Donate Patient Portal

Family First Health

A community health care center

FOX43: Vaping in kids linked to poor mental health | Health Smart

YORK, Pa. – Two health organizations are currently working with the York City School District to address the concerning trend of kids vaping.

In some cases, it’s children as young as 10 years old.

“The rise in youth use of those vaping products is a serious issue, not just in this area, but across the country,” said Nikole Tome of Family First Health.

York County health officials are warning families about the serious trend spreading among kids and teens. Both the York City School District and Family First Health Center administrators say the rise in vaping among younger age groups is directly tied to mental health.

“With mental health issues that are maybe not being handled appropriately, students are outleting to something that’s not healthy, whether it be vaping or another, you know, risky behavior,” said Tome.

Data from 2019 from the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows more than 5 million high school-aged students reported vaping nicotine in the past 30 days.

Tome says the school-based health center manager with Family First at Hannah Penn says this kind of behavior can cause serious long-term issues.

“Introducing any type of chemical to the brain that really shouldn’t be there, like nicotine, can set a person up for an addiction with that chemical, or potentially others, you know, that are even worse… so the fact that they’re more willing to try it, but also not recognizing its connection to lifetime addiction,” Tome said.

That’s why Family First teamed up with nonprofit the Byrnes Health Education Center to bring information about the dangers of vaping directly to York students. They recently visited classrooms with students in the fifth and sixth grades.

“You can have substance abuse conversations as early as pre-k and kindergarten,” Tome said. “It can start with conversations around medications, how to take them the right way.”

“Sometimes doing education – especially on substance use at a young age – is uncomfortable, but doing it in an age-appropriate way is so valuable because that allows students to have that knowledge before they make those decisions,” she said.

And even if there isn’t school-based intervention, Tome says it’s really important for parents to be open and honest.

“If parents don’t have that kind of factual information, I would say it’s okay to say that and to reference out you know, maybe look at websites together to find the facts,” she suggested.

Watch the video here

Family First Health Welcomes New VP of Finance

For Immediate Release

York, PA. Family First Health is pleased to announce the hiring of Brent Doores to the position of Vice President of Finance. Doores will oversee all day-to-day financial operations and strategic fiscal initiatives of the organization.

“I am pleased to welcome Brent to the FFH team!” said Jenny Englerth, CEO. “His expertise and enthusiasm for our mission made him the perfect choice to fill the role of VP of Finance. In this role he will set the strategic direction to support our financial health as we move forward from the impact of the pandemic.”

Doores most recently served as CEO for Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of York, where he oversaw day-to-operations as well as patient care and quality. Prior to that position, he served in leadership roles across a variety of service lines and specialties for fifteen years at WellSpan Health, including urgent care, heart and vascular services, and revenue management.

Brent earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Milliken University in Decatur, Illinois, and his master’s degree in business administration from York College.

About Family First Health

Founded in 1970, Family First Health is a nonprofit, Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality health care at 8 convenient locations in Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties. Family First Health strives to improve the health of all members of the communities we serve through primary medical and dental care and a wide range of community health programs. Our uniquely qualified team of health care professionals creates an environment that is patient-centered, helping patients to live happier, healthier lives. For more information, visit www.familyfirsthealth.org. Se habla Español.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Amy Chamberlin | 717-801-4808 | achamberlin@familyfirsthealth.org

Dr. Luis Garcia Recognized as a Health Care Hero

For Immediate Release

York, PA. On April 4, 2023, Central Penn Business Journal hosted their annual “Health Care Heroes” awards to recognize excellence, promote innovation, and honor the efforts of organizations and individuals making a significant impact on the quality of health care in our area.

Family First Health is pleased to share that Dr. Luis Garcia, our Chief Medical Information Officer, received a “Physician Hero” award, which honors a physician who displays exemplary performance in his/her field and whose services benefit our local communities.

Dr. Garcia joined Family First Health in 2014. A practicing family physician, he provides primary care and family medicine services to adults and children at the George Street Center, and has proven to be a trusted advocate for the Spanish speaking patient population.

“The achievement of any family doctor can’t be measured in the typical way we think of achievements,” Garcia noted. “Family medicine is a medicine of relationships. It’s not the number of patients seen, procedures done, or lives saved but how the relationship affected the individual patient’s life.”

Dr. Garcia is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, and serves on the board of FACTS, an organization to promote and educate medical professionals about awareness based fertility methods.

His hobbies and interests include spending time with his family, traveling, and photography. He is also a writer and avid gardener, growing much of his own produce to support a healthy diet for his family.

About Family First Health

Founded in 1970, Family First Health is a nonprofit, Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality health care at 8 convenient locations in Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties. Family First Health strives to improve the health of all members of the communities we serve through primary medical and dental care and a wide range of community health programs. Our uniquely qualified team of health care professionals creates an environment that is patient-centered, helping patients to live happier, healthier lives. For more information, visit www.familyfirsthealth.org. Se habla Español.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Amy Chamberlin | 717-801-4808 | achamberlin@familyfirsthealth.org

CBS21: Community health program addresses maternity healthcare gap

ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) – One community health program is looking to address higher mortality concerns among low-income women who feel unseen and unheard by the healthcare system. Organizers say a lot of falls back on accessibility.

“As a first time parent, you have no idea what you’re doing and you’re scared,” Hailey McKee told CBS 21 News’ Samantha York.

McKee gave birth to her daughter, Penelope, 15 months ago. She was immediately hit with the harsh reality so many other parents are facing: inflated expenses.

“$27 for a big pack of diapers that might last you a month,” McKee explained. “And that’s generic brand.”

Rising costs are straining young families. Baby formula spiked 30% in the last three years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wipes are up over 10% in price.

“How am I going to be able to do this?” McKee questioned when she learned she was pregnant.

McKee turned to Family First Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership program, which promotes health equity.

“We’re meeting these women in the places where they need it the most,” Nurse-Family Partnership Program Manager and Nurse Supervisor Lisa Lathrop explained. “When they can sometimes feel the most vulnerable.”

In Pennsylvania, over 24% of counties don’t have full access to maternity care, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It leaves nearly 200,000 residents in need of support.

“Even though I was working, I mean, we still didn’t have much,” McKee recalled.

“Young women, in particular, I think often times women who are living with lower income, they feel very unheard and unseen in their health appointments,” Lathrop continued.

“I think a lot of times with the healthcare system that you’re just left to figure it out on your own,” McKee said.

Nurse-Family Partnership recognizes a lack of health coverage keeps low-income parents from the care they need. Instead, they’re meeting them where they are: at home.

“They’re always there,” McKee said.

“Being that we only serve first-time pregnant mothers who meet income guidelines, we’re serving people who we can make the biggest difference in their lives,” Lathrop added.

The program connects expectant mothers to a registered nurse, free of charge, who becomes their personal healthcare provider and guides them through pregnancy and the first two years of the child’s life.

“I feel like it gave me confidence, even when I was in one of my darkest times,” McKee explained. “Because you’re in survival mode.”

“They’re more motivated to provide a better life for their own child than what they might have had when they were a child,” Lathrop said.

The community health program also refers parents to other support groups to help the family become economically self-sufficient.

“Having them get a car seat for me and, you know, stuff my car full of clothes was like a huge weight off my shoulders,” McKee recalled. “Because I felt like a bad mom.”

Those behind the program say it enables those stuck in a healthcare gap to feel seen and heard.

“They have felt empowers to ask more questions of their healthcare providers,” Lathrop explained.

“You have to be your own advocate,” McKee said. “And just keep going at them until somebody hears you.”

Those interested can contact the program’s team at 717-843-6330 or 717-916-4099. They can also email dcaraballo@familyfirsthealth.org or clathrop@familyfirsthealth.org.

More information about the program can be found here.

Watch the video here

CBS21: Program offers nurse support to low-income expectant mothers

YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) – According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. has the highest mortality rate for mothers among high income countries. Black mothers are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications.

Family First Health is meeting expectant mothers in the places they need it most. Its Nurse-Family Partnership program connects mothers to a registered nurse for support through their pregnancy at no charge.

Those behind the program say a lack of health coverage is often a barrier for low-income parents to get the care they need and they often feel unseen and unheard by the healthcare system.

“Being that we only serve first-time pregnant mothers who meet income guidelines, we’re serving people who we can make the biggest difference in their lives,” said Nurse-Family Partnership Program Manager and Nurse Supervisor for Adam and York City Lisa Lathrop.

Nurse-Family Partnership services include:

  • The support to have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby
  • Board Certified Lactation Consultants and Certified Lactation Counselors on Staff to help with breastfeeding
  • Certified Car Seat technician to assist with safe car seat installation
  • Spanish speaking in-home interpreter
  • The ability to learn and practice things that make you more confident as a mom, like breastfeeding, nutrition, child development, safe-sleep techniques, and much more
  • Referrals for healthcare, childcare, job training, and other support services available in your community
  • Support to continue your education, develop job skills, or follow your dreams for the future

Women who are pregnant with their first child, pregnant 28 weeks or less and meet income requirements are eligible.

In the Nurse-Family Partnership program, nurses are available until the child is two years old.

Those interested can contact the program’s team at 717-843-6330 or 717-916-4099. They can also email dcaraballo@familyfirsthealth.org or clathrop@familyfirsthealth.org.

More information about the program can be found here.

Watch the video here

WITF: Pennsylvania dentists discuss oral health during Children’s Dental Health Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 5 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have at least one untreated decaying tooth and children between the ages of 5 and 19 are twice as likely to have cavities if they come from low-income households.

According to the University of Illinois College of Dentistry, there is a connection between oral health and a person’s overall health and well-being.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month and Dr. LaJuan Mountain, vice president of dental services at Family First Health, and Dr. Sam Mansour, Pennsylvania Dental Association’s statewide national children’s dental health month chair, joined us on The Spark Thursday to discuss the importance of children’s dental health, the barriers to receiving dental care and ways to overcome them.

Dr. Mountain said, a healthy mouth consists of firm and pink gums and no disruptions or discoloration in the enamel. She also said, oral health is not the general consensus that she is seeing in our communities because of a lack of accessibility, high costs, insurance challenges, dentist office schedules, a lack of oral health literacy and more.

On The Spark we also discussed the Family First Health’s Mobile School Dentist program that provides in-school dental care for all ages and grade levels in York, Adams and Lancaster County.

“It’s having a tremendous impact. I’ve been doing this program for almost a decade and I’m actually seeing kids that I first started to treat in Head Start, and they’re now in junior high. So that means we’ve actually followed kids throughout their entire academic life thus far, and we’re seeing improvement,” Dr. Mountain said. “We’re exposing them to the importance of their oral health, but also opportunities in health care, especially because the individuals we’re interacting with are often in that low socioeconomic environment.”

Listen to the podcast here

CBS21: Family First Health advocates for school-based healthcare

YORK, Pa – Family First Health is raising awareness on the importance of healthcare for students for National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month

Throughout the country, there are 3,000 health centers on school grounds. One of them is the Hannah Penn Center at Hannah Penn K through Eight.

It’s York County’s only school-based health center.

More than 50% of the students at Hannah Penn are also patients of Family First Health.

Nikole Tome, the School-Based Health Center Manager at Family First Health’s Hannah Penn Center said, “The best thing is that for students, they are able to succeed in school. Obviously we need to meet those health needs so that they’re able to be the best they can be in a school setting. So we are helping to eliminate the barriers that they may have to receiving care.”

The health center is open to the community and offers a 24-hour on-call physician, language interpreters, a Health and Wellness Coach, and Community Health Workers.

It’s funded through the United Health Foundation.

Watch the video here

FOX43: Fentanyl test strips decriminalized under new Pa. law

YORK, Pa. – A new law officially in effect in Pennsylvania no longer defines fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia.

The state legislature changed the law to protect people who unknowingly buy drugs that have been mixed with fentanyl to increase potency.

“It’s definitely become more dominant in the drug supply over recent years, to a point where a lot of people who use drugs, have just kind of assumed that what they’re using has fentanyl in it already,” said Alf Dirosa with the Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network.

Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in different kinds of drugs and drug forms.

“Fentanyl is often in anywhere from cocaine to marijuana,” said Jessie Hoffmaster with Family First Health.

According to health experts, the test strips are a low-cost way of attempting to prevent drug overdoses.

“People can test their drug supply and make sure there’s no fentanyl, therefore avoiding [an] accidental overdose,” said Hoffmaster.

Organizations believe that by allowing people to know if drugs are contaminated with fentanyl lives can be saved.

“Knowing how much lethal fentanyl can be compared to other opioids, it’s really helpful at reducing overdose deaths and making people more knowledgeable about what’s in the current drug supply,” said Alf Dirosa with the Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network.

Health experts at Family First Health say they hope to soon be able to distribute fentanyl strips to the community.

“The hope is that having access to the testing strips, people can make sure that they are not accidentally ingesting this very fatal substance might help prevent overdose death,” said Hoffmaster.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 78% of the 5,343 overdose deaths statewide in 2021 involved fentanyl.

Watch the video here

FOX43: More Americans are skipping doctor appointments because of price concerns, experts say

YORK, Pa. – Local healthcare centers like Family First Health say they are seeing fewer patients coming in to get check-ups.

“Their child had an acute issue, they were sick, and they weren’t able to come in for care because they believed that they had to pay the bill and they didn’t have the money to pay the bill,” said Casey Fogle, Community Health Program Manager at Family First Health.

Inflation has caused prices to skyrocket and that has left many families having to choose whether it is worth stopping by the doctor’s office.

“We do have some families that are hesitant to come in due to cost of healthcare,” said Fogle.

A Gallup study shows four in 10 Americans in the past six months have delayed or skipped healthcare treatments due to the cost.

“People need to make a decision about putting food on the table, are they paying utility bill. If they have to come say, for a medical appointment, that makes them to take off work, which will be a decrease in income perhaps,” said Fogle.

Experts say skipping on your doctor’s appointment can have a detrimental impact on your health.

“They can get sicker right, and that could have them end up in the emergency department,” said Fogle.

They want families to know that there are affordable options available for people who cannot afford to get care.

“We’re fortunate to have our slight fee scale, which is a discount on care for anyone. we see everyone regardless on their ability to pay, regardless of if they have insurance or not,” Fogle explained.

The study by Gallop also showed that overall, 26% of adults reported delaying or avoiding medical care or purchasing prescription drugs in the prior six months due to higher healthcare prices.

Watch the video here