Contact Information
Address
374 Grand Avenue
New Haven, CT 06513-3733
Telephone
(203) 777-7411 x
Fax
203-777-8506
E-mail
s.lagarde@fhchc.org
Web and Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Compassionate care for all.
Mission
To improve the health and social well-being of the communities and people we serve through high quality, patient centered care, regardless of their ability to pay.
At A Glance
Year of Incorporation
1972
Organization's type of tax exempt status
Exempt-Other
Organization received a competitive grant from the community foundation in the past five years
Yes
Leadership
CEO/Executive Director
Dr. Suzanne Lagarde MD, MBA
Board Chair
Ms. Nitza Diaz MPH
Board Chair Company Affiliation
SERC
Financial Summary
Revenue vs Expenses Bar Graph - All Years
Statements
Mission
To improve the health and social well-being of the communities and people we serve through high quality, patient centered care, regardless of their ability to pay.
Background
Fair Haven Community Health Clinic, Inc. (FHCHC)
was incorporated nearly 50 years ago when community members saw the need for
culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate health services in the Fair
Haven neighborhood. From modest beginnings, FHCHC has grown into a community
cornerstone, providing lifelong primary care to the Greater New Haven
community. We currently provide care at 14 sites in the community including our
main sites at 374 Grand Avenue New Haven, 50 Grand Avenue New Haven, and Trolley
Square in East Haven. We also run a satellite office at the Bella Vista
Elderly Housing Complex in New Haven. and we provide programmatic support of
children and families through our Nurturing Families and WIC programs at 350
Grand Avenue New Haven. We provide services at six school-based health centers
(Clinton Avenue, John S. Martinez, Fair Haven K-8, and Wilbur Cross High School
in New Haven, and East Haven High School and Joseph Melillo Middle School in
East Haven). We are also partners with MAAS (Multicultural Ambulatory Addiction
Services) and BHcare, offering on-site primary care to their patients at
locations on East Street in New Haven (MAAS) and in on Sycamore Drive in
Branford (BHcare). Dental services are provided through our state of the
art facility at 50 Grand Avenue New Haven as well as through our “Smiles 2 Go”
dental van which is equipped with two full dental operatories.
FHCHC serves over 18,000 patients in close to
80,000 visits a year. We offer a full range of services including: primary
care, urgent care, women’s health, prenatal care, family planning services,
parenting services, pediatrics and well-baby care, nutritional counseling,
diabetes management, asthma management, behavioral health counseling, substance
abuse counseling, social services, infectious disease and HIV case management,
cancer testing/prevention, health care enrollment, and dental services. We have
expanded our on-site specialty services to include: Cardiology,
Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Optometry, and Podiatry.
All other specialty services are provided to our patients through referral
agreements with specialists throughout southern CT.
Throughout our 47 years, FHCHC has served
several generations of families and continues to maintain the family model of
care, with a special focus on caring for the medically underserved and
uninsured in the communities we serve.
Impact
Fair Haven Community Health Care provides person-centered, high quality medical care in a warm, caring and culturally sensitive environment to any patient in need, regardless of their ability to pay.In support of our mission, in the past year we have:
● Expanded our dental care program and established a dedicated dental care space to accommodate the ever growing needs of our patients.
● Added on-site Cardiology services.
● Partnered with Junta for Progressive Action to provide a one-stop health care and community services orientation for displaced families arriving from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
● Continued expansion of our integrated substance abuse treatment program (integrating medical and behavioral health care for more positive outcomes).
● Opened two additional school-based health centers in East Haven (East Haven High School and Joseph Melillo Middle School).
● Launched a partnership with BHcare to provide integrated primary care to behavioral health patients at their Branford location.
● Advocated with our federal legislators on behalf of the Community Health Center Funding Cliff, DACA, undocumented and refugee rights.
● Worked with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro to reinstate the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program for recent Puerto Rican arrivals.
● Continued our Medical Legal partnership with Quinnipiac University Students, conducting “Know Your Rights” workshops for undocumented community members.
● Transitioned to “Wisdom”, an electronic dental record platform that allows complete integration of medical and dental electronic records, providing better whole patient care all around.
● Launched a new, patient-focused website
Needs
Like most Community Health
Centers, Fair Haven Community Health Care works hard to meet the needs of our
patients, despite limited resources and high competition for skilled,
predominantly bilingual workforce. Our financial priorities include enhancement
of quality metrics, capital improvements, and provision of competitive wages
and benefits to our 200+ staff. We also seek to enhance our care coordination
services which address social determinants of health but which currently are
not reimbursed through traditional payment models. Funds are also
necessary for expansion so that we can continue to address the growing need for
accessible health care for all who seek our services. Even as we work to
keep high quality health care accessible and remain focused on meeting the
growing needs of patients in the Greater New Haven area, funding from
traditional government sources is becoming less dependable as our patient costs
continue to rise.
CEO Statement
What makes FHCHC unique
is not simply the number of patients we see —although on any given day, over
300 people walk through our doors at any one of our various sites. What makes
us unique is the high quality, culturally sensitive patient centered care
provided by our dedicated our staff, and the personal relationships established
between our patients and their caregivers.
Management of chronic diseases coupled with an
emphasis on wellness are the cornerstones of what we do. People often ask, what
makes a federally qualified health center, a community health center? There are
many answers, including the fact that FHCHC provides the highest quality and
comprehensive primary care to thousands of families, regardless of their
ability to pay—in a setting that is accessible and affordable. One other
essential requirement is the significance of a Board of Directors that helps to
keep the moral compass of the health center and requires that over 51% of the Board
must be patients.
Over the past 5 years, FHCHC has seen much
growth. We began providing dental services in 2014 and now have a state
of the art dental facility on Grand Avenue New Haven in addition to a robust
school based program which provides on-site dental care to the students in 8
schools in the greater New Haven area. We have responded to the opioid
epidemic with the hiring of two Board Certified Addiction Medicine specialists
and a full time Substance Abuse care coordinator. We have intentionally
grown our Behavioral Health program and continue to foster partnerships with
Behavioral Health organizations in the community to maximize the depth of BH
services we can offer our patients. We continue to aggressively address
some of the more common problems facing our patients, most notably diabetes and
asthma. For over 8 years we have run a year round Diabetes Prevention
Program in conjunction with a Healthy Lifestyle Management Program (fitness
program which includes whole family exercise programs and nutritional education
programs).
In the fall of 2017, we created a new model of
care specifically focused on a large influx of evacuees coming to our
communities after the devastation from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. We
created sessions staffed with medical, behavioral health and social service
personnel, to meet the multifaceted needs of the displaced persons. In a 4
month period, we cared for over 400 newly arrived evacuees from Puerto Rico in
over 1300 visits.
Board Chair Statement
Fair Haven Community Health Care (FHCHC) was founded on the belief that all patients deserve high quality health care that is culturally relevant, regardless of their ability to pay. The health center never turns anyone away. Our staff is always available to provide excellent care. The health center begin providing care in a small space in the Fair Haven neighborhood and has grown to see over 18,000 patients a year, at our many sites in the Greater New Haven area. FHCHC has served several generations of families and continues to maintain the family model of care as a central focus for providing integrated, primary care to the medically underserved and uninsured, in the communities we serve.
When I was asked to become the Chair of the Board of Directors, I was thrilled to be part of a community of people who truly demonstrate compassionate and culturally appropriate health care. As Board of Directors, we work hard to create policies that align with the vision and the mission the clinic. As a patient, it gives me great hope for the future of our community that we’re continuing to build a health center that provides high quality of care, treating patients in culturally relevant ways to help eliminate health disparities in the Greater New Haven area.
Service Categories
Primary Organization Category
Health Care / Community Clinics
Secondary Organization Category
Human Services / Personal Social Services
Tertiary Organization Category
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention / Substance Abuse Treatment
CEO/Executive Director
Dr. Suzanne Lagarde MD, MBA
Term Start
June 2013
Email
s.lagarde@fhchc.org
Experience
Dr. Suzanne Lagarde is the CEO of Fair Haven Community Health Care, a Federally Qualified Health Center providing comprehensive health care to 18,000+ residents of southern CT. In her 5 years at the helm, she has overseen considerable growth, with the addition of several new clinical sites and services. She is spearheading the health center’s efforts in practice transformation, transitioning from volume based to value based health care delivery.
Trained as a gastroenterologist, Dr. Lagarde was a founding member of CT Gastroenterology Consultants, a large private practice in southern CT, where she worked for many years prior to joining FHCHC. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Yale University and an attending gastroenterologist at Yale New Haven Hospital. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mathematics from Fordham University and obtained her medical degree from Cornell University, and her MBA, specializing in Healthcare, from Yale University.
Dr. Lagarde is a founding member and past president of Project Access-New Haven, a non-profit providing access to specialty care for the uninsured. She has devoted her career to improving health care for the underserved. In acknowledgement of her many contributions, she has received numerous community service awards. In 2015, she was the recipient of the “Healthcare Leadership and Innovator Award” from the Connecticut State Medical Society, one of the medical society’s highest recognitions. In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious "Lane W. Adams Quality of Life" Award from the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Lagarde advocates for the underserved at both city and state levels. She serves on many key committees, including the Steering Committee of CT SIM (State Innovation Model) charged with healthcare reform in the state of CT. She serves on the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight for the state of CT, the agency with direct oversight of the Medicaid Program in CT. She chairs the Medicaid Committee of the CT State Medical Society and serves on the Board of Directors of Community Health Network (CHN), the ASO for CT Medicaid.
Staff
Number of Full Time Staff
179
Number of Part Time Staff
36
Number of Volunteers
1
Number of Contract Staff
4
Staff Retention Rate
85%
Staff Demographics - Ethnicity
African American/Black
9
Asian American/Pacific Islander
4
Caucasian
65
Hispanic/Latino
136
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
1 0
Staff Demographics - Gender
Male
31
Female
184
Unspecified
0
Plans & Policies
Organization has a Fundraising Plan?
Yes
Organization has a Strategic Plan?
Yes
Years Strategic Plan Considers
3
Date Strategic Plan Adopted
Mar 2018
Management Succession Plan?
Under Development
Organization Policy and Procedures
Yes
Nondiscrimination Policy
Yes
Senior Staff
Title
Vice President of Clinical Affairs
Experience/Biography
Dr. Olson is responsible for clinical integration among medical, behavioral health, addiction medicine and dental programs at Fair Haven Community Health Care. A native of Boston, MA, Dr. Olson graduated from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. He completed residency and chief residency in internal medicine/primary care at Yale. He is board certified in both internal medicine and addiction medicine.
Since being an intern for Senator Edward Kennedy as a college student, Dr. Olson has had a firm commitment to health equity and eliminating health disparities. He is passionate about creating and improving clinical-community partnerships that positively impact all patients and staff. He is active in health reform and advocacy, serving on the State of CT Practice Transformation Task Force and also on the State of CT Medical Examining Board.
Title
Vice President, Programs and Quality Improvement
Experience/Biography
Ms. Paine is responsible for the oversight of all programs at the health center, including Fair Haven's School-Based Health Centers, and oversees all grant-related functions. She is a graduate of Oberlin College, and holds Master’s degrees from the School of Social Work and the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Ms. Paine has worked at Fair Haven Community Health Care since 2007, where she is currently the Director of Programs. She also leads quality improvement initiatives, including the health center’s Quality Improvement Council, and oversees data collecting and reporting for UDS clinical quality measures.
Prior to joining Fair Haven, Ms. Paine worked at the Boston Public Health Commission, in the AIDS Program where she provided technical support to community health centers and other organizations receiving funds through the Ryan White Part A program. She began her public health career as a medical assistant in a Planned Parenthood clinic in Chicago, IL, where she learned firsthand how access to health care can improve people’s lives.
Title
Vice President of Finance
Experience/Biography
Ms. Moro, serves as the Vice President of Finance for Fair Haven Community Health Care and is responsible for the overall fiscal health of the organization. Before joining Fair Haven, Ms. Moro was the Chief Financial Officer at the Community Health Center Association of CT (CHCACT) for 8 years. There she developed a deep understanding of FQHCs like Fair Haven and the financial processes and unique reporting requirements they must adhere to.
In addition to her experience with FQHCs, Ms. Moro is licensed with the State of CT as a Long Term Care Administrator and has over 30 years’ experience in the field. She is a graduate of both Middlesex Community College with an Associate Degree of Science in Business Administration as well as a graduate of Albertus Magnus with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Title
Corporate Compliance Officer
Experience/Biography
Ms. Hoffmann serves as Fair Haven Community Health Care's Corporate Compliance Officer. In this capacity, she is responsible for the development and oversight of Fair Haven’s Corporate Compliance Work Plan and for chairing its Corporate Compliance Committee. She collaborates actively with all staff, clinicians, administrators and Board members to ensure that Fair Haven promotes an on-going culture of compliance and quality.
A graduate of the University of Louisville and the Yale University School of Nursing, Ms. Hoffmann has over 25 years of multifaceted experience in quality improvement, regulatory and accreditation compliance, and administration within ambulatory health care, Medicaid managed care, and State Medicaid Agency settings. She maintains active certification in health care compliance from the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA).
Title
Vice President of Operations
Experience/Biography
Ms. Rubino is responsible for the oversight and coordination of services at Fair Haven Community Health Care. Born in Bogota, Colombia, Ms. Rubino obtained her nursing degree from Southern Connecticut State University with a minor in public health. She later obtained a master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in Patient Care Services Administration from Sacred Heart University.
Ms. Rubino has held various nursing leadership roles in critical care, emergency medicine and ambulatory care. She has played an integral role in developing and implementing the electronic health record for a large health system in the state of Connecticut as a certified EPIC analyst.
Formal Evaluations
CEO Formal Evaluation
Yes
CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency
Annually
Senior Management Formal Evaluation
Yes
Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency
Annually
Non Management Formal Evaluation
Yes
Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency
Annually
Collaborations
- Community Health Center Association of CT (CHCACT)
- Community Health Network, ASO for State HUSKY
- Yale University's Schools of Nursing, Medicine and Public Health, including precepting students
- Quinnipiac University's Schools of Medicine and Law, including precepting students and medical/legal partnership progams
- Quinnipiac University's "Community Access Imaging" program, for uninsured patients
- New Haven and East Haven, CT Board of Education for operating School Based Health Centers
- IRIS, refugee family health examinations and care
- Junta for Progressive Action, patient and community support
- American Cancer Society, program and care support
- Project Access New Haven, patient navigation of specialty care
- United Way of Greater New Haven, community partnership, programs and funding
- New Haven Farms, diabetes, wellness and farm share programs
- BHcare and MAAS for colocation of services
- Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, family planning programs
- Susan G. Komen New England, breast cancer screening programs
- Community Health Care Van and Syringe Exchange Program, clean needle access
Comments
CEO Comments
Fair Haven Community Health Care has a strong and committed management team that is focused on improving the quality and breadth of care that we provide to our patients. We have a commitment to innovative models of care. We are nationally recognized for our innovative diabetes program and are at the forefront of creating a fully integrated behavioral health and primary care model of health care deliver
Our management team is focused on advocacy at both the federal and state levels. We have participation on the state Medicaid Assistance Program Oversight Council (MAPOC), the committee charged with oversite of the CT Medicaid Program. We are also involved in the State Innovation Model for practice transformation. On the Federal level, we are active in the American Cancer Society leadership initiatives and recently were asked, by The Joint Commission, to participate in a newly created Advisory group to review proposals for newly created Standards of Care. We recognize and espouse the value of data driven decisions. We work closely with our IT team to ensure the maximal use of our electronic platform for providing the real time data needed to optimally drive change within our organization.
Board Chair
Ms. Nitza Diaz MPH
Company Affiliation
SERC
Term
Apr 2016 to Apr 2018
Board Demographics - Ethnicity
African American/Black
2
Asian American/Pacific Islander
0
Caucasian
4
Hispanic/Latino
5
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0 0
Board Demographics - Gender
Male
4
Female
7
Unspecified
0
Governance
Board Term Lengths
2
Board Term Limits
0
Written Board Selection Criteria
Yes
Written Conflict of Interest Policy
Yes
Percentage Making Monetary Contributions
100%
Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions
27%
Constituency Includes Client Representation
Yes
Risk Management Provisions
Additional Board/s Members and Affiliations
CEO Comments
Fair Haven Community Health Care is governed by a Board of Directors that is over 51% composed of consumers of our medical services - i.e., over half of our Board members are patients at our center. The patient perspective guides every decision made at our organization.
Financials
Fiscal Year Start
July 01 2017
Fiscal Year End
June 30 2018
Projected Revenue
$20,463,629.00
Projected Expenses
$19,287,102.00
Spending Policy
N/A
Credit Line
Yes
Reserve Fund
Yes
Detailed Financials
Prior Three Years Assets and Liabilities Chart
Prior Three Years Top Three Funding Sources
Capitial Campaign
Currently in a Capital Campaign?
No
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years?
Yes
Comments
CEO Comments
At a time of shrinking federal and state financial support, we are challenged to find ways to maintain and even grow our programs. Recent cuts to Husky A, adult dental reimbursement by Medicaid and school based health centers are posing real challenges to our ability to continue to provide our patients with the broadest, highest quality care possible. We need to continue to support our workforce with a reasonable living wage and with needed benefits. We will continue to be forceful advocates for our patients, both in Hartford and in Washington. We will continue to support payment model transformation, recognizing that paying for value rather than volume is the best way to achieve cost effective, high quality care for our patients.
Foundation Staff Comments
This profile, including the financial summaries prepared and submitted by the organization based on its own independent and/or internal audit processes and regulatory submissions, has been read by the Foundation. Some financial information from the organization’s IRS Form 990, audited financial statements or other financial documents approved has been inputted by Foundation staff. The Foundation has not audited the organization’s financial statements or tax filings, and makes no representations or warranties thereon. A more complete picture of the organization’s finances can be obtained by viewing the attached 990s and audited financials. To see if the organization has received a competitive grant from The Community Foundation in the last five years, please go to the General Information Tab of the profile.