A shared-services agreement between the city’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Henry J. Austin Health Center (HJAHC) will ensure that city residents have continued access to high-quality, comprehensive, integrated medical care, Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson announced today.
“This agreement makes certain that individuals, families and children have uninterrupted access to critical health care, such as pediatric care services, including help with substance abuse and nutritional counseling,” said Jackson. “Henry J. Austin Health Center provides myriad medical services, including dental care, and has been doing so for many years.”
In the last two years, health-care professionals volunteered their time at the city’s 218 North Broad St. clinic to provide choice medical services, such as childhood immunizations, general physicals and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Patients with health issues beyond the clinic’s capabilities were referred to primary care physicians. With this new agreement, patients currently under the clinic’s care will see a vast increase in care and services at the Henry J. Austin Health Center.
Since 1969, Henry J. Austin Health Center has provided comprehensive health-care services to the Trenton community, and, according to Dr. Kemi Alli, recently established a pharmacy at its North Warren Street facility.
“Patients who were formally seen by health-care volunteers organized by the city will now have access to a wider variety of health care professionals, including social workers, dentists, optometrists, clinical pharmacists, nutritionists and more,” said Dr. Alli. “We are capable of treating the whole patient with comprehensive, integrated care.”
According to James Brownlee, the city’s health officer and director of the Department of Health and Human Services, current clinic patients will be notified of the arrangement with the Henry J. Austin Health Center and receive guidance on how to connect with their new health-care professionals.
“Our goal is to increase the availability of services to our patients, which elevates care,” said Brownlee. “We are working to make this a seamless change in health-care providers for our current clients.”
According to Gregory Paulson, executive director of the Trenton Health Team, which has a successful collaboration with the Henry J. Austin Health Center, St. Francis Medical Center and other health-care providers, the city’s agreement with the center aligns perfectly with its mission.
“Trenton Health Team strives to expand access to primary care for city residents,” said Paulson. “This partnership between the city of Trenton and the Henry J. Austin Health Center achieves that goal.”
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