Birmingham Group Health Services Wednesday officially unveiled a program that brings health care directly to people with severe mental health issues.
In 2009, CommuniCare — a partnership between Birmingham, Harbor Health Services, Inc. of Branford and Bridges, Inc. of Milford — received a $2 million federal grant that establishes a number of medical exam rooms in social service agencies that help people with mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Two new exam rooms are in the Birmingham Group’s headquarters in Ansonia on East Main Street.
According to data from the National Institute of Health, people with severe mental health issues, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are dying 25 years earlier than the general population.
They also have higher rates of chronic disease, according to the data.
A major part of the problem — people with severe mental health issues either don’t seek help, or they can’t get the help they need.
Many primary care providers are no longer accepting patients on Medicaid, said Marilyn Cormack, president and chief executive officer of Birmingham Group Health Services.
The doctors who staff the new exam rooms are trained to help patients with mental health problems.
“The more accessible [health care] can be, the more we can encourage people to see a primary care physician and take care of their health needs,” Cormack said.
CommuniCare, Inc. was one of just 13 groups in the country to receive a grant.
CommuniCare has already begun providing primary care to 185 individuals, with a goal of 300 after a year, and more than 2,000 over the four years covered by the grant.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro helped cut the ribbon at a ceremony Wednesday morning in Ansonia. She was joined by employees of the three agencies and a slew of elected officials, including Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe.
“It could not go to a more deserving recipient,” DeLauro said.
Dalauro and Crisco creating another photo op over old news during campaign season. Disgusting. I’d rather see them at a ribbon cutting for a business that will employ 50 of the 11.1% unemployed population in Ansonia. These 2 people are worthless when it comes to helping taxpayers. Go back to your 13 room houses on your 5 acres and don’t come back until you can demonstrate you can help all the taxpayers, not just the few. They could start by paying down our sewer fees. Connecticut is one of the worst states to do business in and the uneployment rate just keeps getting worse under THEIR watch. Career politicians at their worst. Get out and stay out.
Citizen wait until Crisco retires and DellaVolpe runs in his place.Thats the plan Gary Hale has mapped out
U. S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, obviously, gained some sought out, free publicity, that she was doing something for her constituents, when she is, in fact, a contributor to
our massive $13 trillion dollar National debt, from where this $2 million dollar, grant money came from, on which taxpayers must pay $1.2 billion dollars in interest daily, and growing like an “untreated cancer!”
In the meantime, DeLauro is getting raises, and the best, MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN IN THE COUNTRY, while Senior citizens are denied a small Social Security cost of living increase, this year, and next year, and were hit with an increase, in Medicaire Insurance premiums, besides.
Also, on the borrowed Grant Money bandwagon, Sen. Joseph Crisco, as a long-time member of the Connecticut General Assembly, has also voted for state spending programs, when he knew, we did not have the money, and must bear some blame, for our massive $3.5 billion dollar State Budget deficit.
“Both DeLauro and Crisco are questionably, taking credit, for helping the people, when the fruits of their help, to their constituents, is very questionable, in tough economic times.
People are hurting! Announcing a $2 million dollar grant, is insignificant, to the current plight of the people.