2024 Spring Newsletter

Thank y u

Thank you to all of our 2023 Donors for supporting Sun River Health! You help make great healthcare accessible to ALL. As we look ahead to the future, we are excited about what is on the horizon and so grateful to you for your part in stewarding us towards that future.

View All Of Our 2023 Donors Click here

Children’s Dental Health Month

In an effort to promote good oral health habits among children, Sun River Health’s dedicated team took the initiative to provide valuable education in elementary schools in Rockland County and in Poughkeepsie to mark National Children’s Dental Health Month this past February.

The team’s proactive involvement in National Children’s Dental Health Month underscores our commitment to community well-being. Through education and outreach, we aim to make a lasting impact on the oral health of the next generation.

Sun River Health Smiles

Sun River Health is launching a photo contest called “Sun River Health Smiles” aimed at showcasing the incredible transformations we have achieved together in promoting good oral health.

The contest runs till September 1st and invites dentists in our network to submit before and after photos of dental work - consisting of any type of dental care - that has significantly improved a patient’s smile. This initiative not only highlights our commitment to oral health but also provides an opportunity to witness the positive impact we make every day. In 2023, Sun River Health provided an outstanding 55,000 dental visits - truly a testament to our dedication and expertise. We are grateful to have inspired the trust and confidence of our patients in caring for their oral health.

Food Prescription Program

In Suffolk County, low-income diabetes patients at all 11 Sun River Health locations are provided with vouchers for free fruits and vegetables after attending nutrition workshops led by a certified Cornell Cooperative Extension Suffolk nutrition educator. This program comes at a time when additional attention is being paid to the connection between household food insecurity and chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes. 1 in 9 New Yorkers experience food insecurity.

According to the NIH, at the very least, household food insecurity compounds the challenges that adults and families with chronic conditions face. Lower income households may have difficulty accessing quality food options either due to distance or cost, leading to increased consumption of foods that are high in added sugars, saturated fat, and salt that tend to be cheaper.

Workshops, held in both English and Spanish, are designed to educate participants with the knowledge they need to make healthier food choices that will assist in controlling their diabetes and may help in lowering the dependency on medication.

Expansion of the program now includes participants receiving prepaid debit cards through Fresh Connect - a tech-enabled food prescription program that empowers people with the money and flexibility to buy the foods they need to be healthy.

“While type 1 diabetes requires insulin therapy and type 2 diabetes generally does not, individuals with either type can be treated with the help of proper nutrition. Consumption of fruits and vegetables can be very helpful, and the Fresh Connect program makes it easier for our patients to purchase fresh produce.” – Anne Kauffman Nolon, Sun River Health CEO.

The Community Education program at CCE Suffolk will be receiving more than $420,000 in federal funds to support the Fruit & Veggie Prescription program. The initial investment to add Fresh Connect to the program was covered by a $10,500 grant from Stop & Shop.

More than $100,000 in vouchers will be distributed, but the value of the impact these vouchers will have on the community members Sun River Health serves is immeasurable.

Bedford Ave Opening

Welcome to our New Bedford Avenue Site!

Just a few weeks ago, we began welcoming patients to our new Sun River Health Bedford Avenue site, located at 2351 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn!

The site is offering primary care / family medicine and dental services currently, with behavioral / mental health services making the transition to the new site in the coming months. These services are presently still being offered at our legacy Bedford Avenue site (1669 Bedford Avenue). The windows of this incredible new space have been beautifully branded with welcoming messages and designs, and we look forward to being able to better serve the community at this larger remodeled location.

“The staff, from the receptionist to the nurse and the doctor - all of them are capable and have excellent skills working with patience. Each is very informed about my previous visits for my condition; they know what is happening with me, and they know how to proceed with my condition. They are very kind and friendly. I’m completely happy with it.” – Theodore

Sun River Health Sets New Standard in Person-Centered Care with Gold Certification

Written by: Justice Nwafor • Originally posted on: BNN Breaking

Sun River Health has achieved the Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care from Planetree International. This recognition highlights their commitment to treating patients as partners in their healthcare journey, leading to improved patient satisfaction and better health outcomes. Sun River Health is the first and only Federally Qualified Health Center to earn this prestigious award.

In a milestone for the healthcare sector, Sun River Health, a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island, has been awarded the Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care by Planetree International. This esteemed recognition, the highest offered by Planetree, distinguishes Sun River Health as the first and only Federally Qualified Health Center to achieve this pinnacle in delivering person-centered care.

A Gold Standard in Person-Centered Care

Planetree International, a pioneer in advancing person-centered care, bases its certification on various factors. These include an organization’s performance improvement on traditional quality indicators, policy documents review, and patient and staff assessments of the organization’s person-centered culture. Sun River Health’s Gold Certification is a testament to its commitment to treating patients as partners in their healthcare journey.

Empowering Patients and Their Families

Person-centered care, the guiding principle at Sun River Health, emphasizes involving clients and their families in care decisions. This approach recognizes the individual as a whole rather than focusing solely on their diagnosis. It takes into account patients’ preferences, hobbies, and desired activities when determining care plans. This philosophy is not just about medical treatment; it’s about understanding and respecting each patient’s unique needs and desires.

Sun River Health’s dedication to person-centered care has not only resulted in improved patient satisfaction but also better health outcomes. By fostering a culture where patients are active participants in their care, Sun River Health empowers individuals to take control of their health and wellbeing. This shift in perspective is redefining healthcare, transforming it from a top-down system to a collaborative partnership between providers and patients.

Sun River Health has been recertified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home!

Level 3, which is the highest level offered by the NCQA, recognizes our steadfast commitment to continuous quality improvement and delivering the highest quality patient care.

It is thanks to Sun River Health’s incredible staff, that we have been able to maintain this prestigious certification. By putting our patients first in all we do, our staff helps to create a compassionate environment that assures everyone who walks through our health center doors that they will get the quality health care they need and the respect they deserve.

“What I like the most is that even though I didn’t have an appointment my son was seen within 2 hours. The front desk, the assistant and the doctor were very friendly and kind. The doctor explained everything to me in regards the medication prescribed for my son and the symptoms of an allergic reaction. She also told me what I needed to do if he continued to be sick after the repose time that she had suggested.”- Jean

“I felt that my psychiatrist was very informed, and she took her time to explain to me in detail about a medication that I’ve taken for years. I never had a conversation with my prior psychiatrist about the side effects of my medicine. I really appreciate her taking the time to talk through it with me, and it helped me make the decision to change my medication.”

- Krystal

Did you know:

Sun River Health provided 55,000 dental visits in 2023

Did you know:

Sun River Health sees 250,000 patients each year

“I like that I’ve been there for more than 30 years, and my doctor is excellent and he knows everything about me; he’s caring and helpful. I have always had good experiences there, they are polite and answer your questions. They are very professional. All the staff, the nurses, the people in the lab, the doctors, and the receptionist are very good. I never had a bad experience.” - Louise

Colores De Mi Tierra

Opening Reception

Saturday, May 18th, 2pm -5pm

Workshop May 18th through June 1st

Demonstration and instruction by the Artist

Eduardo Guzman Valverde

Wednesday, May 22nd 6pm – 8:30pm

Performance by:

Sun River Health 1037 Main St., Peekskill

For more information and RSVP: wmorel@sunriver.org

The Jeannette J. Phillips Community Health Center 1037 Main Street, Peekskill NY 10566

Sun River Health completed 720,000 patient visits in the last year

Did you know: 60% of Sun River Health patients live at or below the poverty line

“I appreciated how quickly the gynecologist attended to me and how they addressed the fact that my primary doctor had not prescribed me blood pressure medication. I liked the way the doctor treated me.” - Teresa

We are grateful to everyone who supports our mission to ensure equal access to quality care for everyone in our communities. We could not do it without you!