Our Story
For years, Hudson River HealthCare has provided innovative programs and services designed to meet the needs of at risk populations throughout New York State's Hudson Valley. In the early 1970's a group of local residents and religious leaders addressed the lack of appropriate health services in their community. In particular, a group of four women, fondly referred to as our founding mothers, spearheaded the efforts and have remained committed to the organization since its inception. The Peekskill Area Ambulatory Health Center, as it was then named, officially opened its doors in July 1975 in what was once an old department store on Main Street in Peekskill, one of the region's poorest cities, in order to provide health care to the underserved population of Peekskill. To meet the growing needs of the Hudson Valley's uniquely diverse populations, Hudson River HealthCare has expanded to include thirteen health center sites and mobile healthcare services delivering comprehensive primary, preventive and behavioral healthcare throughout a nine county region to over 42,000 people through well over 183,000 encounters.

Supporters
We are a 501(c)3 tax exempt, not-for-profit, federally qualified health center, funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act as administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care, to operate Community and Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for Homeless and Public Housing Primary Care Programs. Governed by a consumer-majority board of directors, we represent the communities we serve. Along with Federal funding, we also receive State, County, private foundation, and corporate funding. Linkages with other area health providers hospitals and community organizations also lend various forms of support needed for many of our programs.

Hudson River HealthCare's Leadership
Hudson River HealthCare is led by a consumer board of directors who represent the communities in which we are located.

Marlene Adair

Aspacio Alcantara

John Copenhaver   (Finance Committee)

Anne Cunney

Elizabeth Druback

Estella Espejo

Martin Fuentes

James Heisey

Marcia Jacobowitz-Paz   (Vice-Chairperson)

Norma Johnson

Sylvia Olaker

Sandra Cuellar Oxford

Bryan Paz

Elvira Pinto Scott

Andrew S. Richter, Ph.D.   (Treasurer)

Sister Margaret Smyth, O.P

James Steets

Alan L. Steiner   (Chairman)

Gheevargese A. Thankachan, Esq.

Attie Tucker   (Secretary)

Johnny Watson

Health Disparities Collaborative Participation
HealthCare has a wealth of experience building on lessons learned and knowledge gained, through participation in the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Disparities Collaboratives (HDC). The Health Center has participated in the BPHC's Diabetes II Health Disparities Collaborative since January 2000, and has continued to sustain and spread the Model of Care developed in the Collaborative, not only to the Health Center's other sites, but also to other chronic conditions. Hudson River HealthCare has also participated in the HRSA HIV Collaborative, and is currently one of only five community health centers nationwide participating in the BPHC National Prevention Pilot Collaborative. The Care Model put forth in the Collaboratives includes a Model for Improvement which has proven to be an excellent and effective evaluation tool, and has guided a number of Health Center program and service changes and improvements in recent years.

Community Involvement
Hudson River HealthCare is exemplary in fostering partnerships and forging collaborative relationships within the communities it serves. In order to ensure community involvement at all levels, Community Health maintains an open dialogue with community leaders, key stakeholders, businesses and community-based agencies; invites membership on the Board of Directors; recruits staff from within targeted communities; maintains a consumer/ patient advisory board; and conducts surveys of patients, staff and community members. Hudson River HealthCare's consumer Board of Directors is a volunteer group comprising representatives from each of the communities and special populations served by the Health Center. Hudson River HealthCare has ongoing partnerships and referral arrangements with many other health and social service providers in Hudson Valley, as well as with county health departments and public school districts.

Accomplishments and Awards
Hudson River HealthCare is accredited by the prestigious Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for both primary care and behavioral health. JCAHO evaluates the quality and safety of care for more than 16,000 health care organizations. With this recognition, Hudson River HealthCare demonstrates that it meets or exceeds applicable Joint Commission standards in all performance areas.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

The Health Center was also received national recognition as a recipient of the Department of Health and Human Services Models That Work 2000 Award for Hudson River HealthCare's Maternal Infant Care Program (MICP).

Health and Human Services

Planetree: A Model for Patient Centered Care
Hudson River HealthCare is a Planetree affiliate, offering patient centered care based on the Planetree model. Planetree integrates the technology of modern medicine with the healing dimensions of compassion, comfortable surroundings, shared knowledge and freedom to make educated choices. The goal of Planetree is to help the individual, the family and community learn to live healthfully, and avoid destructive lifestyles and choices that lead to sickness and despair. In order to achieve this high quality of care with a patient centered focus, all staff are trained in the Planetree philosophy. Vital to Planetree is the remodeling of physical space to create healing yet efficient environment for care. This includes making health resources, including materials, information, and education accessible to the public. By placing a premium on patient and caregiver education, Planetree encourages a health care partnership and personal connection between patient and caregiver, so that the patient takes an active role in promoting his or her own health. Our providers and staff are trained to be sensitive to the numerous cultures and ethnicities found in the Hudson Valley. A large percentage of our staff is bilingual, and we also provide interpreters when needed. Health education materials and workshops are also offered in English and Spanish.