Community Health Center, Inc. Receives $510,000 to Combat the National Opioid Crisis

MIDDLETOWN, Conn., September 20, 2018: Community Health Center, Inc. is pleased to announce the receipt of a $510,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services as part of its ongoing efforts to address the national opioid crisis.

CHC provides medication assisted treatment (MAT), behavioral health, and care coordination services to patients with substance use disorder (SUD). Every site that cares for adults in CHC’s network has at least one provider who can prescribe MAT and a behavioral health group specifically for SUD. Medical and behavioral health providers are supported by extensive and ongoing training and education so that they are well-equipped to treat their patients. One such program is CHC’s Weitzman ECHO, a national program that trains providers in 34 states, Puerto Rico, and D.C. in strategies for safe and effective pain management.

CHC is one of 1,232 community health centers across the nation who received a grant through Expanding Access to Quality Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services (SUD-MH). The total $352 million SUD-MH award will support the implementation and advancement of evidence-based strategies that best meet the needs of the populations that community health centers serve. The aim of the funding is to increase personnel and enhance infrastructure to meet these goals.

 “There is still so much work to be done,” said Marwan Haddad MD, medical director of CHC’s Center for Key Populations and leader of the Weitzman ECHO Buprenorphine clinic. “This funding will help us continue to provide the best possible care for one of our most vulnerable populations.”

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About Community Health Center, Inc. 
Since 1972, Community Health Center, Inc. has been one of the leading healthcare providers in the state of Connecticut, building a world-class primary healthcare system committed to caring for uninsured and underserved populations. CHC is focused on improving health outcomes for its more than 145,000 patients as well as building healthy communities. Recognized as both a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance and a Primary Care Medical Home by The Joint Commission, CHC delivers service in more than 200 locations statewide, offering primary care in medical, dental and behavioral health services. For more information, visit www.chc1.com.