The Wright Center for Community Health will join an effort to identify and prioritize service needs for families living in rural communities.

Leading this effort is the Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley Inc. (CSC), which received a grant of $36,000 to facilitate a community health needs assessment in Wyoming County. AllOne Charities and Moses Taylor Foundation are funding the project through the AllOne Charities Collaborative Philanthropy Fund. In addition to The Wright Center and CSC, the project includes Wyoming County Health Center Inc. and The Guthrie Clinic/Guthrie Tunkhannock. Plans call to engage other interested providers as planning and resource development efforts unfold.

The participants have partnered with The Institute, the Northeast Pennsylvania research partnership among regional colleges and universities and the business community, to complete the assessment in spring and summer 2026 in preparation for potential funding available through the Rural Health Transformation Program in Pennsylvania and other sources.

According to CSC President and CEO Christopher Boyle, these Tunkhannock-based providers entered discussions earlier this year to explore partnerships that will further address geographic, financial, and other barriers to care for patients in Wyoming County.

“Our discussion verified multiple areas of concern – limited availability and growing demand for outpatient services, medical specialty care, and the travel required to receive care for medical emergencies in Towanda, Wilkes-Barre or Scranton,” Boyle said.

Lindsay Shalata, executive director of Wyoming County Healthcare Center Inc., agreed.

“The consensus among the group was that more information would be necessary to effectively document community health needs, not only from readily available health data, but also from the actual experiences of patients and providers in Wyoming County’s rural communities. We are committed to finding more effective solutions that draw on the strengths of multiple providers for greater community benefit,” she said.

The Guthrie Clinic’s commitment to improving rural health is grounded in ensuring patient safety and leveraging technology to improve access to its hospital-based and ambulatory services in Pennsylvania and upstate New York, according to Paul VerValin, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“Every community has unique needs and we want to learn more. This needs assessment will complement our goals in Wyoming County, where we are serving a growing number of people and want to better engage patients and care partners to improve health and well-being in rural communities,” VerValin said.

The project collaborators are eager to deliver actionable solutions at a critical time for Northeastern Pennsylvania to develop and initiate a plan for improving healthcare issues affecting Wyoming County. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has secured $193 million in annual federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program – part of a $50 billion national initiative to modernize rural care, address hospital closures, and strengthen the health care workforce over five fiscal years.

Boyle added, “As providers in Wyoming County, we need to be ready with a clearer picture on community needs and priorities that will align with this potential funding – which focuses on technology, EMS, maternal and behavioral health, and regional care collaboration. We want to strengthen the healthcare landscape by developing better strategies to improve communication and facilitating shared objectives to advance rural healthcare delivery.”

Dr. Mary Louise Decker, the infectious diseases medical director at The Wright Center for Community Health, was honored with an award from a national advocacy group for her meaningful, evidence-based hepatitis C and HIV prevention and treatment efforts across Northeast Pennsylvania.

The Community Liver Alliance awarded Dr. Decker the You Make a Difference Award, which honors individuals who have made a meaningful impact in advancing liver health by supporting patients and families, and strengthening communities. She accepted the award at the Community Liver Alliance’s 12th annual You Make a Difference Awards Luncheon on Friday, May 1, at the Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh.

Under Dr. Decker’s leadership, The Wright Center for Community Health’s Ryan White HIV and Infectious Diseases Clinic has been a leader in HIV testing, treatment, and support in the region. The clinic serves nearly 500 patients across seven counties, providing coordinated, whole-person care at community health centers in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

Through her efforts, viral suppression rates among patients receiving antiretroviral therapy improved from 86% to 96%. Gaps in care were reduced to under 10%. Vaccine compliance increased significantly, including a greater than 70% HPV vaccine rate among those eligible and a 50% rise in varicella-zoster vaccination.

Dr. Decker is accepting new adult patients at our community health centers in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. To schedule an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-941-0630.

A longtime Dunmore dentist is now accepting patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn.

The Wright Center accepts all dental insurance. To ensure high-quality oral care is available to everyone, The Wright Center for Community Health offers a sliding-fee discount program for individuals who qualify under the Federal Poverty Guidelines, which consider family size and income. To learn more or make an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. 

Dr. Renee Frank, secretary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, presents certificates of recognition to, from left, Drs. Timothy Burke, William Dempsey, and Erin McFadden for their outstanding dedication to patient care.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society honored three Wright Center doctors as part of National Doctors Day on Monday, March 30. With a history dating back to 1933, the annual day of observance honors the skill, dedication, and commitment of physicians who care for their communities. 

Dr. Renee Frank, secretary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, presented certificates of recognition to, from left, Drs. Timothy Burke, William Dempsey, and Erin McFadden for their outstanding dedication to patient care. 

The Wright Center is celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement are a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs more than 665 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year.

In fiscal year 2024-25, The Wright Center served about 38,300 unique patients across its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including its mobile medical and dental unit, Driving Better Health. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. 

Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.

Dr. Jumee Barooah, senior vice president of education and designated institutional official for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, has been named to a list of female role models across the state who exemplify ambition, creativity, and impact on their communities.

Dr. Barooah leads one of the nation’s largest Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums, overseeing the training of nearly 200 resident physicians and fellows. She has woven wellness, resiliency, and professional fulfillment into the fabric of graduate medical education, leading the development of a comprehensive wellness curriculum, creating new roles focused on clinician well-being, and championing visionary initiatives.

“Dr. Barooah’s impact is measurable and profound,” said Brian Ebersole, senior vice president of strategic enterprise and ecosystem development at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “Under her leadership, resident confidence and satisfaction have risen sharply, scholarly output has increased dramatically, and The Wright Center has deepened its commitment to trauma-informed, community-based care.”

The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education’s Annual Internship Capstone Poster Day in 2025 was held at its community health center in Scranton. Participating interns and the schools they are attending, kneeling from left, are Paige Walsh, University of Pittsburgh; Mya Maus, The University of Scranton; Noah Lynch, Elizabethtown College; Matthew Dombrowski, The University of Scranton; Shane Cegelka, King’s College; and Alexander Franklin, The University of Scranton; seated from left, Rebekah Feinberg, A.T. Still University; Remy Turrell, Wyoming Seminary; Krittika Boruah, Wyoming Seminary; Katherine Mena Pereyra, American University; Jiya Shah, Abington Heights High School; and Patricia McAndrew, King’s College; standing from left, Alivia Minich, Penn State; Leelah Farrell, New York University; Andrew Clark, Duquesne University; Aidan Colleran, Penn State; Thomas Quinn, Penn State; Nathan Micknick, The University of Scranton; Thomas Fiorelli, University of Pittsburgh; Gabriella Staback, University of Denver; Margaret McGrath, Fairfield University; Rina Hanumali, Villanova University; and Minh Bauch, Pratt Institute.

The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education is seeking high school and college students interested in hands-on experience in a variety of health care-related careers. 

The application deadline for The Wright Center’s paid summer internship program is April 10. For more information or to apply, visit TheWrightCenter.org/internships.

Positions are available in a variety of departments, including administration, clinical, finance, legal, and marketing and communications. There are also several opportunities for technology-savvy students interested in identifying and developing Agentic AI solutions that can help streamline operations and enhance workplace performance. Internships last nine weeks for college students, starting June 8, and seven weeks for high school students, beginning June 22. 

Unique to The Wright Center’s program is that each participant will complete an Internship Capstone Project focused on a particular aspect of what they learned. At the end of the summer, interns gather to share their projects with Wright Center board members, executives, and employees, and to answer questions about their findings, internship experiences, and plans. In 2025, The Wright Center hosted 26 high school and college interns. 

“Health care is among the fastest-growing sectors in the United States, and it offers a wide range of career opportunities,” said Kellie Knesis, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer for The Wright Centers. “From information technology and finance to operations, administration, education, and marketing, our organization provides a variety of roles through which students can explore exciting careers in health care while gaining valuable experience for their futures.”

The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Center is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization brings together The Wright Center for Community Health, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, and The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement under one unified mission. It employs more than 665 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. 

In fiscal year 2024-25, The Wright Center served about 38,300 unique patients across its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including its mobile medical and dental unit, Driving Better Health. As a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay.

Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.