner in this consortium to strengthen and expand substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery services in rural areas. Activities will focus on Wayne and Susquehanna counties and include medication assisted treatment, case management and social supports. We are grateful for these federal resources that will help us overcome barriers to access in our rural communities,” stated Maria Montoro-Edwards, PhD, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Grants, The Wright Center for Community Health.

Key partners within the consortium include Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc., Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Wayne County Drug and Alcohol Commission.

Wayne County Drug and Alcohol Executive Director Jeff Zerechak added, “The grant will allow the agency to also provide crucial case management and recovery specialist services to Wayne County residents in need. During the next three years, this grant will translate into an additional $100,000 for Wayne County.”