Health facility offers affordable health care options

Courtney Vazquez, 20, a mother of three, said she’d “be lost” without the medical services she receives at the Middletown Community Health Center.

“I don’t know what I’d do, my God,” Vazquez said Thursday as the center at 1036 S.Verity Parkway celebrated National Health Center Week.

Her children, Julian, 4, Abraham, 2, and Gabriella, 9 months, all receive medical treatment at the center through the Butler County Women, Infants and Children program, she said.

On Thursday, the center celebrated with an outdoor event that featured free health screenings, cooking demonstrations, product sampling, a farmers market, free snacks, and games.

The weeklong celebration is a national campaign designed to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers as local solutions, said Marc Bellisario, CEO of Primary Health Solutions. This year’s theme: “Celebrating America’s Health Centers: Powering Healthier Communities” underscores how community health centers provide access to affordable, high quality, cost effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people throughout the United States, he said.

He said the agency provides quality, affordable health care on a sliding-fee scale to all residents of Middletown, regardless of income or insurance coverage, he said.

“Our patients not only get the care they need under one roof, but they are treated as individuals, with dignity and respect,” he said.

State Rep. Tim Derickson, who toured the facility Thursday, said he was impressed with the center. The professionalism of the staff allows the clients to receive services and leave with their “dignity,” he said.

Angela Armstrong, who brought two of her grandchildren, Caden Bowling, 22 months, and Aubrey Armstrong, 22 months, to the event, said the staff there seems to be “more interested” in their patients than those at other health centers.

The center offers pediatrics, well child exams, immunizations, nutritional counseling, adult and family medicine, chronic illness management, physicals, hearing and vision screening, dental service, mental health services and pharmacy services.

Since the center has one full-time dentist and hygienist on staff, there is a one-year waiting list for clients who need dental assistance. Those who require emergency services are seen sooner.

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