$1.5 Million CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Grant to Provide Primary Care and Family Services for 6,000 People.
Washington, D.C. — Access to primary care continues to be a challenge for many Prince George’s County residents. Overall, the County suffers from a low physician-to-resident ratio, resulting in below-average health outcomes with high rates of premature death and low-birth-weight infants.
To respond to this need, Mary’s Center, a community health center that serves more than 24,000 residents in the D.C. metropolitan area, has opened a new center in Adelphi, MD targeting populations lacking access to primary care.
“What we have found during these three months of services at our new Center is a clear radiography of the health status in Prince George’s County; most of the residents coming for services are uninsured and have not seen a doctor for years, pregnant women are starting prenatal care at an advanced stage, and adults with chronic diseases are not taking their medications regularly – all due to the lack of primary care providers in the County,” said Maria Gomez, Mary’s Center President and CEO. “We are very pleased to be a part of the solution.”
In addition to primary care services, Mary’s Center is partnering with the Prince George’s County Public Schools, the Judy Hoyer Family Learning Center, and the Prince George’s Child Resource Center to implement its three-pronged social change model of service delivery: the provision of health care, education and social services.
“A healthy child is a happy child. A happy child can focus on their schoolwork,» says Dr. William R. Hite Jr., Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools. «With the arrival of Mary’s Center in Prince George’s County, our parents have a convenient location for medical care. On behalf of the Prince George’s County Public Schools community, we are excited to welcome Mary’s Center and will eagerly work with the Center in serving our children and families.”
The new 10-exam-room health center was made possible in part by a $1.5 million grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), with additional funding from Providence Hospital, March of Dimes, the Phillip Graham Fund and the George Preston Fund.
“This grant signifies our commitment to reducing health disparities in the communities we serve,” said Maria Harris Tildon, CareFirst Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs. “With the new facility, Mary’s Center will be able to focus on providing its Prince George’s County clients with complete primary care health services. This means not only treating illnesses as they arise, but identifying and addressing risk factors that often lead to more serious health concerns.”
At the Grand Opening Ceremony held on May 16th at its new Center located at 8909 Riggs Road in Adelphi, MD, Mary’s Center and key partners gathered to celebrate the much-needed provision of comprehensive resources to families in Prince George’s County.
