Dianne Lillicraf, Hall Neighborhood House Health Services Manager
For Dianne Lillicraf, our Health Services Manager, making health and dental care accessible and convenient for our neighbors is the top priority.
“We are right here for them,” she shared.
The Health Center at Hall Neighborhood House provides medical, dental, and behavioral health care to our neighbors. Dianne’s job is to coordinate these programs, schedule appointments, and ensure our neighbors get the very best care. She is the liaison between Hall and the providers.
Health Care
Medical care is provided in partnership with Southwest Community Health Center. Their experienced team of healthcare professionals delivers top-quality care in a warm and welcoming environment onsite at Hall. They are committed to enhancing the health of individuals and families by providing accessible, affordable, and personalized health care.
Medical services at Hall ensure our families have full access to health care for their entire family at a convenient location they already visit every day.
“As a parent, I understand how hard it can be to balance work and life,” Dianne explained. “We wanted to make medical and dental as convenient as possible, especially for our working parents. Getting in to see your primary care physician can be very difficult at the last minute, and, if your child is sick, it’s hard to get an appointment immediately. Here, they can pick their child up, walk right over to the medical center, and have the child examined by a professional.”
Dental Care
Neighbors can access free dental hygiene care, including exams, cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments, and sealants, provided by Fones School of Dental Hygiene, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Boyce, DMD, and now our Hall family can receive follow-up care to treat advanced dental issues through Southwest at our state-of-the-art dental clinic. The dental clinic was made possible through the generous support of Impact Fairfield County and Delta Dental.
Southwest dental services began recently and filled an immediate need for advanced dental care. We are excited for them to be able to expand on the dental hygiene that Fones School of Dental Hygiene has provided to over 180 of our Hall family members.
Behavioral Health
Mental health is a critical part of overall health, and Dianne helps coordinate Hall’s behavioral health program through Southwest Community Health Center, which provides mental health support and social work resources to neighbors of all ages.
“Hall is a safe place,” said Dianne. Building trusted relationships with the community allows Southwest to work confidentially with them to make life better through mental health support.
Once a week, for example, all our seniors participate in a weekly “Better Me” clinic, where they learn about and discuss topics like self-esteem, stress, depression, emotions and anxiety, and forgiveness and relationships. Over the past year, this program has grown—and we are thrilled to see more and more seniors taking advantage of it.
Group and individual mental health sessions are also available at Hall.
“Our comprehensive, holistic health program really helps them connect with what they need and when they need it,” said Dianne.
Please visit our Health Center Page for the most up-to-date information on our medical, dental, and behavioral health offerings—including appointment availability.
Our partnerships
Partnerships are an integral part of our strategy to serve our community. We partner with other organizations to uplift Bridgeport and provide our neighbors with the best services possible. When we all work together, we can create a stronger community.
“Seeing the outcome of these services is my favorite part,” said Dianne. “We are helping others, and it is rewarding to see their gratitude and provide something they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.”
These services matter to our community because …
They are convenient.
Most of our neighbors visit Hall every day—for senior center activities, after-school programs, or childcare. Now, they have access to even more services right on-site.
“This program really helps them connect with the services they need,” shared Dianne.
This year, for example, one of our senior citizens slipped and fell outside his apartment. When he arrived at the Hall Senior Center later that week, he told our team about the fall … and that he had broken his top denture in half.
We contacted Dr. Peter Ferrara, a local dentist who volunteers in our dental clinic. Dr. Ferrara examined the senior, and within 48 hours, the senior had brand-new upper dentures that fit even better than the originals.
Our clinic enables us to respond quickly to the health-related needs of our neighbors
They are accessible.
Our goal is to provide care to any member of our community who needs it—regardless of their ability to pay. Through our government-funded providers that use sliding scale models and the generosity of our partners and donors, we can assist all of our neighbors and provide them with the best care possible.
They are empowering.
Our neighbors trust us to provide the high-quality services and care they deserve. They know that the providers we connect them to have their best interests at heart. When neighbors have these consistent relationships with their providers, they feel more empowered to make health-related decisions.
Educating our community with programs on good health choices and providing services where they can access them easily will help make a stronger and healthier community.
Our vision for the future
As Hall grows, we have big plans to continue expanding health services. We look forward to new partnerships that will allow us to provide more clinics and services like occupational therapy, physical therapy, and hearing and vision screenings.
Our clinic—and the medical, dental, and behavioral health services it provides—is just one part of the holistic care we offer our neighbors. We are proud to unite community organizations and partners to make life better here on the East Side of Bridgeport.
“It’s a great place to work and be part of the community,” said Dianne.