Charter Oak Health Center, Inc

Description

Our Mission
The mission of Charter Oak Health Center Inc is to provide high quality safe culturally appropriate financially and physically accessible health services to the medically underserved and persons of all ages who come to us for care

Overview of the Organization
Charter Oak Health Center Inc COHC is a federally qualified freestanding JCAHOaccredited nonprofit community health center that has continuously provided communitybased ambulatory primary health care in Hartford since 1978 It was formed in response to the unmet health care needs of the residents of two public housing projects COHC is the only community health center located in southern Hartford To this end COHC provides an integrated model of primary care based on a private practice model through three major patient care departments Medical Dental and Behavioral Health COHCs target population is primarily medically underserved and comprised of individuals and families who are members of racialethnic minorities and who live in poverty

COHCs philosophy is to provide comprehensive primary care to all in need on a sliding fee basis and without regard to ability to pay In addition to its community health center sites COHC operates several offsite programs in Hartford Each of these sites has licensed space dedicated to primary health care and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations JCAHO

COHC collaborates with a large number of community organizations to foster continuity of care and enhance services for its patients Working with Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center COHC opened an onsite radiology department at its health center Hartford Hospital brought its Easy Breathing asthma program to COHC COHC is involved in the Connecticut Migrant Health Network and collaborates with Hartford Behavioral Health HBH and Alcohol and Drug Recovery Centers Inc ADRC for psychiatric and substance abuse counseling services COHC also collaborates with the University of Connecticut and several other colleges and universities in the QuadState area Connecticut New York Massachusetts Pennsylvania as a training site for residents and students in the medical behavioral health and dental departments In addition COHC participates in Ryan White Titles I II III and IV programs attends Ryan White service providers meetings attends monthly meetings of the Greater Hartford Ryan White Title I Planning Council and participates in the quarterly Ryan White Title II statewide HIV Care Consortium meetings

COHC has expanded to meet growing patient demand as funding has allowed In 1986 COHC added its Dental Program In May 1988 COHC began the only federally funded Health Care for the Homeless Program in Hartford providing services to this vulnerable population in shelters and soup kitchens In 1989 COHC developed its mental health component and its elderly health care services in four elderly complexes In 1989 COHC has added a fifth elderly complex In 1995 COHC expanded its community health center to what has since become its primary community healthcare site at 21 Grand Street in Hartford Connecticut In 2000 COHC opened its Radiology Department in collaboration with St Francis Hospital and Medical Center Radiographs full body xrays and various other xrays that assist in timely diagnosis and treatment of patients are available on Tuesday and Friday afternoons The Agency also expanded hours of operation from 44 to 62 per week in 2000 In 2002 COHC opened satellite facility on 401 New Britain Avenue that has four examination rooms and is staff by a fulltime Physician