2023 Community Health Impact Report: The Power of Partnership

2023 Community Health Impact Report

The Power of Partnership

A letter from the CEO and President

Dear friend,

No great movement ever achieved its aims without a strong and dedicated coalition behind it. Advocates who band together always find success together. Throughout our remarkable year of improving health outcomes in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, we experienced firsthand how partnership yields progress.

2023 saw us effectively leverage our longtime relationships as we welcomed new friendships into the fold. The collaborations we enjoyed with like-minded organizations, local leaders, and community members empowered us to expand our programs and increase access throughout our service area. By the year’s end, we became closer to our allies and likewise closer to our vision of a more equitable health care system for everyone.

In 1972, we planted a seed of health equity in our community. Today, we stand in the presence of a mighty tree strong enough for tens of thousands of patients and participants to lean on for support. And who can we thank for its growth? Friends like you. The roots of partnership run deep.

Sincerely,

Sonya Bruton, PsyD, MPA CEO and President

Year by Numbers

Language & Translations Income as Percentage of Poverty Guideline

WIC Participants

Why did we see a decline in COVID-19 vaccinations?

COVID-19 vaccination rates dropped nationwide throughout 2023.1 Only 29% of U.S. Americans reported receiving the fall booster.2 We continue to work with our patients and the community to provide education on the ongoing danger of COVID-19 and encourage neighbors to receive seasonal boosters as they become available.

Care By the Numbers

A glimpse into the care we delivered in 2023 compared to the year prior.

*Selected immunizations include hepatitis A, haemophilus influenzae B (Hib); pneumococcal, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP) (DTP) (DT); measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); poliovirus; varicella; hepatitis B.

1 Constantino, A. K. (2023, November 30). Covid vaccine rates in the U.S. are slumping — and it will be a challenge to boost them. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/30/ us-covid-shot-rates-are-low-and-it-will-be-achallenge-to-boost-them.html

2 Jones, J.M. (2023, December 20). New COVID Shot Uptake Lagging Behind Annual Flu Shot Rates. Gallup.com. https://news.gallup.com/ poll/547625/new-covid-shot-uptake-laggingbehind-annual-flu-shot-rates.aspx

2022 2023

USDA Recognition for Breastfeeding Support

The CCI WIC team received the 2023 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence for Exemplary Breastfeeding Support in Practices from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the department that manages the nationwide WIC program. CCI was one of just 11 organizations to receive the Premiere designation.

HRSA Recognition for HIV Prevention and Care

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognized our infectious disease and HIV care team as a National Quality Leader in HIV prevention and care with a Community Health Quality Recognition.

LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer Designation

We were included in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) for the second consecutive year. We received the Healthcare Equality Top Performer designation, the second-highest designation for applying health organizations.

Milestone Year for Community Outreach

Our outreach team participated in 61 community events, a 125% increase from 2022. We hosted nine events, including a recordbreaking Block Party (more on p. 24). In total, we engaged with and delivered on-site health services to over 6,000 neighbors.

Free Health Care in Prince George’s County

In partnership with the City of Greenbelt, our Greenbelt and Greenway health center teams delivered free medical, dental, and behavioral health services to 408 neighbors across 1,224 office visits (more on p. 12).

Progress Report

2023 was a pivotal year for our expansion efforts. The following are some of the key moments that brought us closer to realizing our plans and ambitions.

Silver Spring Health Center Renovation

Our Silver Spring health center has served as a hub for health throughout the city for over a decade. Recognizing its significance and the growing need, we built out the space in 2022 to accommodate more neighbors and include new services. We completed the project and opened our doors in January.

The first of its kind in the county, our revamped health center doubled in size and now boasts 28 exam rooms, a renovated dental clinic, designated areas for patient-specific conditions and health needs, and our upcoming Teaching Kitchen program.

Ora Glen Construction Begins

Expanding our footprint in Greenbelt has been a CCI priority since the community welcomed us in 2007 with our first health center. 2023 saw us ready to make our next big move.

In December, we officially broke ground on our new Ora Glen health center, beginning the build-out process to make the space patient-ready by summer 2024. Our new health center will host our core services, prenatal care, refugee health, Family Medicine Residency Program, and an in-house pharmacy (more on p. 22).

Our Ora Glen health center will deliver care to over 10,000 new patients throughout Prince George’s County.

Family Medicine Residency Program Update

In November 2021, HRSA awarded us a Teaching Health Center Planning and Development grant, positioning us to become Maryland’s first Teaching Health Center and funding a CCI-operated Family Medicine Residency Program in Prince George’s County. Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to launch the program, with 2023 as a turning point in our planning.

According to a study commissioned by Prince George’s County in 2023, more than 1,000 primary care physicians (PCPs) are needed to address the countywide shortage.3

*January 2024 Update

On January 30, 2024, we received the exciting news that the ACGME accredited our Family Medicine Residency Program, giving us the green light to launch in summer 2025 at our new Ora Glen health center!

In January, our CEO and President, Dr. Sonya Bruton, published her first book, Finding Your Way in the Nonprofit Sector: Your Portable Mentor for Avoiding Pitfalls and Seizing Opportunities.

In January, we were named a Sponsoring Institution (SI) by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), a unique designation for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC.) Six months later, we passed an inspection from the ACGME. Now, we await ACGME accreditation.*

3 Patrickis, C. (2024, January 10). Prince George’s County executive requests $60 million for healthcare improvement plan. WJLA. https://wjla.com/news/ local/prince-georges-county-marylanddevelopment-state-funding-healthcareinfrastructure-hospital-beds-medicalpavillion-blue-line-corridor-roundtableschool-repairs-construction-investmentseconomic

Opening Up Access

4

SDOH are the environmental factors that influence personal and community health. Healthy People 2030 categorizes SDOH into five domains: 4

• Economic stability

• Education access and quality

• Health care access and quality

• Neighborhood and built environment

• Social and community context

Addressing the social drivers of health (SDOH) is critical to improving health outcomes. In fact, we believe it’s the deciding factor in an effective care model. Telling patients to eat a healthier diet or incorporate exercise into their routines is easy enough. The hard part is removing the obstacles that prevent them from doing so.

We long ago recognized the role access plays in community health, which is why our approach comprises patient-centered care in our health centers and a strategy to increase opportunities outside of them. But our patients face many inequities, and we can’t go it alone. Thankfully, we don’t have to; we have allies just as driven as we are to clear a path to health equity.

Throughout 2023, we counted on several organizations and companies to work with us in taking on the risk factors that hold our neighbors back from reaching their potential. Here’s the impact they helped us make.

Partner:

Collaboration:

Hungry Harvest

The Hungry Harvest team has helped us increase healthy food access for years. We continued our collaboration in 2023, distributing produce at our flagship events and to our CenteringPregnancy® participants.

SDOH Addressed:

Outcomes:

Partner:

Collaboration:

SDOH Addressed:

Outcomes:

Partner:

Collaboration:

SDOH Addressed:

Outcomes: Partner:

Collaboration:

Economic stability

Social and community context

Nutritious and fresh foods and ingredients were readily available to families free of charge, enabling them to eat well without barriers. Over 1,800 community members received boxes of fruits and vegetables.

Greater DC Diaper Bank (GDCDB)

The GDCDB is a long-time CCI ally. We’ve worked with them to provide tens of thousands of our patients and participants with baby supplies. We continued that effort in 2023, delivering essential maternal health resources to neighbors in need.

Health care access and quality

Social and community context

100,075 diapers were distributed to 2,409 families. 142 families received a nursery bundle.*

* A nursery bundle contains a car seat, stroller, baby play yard, diaper bags with supplies, baby carrier, and cloth diaper kit.

The Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

We worked with the Deltas in a new partnership to make health information and education more accessible in our community through a series of engaging workshops and events.

Education

access and quality

250+ neighbors increased their knowledge on topics spanning cervical cancer to mental health (more on p. 28).

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

A generous grant provided by LISC enabled us to provide our patients and participants with access to rideshare services so they could easily travel to and from their appointments.

SDOH Addressed:

Outcomes:

Neighborhood and built environment

10,500 rides completed.

Free Health Care in Greenbelt

When our friends with the City of Greenbelt approached us to see if we would work with them to offer free health care to community neighbors without insurance, we responded with a resounding yes. Opportunities like these demonstrate the potential and possibilities of a community approach to health care.

Utilizing funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the City of Greenbelt leadership was eager to cover the cost of services at our Greenbelt health center for eligible residents in the 20770 zip code area. Patients had full access to primary, dental, and behavioral health care without thinking twice about payment. By the end of the program, 408 residents benefited, spanning 1,224 office visits.

Of course, offering health services for free is nothing new for us. As proud members of the community health center movement, we offer care on a sliding scale based on income and will not turn anyone away from service. But what made this initiative so special was its spirit of collaboration. Joining forces with the City of Greenbelt on a shared goal to promote health made the result all the more meaningful.

Prince George’s County is an area prime for transformation. Local leadership continues to make clear their commitment to increasing access. Meanwhile, our Family Medicine Residency Program will train new PCPs as our Ora Glen health center cares for 10,000 more residents. With each new initiative and joint victory, the state of health care in greater Prince George’s County shines brighter.

Positive Experiences Improve Health Outcomes

The relationship we have with our patients is built on expectations. We ask them to take the lead in their health journey, and they can call on us to provide them with the care and knowledge they need to live well. There’s also a shared expectation that’s equally important to both parties: patient satisfaction.

Patients who trust and feel comfortable with their clinicians will keep coming back for care. We prioritize an optimal patient experience—and the data suggests our patients are noticing.

Between January and December 2023, 19,569 CCI patients across our seven health centers were surveyed on their experience with us. Here’s what the results showed:

91% of patients reported receiving care as soon as they needed it.

98% of patients felt that our clinicians listened carefully to their concerns.

96% of patients found our administrative support team helpful.

85% of patients said they never had to miss or reschedule an appointment due to payment.*

High marks tell us we’re on the right track to meeting our vision. We’re immensely proud our patients recognize the deliberate effort we make to foster a safe and equitable care experience for everyone.

*The number of respondents for this survey question was 6,455.

Health Care Access for Pregnant Immigrant People

The Healthy Babies Equity Act went into effect statewide in July, providing eligible parents-to-be access to Medicaid coverage regardless of citizenship status. The legislation opened the door for thousands of neighbors to benefit from pre- and postnatal care, two critical services for expecting families that increase the likelihood of a healthy birth.

Under the new law, qualifying pregnant people can now utilize health services through Medicaid, including pre- and postnatal, primary, dental, and behavioral health care. It’s a glimpse into a more equitable future for health care in Maryland and a notion of access for everyone no matter where they’re from or how they’ve arrived.

CCI never asks patients for their status, so we cannot report how many in the immigrant community benefited from the legislation. However, 757 patients visited us for prenatal care in 2023, receiving regular checkups, nutrition counseling, and educational resources. Moreover, 341 participated in group prenatal care sessions via CenteringPregnancy®, a modality proven to increase the chances of a positive pregnancy and birth outcome. By the end of the year, 92% of patients enrolled in our prenatal care program successfully delivered at a healthy birth weight.

Community health centers have been a health care haven for people without legal residency status for decades. Our movement has worked hard to build relationships and reach the community with services to further their wellness. Yet, the apprehension many immigrants feel is real, while the insurance barrier only adds to their hesitance. The Healthy Babies Equity Act is a considerable step toward reintroducing health spaces as safe spaces. We are pleased for its passage and humbled to help the community thrive.

Héctor Alejandro Arzate, Immigrant Communities’ Reporter with DCist, visited our Greenbelt health center to report on the new law and what it means for young families. He listened to the stories of our patients and met with CCI staffers Leena Daniel and Sherlyn Hernandez for an in-depth conversation on the opportunities now available to our neighbors.

SDOH Addressed

Education access and quality

Neighborhood and built environment

Outcomes

Patients and families who visit our Takoma Park and Wheaton health centers for care will have an opportunity to bond in a safe space and access supplemental resources that encourage emotional and social health.

Sesame Street in Communities: NADCP ComfyCozy Initiative Research Report Background and Objectives. (2019). Fluent Research. https:// allrise.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ Sesame-in-Communities-Report.pdf

Comfy-Cozy Spaces with Sesame Street

In March, CCI was selected to participate in the Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC) program, an initiative between the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and Sesame Workshop. The first phase of the partnership centers on installing Comfy-Cozy Spaces in our Takoma Park and Wheaton health centers, which will go live in 2024.

Comfy-Cozy Spaces are areas within a health center that offer children an inviting and positive atmosphere. A primary focus is connection; families enjoy the space together, built to encourage trusting relationships between themselves and their clinicians. It’s also about reducing stress for kids and helping them feel safe and secure while they boost their resilience skills through the resources offered in the program.

Research shows that Comfy-Cozy Spaces positively impact a child’s mood and behavior.5 We look forward to expanding this unique, health-affirming program into each CCI location to give young families a place to grow closer together.

Little CCI Community

We debuted the Little CCI Community in February, with CCI originals Beatrice the Bear, Fernando the Flamingo, and Sammy the Sloth gracing our health center walls to educate kids on dental hygiene. Cartoon mascots aren’t usually top of mind when encouraging kids to protect their teeth (think sugarloaded cereals), but we turned that idea upside down in a fun, colorful, and creative way.

Conversations to Further Contraceptive Care

Family planning is an integral part of health care. Title X providers like us inform the decision-making process for individuals weighing whether to start or grow their family. We provide clarity in choice via nonjudgmental and confidential contraceptive counseling, which serves as the best method available to help our neighbors consider their options and pursue their goals.

We are proud to maintain a team specifically for family planning. However, we understand that the most effective strategy is integrative by design, meaning that every clinician, advocate, and allied professional is familiar with contraception and comfortable discussing it. That idea, a pillar of the Title X program, serves as the foundation of a partnership beginning in 2024 between CCI, the State of Maryland, and Upstream USA, a leading national contraceptive care organization.

The partnership rests on working with the Upstream USA team on a cross-sectional training program for our health center staff. Medical assistants, nurses, and community health workers alike will soon become equipped with the know-how they need to counsel patients on contraceptive care within a primary care setting. The program will culminate with at least 65% of our staff completing the training, effectively making family planning a component of every service we offer.

Program efficacy will depend on several metrics and objectives. One priority is patient satisfaction; through survey data, we’ll review the overall experience of our patients, assessing their selfreported comfort level during counseling and perception of how knowledgeable their clinician was on the topic. We’ll also examine any resulting health outcomes, particularly pregnancy rates, prescription trends, and referrals.

Thousands of neighbors statewide will benefit from the program. Meanwhile, our team will significantly increase their understanding of contraceptive care, empowering them to broach and lead conversations confidently.

We look forward to working with Upstream USA and Maryland further to realize a core tenet of the Title X program and transform contraception from obstacle to opportunity.

Health care access and quality Education access and quality Social and community context

Outcomes

Patients who receive care at a CCI health center will have the opportunity to discuss contraception and family planning with their clinician, regardless of the reason for their visit. Over 200 staff members will understand the nuances of family planning. We’ll also help normalize contraceptive counseling in a primary care setting.

On November 28, Dr. Bruton joined Gov. Wes Moore, State of Maryland leaders and officials, and Upstream USA representatives to announce a joint initiative to bolster contraceptive access in Maryland. The press conference received widespread coverage, including from FOX 5 and the Baltimore Sun.

SDOH Addressed

Back to School: CCI’s Expansion into School-Based Wellness

School is a powerful place. It’s where education flourishes and experiences shape minds. It’s also a critical opportunity to access resources. Whether it’s the understanding of a mentor or the warmth of a lunch, many students in our community depend on school for their wellness. Health care completes the picture—and it’ll soon get the CCI treatment.

In February, Montgomery County shared some big news with us: they selected CCI to manage the School-Based Wellness Centers (SBWCs) program for six high schools countywide, bringing our culturally competent and patientcentered care model to thousands of students.

CCI’s involvement in the program is a landmark moment in our strategy to increase health care access in the community. What makes the SBWC program so important is that it effectively removes the common barriers preventing teens from receiving care. Insurance is no longer an issue; if a student is enrolled in the school, they’re eligible to participate, as are their siblings. Parents also don’t have to worry about arranging transportation or time off from work for their teens’ appointments; quality care will be a few steps away from homeroom.

The SBWCs we manage will serve as an extension of our health center experience: integrative, established on the support of a team of compassionate health professionals. Each site will feature an overseeing physician, a nurse practitioner, and a certified medical assistant. A collaborative approach means a whole-person evaluation for students, while staff knowledge of external resources offers new pathways to health-promoting essentials from partnering organizations.

CCI-run SBWCs will address what you expect from a traditional clinic, yet a focus on preventative care sets them apart. Clinicians will work with students to educate them on issues most relevant to them and equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to stay healthy.

Each student wellness exam will evaluate and counsel on common risk factors for teens, including obesity, asthma, home-based violence, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and sexual activity. SBWCs will be a safe space for teens to ask sensitive questions and leave with answers from personnel who care.

Hiring for our SBWCs began in November and will continue until the program is ready for launch in time for spring 2024. We are also in the early stages of planning an expansion into Prince George’s County schools. But for now, we are eager to deliver accessible and quality care to students in Montgomery County, helping them meet and reach their goals.

Building a Healthy School Year

Each summer’s end sees us ramp up our message of health to families with children preparing for the upcoming school year. In 2023, we focused on three priorities:

1. Encourage our neighbors to sign up for Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

2. Get kids up to date with their vaccines.

3. Let families know about our WIC services to access nutritious meals.

We spread the word through a comprehensive digital campaign and bus ads throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Between July and September, 5,829 children and teens visited us to start their school year right!

Health Journeys Start Early

Early childhood and adolescence are formative years for lifelong health. We set our youngest patients on the right track by delivering health services that answer risk factors specific to their age.

We provided 82 children between the ages of 6 and 9 with a dental sealant on their first permanent molar to prevent caries, an 86% increase from 2022.

We counseled 9,631 children between the ages of 6 and 13 on nutrition and physical activity to teach them healthy habits, a 74% increase from 2022.

We completed 2,327 childhood lead test screenings on children between 9 and 72 months to detect potential lead poisoning, a 13% increase from 2022.

Students attending Gaithersburg High School, Kennedy High School, Northwood High School, Seneca Valley High School, Watkins Mill High School, and Wheaton High School will gain access to quality health care and education. Over 12,000 teens will benefit.

The Pharmacist Will See You Now: A Chat with Dr. Marvhe Howard

Thousands of patients who visited us for care in 2023 manage at least one chronic illness that requires a regular prescription. Medication access is foundational to a healthy community, which is why we’ve been working hard to install on-site pharmacies at each of our health centers, beginning with Ora Glen and Gaithersburg in 2024.

Inviting Marvhe Howard to serve as pharmacy director was the key to realizing our ambition. Originally from Detroit, Dr. Howard moved to Prince George’s County in 2017 after graduating with a doctorate from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. After working with leading pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Howard now uses his clinical expertise and business acumen to set our pharmaceutical service program up for success.

We spoke with him to learn more about his vision for the program and what it will mean to our patients.

MBA

Dr. Howard, what made you want to work in community health?

What are some of the obstacles our neighbors face regarding medication access?

I actually started my career working with a pharmacy specifically for historically underserved communities. It was an influential experience for me, both professionally and personally. Given my career and life goals, a move into community health made the most sense, though I knew I didn’t want to land just anywhere. Instead, I wanted to join an organization with big ideas and a strategy to realize them. CCI fit the bill in every way.

It almost always comes down to cost. Medications are a financial burden without insurance to help carry the load. That’s a type of inequity that requires change on a systemic level. In the meantime, community health can pave the way to a modern and affordable approach.

Another barrier concerns the where and how. If a patient needs to commute somewhere to pick up a prescription, the chances they’ll follow a medicine regimen immediately decrease. I think health literacy and cultural competency also play a role here. Clinicians often ask patients, “which pharmacy should we send your prescription to?” That sounds like a straightforward question, but depending on a patient’s comfort or understanding, it’s not always.

How does an on-site pharmacy address these barriers?

Health equity is all about transforming the out-of-reach to withinreach, and that’s precisely what our pharmacies will do. In just a few months, our patients in Ora Glen and Gaithersburg will be able to receive their prescriptions in the same place they receive their care and from the same personnel they already know. That’ll mean improved health outcomes, greater trust, and the best patient experience health care can offer.

Ultimately, a prescription is an opportunity—a ticket to reclaim one’s health. I want patients to know that it doesn’t matter what led them to this point in their health journey; what matters is where they go from here. Our program will help them understand the power and potential of filling and following a prescription.

Health care access and quality

Nearly 20,000 patients in Ora Glen and Gaithersburg will be able to access their prescriptions on-site after their appointments, improving medicine adherence.

SDOH Addressed Outcomes

Marvhe Howard PharmD,

Block Party Partners

• CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan Maryland

• Friends of Greenbelt Theatre

• Greenbelt Municipal Swim Team

• Hungry Harvest

• Maryland Insurance Administration

• Maryland Physicians Care

• Mission of Love Charities, INC

• PGC Health Connect

• Priority Partners

• TrainACE

• Priority Partners

• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan

• Woodland Job Corps Center

• City of Greenbelt CARES & GAIL program

• Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

• Greenbelt SITY Stars Jump Rope Team

• Maryland Democratice Party

– LatinX Diversity Leadership Council

• Maryland Multicultural Youth Center

• MedStar Family Choice

• Pets on Wheels, Inc

• Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington

• Wellpoint

Our Year in Events

Our events grow in attendance and gain momentum with each passing year, with 2023 being no exception. We coordinated nine events throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, bringing our essential services to our neighbors in engaging ways with the help of partnering organizations.

Block Party | August 12

Over 900 neighbors came out for an afternoon of fun and sun at our Greenbelt health center for our 3rd annual Block Party. DJ Dre and KyleOnTheMic joined us again this year to keep the party moving as vendors from the community represented in support.

Families left with full bellies and memories for a lifetime, which is a success in and of itself. But, more importantly, they left with resources to advance their wellness. Dr. Bruton said it best in her reflections:

“I believe in meeting people where they are. I also believe in the power of place. What I love about our annual Block Party is that it caters to both philosophies: bringing essential health services to our neighbors in Prince George’s County while introducing them to our Greenbelt health center, often for the first time. And even though some attendees may not yet seek us for care, they left our event healthier – and happier – than when they came. We’ll see them again next year; until then, they know we’re just a phone call away.”

Outcomes

900+ plates of food

200 dental kits distributed

52 medical visits

760 boxes of fresh produce distributed

50 immunizations

20 HIV screenings

WIC Back to Work Shower | August 30

Every August, CCI WIC hosts an exclusive workshop for our WIC participants to celebrate National Breastfeeding Month. Our 2023 event was designed around the theme, “Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents,” which sought to prepare breastfeeding parents to transition from feeding at the breast to pumping. We equipped participants with the knowledge and resources needed for a successful pumping journey at work. The celebration featured a mix of educational activities, interactive games, and access to resources. Each participant received a gift bag containing baby supplies!

Medicaid Health Fair | April 15

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ended on May 11, a promising sign in nationwide efforts to overcome the pandemic, yet a new problem for those who counted on the Medicaid provision for health insurance. Anyone who benefited during the PHE needed to act fast to keep their insurance.

We hosted the Medicaid Health Fair at Beltway Plaza Mall to let our neighbors know it was time to register. Staff members volunteered their Saturday to show Greenbelt residents how to sign up for Medicaid and schedule appointments with our ACA navigator. We also offered attendees the opportunity to receive on-site health services.

Outcomes

22 blood pressure tests

10 Medicaid appointments

Run Baby Run 5K | September 30

19 glucose tests

5 COVID-19 vaccines

We hosted our 6th annual Run Baby Run 5K to educate the community on maternal and prenatal health outcomes and raise funds for our prenatal care program. Over 120 neighbors participated!

CCI WIC Executive Director Jose Luis Diaz spoke with FOX 5’s Ayesha Khan about Run Baby Run and improving maternal health outcomes in our community.

An Intimate Food Experience for a Cause | August 9

We hosted our inaugural Sunset Soirée, partnering with Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate for an evening of conversation and fine dining curated by nationally renowned chefs Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit, Tim Ma, Ari Augenbaum of Soul Taco Restaurant and JewFro, with pastries by Susan Bae and drinks by our own Marketing Specialist, Thi Nguyen. We raised over $10,000 for CCI and Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate!

A CCI Night Out | December 1

In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, we held a screening of the concert documentary Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé exclusively for our patients, staff, and allies.

Attendees showed up in their best Renaissance gear for a memorable evening celebrating people from all walks of life. It was our pleasure to coordinate and a thrill to see our community enjoy themselves!

Talking Health Together

Discussing health openly leads to a community more open to health. No judgment, no shame, only a willingness to learn. That’s what we accomplished with our partners throughout 2023, fostering educational opportunities and raising awareness among our neighbors.

Women’s health was a focal topic given the growing disparities facing the population, especially for women of color. Black women face the highest mortality rates of cervical cancer in the U.S., one of the most preventable cancers.6 7 They’re three times more likely to die during childbirth than NH White women.8 Black women are 4% less likely to receive a breast cancer diagnosis than NH White women but 40% more likely to die from it.9 Meanwhile, a mental health epidemic in the U.S. affects young women of all races.10

The following workshops we hosted helped our community directly meet and address these issues with empowering solutions.

Candid Conversations About Cervical Cancer | January 26

20 neighbors throughout Montgomery County joined us to learn more about cervical cancer prevention and treatment via engaging presentations by CCI clinical staff. Attendees also enjoyed fun trivia games and free food.

Partner: The Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc.

Black Moms Matter Too | April 12

Hosted at Zion Church in Greenbelt, Black Moms Matter Too was a panel discussion on Black maternal health. CCI clinicians joined local doulas Latavia Nickols and Joy Fields for a conversation with over 100 attendees.

Partner: Zion Church

Empowering Our Girls: A Community Toolkit on Mental Health | May 7

Dr. Bruton led a panel discussion featuring CCI behavioral health consultants Tashia Weekes and Brenda Tavara, which covered topics relevant to teen girls and their mental health. 37 neighbors learned how to navigate conversations to help the young teens in their lives.

Partner: The Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Support the Fighters, Admire the Survivors, Honor the Taken | October 17

We asked our neighbors if they’re “HIP” (Honoring, Informing, Preventing) to breast cancer by hosting an online discussion featuring moving survivor stories, guidance and resources, and interactive activities.

Partner: The Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

6 Black Women Have Highest Mortality Rate of Cervical Cancer Subtype - NCI. (2022, December 20). National Cancer Institute. https://dceg.cancer.gov/news-events/news/2022/black-women-adc

7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January 6). CDC Vitalsign: Cervical Cancer is Preventable. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/cervicalcancer/index.html

8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, April 3). Working together to reduce black maternal mortality. https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html

9 McDowell, S. (2022, October 3). Breast Cancer Death Rates Are Highest for Black Women—Again Breast Cancer Facts & Figures, 2022-2024. Www.cancer.org. https://www.cancer.org/research/acsresearch-news/breast-cancer-death-rates-are-highest-for-black-women-again.html

10 CDC: Girls Are Experiencing An Unprecedented Mental Health Crisis. (2023, February 15). Psychiatrist.com. https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/cdc-girls-are-experiencing-an-unprecedentedmental-health-crisis/

CCI’s Maternal and Child Health Director, Aastasshia Lacy, discussed maternal health outcomes and our Black Moms Matter Too event with WJLA 24/7 News.

Digital Health Campaigns

We brought our health education approach to our online followers throughout 2023 via over 15 campaigns to build awareness and self-efficacy in health. Highlights include:

Presenting Thought Leadership

Condom Week

There are many contraceptive methods; a walk-through helps navigate the scene. We explored some of the options available so our followers could decide what works best for them.

Members of our team offered their expertise and experiences to attendees at several national conferences.

Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Director Russell Brown spoke at the ACU 2023 Annual Conference.

One-stop shop

Vaccine adherence depends on ease and access. We let the community know that patients could simultaneously receive COVID-19 and flu shots at any CCI health center to prepare them for the FLURONA season.

CCI’s Infectious Disease and Family Planning Programs came together to provide insights on family planning at the OPA 2023 Title X Grantee Conference.

Transgender Awareness Week

We advocated for the trans and nonbinary communities by shedding light on the insufficient and inadequate care members currently receive from a heteronormative, inequitable health care system.

CCI’s Marketing Department presented I See Me: A Marketing Strategy with Community at the Center at NTEN in Denver, CO.

The presentation focused on CCI’s success in outreach and community engagement to help inspire ideas for other nonprofits nationwide.

Alex McIntosh, Infectious Disease Program Manager

Darnielle Williams, Family Planning Program Director

Jessica Gutierrez, Family Planning Program Coordinator

Marisol Euceda, Director of Marketing and Communications

Thi Nguyen, Digital Marketing Specialist

Russell Brown, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Director

Creating a Workplace of Choice

In 2022, we made a commitment to our team that we would make CCI a workplace of choice for those passionate about serving their community and realizing health equity. Doing so would mean examining ourselves and investing in a redesign process that covers every area of our work. One year later, we have made significant progress and are proud to share where we are in our journey.

Chief People Officer Hire

We hired Shiria M. Anderson as our first-ever Chief People Officer, an executive-level position developed to advance our people-first culture. Shiria has over two decades of experience in HR leadership and previously worked with Baltimore County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the nation.

Revamped PTO Policy

Staff members now have two mental health days annually to promote self-care and can enjoy their birthdays with a day off. We also added Juneteenth to our holiday leave, implemented school activity leave for those can’t-miss moments, and instituted a voting leave policy amid an upcoming election season.

We invested more than $2 million in revenue back into staff benefits and educational opportunities in 2023.

We launched two employee-led committees:

The Performance Management Committee

We promote roughly 10% of our staff annually, 4% higher than the national average. Our culture of advancement is a point of pride for us. The Performance Management Committee builds on our efforts to encourage staff excellence, establish employee success measures, and identify growth opportunities among our team.

Checking DEI at CCI

The Engagement & DEI Committee

Diversity is what makes our community strong. We boast a richly diverse team comprising members with differing lived experiences and backgrounds. The Engagement & DEI Committee exists to highlight our makeup, amplify voices among our staff, and celebrate diversity.

January saw us work with local firm DEIscovery Partners to evaluate our DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts. We looked at who we are as an organization, inviting our team members to contribute their voices and personal experiences throughout the process. Here’s what the results showed:

100% agreed that the principles of DEI are important to the personal values of our team members.

87% agreed that DEI is a critical component of interactions at CCI.

80% agreed that DEI values are important at CCI.

80% agreed that diversity, equity, and inclusion are well-defined terms at CCI.

Clinicians and administrative workers give everything they have in their work, and they deserve a culture focused more on grace and less on grind. They deserve to work somewhere beaming with appreciation for their efforts. They deserve CCI—and we’ll give them the best of us.

Leadership

Officers

Sonya Bruton, PsyD, MPA

Chief Executive Officer and President

Lorie Glenn, MHA, RN Chief Operating Officer

Wilfredo Giordano-Perez, MD, MBA Chief Medical Officer

Brian Harris, MHA Chief Financial Officer

Parastoo Golestani, DDS Chief Dental Officer

Jessica Wilson Chief Strategy Officer

Marvin E. Onyemaechi Chief Information Officer

Shiria M. Anderson, PHR, SHRM-CP Chief People Officer

Jose Luis Diaz WIC Executive Director

Board of Directors

Marguerite Lucea Chairperson

Susan Leggett-Johnson, MD Vice Chairperson

Bibhash Mukhopadhyay Treasurer

Della Cox

Secretary

Elizabeth Durham

Monica D. PoulardHawkins

Eric Stroud

Sharon D. Thames

Rachel Pagan

Robert Wise, MD

Emmett Jordan

Sponsors &

Supporters

Vivian Aguayo

Sara Alvarez

Alexander Austin

Robert Baror

Richard and Elizabeth

Bohrer

Russell Brown

Kevin Bruton

Sonya Bruton

Carol Burbank

Justin Butler

Peter Buxani

Brian Chesnut

Rakesh Chilakapati

Cynthia Clark

Jay Cormier

Jose Luis Diaz

Emilio & Arline Díaz y Barroeta

Lisa Dorsey

Elizabeth Durham

Milagro Escobar-Bowles

Marisol Euceda

Matthew Hardwick

Dolores Glenn

Parastoo Golestani

Leslie Graham

Ceceila Hall-Carrington

Avi Halpert

Andrea Harris

Brian Harris

Laura Hastings

Brad Hiddeman

Marta Hopkinson

Katia Howell

Courtney Jenkins

Frances Jones

Kim Jones

Wendy and Michael

Keegan

Daniel Korn

Joseph Kwak

Stephen Lee

Susan Lee

Meagan Manahan

Matthew Merz

Lisa Middleton

Elizabeth Mortimer

Thi Nguyen

Madeleine NouteyaJackson

Jason Patnosh

Julie Pawlikowski

Parker Pillsbury

Nancy Pindus

Jennifer Pusatere

Henry Schein

Cathy Snee

Kevin Tien

Tashia Weekes

Lois Wessel

Albert Williams

Jessica Wilson

Shawn Wilson

Robert Wise

Anne Wiseman

Stephanie Zafiropoulos

A Message from the Chief Strategy Officer

Our 2023 was filled with inspiring moments owing to the dedication of our team and the many partners we worked with to advance our mission. We are grateful to have an inner circle of advocates to rely on with plenty of room for more compassionate individuals like yourself to join.

If you’re not yet a CCI supporter, I invite you to work alongside us to transform health care and make equity a reality. Your monthly contribution will help further our reach, allow us to expand into new services and locations, and provide more opportunities to introduce ourselves as the premier health care home for everybody.

You’re the partner we’re looking for and the ally your neighbors need the most. Join us, and let’s change lives together!

Montgomery County

GAITHERSBURG

Medical & Behavioral Health Services

220 Girard St, Suite 100

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Dental

200 Girard St, Suite 206

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

WIC

200 Girard St, Suite 212-B

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

SILVER SPRING

Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health Services

8630 Fenton St, Suite 1200 Silver Spring, MD 20910

Prince George’s County

GREENWAY

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

WHEATON

Pediatrics & WIC

2730 University Blvd West, Suite LL10 Wheaton, MD 20902

TAKOMA PARK

Medical & Behavioral Health Services

7676 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 220 A Takoma Park, MD 20912

WIC

1401 University Blvd East, Suite 300

Hyattsville, MD 20783

ROCKVILLE

Medical

2 Taft Court

Rockville, MD 20850

Sincerely,

Jessica Wilson

Jessica Wilson Chief Strategy Officer

Medical & Behavioral Health Services

7474 Greenway Center Dr, Suite 300 Greenbelt, MD 20770

WIC

7474 Greenway Center Dr, Suite 350 Greenbelt, MD 20770

ORA GLEN

Opening October 2024

Medical, Dental, Behavioral

Health, Prenatal Services, Graduate Medical

Education, Pharmacy

7615 Ora Glen Dr, Greenbelt, MD 20770

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY