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Charges in Medina mail box theft
White House: Don't post more secret war papers
Florida deputy shoots himself in leg during training
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Recession was deeper than gov't previously thought
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Akron man interrupts armed burglar
Fan in LeBron's Heat jersey draws ire in Cleveland
Father Sam revelations are painful
Police: Ohio baby who died had adult bite marks
Store apologizes for treatment of Ohio nursing mom
Police in Ohio find woman and 2 kids out naked
Drivers give Fairlawn roundabout thumbs-up
1st U.S. execution of woman since 2005 set for Sept.
Three Kenmore Blvd. buildings get energy-wise renovation
Barmaid robbed, patrons beaten inside Akron tavern
Construction worker killed along I-271 by motorist
Letters to the editor - July 29
Blogs:
The330:
Akron Zoo’s $500,000 Conservation Carousel opens to public Saturday
Akron Docs in Haiti:
Orphans in Fondwa
First Bell - On Education:
Busing, sports fees and class size on table if Copley-Fairlawn schools levy fails
Pets:
Paws & Pitches at Canal Park
The Heldenfiles:
"So You Think You Can Dance" Notes
Akron Zips:
Poll: What season are you anticipating most?
Tribe Matters:
Thursday’s Indians lineup
Cleveland Browns:
Links to Browns coverage: July 30, 2010
Kent State Sports:
Key MAC Games Of 2010 Season
Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron still has at least one fan in Cleveland
Buckeye Blogging:
10 Hurdles Standing Between Ohio State and Another National Championship
Varsity Letters:
Important Dates for Upcoming High School Football Season
All Da King's Men:
Arizona Immigration Law Blocked, Drug Cartels Rejoice
Blog of Mass Destruction:
"Muslims Hate Jews, Christians &…Dogs"
Akron Law Café:
Key Portions of Arizona Immigration Law Struck Down by Federal Court
Car Chase:
Sunday – or Anyday Drives
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Brangelina to Buy in Santorini?
Sound Check:
Ohio alt-rock stars weigh in on Lebron….John Mayer too..
HRLite House:
From the White House – New Federal Approach to Hiring
By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
POSTED: 07:28 p.m. EST, Dec 30, 2009
KENT: A sliding-scale health-care center in Portage County is expanding to include dental services and evening hours.
So far this year, the Portage County Community Health Center in Kent has seen about 4,000 people, including more than 1,500 uninsured patients.
The number of patients is expected to grow starting next week, when the center's medical practice adds evening hours and a new dental practice opens for six days a week.
''We're happy to be able to provide that service to people in need,'' said John Sniezek, chief executive of Akron Community Health Resources Inc. (ACHR), the parent of the Portage County center.
Wes Newport, 33, was among the first patients to visit the new dental center, which opened on a part-time basis this month.
Newport is unemployed and hasn't been able to find affordable dental care as he's traveled across the country from job to job in the food service industry. Positions that offered medical coverage didn't provide dental insurance, he said.
Until a family member in Ravenna referred him to the Portage County Community Health Center, he lived with constant tooth pain.
He's had several visits at $40 per appointment this month to extract decayed teeth and fill numerous cavities.
''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' he said. ''This is a miracle to me.''
ACHR opened the satellite office in Kent in November 2008 in Robinson Memorial Hospital's former urgent-care center on state Route 59.
ACHR is a federally qualified health center, which allows the practice to receive higher Medicare and Medicaid payments to help make up for care provided to uninsured patients.
The creation of the Portage County health center was the culmination of years of work by community leaders to build a safety net for the county's estimated 30,000 to 45,000 uninsured residents.
Beginning Monday, the Portage County location will be open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for medical visits.
The new dental clinic also will have expanded hours from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition, the Portage County center will offer medical and dental visits from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday.
Appointments are available but not required.
''You can walk in,'' Sniezek said. ''There's no barrier for people receiving medical or dental care.''
The agency's dental and medical practices accept private insurance as well as Medicaid, a state-run health insurance program.
Uninsured patients are billed on a sliding scale, with the poorest paying $20 for medical visits and $40 for dental visits.
The Portage County location lost about $112,000 this year, but the loss was offset by revenues from the established practice in Akron, Sniezek said.
''We have proposed a break-even budget for next year,'' he said.
Akron Community Health Resources Inc. received about $86,000 in federal stimulus money this year to equip three dental chairs, Sniezek said. A trust fund established through the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy also contributed $50,000 toward the new dental practice.
The Ohio Department of Health in recent years has identified oral health as the biggest unmet medical need in the state.
The new dental practice provides preventive care, X-rays, extractions, fillings and oral cancer screenings for children and adults.
Ann Graney, who has experience working in public health programs, is serving as the Portage County site's dentist.
''I like the patient population,'' Graney said. ''I like the diversity that comes through. I like to be able to help that population — a population in need. It's very rewarding.''
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
KENT: A sliding-scale health-care center in Portage County is expanding to include dental services and evening hours.
So far this year, the Portage County Community Health Center in Kent has seen about 4,000 people, including more than 1,500 uninsured patients.
The number of patients is expected to grow starting next week, when the center's medical practice adds evening hours and a new dental practice opens for six days a week.
''We're happy to be able to provide that service to people in need,'' said John Sniezek, chief executive of Akron Community Health Resources Inc. (ACHR), the parent of the Portage County center.
Wes Newport, 33, was among the first patients to visit the new dental center, which opened on a part-time basis this month.
Newport is unemployed and hasn't been able to find affordable dental care as he's traveled across the country from job to job in the food service industry. Positions that offered medical coverage didn't provide dental insurance, he said.
Until a family member in Ravenna referred him to the Portage County Community Health Center, he lived with constant tooth pain.
He's had several visits at $40 per appointment this month to extract decayed teeth and fill numerous cavities.
''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' he said. ''This is a miracle to me.''
ACHR opened the satellite office in Kent in November 2008 in Robinson Memorial Hospital's former urgent-care center on state Route 59.
ACHR is a federally qualified health center, which allows the practice to receive higher Medicare and Medicaid payments to help make up for care provided to uninsured patients.
The creation of the Portage County health center was the culmination of years of work by community leaders to build a safety net for the county's estimated 30,000 to 45,000 uninsured residents.
Beginning Monday, the Portage County location will be open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for medical visits.
The new dental clinic also will have expanded hours from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition, the Portage County center will offer medical and dental visits from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday.
Appointments are available but not required.
''You can walk in,'' Sniezek said. ''There's no barrier for people receiving medical or dental care.''
The agency's dental and medical practices accept private insurance as well as Medicaid, a state-run health insurance program.
Uninsured patients are billed on a sliding scale, with the poorest paying $20 for medical visits and $40 for dental visits.
The Portage County location lost about $112,000 this year, but the loss was offset by revenues from the established practice in Akron, Sniezek said.
''We have proposed a break-even budget for next year,'' he said.
Akron Community Health Resources Inc. received about $86,000 in federal stimulus money this year to equip three dental chairs, Sniezek said. A trust fund established through the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy also contributed $50,000 toward the new dental practice.
The Ohio Department of Health in recent years has identified oral health as the biggest unmet medical need in the state.
The new dental practice provides preventive care, X-rays, extractions, fillings and oral cancer screenings for children and adults.
Ann Graney, who has experience working in public health programs, is serving as the Portage County site's dentist.
''I like the patient population,'' Graney said. ''I like the diversity that comes through. I like to be able to help that population — a population in need. It's very rewarding.''
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
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