AHEC West is pleased to kick off the New Year by welcoming Health Right to the array of programs serving our organizational mission to improve access to and promote quality in healthcare through educational and other partnerships.

 

Health Right (formerly Allegany Health Right), which provides access to emergency dental care for low-income, uninsured/under-insured adults, dates to 1988 when it was established as a non-profit agency by the 

Allegany County Medical Society to coordinate safety-net care for low income county residents. After passage of the Affordable Care Act, Health Right's mission evolved to focus on providing oral healthcare services.

 

With the departure of its executive director last fall, and facing significant funding challenges, Allegany Health Right's Board of Directors reached out to AHEC West for help in charting a path forward. AHEC West Executive Director Susan Stewart worked closely with her Board of Directors in developing a plan to incorporate Allegany Health Right services under the AHEC West program umbrella. Both Boards approved the transition, which involved Allegany Health Right's dissolution as an independent entity.

 

"Allegany Health Right has served as an invaluable resource for our most vulnerable residents, and we were determined to maintain this program for Western Maryland," Stewart said. "We are very happy to welcome Health Right to AHEC West."

 

The program is now simply called Health Right to reflect a service mission that extends beyond Allegany County to Western Maryland and the surrounding region as funds allow.

 

Health Right staff includes Jan Chippendale, case manager, and Malissa Savage, Community Health Worker, both of whom now work out of the AHEC West office on the Downtown Cumberland Mall. Jan can be reached at 301-777-9150 x-112, while Malissa is at 301-777-9150 x-113.