SJFMC launches Farmacy Program and Community Garden


The first “Farmacy,” a learning garden at our Burlington City Health Center, launched in August 2017. In collaboration with the Insurgo Project and Burlington City High School, the garden program fuses food justice, social entrepreneurialism and civic leadership under an educational philosophy that highlights SJFMC’s deep history and agricultural roots. SJFMC’s Farmacy program aims at decreasing the rates of chronic disease and promotes healthy lifestyles through nutritious eating. By becoming a part of this exciting movement, students and patients gain a stronger connection to the source of their food, ultimately leading to a healthier and more environmentally conscious lifestyle. They will also understand the science and economics behind the food industry, thus cracking the door to a wealth of innovative and socially oriented careers. SJFMC is planting seeds and nurturing growth so that students of all ages and backgrounds learn the science behind the origins of food and reestablish the relationship between planet and plate. Our program reduces food insecurity and improves dietary intake, which leads to healthier ways of life, ultimately combatting the prevalence of preventable chronic diseases. The program has already been awarded a coveted Garden Grant from the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and has been visited by various congressional leaders, state representatives and local elected officials. In partnership with the Burlington City School District and the Insurgo Project, we are thankful for the community contributions that have been made thus far. We welcome you to donate to our Farmacy program and help sprout the future. For more information on the Farmacy Program, call 609-481-3075.

Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Dedicates Pleasantville Health Center to Longtime Physician Nancy Merle, MD


Image Caption: Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, left, Linda Y. Flake, President/CEO, SJFMC, and Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, stand united at the Merle Pavilion Naming Dedication in Pleasantville.
SJFMC honored longtime public servant for patients, Dr. Nancy Merle, MD with a dedication ceremony during National Health Center Week 2017. Political parties united while vowing to protect Americans in search of quality health care as our Pleasantville Health Center officially became the Merle Pavilion. Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo (D) said, “SJFMC saves lives and our community would be in bad shape without your help. I am just doing my job fighting for what is right in Trenton but Dr. Merle, I love your fire power and I thank you for your commitment to this organization.” Assembly Chris Brown (R) said, “There shouldn’t be barriers to health care, shouldn’t be barriers to get the basic needs we all deserve and require. With this Pavilion, and Dr. Merle’s name on it, I know that your continued mission of breaking down barriers will be a success.” SJFMC Board Members were also honored and presented with plaques and certificates during the service. The night ended with a huge Health Fair Block Party outside of our Pleasantville Health Center. Hundreds of people attended and enjoyed free food, health screenings, dancing and giveaways.

Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Celebrates National Health Center Week 2017


Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers (SJFMC) offered free medical and dental screenings for the community in celebration of 40 years of providing compassion, care and commitment to South Jersey families. SJFMC’s events were planned as a part of National Health Center Week (NHCW).

The national campaign ran August 13-19 with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s Health Centers over the course of more than five decades. While there are countless reasons to celebrate America’s Health Centers, among the most important and unique is their long success in providing access to affordable, high-quality, cost-effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people throughout the United States.

Collectively, Community Health Centers serve more than 25 million Americans, a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. We have compiled a significant record of success that includes:

Health Centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations, they produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities. They reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the factors that may cause sickness, such as lack of nutrition, mental illness, homelessness and opioid addiction. Because of their long record of success in innovation, managing health care costs and reducing chronic disease, Health Centers have a proud tradition of bipartisan support in Congress.

Here is a list of SJFMC National Health Center Week Events:

Monday, August 14: Health Screening Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesday, August 15: Homeless Help Day, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, August 17: Farmworker Day, 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday, August 18: Merle Pavilion Naming Dedication/Ribbon Cutting, 3 – 4 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Booker Visits SJFMC and Tells County Patients Health Care Fight Isn’t Over


By: David Levinsky Burlington County Times, Staff Writer BURLINGTON CITY — The sudden defeat of the Republicans’ health care overhaul in the U.S. Senate won’t bring back Josef Pfeiffer’s father, who died after losing his job and his health insurance in 2003. “He had a choice between paying the mortgage or for COBRA. He paid the mortgage, and then his cancer came back,” Pfeiffer said Saturday. “With the Affordable Care Act’s expanded Medicaid, we would have been covered.” Pfeiffer shared his family’s story during a roundtable talk about health care with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and New Jersey legislators Troy Singleton, D-7th of Palmyra, and Herb Conaway, D-7th of Delran, at the Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers on High Street, one of several federally qualified health centers in New Jersey that receive funding from the ACA. While the 2010 law came too late for his father, Pfeiffer, who is a patient at the Burlington City clinic, said he takes comfort knowing that its insurance coverage standards and expansion of Medicaid to allow more lower-income adults to obtain coverage will endure for the foreseeable future. “To go back from that? I think it’s really narrow-sighted to cut the essential services that people rely on,” he said. The GOP’s seven-year quest to repeal former President Barack Obama’s health care law imploded last week after senators failed to pass any of the three versions of legislation the chamber debated to dismantle it. The final blow came early Friday, when the Senate voted 51-49 to reject the so-called “skinny repeal” bill authored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that would have kept most of the ACA in place but eliminate its unpopular tax penalties on people who don’t obtain insurance coverage or employers who don’t offer coverage for workers. The bill was never intended to become law, but was written with the hope that Republicans would be able to advance it from the Senate to begin talks with the House on a possible compromise, final bill. No Democrats voted in support of the “skinny repeal,” which was defeated after Republican Sens. Susan Collins, of Maine; Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska; and Arizona’s John McCain joined in the dissent. At the roundtable Saturday, Booker and other participants cheered the legislation’s defeat, describing it as a major setback for President Donald Trump’s agenda and a crucial victory for Americans who have received medical care coverage thanks to the ACA’s reforms. ″(Trump) said on day one he was going to repeal ‘Obamacare.’ You see how that was such an outrageous proposition that even Republicans began to evolve,” Booker said. “I’m very glad we were able to stop it with three Republican senators stepping over and saying, ‘No, we’re not going to do that; it’s the wrong thing to do.’” The senator warned that the fight is not over, a point Trump reinforced on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. He wrote, “Unless the Republican Senators are total quitters, Repeal & Replace is not dead! Demand another vote before voting on any other bill!” “We still face a lot of challenges. One with Donald Trump trying to kill the Affordable Care Act by denying some of the basic aspects of the plan, whether it’s enforcing the individual mandate, cost-sharing resources or even stopping to advertise enrollment. We still have a lot of work to do,” Booker said, adding that he is hopeful a bipartisan solution to some of the law’s problems can be found. “I see hope. This was a very good sign this week, and I hope it results in Democrats and Republicans crossing the aisle, sitting down and saying, ‘Hey, let’s preserve all these gains we’ve made, and let’s now address the things that are frustrating folks with the Affordable Care Act.’ That’s where I really hope we get back to.” Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st of Camden, also called for bipartisan cooperation to improve the law. “Very relieved millions of Americans are waking up knowing they’ll still have health care. But now ALL of us must work together to improve the ACA,” Norcross tweeted Friday after the repeal legislation’s defeat. Among the problems occurring in different regions are rapidly rising premiums and insurers fleeing some marketplaces. There are also still millions of Americans who are not insured through workplace or individual market plans or Medicaid. Those issues won’t fix themselves, Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd of Toms River, said Friday afternoon, expressing frustration and disappointment with the Senate’s failure to advance the legislation, something the House narrowly accomplished in May in large part because of MacArthur’s work to negotiate a compromise acceptable to conservative members. “I’m disappointed. I think the Senate missed a real opportunity here, and I don’t know if we can recover from it,” he said, adding that he would still work to address health care problems. “Premiums are still rising, insurers are dropping out, and there’s still 28 million uninsured Americans. We owe it to them to fix that,” he said. “I’ll work with anybody to fix this.” To try to rein in costs and expenses, MacArthur said Congress might try to pursue tort reform or encourage changes to the traditional “fees for service” model of health care, which reimburses hospitals and doctors for the individual tests and procedures they perform rather than the quality and overall outcomes of the care they provide. MacArthur also said Congress might still try to make changes to bring down the costs of prescription drugs. The former insurance executive predicted that special interests would fight those changes, and that bringing down overall costs would be harder with the Affordable Care Act still in place. “I’m going to continue to work with anyone I can to fix real, systemic problems. But it’s going to be hard because the Senate accepted the framework of Obamacare,” MacArthur said. “They decided to accept what the Democrats did alone (in 2010), so it’s going to be harder to get at health care costs.” Booker cited the story of Pfeiffer’s father and other patients at the clinic who said they struggled without insurance as further proof of the law’s benefits. “Listening to the voices of New Jersey today — literally a young man saying his father died before the Affordable Care Act because he couldn’t get the kind of preventative care and support he needed for his cancer — that cannot ever come back to the United States of America,” he said. “So I want to improve the Affordable Care Act, not destroy it. I want to preserve the gains we’ve made and add to them, not turn the clock backwards.” Link to article: http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/2c26b3e4-7494-11e7-be8e-fff42d2b2c17.html

Sen. Robert Menendez Discusses Affordable Care Act Repeal at Burlington City Health Center


By: David Levinsky, Burlington County Times, Staff Writer BURLINGTON CITY — Samantha Williams says her son nearly died four years ago because she hesitated taking him to the hospital for an asthma attack. Williams, of Burlington, said she was unemployed at the time, had no health insurance, and was worried about how she would pay for the hospital bill. Eventually she decided she had no choice. “The doctor told me if I had waited five more minutes, my son, Zachary, would not have made it,” Williams said Thursday at the Southern Jersey Family Medical Center on High Street, where her son now receives regular primary care, thanks in part to the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid, the state-run health insurance for the poor and disabled. But she’s concerned that she and her son might become one of the 24 million Americans expected to lose their health coverage if the Republican Congress’ proposed Affordable Care Act repeal and replace plan becomes law. “Without this expansion, I don’t know where he would be,” Williams said during a roundtable meeting with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez at the clinic, one of several federally qualified health centers in New Jersey that receive funding from the ACA. “It meant he was able to get the treatment he needed. It meant he was able to get the medication he needed. And for me, it meant that my son is here today. I don’t know where we would be without it,” Williams said. Menendez, a Democrat, says stories like Williams’ show the importance of making sure health care is available for all Americans, regardless of their financial circumstances. Link to article: http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/01ea0cd2-0a83-11e7-8786-173ff059daf0.html

Senator Menendez to Rally Against Proposed Health Care Plan at SJFMC


For Immediate Release: March 15, 2017 Contact: Mika Highsmith-Hasan, Communications Manager Mika.Hasan@sjfmc.org or 609-481-3075 SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ AND HEALTH CARE ADVOCATES RALLY AGAINST THE PROPOSED HEALTH CARE PLAN Burlington City, NJ – In the wake of the Congressional Budget Office’s devastating analysis of the proposed Congressional health care bill, Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers, Inc. (SJFMC) will host a health care forum and press conference led by U.S Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ). Representatives from the New Jersey Primary Care Association, New Jersey Hospital Association and the Mental Health Association of New Jersey will also take part in the panel advocating for the 24 million Americans who will lose their health care coverage by 2026, including 14 million by next year. Senator Menendez released the following statement in response to the House Republicans’ health care bill. “The report from the Congressional Budget Office confirms that Republicans never intended to ‘repeal and replace’ the Affordable Care Act – only to repeal and erase affordable health coverage for millions of Americans. Contrary to President Trump’s promise of lower costs for all Americans, the report also reveals massive health insurance premium hikes for consumers across the board – and especially older Americans approaching retirement. “ “Under this plan, a 64-year-old worker earning $26,500 a year would see their costs increase by an unfathomable 760 percent. It also slashes nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid, leaving states with no choice but to kick pregnant women, children, Americans with disabilities and seniors in nursing homes out of the system.” The legislation is troubling news for Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers, Inc. As a Federally Qualified Health Center(FQHC), SJFMC relies heavily on Medicaid, its largest payer representing 70% of its total revenue, to operate seven sites across southern New Jersey. The centers provide a range of vital primary care services including obstetrics, pediatrics, and dental to more than 53,000 patients a year. “Through the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, we have been fortunate to provide life-changing primary care services to so many families in the communities we serve,” said Linda Flake, President/CEO of Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers. “The number of uninsured patients receiving care at SJFMC was reduced by 50% under the ACA. With the replacement plan, that expansion will end, and the 10,000 uninsured SJFMC patients who received coverage through the Affordable Care Act will lose their coverage and be left out in the cold! If passed, this plan will also have a disastrous effect upon our bottom line and will unfortunately result in service reduction. The new bill goes against what we stand for: our commitment to provide high-quality care to the underserved and uninsured populations in our region.” New Jersey is home to 20 FQHCs like SJFMC. Those 20 FQHCs include 120 sites throughout the state, providing a million patient visits a year. Currently, Medicaid payments to states are based on a matching formula, with the federal government paying states a share of their costs. The GOP proposes capping payments to states, with different amounts going to different categories of recipients — children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In its analysis of the program, the Congressional Budget Office said those changes would reduce federal spending on Medicaid by $880 billion over the next 10 years, a 17.6 percent cut. The press conference will begin Thursday, March 16 at 11:45 a.m. at SJFMC’s Burlington City Center, 651 High St., Burlington, NJ 08016. Suggested Hash Tags: #SJFMC, #ValueCHCs #NHCW17 ABOUT SOUTHERN JERSEY FAMILY MEDICAL CENTERS, INC. For the past 40 years, the mission of Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers has been to provide and promote effective, culturally proficient, high-quality primary and preventative health, behavioral health and dental care services for residents and migrant/seasonal workers of southern New Jersey, regardless of their ability to pay, and to eliminate barriers to care based upon race, religious belief, ethnicity, economic status, gender, disability, linguistic capability, culture, sexual preference, national origin and residential status. SJFMC serves more than 53,000 patients, generating approximately 160,000 patient visits annually. For more information, please visit https://www.sjfmc.org

Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Wins Good-Doers Award


By: Dubravka Kolumbic Burlington County Times, Correspondent MOORESTOWN — Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Inc. is the recipient of this year’s Burlington County Times Good-Doers award. The nonprofit health services provider garnered the most votes via an online BCT readers’ poll. As a result, the newspaper will work with the organization to produce a three-minute public service announcement. “We’re ecstatic,” CEO Linda Flake said. “It’s always great to be appreciated, to be recognized. It’s encouraging.” For nearly 40 years, the federally funded group has been providing primary and preventive health services to South Jersey residents who are either uninsured or may not be able to afford such care, going so far as to offer transportation to and from appointments, translation services, and certified application counselors who can help with health care applications and charity care appointments. Flake expressed gratitude for the award and the added publicity for the organization. “We’re here, and we’re here to provide a service to the community, and it emphasizes that that much more,” she said. Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers recently completed major renovations to its facility on High Street in Burlington City, which will allow the organization to serve up to 12,000 more patients. The PSA will help spread word of the organization’s services throughout the community, Flake said. “Having the services available is one thing,” she said, “but having the community know that it’s available is another thing. That public service announcement is going to help people in the community recognize that there is an organization available that can provide them primary medical, dental and behavioral health services. It helps improve visibility and our presence in the community.” Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers was started in 1977 with the goal of providing health services to migrant farmworkers in Salem and Atlantic counties. Since then, it has expanded into three counties and employs a staff of 250 serving over 51,000 patients at seven sites, including migrant worker outreach programs in Gloucester and Camden counties. The services offered have also grown to include dental, pediatric and women’s health care; behavioral health and podiatry. The centers also work with other health specialists to ensure their patients receive the full spectrum of care they need. “The acknowledgment really encourages and supports and emphasizes our providers and our staff,” Flake said. “It’s really nice to be recognized and appreciated.” Flake pointed out that for all the good Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers does, the job can be overwhelming at times for the staff. Winning the Good-Doers contest validates their hard work. “These are some of the things that are nice about having a job that provides some intrinsic rewards, and this is intrinsic,” she said. “There is a monetary value associated with it, but it provides a lot of mileage toward the satisfaction of the staff and recognition of the good work they are doing.” The other Good-Doers finalists were the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Burlington County, It Takes A Village, Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey and the Pinelands Family Success Center. Link to article:  http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/647aaf58-d9ac-11e6-aa33-3f6834b1b38c.html

SJFMC recognized for improving health outcomes in “pocket of poverty”


By: Dubravka Kolumbic Burlington County Times, Correspondent Receiving affordable quality health care can seem out of reach to many Burlington County residents, especially the uninsured or those living below the poverty level. Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Inc. is working to change that. For nearly 40 years, the federally funded nonprofit has been providing primary and preventive health services to area residents who otherwise may not be able to afford such care. “What we do is so important, because we take care of the medical needs of a very vulnerable population,” CEO Linda Flake said. “We increase their access to certain services and improve their health outcomes.” The organization is committed to getting its patients the care they need, even providing transportation to and from appointments and offering translation services and certified application counselors who can help with health care applications and charity care appointments. “Our services are available to whoever needs them,” Flake said. Link to article: http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/1e2f36be-c623-11e6-9bd1-d75dc0199673.html

SJFMC Health Centers are National Health Service Corps and NJ Primary Care Loan Redemption sites


Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers offers competitive loan repayment programs through the Health Resources and Services Administration for primary care medical, dental and mental health clinicians working at approved NHSC facilities in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Full-time clinicians working at high-need sites can receive $60,000 for their initial two-year commitment and may be eligible to apply for additional years of support to repay their student loans. Part-time opportunities are also available. More on the National Health Service Corps More on New Jersey Primary Care Redemption Sites

Menendez Visits Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers to Talk Expansion


U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today visited the Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers in Atlantic City to announce a nearly $3.12 million grant to expand and improve its facilities, which will create new jobs and provide access to vital health care services for more local families. The grant was part of an overall investment of $18 million to expand and improve services at seven New Jersey health centers and was made possible by the Affordable Care Act. “There is no doubt that the Affordable Care Act is working for New Jersey families and communities, and I’m proud to have fought for its passage and for increased investment in our New Jersey health centers,” said Menendez. “Not only will the Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers soon be expanded and equipped to care for more patients, we will create good construction and health care jobs in the process. Without centers like this one, countless New Jerseyans would go without the health care they need.” Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers will use its $3,118,999 grant to expand and upgrade its existing facility located in Burlington City. This expansion will allow the center to provide the traditional array of community health center services to an additional 7,500 patients, to include primary care and dental services, mental health, nutritional counseling, OB/GYN services, community outreach and more. “The dollars awarded to our health center today will mean that many additional families in our community will have improved access to effective primary care services,” said Linda Flake, President/CEO of Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers. “We are extremely proud to accept this award, particularly during our 35th year of providing high-quality medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured populations within the region.” Link to Press Release: https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-at-southern-jersey-medical-center-to-talk-expansion