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Family First Health is making strides in enhancing dental care access for Pennsylvania communities. The organization is committed to integrating innovative strategies that foster not only improved patient care but also increased accessibility to essential dental services. As highlighted in recent updates, Family First Health’s efforts exemplify how integrating technological advancements and a holistic approach can help bridge the gap in healthcare, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to maintain their oral health. Their continued dedication to providing compassionate, quality care is shaping the future of community.

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By Jenny Englerth

Millions of children nationwide are missing a significant number of school days for health-related reasons. While illness cannot always be prevented, more can be done to provide healthcare access to families to make it easier for kids to return to the classroom in less time.

A March 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found 5.8 percent of school-aged children in the U.S. experienced chronic absenteeism in 2022 for health reasons. That correlates to about 2.9 million students ages 5 to 17 who missed more than 15 days of school. Those missed days can lead to poorer academic performance and school engagement and increased risk for dropping out of school.

The problem is even worse for families struggling to make ends meet. A total of 7.9 percent of children in the study’s lowest income bracket were chronically absent due to injury, illness or disability.

Providing affordable, accessible health care to students can help more children get to school and stay in their classrooms. At Family First Health, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving patients at eight locations in Central Pennsylvania, we’ve seen the impact first-hand.

FFH’s Hannah Penn Center is the only school-based health center in York County. The health center provides pediatric care, routine health exams, preventive care, referrals and integrated behavioral health services to 40 percent of the students at the school. In addition to health services, FFH leads health and wellness lessons, supports school events and programs, distributes hundreds of hygiene products and books and forms connections with students in need of emotional support.

That kind of success can be emulated elsewhere. We want to be a part of bringing health care access to even more of the bright young minds in our community. That’s why we are looking towards the future of school-based healthcare and expanding our reach to William Penn Senior High School at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.

The journey to being a healthy adult is challenging for all young people, but some face a steeper climb.  At William Penn Senior High School, 55 percent of the district’s students experience acute poverty and the district reported a 28 percent transiency rate in 2018. These families often face significant barriers when it comes to getting their children medical care, such as missing work, finding transportation, lack of insurance and affording treatment.

FFH’s new school-based health center at William Penn Senior High School will provide primary medical and behavioral healthcare to students in school regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Students will get the support and care they need so health is not one of their barriers to engaging in education.

Patient visits to the center will reduce the amount of time students are outside of the classroom and provide much-needed support for the school nursing staff. Students will not need to leave school for a half or full day to see a doctor. Challenges related to transportation will be eliminated as students will be able to walk down the hall to get the care they need.

Meanwhile, the center will support overall student well-being, which has been shown to increase attendance, improve graduation rates and decrease dropout rates setting students up for success as they prepare to join the workforce.

Our community will be stronger in the future, if together, we support today’s students by investing in their health and education. With this new school-based health center, we can develop an environment where more children have the opportunity to thrive academically and personally. Let’s come together as a community to ensure that students are plugged into the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their best health, today and in the future.

Jenny Englerth is the President and CEO of Family First Health

We are proud to announce that we’ve partnered with York Tech to provide additional resources for their students. Sandra Frecon, one of our community health workers, will be available once a week in the high school office to provide the following health-related services:

• Medical/dental enrollment and coordination of appointments

• Insurance eligibility assessments

• Food insecurity assistance

• Housing insecurity assistance

• Scholarship program for medical assistants (MA)

• Family First Health employment opportunities

Students who wish to take advantage of these services should visit Ms. Frecon in the high school office on Mondays between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Alternatively, parents and caregivers of current students may contact her at sfrecon@ytech.edu.

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

YORK, Pa. (WHTM) — Acting Secretary of Health and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson visited the dental clinic at Family First Health today. This clinic is located in the George Street Center in York.

Dr. Johnson focused on emphasizing the importance of having access to oral health care for all Pennsylvanians.

“You cannot be truly healthy without good oral health,” said Dr. Johnson. “Many people do not realize that dental disease can cause a variety of health issues. Our hearts, lungs, and other organs can be harmed. Chronic conditions like diabetes can be worsened. Pregnancies are also negatively impacted. It can also take a toll on our mental health, as one factor leading to depression and low self-confidence.”  

At Family First Health’s George Street dental clinic, patients of all ages can receive dental care from dental providers. Dr. Johnson toured the clinic today, joined by Family First Health President and CEO Jenny Englerth and Vice President of Dental Services Dr. Joseph Mountain.

“It’s easy to protect your smile just by turning on the tap and drinking a glass of water,” Dr. Johnson said. “Community water fluoridation has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. The evidence from numerous academic, government and independent studies over the years has continued to demonstrate that community water fluoridation is safe, effective and economical resulting in significant benefits and cost-savings to communities.”

Family First Health is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that offers accessible and affordable quality care in York, Adams, and Lancaster counties. This center also has a mobile dental program that visits local elementary schools, as well as childcare centers.

“We welcome the Secretary and appreciate the spotlight her visit is shining on the importance of access to oral health care,” said Englerth. “Our team works to connect the dots between medical and dental care which supports better overall health for our patients and the communities we serve.” 

The Department of Health is working to promote the benefits of water fluoridation, as well as helping to ensure that oral health care is affordable and accessible to all by utilizing federal grants to improve the oral health workforce across the state.

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Becca Holding knew she needed a fresh start when moving to Adams County.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Aug. 25 marks the start of Black Breastfeeding Week. The staff at Family First Health in York explained why focusing on moms of color has to do with the percentage of them who attempt to breastfeed.

“The CDC has told us that the initiation rate for black women is lower than the national average. It’s 76% for black women and the national average is about 84%, so we know there’s less likelihood of initiation and duration of breastfeeding,” said Heather Haug, a registered nurse at Family First Health.

Doctors say breastfeeding can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses and infections for both moms and babies.

Watch the video here

YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — More people found out their HIV status this year than last year, a key statistic during a push for outreach. June 27 marks national HIV testing day, and Family First Health in York was among the many Midstate organizations encouraging people to get tested.

Thirty seven people agreed to be tested by Family First Health on June 27, and Family First leaders say that’s a big improvement.

“Last year, due to COVID, we were only able to test about ten for our event. So definitely much better this year, and in 2020 we had to cancel the event, so just being able to have the event again was great,” said Nicole Buchanan, Lead Medical Case Manager at Family First Health.

Family First offers free HIV testing every weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., no appointment required.

Watch the video here