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CSS opens its integrated care clinic to the general public

SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter

Published: September 20, 2019

It was created to provide preventative care and treatment to Community Support Services’ mental health clients, but in June, officials announced that The Margaret Clark Morgan Integrated Care Clinic would begin accepting all Summit County residents.

“Access to healthcare is a barrier that many of our clients face,” said Bob Stokes, president and chief executive officer of Community Support Services (CSS). “For more than ten years they have benefitted from our clinic, but we realized that it’s not just individuals with mental illness that have barriers to healthcare.

“We wanted to make our services available to other residents who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to see a healthcare professional on a regular basis,” said Stokes. “We believe many poor and elderly residents, especially those living near our facility in Akron’s University Park neighborhood will benefit greatly from our clinic.”

Founded in 1988, Community Support Services initially focused exclusively on providing mental health services to its clients, the majority of whom live with severe and persistent mental illness.

Today the agency offers a host of other services, including community-based case management, supported employment, supported housing, assertive community treatment, counseling and other wellness-promoting care.

Located at 150 Cross St., CSS opened The Margaret Clark Morgan Integrated Care Clinic in 2009 to assist clients suffering from co-occurring physical ailments.

“It’s not uncommon for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease to be undiagnosed or untreated in people who have severe and persistent mental illness,” said Elizabeth Stewart, director of Health Center Administration and Health Integration at CSS. “In fact, studies show the average lifespan of people with severe mental illness is about 20 to 25 years shorter than those not suffering with severe mental illness.

“Through our integrated care clinic, we have been able to coordinate their physical and mental healthcare to ensure our clients and patients receive regular screenings and treatment for physical ailments.”

About a year ago, the organization began the process of opening the integrated care clinic to the general public, which includes achieving the designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike.

Stewart said the only difference between a full FQHC and an FQHC Look-Alike is that the organizations that are designated as a full FQHC are eligible to receive additional grant funding. In 18 months, at the end of the current cycle, CSS plans to apply for full FQHC status.

“Facilities that are not FQHC-qualified cannot receive grant money,” said Stewart. “At this stage of the designation process, we are what is known as an FQHC Look-Alike clinic. Over the next 12 to 18 months, as we check off the last few boxes on our initial Look-Alike certification period, we plan to become a full FQHC.”

The clinic is staffed with a physician and three nurse practitioners and offers services ranging from wellness checks, routine exams and chronic illness management to women’s health screenings such as onsite mammograms as well as eye, dental and podiatric care.

Patients can request to be assessed for behavioral and mental health services.

“We also have partnerships with both a laboratory and retail pharmacy that have outlets located in our facility,” said Stewart. “This makes follow-up for getting labs drawn or picking up important medication much more convenient and helps our patients be more compliant with their medical care.

“CSS also facilitates assistance programs, which can help people who can’t afford their medications.”

The Margaret Clark Morgan Integrated Care Clinic accepts private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. The clinic also offers sliding-scale fees to residents who do not have insurance.

It is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For more information go to (http://www.cssbh.org/primary-care-clinic) or call the clinic at 330-815-4273.


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