The Food Pantry at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center will also be closed on December 29. Please visit HHSI.US/FoodPantry for information about other local food resources.
COVID-19 Never Misses A Party
Protect yourself, your family, and your community this holiday season! Follow COVID-19 safety guidelines including wearing a mask and washing hands frequently.
“When COVID surged in Massachusetts last spring, we quickly moved to provide as many healthcare services as we could in our participants homes,” explained ESP’s Senior Vice President Gretchen Reynard.
“As we worked to keep the elders in our program healthy and safe during the pandemic, we knew we needed to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits, which is why we decided to partner with instED.”
Paramedics are medical professionals with training in emergency care. They can do tests and treatments normally done in the emergency room.
They can test for COVID-19, flu, and strep, evaluate heart functioning, and administer IV fluids and antibiotics…all right in a participant’s home.
According to Gretchen, “many participants and caregivers think they need to go to the emergency room when they need care after hours or on weekends. Now we can bring urgent care to them.” With paramedics available until midnight every night, ESP participants now have more access to urgent tests, medicines, and treatments 365 days a year.
To help you learn more about the in-home urgent care now offered by ESP, we have answers to many of your frequently asked questions below.
Read on to learn more!
How Does ESP’s In-Home Urgent Care Work?
Paramedics can go to a participant’s home until midnight 7 days a week. They can provide many of the same things as emergency rooms for diarrhea, vomiting, pain, confusion, or when you aren’t sure you can wait to feel better.
A participant who isn’t feeling well can call ESP for help with urgent care.
What types of care can instED paramedics provide?
Harbor’s ESP partners with instED paramedics who are trained in giving emergency care at home. These paramedics work with your ESP care team to perform tests and treatments to help you feel better without needing to go to the emergency room.
Tests include:
Medical checkup to evaluate your health, breathing, heart function, temperature
Heart monitoring
Bloodwork and testing for urinary tract infections, flu, strep, and COVID
Based on test results and talking with your ESP team, paramedics can give:
Breathing treatments
Medicines to treat infections, pain, nausea, and more
Fluids or other treatments through an IV
And more
What should I do when I think I need urgent care at home?
CALL ESP! When you call, your team will assess your needs and will send a paramedic as needed.
New to ESP? Harbor’s ESP is a Massachusetts Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Learn more about our program at elderserviceplan.org.
Food Assistance in a SNAP – Get Help With Your Application!
Get Help With Your SNAP Application At Harbor Community Health Centers
What you eat is very important to your overall health. Eating a variety of nutritious foods every day can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like tooth decay, heart disease, and diabetes.
To make sure everyone in our community can get enough healthy, nutritious food for themselves and all the members of their family, Harbor Health and the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) are working together to help you with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/SNAP needs at our the health centers!
Having Trouble Paying For Food?
Our community health workers can help anyone in the community who is having trouble paying for food apply for SNAP. You do not have to be a Harbor Health patient to make an appointment for help with your SNAP application.
We can help you:
Learn more about the SNAP program
Find out if you qualify for assistance
Complete SNAP applications
Gather information or documents for verifications
Understand the application process
Complete the recertification process to remain eligible for SNAP
You do not have to go to the DTA to complete your SNAP application – our community health workers can help you complete an application over the phone.
Interpreters are available to help with the appointment.
To get SNAP, you must be low-income and be a U.S. citizen or a legal non-citizen (restrictions apply). Eligibility for SNAP benefits depends on financial and non-financial criteria.
If you have MassHealth, you may qualify for SNAP! Contact our community health workers to see if you are eligible!
What Can You Buy With SNAP?
You can use SNAP to buy food for the household, such as:
Raw or uncooked meat, poultry, and fish
Dairy products, breads, and cereals
Fruits and vegetables
All SNAP households are automatically enrolled in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP)! You can use SNAP to buy fruits and vegetables from a HIP authorized farm or vendor and receive $1 for each dollar you spend, up to a monthly limit.
Ready To Make An Appointment?
Call our community health worker at one of the following Harbor health centers to make an appointment.
Geiger Gibson Community Health Center, 250 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester (617) 533-2267
Daniel Driscoll Neponset Health Center, 398 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester (617) 533-2267
Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth, 10 Cordage Park, Suite 115, Plymouth (508) 778-5449 for an appointment with our community health worker
Harbor Community Health Center – Hyannis, 735 Attucks Lane, Hyannis (508) 778-5413
SNAP application assistance is one of the many food access programs and connection to resources we offer patients and members of the community at our health centers. Ask at your appointment with our community health worker to get information about other resources or visit hhsi.us/FoodAccess.
Make Sure Kids Get Their Shots
Harbor Health has important reminder for parents and caregivers
Making sure the children in your life are up to date on their vaccinations helps them stay healthy. Keeping a child on schedule with vaccinations also helps limit the spread of serious diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and mumps.
Because of COVID-19, many parents and caregivers feel nervous about bringing a child in to the health center for vaccinations.
We can understand! Keeping children safe is something we all want to do.
Our pediatrics team at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center and our family medicine providers at all of our health centers remind parents and caregivers that children still need protection from other illnesses that also spread easily and can make them very sick.
The best way to protect them is NOT to delay getting vaccines.
When should a child be vaccinated?
A child usually gets their first vaccine soon after they are born. You can also ask your child’s provider about vaccines they may need by calling the office or sending a message through our patient portal.
You can find the updated schedule of vaccines from the CDC by clicking the link below:
Pediatrics and Family Medicine IS OPEN for Video/Phone and In-Person Appointments
Pediatrics at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center
Our pediatrics team sees patients ages newborn to age 21. The team is offering video and phone, as well as in-person appointments.
The pediatrics team has taken important steps to make sure you and your children stay safe during your visit to the health center:
We have divided the pediatrics office into a sick side and a well side. For vaccinations, you and your child will go to an exam room on the well side.
Patient visits are spaced out so no one is waiting in the waiting room. We will bring you to an exam room right away.
Our staff is masked and we ask you to wear one too. The CDC recommends wearing a fabric face covering to slow the spread of the virus but should not be used on children under the age of two.
Find helpful information on making a fabric face covering:
Our family medicine providers in Dorchester, Plymouth, and Hyannis see children ages 2 and up. They are offering video/phone and in-person appointments.
To learn more about the extra safety steps we are taking at the health center for in-person visits, click the link below.
Our brand new dental center at Patriot Square in South Dennis!
The dental care team at Harbor Health is happy to share that construction on the new location for Ellen Jones Community Dental Center is now complete! Our new and expanded location for Ellen Jones will OPEN SOON at Patriot Square, Route 134, in South Dennis.
Our new location is close to Route 6 and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority has a regular stop at Patriot Square.
What Is Ellen Jones And Why Is It Moving?
In the late 1990s, a group of concerned citizens and public health advocates asked Harbor Health for help. At the time, thousands of lower and outer Cape Cod residents had no access to affordable dental care. Either they had no insurance or there were no dental practices that accepted their insurance.
Not only did the situation put their physical health at risk, but it also had negative consequences for their social and economic well-being.
Harbor opened the non-profit Ellen Jones Community Dental Center inside Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (CCT) in 2000. In addition to providing dental services for patients, Harbor also started a unique collaboration with the school’s dental assisting program. Program students worked alongside the dental care team at Ellen Jones, developing the skills they learned in the classroom.
To meet the demands of growing enrollment, CCT shared their plans to move to a new school building at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. The team at Ellen Jones began looking for a new location about a year ago. The additional space at Patriot Square allowed us to expand to 8 exam rooms – so we can offer more appointments!
Our new location is also close to CCT and we plan to continue our partnership with the school’s dental assisting program.
When Will the Dental Center Open?
We plan to open soon in July! If you have an urgent dental question or emergency issue, we can help you now with a video/phone or in-person appointment at our dental center in Hyannis. Just call us at Ellen Jones at (508) 778-5400 for assistance.
What Services Will You Offer At Ellen Jones?
Our kind and caring providers at Ellen Jones can help you with routine dental care such as cleanings, screenings, and x-rays. Other dental services include:
Dental sealants
Fillings
Oral surgery
Procedures such as root canals
Crowns
Partials and dentures
Emergency dental care
We also offer help applying for health insurance and a sliding scale of fees to help you get the care you need.
Thank You to Our Supporters and Community Partners!
We want to thank our Healthy Community Champions for their vision of a new Ellen Jones Dental Center that will meet the needs of all residents.
Our champions include:
Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation
The Kelley Foundation
Cape Cod Five Foundation
The Palmer and Jane D. Davenport Foundation
Their leadership has expanded access to affordable, convenient dental care on Cape Cod. We are truly grateful!
We also want to thank the many business including RogersGray and individuals on the Cape who made a donation to support the relocation and opening of our new dental center. You helped someone smile!
Stay Tuned….
We will update you on our opening date soon!
Keeping You Healthy and Safe at the Health Center!
We clean, we screen, and PPE is part of our routine to keep you safe
Staying on track with health screenings, vaccinations, lab tests, and medical and dental issues are all important to staying healthy. Because of COVID-19, many people have put off getting healthcare they need because they feel nervous about coming into the health center for an in-person visit.
We can understand!
Helping you stay healthy and safe is something everyone at Harbor Health wants to do.
Everyone still needs protection from other illnesses and diseases that can make you very sick if not treated and managed.
The best way to protect yourself is not delay getting the healthcare you need!
To make sure we can care for all of your healthcare needs, we have been working hard to safely welcome you back to the health center for in-person appointments. We also have expanded our care options so you can have a video or phone appointment with a provider.
What Kind Of Appointment Do I Need?
We continue to offer visits by video and phone to help with urgent needs, as well as continue your routine care and scheduled follow-ups. At times, it may be best for you to see your provider in-person. You may also need to come in to have an immunization or other test at the health center.
When you call the health center for an appointment, we can tell you what kind of appointment will work best for your care needs.
Will I Be Safe at the Health Center?
If you may need to come into a Harbor community health center, we want you to know about the extra steps we are taking to protect our patients and staff.
Harbor Health has met state guidelines for reopening for in-person visits for a range of services including dental services. We also follow CDC recommendations for protecting our patients and staff at our health centers.
At all of our health centers, we clean, we screen, and PPE is part of our routine!
Our staff is:
Cleaning and disinfecting the health center more.
Checking our temperature and symptoms every day as soon as we walk in the door.
Using extra personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks.
When you come into the health center, we will also ask you to:
Have your temperature and symptoms checked when you arrive.
Wear a face covering – we will give you a mask if you need one when you arrive!
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Use the hand sanitizer at the health center.
Do not bring other visitors or guests with you unless you have permission.
We have updated our waiting areas and added floor markers to help you keep a safe social distance.
Find our visitors policy and more about our health and safety steps by clicking the button below.
[button type=”info” size=”lg” link=”https://www.hhsi.us/stay-healthy-health-centers/”] Learn More about Safety[/button]
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
Harbor Health’s medical, behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, and support services are all open for in-person and video/phone appointments.
Attention Parents and Caregivers: Remember Childhood Immunizations!
Visit hhsi.us/location to find the telephone number for your health center. New patients are welcome!
Do Your Part to Stop the Spread!
Even though Massachusetts is allowing more and more businesses, stores, and parks to open, we all still need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Watch the video below to learn more about what you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Talking About HIV Testing on National HIV Testing Day
National HIV Testing Day is June 27 – do you know your HIV status?
Everyone should talk about HIV testing. The more we all talk about HIV testing, the more comfortable everyone will feel about doing it.
Should You Get an HIV Test?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
People at higher risk for HIV should get tested more often.
Are you at higher risk for HIV?
According to the CDC, you should get an HIV test as soon as possible if you were HIV-negative the last time you were tested, the test was more than one year ago, and can answer yes to any of the following questions:
Are you a man who has had sex with another man?
Have you had sex—anal or vaginal—with a partner who has HIV?
Have you had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test?
Have you injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cookers) with others?
Have you exchanged sex for drugs or money?
Have you been diagnosed with or treated for another sexually transmitted disease?
Have you been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis or tuberculosis (TB)?
Have you had sex with someone who could answer yes to any of the above questions or someone whose sexual history you don’t know?
You should get an HIV test at least once a year if you keep doing any of the things.
Who Should You Talk To About Getting an HIV Test?
There are at least three people you can talk to about getting an HIV test.
A medical provider. Time matters with HIV. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you know your status and get the treatment you need to stay healthy. If you need a medical provider, you can find a Harbor Health location near you at hhsi.us/location
An HIV prevention specialist. An HIV prevention specialist can talk with you about options for testing and help connect you to care. Harbor Health’s prevention team can also help answer your questions about HIV risk factors and what is involved with an HIV rapid test – just call (617) 533-2228!
Your partner. While it is very important to have conversations with your partner about safer sex and healthy relationships, it can be hard to do! Find ways to start talking at cdc.gov/stophivtogether/hiv-prevention/convo.html
Are There Different kinds of HIV Tests?
You can find more information about the different options for HIV tests from the CDC at:
You can also watch the video below for more information about HIV testing options.
Where Can You Get An HIV Test?
Find a location near you by putting in your zip code.
Everyone Should Be Doing It!
Watch the videos below to learn why people of all ages and backgrounds are getting tested.
Knowing your HIV status is an important part of staying healthy!
Racism Is A Public Health Crisis That Cannot Be Ignored
A message from Chuck Jones, President & CEO of Harbor Health
On behalf of our Board of Directors, our leadership team, and every single member of our staff at Harbor, I would like to voice our steadfast determination to bring an end to inequality and racism in healthcare, in our communities, and in our world.
Racism is a public health crisis that simply cannot be ignored.
It can be hard, however, when our feelings are so raw, to pinpoint the actions that will have the kind of deep, meaningful, and lasting outcomes that will lead to the truly just and humane society we want our country to be – not just for some, but for all.
I am proud to work alongside colleagues at our community health centers who have already come forward with ideas that can be part of our first action steps, including addressing bias in healthcare with more training for our staff.
As we develop a more complete anti-racism response as an organization, we are reminded that at the very heart of the decision Dr. Geiger and Dr. Gibson made to open the first community health center in the country in Columbia Point was the motivation to show the people living there that someone cared about their health and well-being. That someone was ready to not only acknowledge, but also to do something about the injustices and inequities they had experienced for too long.
We all still feel that way at Harbor Health.
Black lives matter.
Chuck Jones
President and CEO
Pride Month Celebrations and Reflections
Time to Support, Observe, Listen, and Learn!
June is Pride Month! It’s a time to come together to celebrate the freedom of LGBTQA+ individuals to be themselves.
Harbor Health proudly celebrates Pride Month! We also recognize Pride Month as a time to show support, observe, listen, and learn.
Harbor’s Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Committee (SAGA) is helping our efforts to make our health centers and workplace welcoming and inclusive for all. During Pride Month, SAGA is sharing a variety of important statistics that show some of the health issues and challenges members of the LGBTQA+ community regularly face.
We have listed some of these statistics below so we can all better understand where we can help the people and patients we care about.
Healthcare experiences….
8% of gay patients have been refused treatment
27% of transgender patients have been refused treatment
About 50% of gay individuals have felt discriminated against by their doctor
About 70% of trans individualshave felt discriminated against by their doctor
Mental illness experiences…
3.5% of the U.S population that identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual
About 25% of LGBT individuals abuses substances compared to 9% of the overall population
39% of LGB individuals reported having a mental illness in the past year
48% of transgendered adults reported they considered suicide in the past year compared to 4% of the overall population
LGBT youth experiences…
92% of LGBT youth say they hear negative comments about being LGBT
LGB high school students are almost 5 times as likely to attempt suicide
LGBT youth are twice as likely as their peers to experience bullying and/or physical assault.
4 out of 10 LGBT Youth believe that their community is not accepting of LGBT individuals
(source: hrc.org)
Senior and elder experiences…
There are 1.1 million LGBT adults over the age of 65 in the U.S.
33% of LGBT older adults live in poverty
They are twice as likely to live alone and three to four times less likely to have children to support them
They are less likely to disclose orientation in health settings
Many thanks to the SAGA Committee for raising awareness throughout Harbor!
Our SAGA Committee also recommends the following resources:
At Harbor Health, we provide medical, dental, and behavioral health care to everyone. We serve everyone, regardless of gender identity, orientation, or insurance status.
To find a Harbor community health center near you, visit hhsi.us/location
Harbor Health announces closure of Harbor Community Dental Center – Provincetown
Our priority is to help our Provincetown patients get the dental care they need
We have made the difficult decision to not reopen Harbor Community Dental Center-Provincetown, located at 49 Harry Kemp Way.
Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS) began offering dental services at the location in 2010. After experiencing financial and operational challenges related to running a small dental program, OCHS and Harbor Health agreed to work together to try to sustain the program in 2018.
We hoped Harbor’s larger and more established dental program could overcome these challenges. The resources Harbor put in place, however, did not sufficiently improve the financial losses that OCHS had been experiencing.
We want to help our Provincetown patients get the dental care they need!
For routine and non-urgent dental care, our Provincetown patients can still see Harbor Health’s dental care team in Hyannis or Dennis.
For patients receiving an on-going dental treatment, we will continue to provide the treatment in Hyannis and Dennis.
We are currently collaborating with OCHS on transportation for patients in need. RTA also has a stop in front of Ellen Jones at Patriot Square.
Hyannis will open for routine appointments such as dental cleaning in June and Dennis will open in July.
For emergency dental care, call (508) 778-5499 , Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
We can help you with a teledental video or phone appointment with a member of our dental team or schedule an in-person appointment at one of our dental locations.
If you decide you would like to move to another dental care provider, you can download the medical records request form and follow the instructions to make a request. PLEASE NOTE: You do not need to request medical records if you plan to stay with Harbor Health.
We are committed to helping our friends and neighbors in Provincetown and hope we will continue to be a part of keeping you healthy.
Please call the Provincetown dental center at (508) 778-5499 should you need additional information about going to our Hyannis or Dennis locations for care.
