Donate Patient Portal

Family First Health

A community health care center

COVID-19 Updates

NEW! Options For Care:

Due to the current situation with COVID-19, we are now offering more options for our patients to receive their care:

  • Telehealth (Over the phone)
    To help our patients continue to receive their medical care while social distancing, we have added the option of medical visits over the phone. If you are interested in participating for an upcoming visit, please reach out to your site directly.
  • Video
    To help our patients continue to receive their medical care while social distancing, we have added the option of medical visits over video chat. If you are interested in participating for an upcoming visit, please reach out to your site directly.
    
  • In-Person
    We will still be giving patients the option for their traditional in-person medical visits, but we have made some adjustments to our delivery of care model. Please see the changes to medical and dental visits below.

Resources:

Yellow Phase Info – EnglishDownload
Yellow Phase Info – SpanishDownload
SAMSHA Taking Care of Your Behavioral HealthDownload
York Co. Resource Guide – EnglishDownload
York Co. Resource Guide – SpanishDownload
Adams Co. Resource Guide – EnglishDownload
Adams Co. Resource Guide – SpanishDownload

Lancaster Co. Resources – English & Spanish

Lebanon Co. Resource Guide – EnglishDownload
Lebanon Co. Resource Guide – SpanishDownload

“The CARES Act requires providers that order and/or provide testing to post the cash price of these services to their public website. The cost of receiving these services at Family First Health is as follows: 

  1. CPT code 99000 (Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the office to a laboratory)  the standard charge is $15.00
  2. CPT code 99001 (Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the patient in other than an office to a laboratory) the standard charge is $26.00. 

These charges are the standard prices for an uninsured patient above 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.”

New FFH Site Opens In Lebanon

A new health center will provide access to primary care, integrated behavioral health care and other essential health services to Lebanon County residents.

FFH is a Federally Qualified Health Center with six sites in Lancaster, York and Adams counties. Building on a 50-year history, FFH is designed to help patients address barriers to good health that are often experienced by the 30 percent of Lebanon County residents living in poverty. A 14-member community advisory group of Lebanon leaders chose FFH as the primary care partner for the Dixon Center.

Jenny Englerth, president and CEO of FFH, said the new center has received strong support from other local health providers and social service agencies, as the community works together to open doors to better health for vulnerable patients. For example, Family First will send its obstetric patients to Lebanon Family Health Services, where they will receive services provided by the WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Lebanon Family Health Services also will provide educational classes in parenting, diabetes prevention and tobacco cessation to FFH patients.

“We appreciate the warm welcome the Lebanon community has offered us,” Englerth said. “Together, we will work to help local residents achieve their best health.”

To provide easy access to FFH, a new entrance was added off the rear parking lot of the WellSpan Dixon Foundation Health Center. The entrance also gives patients and visitors access to other services located in the building, including WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital’s rehabilitation unit, WellSpan Family Medicine – North Fourth Street and WellSpan diabetes and nutrition counselors.

Plans are to add a community room and space for other services that will support vulnerable patients to the adjoining area of the Dixon Center.

“WellSpan is excited to support this health center,” said Tom Harlow, senior vice president of WellSpan Health and president of WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Family First Health in supporting the health of our community.”

Family First Health’s Nicole Durham, CRNP, Achieves HIV Specialist Credential from The American Academy of HIV Medicine

Nicole Durham, CRNP at Family First Health, has achieved the HIV Specialist credential through the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Open to physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants working in direct clinical care, the AAHIVM HIV Specialist credential is the only one of its kind nationwide, creating a standard by which all HIV care providers should deliver quality HIV care. Attaining this credential is a way to remain current, demonstrate frontline experience, and evolve with changes in HIV technology, with discoveries of new treatments and shifts in the nation’s health care system. This credential confirms a provider’s commitment to maintaining continuing competence through ongoing learning, experience, and self-assessment.

Nicole joined Family First Health in 2013. She completed HIV training in September 2014 and started seeing patients in 2015. A nurse practitioner in the program, Durham currently cares for 100-110 individual patients, providing both HIV specific care and general primary care. She received her Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) in 2000 and her Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2013, both from York College. In 2013 she received certification as a Board Certified Primary Care Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. Completing clinical rotations with the REACCH program in Harrisburg prior to her tenure at Family First Health sparked her passion for HIV care.

Durham’s philosophy regarding her care of HIV patients is as follows: “As I listen to your life story, I pass no judgements about your lifestyle. Your life and your choices are yours to make. My job is to keep you as healthy and as educated as I can while you live your best life.”

Durham is the second provider at Family First Health to receive the HIV Specialist credential; Asceline Go, MD, Vice President of Medical Services, received this credential in 2018.

Through Family First Health’s Caring Together program, we offer a seamless system of coordinated, high-quality care for people who are HIV positive, so they can access the services they need. Interested individuals can call 717-846-6776 for more information.

Family First Health also offers free, confidential HIV testing and counseling for individuals ages 13 and older at our George Street Center, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Family First Health to celebrate HIV Testing Day on June 27

On June 27th Family First Health will celebrate HIV Testing Day by offering free, confidential HIV testing from 8:30 am-3:30 pm at our George Street Center in Downtown York. This is a collaborative effort between Family First Health, WellSpan Community Health Center and the York City Bureau of Health.

National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to encourage people of all ages to get tested for HIV, know their status and get linked to care and treatment.

Family First Health collaborates with WellSpan Health to provide coordinated, high-quality care for people who are HIV positive. The Caring Together program helps patients easily access the services they need.

In honor of the upcoming HIV Testing Day, one of our patients generously agreed to share their story.

How long have you been HIV-positive?

Since 2009

Why did you decide to get care?

I was in denial for about one month, thought I had the flu or just a really bad cold. I started getting really back fevers, had a terrible rash on my tongue (what I learned later was thrush), and started passing out at work. One day I felt really sick so I decided to go to the emergency room to get checked out. The Dr in the ER told me I had the virus and that if I went home that night I would die. So my choices were to go home and die or stay at the hospital to be treated- I stayed at the hospital. I was inpatient for about one month. When I was discharged I came to FFH for my outpatient medical care. Staff at FFH helped me get insurance, pay for the expensive medications, and with other resources.

What’s your advice to others who have been recently diagnosed with HIV?

Look towards the future because of new medications, we can have a future. Take your medications daily, make sure you are involved with FFH Caring Together to get support and resources.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about living with HIV/AIDS?

A lot of people still think HIV/AIDS is a death sentence, it is not anymore. People need to be educated to know it is not taboo; it is not a death sentence. People with HIV/AIDS should not loose friends over family over the disease.

What do you think needs to happen to reduce the stigma around HIV/AIDS?

Clear idea of what treatment looks like, which is taking your medication every day. Also, showing the faces the HIV/AIDS- anyone can get it.

Why should people know their status?

So they can continue to live a healthy life. If sexually active, to not pass it to others and to be safe.

How can others show their support of people living with HIV/AIDS?

Just be supportive. Be there for us and give us hope to live.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

After I was diagnosed, I felt hopeless and guilty. I blamed myself because of my behaviors and my lifestyle that most likely was the reason why I got infected. The staff at FFH helped me see I had purpose in life and gave me hope to continue to live.

Family First Health Announced as a Finalist in the 2019 Nonprofit Innovation Awards Program

York, PA: Family First Health is pleased to announce that we will be recognized as a finalist in Central Penn Business Journal’s 2019 Nonprofit Innovation Awards Program.

Family First Health will receive this recognition for our Connections for a Healthy Pregnancy program. Connections for a Healthy Pregnancy is a free community outreach program that supports expectant mothers living in York City and surrounding communities by connecting them to community resources that can mitigate or remove barriers to good health – increasing the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy outcome.

Community Health Workers meet with expectant mothers at their prenatal visit with the obstetric care provider and then check in on a regular basis through home visits and phone calls to access needs, provide peer support and offer connections to community resources.

The Connections for a Healthy Pregnancy program began in December 2017. Currently nearly 80 expectant mothers are participating in the program.

An awards breakfast will be held on Wednesday, March 20, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 am at the Valencia Ballroom in York. Tickets are available online at www.CPBJ.com/events.

Pressley Ridge and Family First Health Partner to Hold Support Group for Children and Youth Impacted by Substance Use

York, PA: Pressley Ridge and Family First Health are welcoming referrals for Healing Ahead, a supportive group for children and youth, ages 12-17, directly impacted by substance use in their families or with their friends.

The program includes 6 weekly sessions, held from January 16 until February 20. Sessions will be held at the Pressley Ridge York Office from 5:00-6:00 p.m. The Pressley Ridge York Office is located at 141 E. Market Street in York. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

The group is FREE to all participants, made possible by support from the Rotary Club of York. Participants will receive a $25 gift card upon completion of the 6-week program.

Please contact Pressley Ridge for referral forms at 717-845-6624.

Family First Health to observe World AIDS Day with free HIV testing and other activities

York, PA: Family First Health will observe the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day with several activities on Friday, November 30th. This year?s theme is ?Know your status.? Significant progress has been made in the AIDS response since 1988, and today three in four people living with HIV know their status. But there is still progress to be made in reaching people living with HIV who do not know their status and ensuring that they are linked to quality care. Through Family First Health?s Caring Together program, a collaborative partnership with WellSpan Health, we offer a seamless system of coordinated, high-quality care for people who are HIV positive, so they can access the services they need.

World AIDS Day observance activities planned for Friday, November 30th include:

  • Free, confidential HIV testing at Family First Health?s George Street Center from 9:00 am-1:00 pm for anyone age 13 and older. The George Street Center is located at 116 South George Street in York. Testing will be done on the 3rd An Informational booth will be set up on the 1st floor during the same hours.
  • Time of reflection and remembrance at the Serenity Garden of Hope from 2:00-3:00 pm. The Serenity Garden of Hope is located at Albemarle Park, 117 South Albemarle Street in York.
  • Informational booth at Minnich?s Pharmacy from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Minnich?s Pharmacy will also donate a portion of sales of over the counter items to support the Caring Together program. Minnich?s Pharmacy is located in the Colonial Shopping Center, 976 South George Street in York.
  • Family First Health?s building will be illuminated with red lights on both Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st.
  • Patient quotes and informational facts will be posted on Family First Health?s Facebook page (facebook.com/fFamilyFirstHealth) on both Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st.

Family First Health is also seeking donations of toiletries and women?s hygiene products to support Caring Together clients. Donations can be dropped at the George Street Center on the 3rd floor at any time during normal business hours.

Individuals or medical providers interested in more information about the Caring Together Program can contact Program Manager, Rebecca Wilson, at 717-846-6776 ext. 4855.