The Wright Center for Community Health participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 3 at the Wyoming County Healthcare Center, 5950 U.S. Route 6 in Tunkhannock. The celebration marked the opening of the facility, which formerly housed Tyler Memorial Hospital. The Wright Center’s primary care center is located on the fourth floor.

The Wright Center for Community Health participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 3 to celebrate the opening of the Wyoming County Healthcare Center in Tunkhannock – and The Wright Center’s first primary care center in Wyoming County.

The Wright Center’s new full-service, family-friendly office opened Sept. 9 on the fourth floor of the new health care center at 5950 U.S. Route 6, Suite 401. The building formerly housed Tyler Memorial Hospital.

Wyoming County businessman Bill Ruark bought the building through a limited family partnership in 2023 and began developing it as a nonprofit medical facility. The Ruark family approached leadership at The Wright Center last fall to discuss adding more whole-person primary health services at the facility.

During the facility-wide ribbon cutting, Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, spoke about how the new primary care center will aid in transforming the Tunkhannock region’s health and wellness.

The Wright Center’s new location in Tunkhannock offers whole-person primary health services, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries, to people of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299.

The Wright Center for Community Health accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines. Based on a family’s size and income, the program reduces barriers to care and ensures everyone has access to affordable, nondiscriminatory whole-person primary health services.

The Wright Center for Community Health has 12 locations in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health.

For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s integrated whole-person primary health services or for the nearest location, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299.

The Wright Center for Community Health has been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning Silver-level recognition as part of Target: BP.

“Optimal blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” said Jignesh Y. Sheth, M.D., FACP, MPH, senior vice president and chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “High blood pressure is a leading risk factor of heart disease and stroke that can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated properly.”

Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure, the initiative aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations, such as The Wright Center for Community Health, that are committed to improving blood pressure control.

“By committing to helping more people in Northeast Pennsylvania control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, The Wright Center for Community Health is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, Ph.D., MHS, RN, FAHA, Target: BP advisory group volunteer and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “The Wright Center for Community Health’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”

To learn more about the initiative, go to TargetBP.org.

As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves vulnerable and medically underserved populations, regardless of age, ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. It accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines that consider family size and income. No patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.

Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center operates 11 primary and preventive care community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, as well as a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, that deliver whole-person primary health services. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services.

A local physician with ties to hospitals in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre will join The Wright Center for Community Health’s new primary care center in Tunkhannock, which opened on Sept. 9.

He will join a staff of health care professionals at The Wright Center’s new primary care center in the former Tyler Memorial Hospital, including physician assistant Mallory Racoski. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299.

Dr. Novroski has worked as a family medicine physician in Dunmore since 2021. He also has experience as an emergency department physician at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

The Shavertown resident earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at then-Wilkes College and his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then completed a Wyoming Valley Family Practice residency and subsequently served as a member of the residency’s faculty for more than two years.

The Wright Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike with a growing network of primary care centers throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center operates 12 community health centers, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. The locations serve patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay.

The event at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel, 138 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. will include brief comments from the project’s organizers as well as area residents who completed and benefited from the career training program.

Project PROGRESS, funded in part through an Appalachian Regional Commission INSPIRE grant, was a three-year effort led by The Wright Center in collaboration with partners across a multicounty area heavily impacted by the ongoing opioid crisis. The acronym PROGRESS stands for Providing Recovery Opportunities for Growth, Education, and Sustainable Success.

“That ecosystem requires us to build links among not only recovery communities and health and human services programs, but also many others, including transportation, public safety, housing, education, and employment providers.”

The Project PROGRESS grant period officially ends in September. However, a website at ProjectProgressNEPA.org, will remain active for at least three years, providing links to helpful resources on topics such as overcoming stigma, job hunting while in recovery, and finding recovery-friendly workplaces.

The Wright Center collaborated with Luzerne County Community College, the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, The Institute, and the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance to deliver the recovery-to-work initiative in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

“There is a great need for peer support in addiction recovery services and a shortage of certified recovery specialists in Northeast Pennsylvania,” said Susan Spry, associate vice president of academic affairs at Luzerne County Community College. “Certified recovery specialists offer crucial support and resources to those seeking to live a life in recovery. Project PROGRESS and our community partners have played a vital role in addressing the stigma associated with recovery and creating a pathway for individuals to access the training they need to fill these important professional positions.”

“Professional certified recovery specialists play a valuable role in addiction recovery services in Northeast Pennsylvania,” added Mary K. Murphy, a certified recovery specialist trainer at Luzerne County Community College. “Their experience, strength, and hope, combined with the tools and education provided by Project PROGRESS, empower certified recovery specialists to assist individuals on their journey to recovery from addiction.”

Assistance and guidance were also provided by the AllOne Foundation, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, the Wayne County Commissioners, the Wayne Economic Development Corporation, and the Office of Congressman Matt Cartwright.

Individuals who met the eligibility requirements to enroll in the certified recovery specialist training were able to take the class for free. The grant project also covered the cost of their certification examination fees.

A certified recovery specialist is someone who has overcome substance use disorder and who works as part of a multidisciplinary care team to help other individuals achieve and maintain long-term sobriety. Using their own life experiences, certified recovery specialists mentor, motivate, and advocate to ensure patients are supported on their journey toward wellness.

“The Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC) was excited to participate in Project PROGRESS,” said Debra Youngfelt, executive director of NE PA AHEC. “By offering community health worker training, we provided individuals in recovery with the opportunity to gain new skills and expand their employment options. The significance of certified recovery specialists and community health workers in our communities, along with the invaluable lived experiences they bring to those in recovery, cannot be overstated as the demand for these roles continues to grow.

“Project PROGRESS was a tremendous success, not only by providing training and employment opportunities to many in recovery, but also by filling a gap in the continuum of care for individuals with substance use disorders.”

Thanks to the partnership with the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance, Project PROGRESS was able to extend its reach to rural counties and, in turn, attract additional candidates into the training program.

“Our unique relationship with Project PROGRESS transformed lives, strengthened our communities, and addressed the stigma that oftentimes prevents people from all walks of life from addressing their substance use disorder and living a life in recovery,” said Katheryne Hait, SHRM CP, chief operating officer at Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance. “I am extremely proud of the lasting partnerships we forged with several community organizations and the members of our communities who are now leading by example in their roles as certified recovery specialists.”

Today, employers in Pennsylvania are seeking to fill these professional positions in a range of business settings, such as recovery and treatment centers, prisons, hospitals, and human services and health care settings.

Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr., an internal medicine-pediatrics (Med-Peds) physician, recently joined The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. He is now accepting patients of all ages at two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care community health centers.

Dr. Long is available for appointments at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Clarks Summit primary care center at 1145 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Township on Mondays and Tuesdays and the Mid Valley primary care center at 5 S. Washington Ave. in Jermyn, from Wednesdays through Fridays.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Long, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call the Clarks Summit location at 570-585-1300 or the Mid Valley location at 570- 230-0019.

Dr. Long has also embraced an institutional academic leadership role in faculty development which will allow him to thoughtfully guide and contribute to the professional growth and development of his physician colleagues, while fostering an environment of continuous lifelong learning and improvement.

Dr. Long lives in Moscow with his wife, Juliette Meyers, an Archbald native recently hired by The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education as an art therapist. A Valley View High School graduate, she received a master’s degree in art therapy and a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies from Marywood University.

As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider of whole-person primary health services, The Wright Center for Community Health serves vulnerable and medically underserved populations of all ages, regardless of ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. It accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines that consider family size and income. No patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.

Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center for Community Health operates 11 comprehensive primary and preventive care community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, as well as a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services, including medication-assisted therapy. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education was established in 1976 as the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, a community-based internal medicine residency. Today, The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education are one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums in the nation.

Together with consortium stakeholders, The Wrights Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education train residents and fellows in a community-based, community-needs-responsive primary care workforce development model to advance their shared mission.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s residency and fellowship programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The Wright Center for Community Health’s Advanced Education General Dentistry Residency under New York University Langone is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-866-3017.