Today on National Doctors Day, we are celebrating the incredible medical professionals working at our full-service health center, Community Health at Hall. We are grateful that we are able to serve the East Side of Bridgeport with high-quality medical care, and, with the support of our committed team of medical professionals, we look forward to growing the health services available in our neighborhood.
The East Side of Bridgeport is a vibrant community with diverse needs. In our 135 year history, Hall Neighborhood House has met those needs in both practical and creative ways, and our on-site community health center, in partnership with Optimus Health, is the latest offering designed to bring care and resources to those we serve. We are one of the only youth, childcare, and senior centers to offer on-site medical care in our area.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our community health center has made it possible for us to provide COVID-19 testing and vaccinations on-site. We are grateful for the physicians at Optimus Health and Yale New Haven Health that have helped us serve our community throughout the pandemic.
In addition, we continue to provide accessible, high-quality medical services that contribute to our neighbors’ long-term wellbeing and quality of life. Although medical experts widely agree that primary care forms the cornerstone of individual and public health, primary care visits have dropped across the nation. People with lower incomes, especially, have less access to primary care and tend to wait until something is wrong before visiting a doctor, a trend that results in poorer health outcomes. We know that preventative care is essential for community health, so Community Health at Hall provides physicals, immunizations, and ongoing, preventative medical care. Last year, in partnership with Sacred Heart University College of Nursing, we offered 1,000 medical screenings for senior citizens in our community. We look forward to providing even more primary care through the new community health center.
As one of Hall Neighborhood House’s Physician’s Assistants, Charles Engle, PA-C, described, “At the new community health center, I’m able to offer critical support and healing to families in this neighborhood. Community Health at Hall makes preventative medical care convenient and accessible to those living on the East Side of Bridgeport. Our patients will benefit for years to come from the services Hall Neighborhood House provides just a short distance from their homes.”
And in so many ways we are just getting started.
Your donation today will enable the continued growth of Community Health at Hall’s medical offerings. Soon, we will also provide dental, vision, and psychological services to our neighborhood. In Bridgeport’s low-income communities, 19% of children lack proper dental care, and 5.4% of young adults ages 18-25 self-identified as having a serious mental illness, a significant increase from the survey three years prior. By offering high-quality dental, vision, and behavioral health care, we will address critical community needs and continue Hall Neighborhood House’s mission to provide holistic, high-quality services throughout our neighbors’ lives.