While 2025 has brought many challenges, CCI is prepared to weather the storm and support our community as needed. Nothing has changed with our approach to care. We still put our patients first and welcome everyone through our doors.
Last year, we hosted a record number of events and engaged with more of our neighbors across Maryland. This year will be no different. As we continue to streamline our service areas, we stand committed to our mission of delivering high-quality, accessible care to our community members, leading the way to a better healthcare system for everyone.
We have so much to look forward to this year, including our annual Block Party and the return of our fundraising event, Sunset Soiree. Our events are a way to not only give back to those who choose CCI as their health care home but also a way for our neighbors to show up for us as we continue to show up for them.
The work that we do as a community health center is only possible through our dedicated staff who work tirelessly day in and day out to ensure CCI is more than just a medical center. I hope as you read through this issue, you learn about our efforts inside and outside our clinical walls and support the community effort it takes to put it all together.
Sincerely,
Sonya Bruton, PsyD, MPA CEO and President
The Three P’s: Prevent, Protect, Provide
For over 100 years, vaccines have been the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from preventable diseases. According to the CDC, vaccines work with your body’s immune system to help prevent disease and establish immunity. For example, when someone becomes immune to a disease through vaccination, their body can produce the antibodies needed to protect them from exposure and serious illness. In the United States, vaccines have helped eradicate deadly diseases. Together, we can make sure these diseases never return by following the three Ps.
PREVENT
Vaccines prevent dangerous complications from many illnesses. Each year, millions of people visit their primary care doctor or local clinic to get the seasonal influenza vaccine, also known as the flu shot. That’s because the flu is a vaccine-preventable disease. The annual flu vaccine not only helps you avoid infection but also reduces your chances of being hospitalized. Other common vaccine-preventable diseases include measles, whooping cough, Hepatitis B, and Human papillomavirus (HPV).
PROTECT
When individuals get vaccinated against serious illnesses, not only are they protecting themselves but also their family and others in their community. Some people who are too young, elderly, or immunocompromised cannot get certain vaccines. However, those people are less likely to become seriously ill when others around them are vaccinated. Following vaccine requirements for school, work, and travel protects everyone from catching or spreading preventable diseases.
PROVIDE
Infants and children are at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill from preventable diseases. That’s because their immune systems are still developing and learning how to fight against the germs they encounter every day. In the United States, vaccines are administered to children at an early age to provide protection before they are exposed to diseases.
DID YOU KNOW?
A measles epidemic from 1989 to 1991 led to the creation of the Vaccines for Children Program.
According to the CDC, more than half of the children who contracted measles were not vaccinated. They found that cost was a contributing factor for children going unvaccinated even for those with a regular healthcare provider.
In response to the tens of thousands of measles cases and hundreds of deaths, Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA), creating the Vaccines for Children Program. The VFC program provides all recommended vaccinations against 19 different diseases at no cost to children and helps ensure they are protected from vaccinepreventable diseases.
Price Check: CCI’s Pharmacy Brings Affordability to Patients
If you’ve visited our new Greenbelt location on Ora Glen Drive or the clinic suite in Gaithersburg recently, you may have noticed a familiar wall of glass windows with voice boxes and kiosks. These areas are where CCI’s new pharmacies are located.
Our new pharmacies, led by our Head of Clinical Pharmacy Operations, Dr. Marvhe Howard, are a part of CCI’s 340B Drug Pricing Program, which offers hundreds of dollars in savings for patients.
The 340B Program provides organizations like CCI with the best pricing for medications, the lowest costs offered to any suppliers. This makes it so we can offer lower cost medications to our patients so they don’t have to go without what they need to stay healthy.
Even popular prescription coupon sites that lower prescription costs cannot match CCIRx’s savings for patients. And, since CCI isn’t setting prices to make a profit like major retailer pharmacies, “it is irrefutably cheap. And, if there is any cost hardship on the patients, we can convene as a team to find the cheapest option,” adds Howard.
Take a one-month insulin prescription, for example, the popular brands can cost $90 per box at most retail pharmacies, with an extra $10 in savings if you can find the right coupon. But at CCI, the price is as low as $20 per box, more than halving the price for our patients.
ONE TEAM TOGETHER, WORKING FOR YOU
All pharmacists have specialized education in how prescription drugs interact with the body, but CCI’s pharmacists aren’t just filling a prescription; they’re becoming a part of the patient’s care team. When a patient picks up their prescriptions, CCI’s pharmacy team can answer questions about the fundamentals of their medications like:
1. How long will it take for a prescription to work?
2. What are the common side effects, if any?
3. Will a prescription interact with any other medications a patient is currently taking?
Best of all, a CCI doctor can reach out directly to the Pharmacy Team to check on medications a patient needs filled during their appointment. Empowering our patients and their care teams with access to medications’ pricing, brand, and wait times in real time during their visit.
CCI has over 150 medications on site at the care team’s disposal for treatments. If a prescription is going to cost over $20, a provider will let the patient know immediately and can work with the team to lower the price as much as possible.
No more confusing miscommunications at the pharmacy counter, days after seeing the doctor, or racing across town to address health concerns. And, if there’s a miscommunication, the pharmacy technician, pharmacist, and care team can quickly coordinate to remedy any problem a patient is facing.
Did You Know?
You do not have to be a CCI patient to use CCI’s pharmacy. Make the switch and start saving on your prescriptions!
CCI Gaithersburg 220 Girard St, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
CCI Ora Glen
7615 Ora Glen Drive, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Tips From Dr. Howard:
“You shouldn’t take your cholesterol medication with grapefruit because it can cause body aches. That’s a very common reaction.”
CCI in the Community
Spring is here! The world is defrosting, and so is our outreach team. The CCI team is excited to get back out into the community as outreach events are blooming all over town. So far this spring, we have been able to attend events like RespectFest and the Wheaton High School Health Fair to encourage youth to take control of their health. We also attended the Luminis Baby Shower to meet with expecting and new parents. We love meeting community members and seeing how our services can fit into their lives and keep them healthy.
In January, we were able to hold our 3rd annual Pap Rally. January was Cervical Health Awareness month, and our Pap Rally encouraged patients to keep up to date with their cervical health. This included getting a pap smear or receiving the HPV vaccine. We were able to see 269 patients for cervical-related care throughout January!
APRIL
3. April 6th: RespectFest, Wheaton
4. April 11th: Wheaton High School Health Fair, Wheaton
5. April 12th: Luminis Baby Shower, Lanham
1.
Honoring Service: Reflecting on Nearly a Decade of Impact
A board member since 2015, Della Cox stepped into the role of Board Secretary in 2019—a position she has embraced with pride and a deep sense of responsibility. She has also contributed to the Board Recruitment Committee. As she begins a new chapter in a different community, Della will transition off the CCI Health Services Board later this year. Before she departs, we want to reflect on how her story with CCI began.
Della’s CCI Journey
At 23-years old, Della Cox was a new mother searching for a pediatrician when she discovered CCI’s conveniently located Takoma Park site.
“I was consistently impressed and grateful for the support, compassion, and quality of care we experienced,” she recalls. “I often spoke about how much I appreciated CCI, specifically Dr. Tellez and Dr. Kilby.”
One day, during a routine conversation, a physician caring for her sons asked if she would share her story in an interview. Cox agreed, and her story soon caught the attention of former CCI CEO Kathleen Knolhoff. Moved by her experience, Kathleen invited Della to consider joining the board.
“I was honored and excited by the opportunity to give back to an organization that had done so much for my family—and the rest is history.”
Over the last decade, Della has had a front-row seat to the organization’s challenges and triumphs—from pandemic-era struggles to exciting phases of growth, innovation, and dedication that have kept the community strong and healthy.
When COVID-19 hit, CCI rose to the occasion. Despite unprecedented pressure, the organization remained open, maintaining its operational stability and quality of care.
“Navigating the evolving healthcare landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for everyone. CCI faced that challenge head-on with clarity, compassion, and resilience,” Della reflects.
A Broader Vision for Health
Della’s time on the board has expanded her understanding of how housing, education, and food security have a profound impact on health outcomes. Her experience has reinforced the importance of a holistic, community-informed approach and deepened her appreciation for FQHCs’ role in delivering accessible care to all.
She is especially proud of the organization’s designation as a Teaching Health Center.
“Witnessing the organization’s evolution into Maryland’s first Teaching Health Center [sponsored by an FQHC] is a significant milestone,” she says.
Cox has seen CCI grow in many ways—beyond programs and into broader systems-level changes. The organization has strengthened its community partnerships, embraced data-driven practices, adopted new technologies, and reaffirmed its commitment to better healthcare and workforce development.
“The organization has also become more adaptive in its approach to longterm systemic issues with integrity and clarity,” she notes.
With more than 50 years of service in community health, Della describes the organization as a trailblazer in delivering care, innovating systems, and staying deeply rooted in the communities it serves. She hopes the health center continues to serve as a trusted, accepting, and responsive resource for future generations.
“Most of all, I hope many more patients will have access to the same one-on-one, intimate care my boys and I have received over the past 18 years,” says Della. “The kind of care that goes beyond appointments and prescriptions—that grows into a loving, family-like connection. That personal, compassionate touch sets CCI apart. I hope it remains at the heart of everything the organization does moving forward.”
Parting Words of Wisdom
Preparing to pass the torch, she offers heartfelt advice to future board members.
“Stay engaged with the mission, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The work can be complex but deeply rewarding, and your voice matters.”
Her legacy of service, passion, and leadership will continue to inspire us long after her final meeting.
Thank you, Della, for everything you’ve given to CCI Health Services and the community we serve.
What is your role and how does it help CCI achieve our mission?
Employee Profile: Kimberly Willett
Family Nurse Practitioner and Medical Director of Immigrant Health and Infectious Disease
My current role here at CCI is family nurse practitioner and the medical director for immigrant health and infectious disease. Each day I come to work, I focus on the importance of delivering and enhancing access to the highest-quality care throughout the community, whether this is through direct patient care, education, or programmatic development. These job duties directly align with CCI’s current mission.
Your CCI Journey
Tell us about your journey.
What’s your favorite thing about CCI?
I started working as a family nurse practitioner within primary care, infectious disease, and immigrant health. Recently, I took on the role of medical director of Immigrant Health and Infectious Diseases. While it has been a steep learning curve, it has been so enjoyable to continue to learn and grow in a different capacity. I have been so supported by all of my colleagues along the way, which makes it even better! Over the past few years, I have learned that medicine is a field of work which requires endless interdisciplinary collaboration on projects both big and small; from curbside consults to program development, EMR buildouts and everything in between collaboration has been an integral part of my every day here at CCI.
My favorite thing about working at CCI is the collaborative/supportive team environment as well as the wonderful patients with whom I am given the privilege to interact with every day! Not a session goes by, even the most difficult of days, where I haven’t had the opportunity to smile alongside colleagues or patients, and that is something incredibly special about CCI.
Are there any achievements you’ve received at work or outside of work that you want to highlight?
Within work, I was able to, with the incredible help from colleagues, have CCI approved and listed as an Overdose Response Program for the state of Maryland to help fight the Opioid Epidemic. Outside of work, I completed my third marathon this past year, and I learned how to quilt with the help from my CCI colleague Lois Wessel, DNP!
Check out CCI’s new merch shop!
The Case for Funding FQHCs
Although community health centers (CHCs) have operated for hundreds of years, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) were established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s efforts to expand health care services in communities lacking access to care The FQHC designation allowed HRSA-funded health centers to receive reimbursements through Medicaid and Medicare for services provided by physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical psychologists, and clinical social workers.
Community health centers serve as the primary care safety net for millions of families in the United States. For many people, finding a health care home that doesn’t turn you away because of insurance coverage or ability to pay can be few and far between. However, CHCs, like CCI, aim to serve everyone.
Due to the population we serve, CHCs rely heavily on the Federal Medicaid program. More than simply a funding source, Medicaid is a lifeline for health centers, providing about 42% of its revenue. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), community health centers provide care for 16 million Medicaid patients at a lower cost than other primary care providers, saving Medicaid $1,400 per adult patient per year and $800 a year for children.
In the state of Maryland, Medicaid is the largest source of federal funding. It covers 1,522,680 people (25% of the population), including almost half of all children in the state and 40% of all births. It is also an economic engine of the state’s health care system, supporting 122,981 providers.
Despite having a mission that has shown bipartisan support, CHCs continue to face funding uncertainty, and proposed Medicaid cuts would have a significant impact.
Newly uninsured patients will likely delay or forgo necessary care, leading to more serious health conditions, emergency department visits, and higher long-term health care costs. It will take the help of every colleague, neighbor, elected official, and community group to keep community health centers like CCI open and operating at full capacity.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
1. Donate. Grant funding, another major source of funding for health centers, also remains uncertain. Your donation to CCI makes our mission possible and helps families who face economic challenges throughout Montgomery County and Prince George’s County receive high-quality, comprehensive, affordable health care.
2. Contact your local elected official. As lawmakers deliberate changes in Medicaid funding, it is important we show that the Medicaid funding CHCs receive to care for patients keeps them healthy and prevents chronic disease. It is one of the smartest investments we can make and one of the most effective uses of taxpayer dollars.
3. Share. Millions of patients rely on health centers all across the country. This includes veterans, seniors, working families, children, and people living with disabilities. Consider sharing your concerns, stories, and impact on social media.
For more information, or visit https://cciweb.org/our-impact/ to download CCI’s 2024 Impact
What's Next?
Saturday, August 9
CCI Block Party
This annual fun, family-friendly event connects our community with health resources and services. Last year, over 900 community members joined CCI.
Wednesday, September 10
The Sunset Soirée
An unforgettable evening of food, fun, and philanthropy at CCI’s headquarters featuring top local chefs and great company—all supporting healthier communities.
Saturday, October 25
Boo to the Flu
A playful Halloween-themed event where families can receive flu shots while kids enjoy a Trunk-or-Treat experience.
Interested in sponsoring one of our upcoming community events?
Contact development@cciweb.org to learn more about engagement opportunities.
