Zufall Health opens clinic at Somerset County's behavioral health center
BRIDGEWATER – Somerset County cut the ceremonial ribbon Monday on the new Zufall Health Center at the Richard Hall Community Health and Wellness Center.
The clinic will provide primary and dental care and support care coordination to ensure that Richard Hall’s mental health and substance use clients have holistic wellness plans to include body, mind and spirit care, while also expanding access to Zufall Health’s services to area residents.
“For so many of our neighbors and loved ones who are dealing with mental health issues, just the process of getting the care they need can be overwhelming. Somerset County is committed to removing as many of these barriers as possible,” said Somerset County Commissioner Paul Drake, liaison to Human Services. “The simple convenience for our Richard Hall clients of scheduling mental health and physical health appointments closely together in time and location can mean the difference between getting and not getting care.”
The inclusion of Zufall’s services at Richard Hall allows integrated care coordinators to provide complete health care at one location, removing barriers of travel and scheduling that often result in partial or incomplete care. Richard Hall has worked with Zufall Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, as one of its offsite partners for the past eight years.
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“Zufall Health has been an outstanding partner throughout the past decade in meeting the whole health needs of our clients. During the COVID pandemic when so many people struggled and continue to struggle with mental health and substance use issues, they were responsive to our clients’ needs,” said Richard Hall Executive Director Nicci Spinazzola. “There is tremendous value in combining the two aspects of care and removing some of the barriers to the delivery these services to our clients.”
Somerset County received a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grant from the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration in May 2020 that targeted growing its integrated care programs. This grant allowed Richard Hall to partner with Zufall Health to fully integrate medical, dental, mental health treatment, substance use treatment and other wellness programs under one roof for the first time.
“Zufall Health is grateful to partner with Richard Hall Community Health & Wellness Center to establish our third service location in Somerset County and 14th statewide,” said Frances Palm, president and CEO of Zufall Health. “The new space will enable us to bring our nationally recognized medical and dental services to people who receive behavioral health care at Richard Hall, their families, and nearby residents, while expanding our capacity to provide integrated, affordable, and high-quality health care to vulnerable people in New Jersey.”
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Alexander Lewis is an award-winning reporter and photojournalist whose work spans many topics. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Zufall Health opens clinic at Richard Hall Community Center
