Beacon Health Center, a new full-service health care facility for adults and children in Havre de Grace, began providing comprehensive primary care and related services to patients in early December. It was founded as a result of a collaborative planning effort between University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health and West Cecil Health Center.
Located at 253 Lewis Lane, Suite 202, this newly constructed 4,500 sq. ft. Federally Qualified Health Center offers affordable and quality health care services and specialties—including primary care, pediatrics and women’s care. Behavioral health services are available at its sister facility, West Cecil Health Center in nearby Conowingo, and dental care will be offered to patients there in mid-February.
It is the first and only Federally Qualified Health Center in Harford County. While Beacon Health Center is open to all, it is particularly focused on the health care status of the underserved, uninsured and non-insured members of the community.
Grant funding has been provided by UM Upper Chesapeake Health (UM UCH); Maryland Community Health Resource Commission and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.. In addition, The Dresher Foundation also provided a grant for operations to complement the funding from UM Upper Chesapeake Health.
Beacon Health Center welcomes most insurance plans and assists those without insurance with an income-assessed sliding fee scale. To provide accessibility, Beacon Health Center is located on the Harford County Transit LINK bus route, which runs between Cecil and Harford counties.
Beacon Health Center was established because of a partnership between UM Upper Chesapeake Health and West Cecil Health. UM Upper Chesapeake Health operated its HealthLink primary care clinic, geared to adults, in the Havre de Grace area for 14 years. West Cecil Health Center, which provides care for both adults and children, is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Western Cecil County that opened in 2008.
In response to a changing health care landscape, UM Upper Chesapeake Health put out an RFP to establish a Federally Qualified Health Center in the Route 40 corridor to better meet the needs of the community and its patients. To continue with the RFP, UM Upper Chesapeake Health needed a partner, and West Cecil Health’s community reputation for excellent patient care made the organization a good fit.
Mark Rajkowski, CEO of West Cecil Health Center, Inc., said, “This is a very exciting time for all parties to see this multi-year planning finally becoming a reality. West Cecil Health Center is exited to partner with University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health to open a new branch in Harford County that will be able to serve all patients regardless of their financial status.”
Lyle E. Sheldon, president/CEO of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, concurred with Rajkowski. “Partnerships make a community better, and Beacon Health Center will help build a healthier Harford County. UM Upper Chesapeake Health is pleased to partner with West Cecil Health Center to bring a primary care facility to the Route 40 corridor that will help patients with preventive care and treatment so they stay ahead of health issues and aren’t frequent visitors to the emergency room.”
Mark Luckner, executive director of Maryland Community Health Resources Commission which provided grant funding for Beacon Health, said, “We commend West Cecil and Upper Chesapeake in this innovative partnership. Beacon Health Center is an important project that will expand access in an underserved area of Harford County.”
For more information about Beacon Health Center, call 410-378-9696 or email [email protected].
About West Cecil Health Center
West Cecil Health Center opened in January of 2008. In July of 2013 West Cecil Health Center moved into a 24,000 sq ft facility that offers primary care services, behavioral health services with dentistry opening in the spring of 2015. Beacon Health Center will be a branch of West Cecil Health Center and all these services will all be offered and available to Beacon Health Center. Visit www.westcecilhealth.org for more information.
About University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
In December of 2013, Upper Chesapeake Health became University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. It consists of the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air and the University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace. The leading health care system and largest private employer in Harford County, UM Upper Chesapeake Health offers a broad range of health care services, technology and facilities to the residents of northeastern Maryland. Visit www.umuch.org for more information.
About Maryland Community Health Resources Commission
Established in legislation approved by the Maryland General Assembly in 2005, the Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) was created to expand access to affordable, high-quality health services in underserved areas; reduce avoidable hospital utilization and promote hospital-community partnerships; and increase access to specialty health services for the uninsured and low-income individuals. Since 2005, the CHRC has awarded 143 grants totaling $42 million, supporting programs in every jurisdiction of the state. These programs have collectively served more than 145,000 Marylanders. Visit http://dhmh.maryland.gov/mchrc/SitePages/Home.aspx for more information.
