HRHCare to Provide Free Health Assessments and Primary Care Services to Long Island Agricultural Workers at Second ‘Day of Health’

DOH2HRHCare’s Agricultural Health Fund Increases Health Care Access for Agricultural Workers and Their Families.

Riverhead, NY – HRHCare, one of the largest federally qualified health center (FQHC) systems in the country with a 40-year history of providing high-quality health care to underserved populations, announced today that it will be hosting its second ‘Day of Health’ at Pindar Vineyards in Peconic, NY on March 10, 2016.

Throughout the day, a bilingual HRHCare team will provide free health assessments and other primary care services to local agricultural workers representing farms throughout the North Fork. Some of these services will include:

Consultation with a bilingual medical provider;
Blood pressure screening;
Nutritional education;
Farmworker safety training;
Farmworker Voucher enrollment;
Health insurance information and enrollment;
Referrals for specialty care;
Family health history assessment;
Assistance with scheduling a follow-up appointment at one of the nine HRHCare Health Centers in Suffolk County for comprehensive medical, behavioral health, and dental appointments.

“Despite their huge contribution to Long Island’s economy, agricultural workers are chronically underserved by our health care system,” said Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, President and CEO of HRHCare. “After the enormous success of last November’s Day of Health, we’re thrilled to partner with Pindar Vineyards and Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing again to provide the high-quality care HRHCare is known for to the people who need it most or might not otherwise have access.”

“Pindar Vineyards is pleased to be able to offer a location for HRHCare to provide local farm workers with health screenings that they otherwise would not have available to them,” said Pindar Damianos, Owner and Director of Vineyard Management for Pindar Vineyards. “We hope that hosting this Day of Health in March will further raise awareness of the program and thereby expand it to more locations across the East End of Long Island.”

Barbara Shinn, co-founder of Shinn Estate Vineyards, co-hosted the first ‘Day of Health’ and plans to connect her employees to HRHCare services at this event and throughout the year.

“Working with HRHCare is extraordinary,” said Barbara Shinn of Shinn Estate Vineyards. “We are so thankful to have this team of professionals here on the East End providing health care to our farmworkers.”

The first HRHCare ‘Day of Health’, which was supported by Pindar Vineyards and Shinn Estate Vineyards in November, drew more than 70 Long Island agricultural workers and provided free health assessments, flu shots and health education. The event was supported by funds raised by the HRHCare Foundation and Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing at its Honoring the Hands benefit in July 2015. The HRHCare Foundation supports the workers behind the scenes of Long Island’s wine industry and other underserved populations in its 10-county service area.

Agriculture is the largest industry on Long Island, contributing nearly $260 million to the local economy, yet farmworkers and their families often struggle to gain access to quality health care. Many of these families suffer from poor nutrition, asthma, musculoskeletal conditions, and a lack of preventive care and dental services.

About HRHCare

Hudson River HealthCare (HRHCare) is a nonprofit, New York State licensed, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Founded 40 years ago to provide care to the medically underserved population of Peekskill, New York, HRHCare is now one of the nation’s largest community health providers. From the Capitol Region to the East-end of Long Island, HRHCare’s network of over 26 health centers provides affordable, accessible care to more than 135,000 patients. Our more than 200 primary care practitioners and 700 specialists and support staff have made HRHCare a destination for high-quality and compassionate care for all. In 2014, HRHCare saw a total of 480,000 patient visits across its facilities throughout New York State.
As HRHCare has grown it has retained its core values of community and compassion. Excelling in patient care, HRHCare provides comprehensive services to anyone who walks through our doors. HRHCare’s health centers provide primary and preventative treatment including adult and pediatric care; obstetrical and gynecological care; family planning; HIV counseling, testing, and referral; dental services; mental health counseling; nutrition counseling; podiatry; WIC services; health education; and a full complement of outreach, translation, transportation, benefits counseling and health insurance enrollment assistance.
HRHCare has a profound commitment to the communities it serves and works to improve community health through partnerships and collaborations with local community leaders, businesses, social service agencies, housing organizations, food banks, agricultural worker alliances and other local stakeholders. HRHCare believes if it wants to ensure quality care for its patients, it should ensure quality pay for its staff, which is why it provides a minimum living wage of $15 an hour for all employees.

For more information contact:
Mitch Schwartz
646.930.0229
mschwartz@skdknick.com

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