The Catskill Chronicle

MONTICELLO, NY – Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) joined Anne Nolan and Allison DuBois of Hudson River HealthCare to announce the launch of construction for a new dental health center in Sullivan County.  Hinchey secured $200,000 in the Labor-HHS fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill to help equip the new dental health center, which will also utilize $350,000 in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which Hinchey strongly supported and voted to pass. The construction phase of the project will employ 2 full time construction workers and 10 contractors over a 6 month period.  Hudson River HealthCare will hire 12 additional full time staff upon completion of the project.

"Dental services are critical but often unavailable to low-income individuals and families," said Hinchey.  "Many people are forced to leave dental problems untreated due to the expense of treatment and lack of options, particularly in  ‘medically underserved’ areas like Sullivan County.  We’re here today to help address that problem by celebrating the start of construction on the much-needed addition of four fully-equipped dental operatory suites to this critical facility.  This expansion is going to improve access to dental services as well as create 12 jobs in the construction phase and another 12 permanent jobs once the dental facilities are up and running. I am very proud to support this project and the outstanding work that Hudson River HealthCare provides in Monticello and so many other communities across the Catskills and Hudson Valley."

Hudson River HealthCare has purchased the small office next door to their current facility in order to expand dental and pediatric services.  The dental suites are expected to be completed in nine months and will be followed by additional reconstruction to establish facilities to provide pediatric services.  In addition to announcing that construction has begun on the new dental health center, Hinchey also highlighted the important role that Federally Qualified Health Centers, like Hudson River HealthCare, play in meeting the health care needs of our nation.

"As we mark and celebrate ‘National Health Center Week,’ we need to recognize the very significant and positive role that our Federally Qualified Health Centers are playing in the long overdue expansion of healthcare to more and more Americans," said Hinchey. "Hudson River HealthCare and its more than 500 incredibly dedicated staff are working to change this unfortunate reality and bring the full spectrum of healthcare services to everyone who needs it here in Sullivan County and throughout the Hudson Valley."

For the past 35 years, Hudson River HealthCare has continued to improve and expand its non-profit services to low-income individuals and family across the Catskill and Hudson Valley regions.  The Monticello Center is now one of sixteen sites that provide primary care and other services to more than 65,000 people annually.

The Monticello branch of Hudson River HealthCare  is located at 23 Lakewood Avenue, Monticello. Their hours of operation are –

• Monday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tuesday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Thursday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

To schedule an appointment or for more information call 794-2010. For a listing and description of the services they offer visit their website at – http://www.hrhcare.org/Locations/site.asp?LocationId=22.