Investment in Primary Care: Expansion at Niagara Falls Community Health Centre
Speakers at the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre’s Primary Care Expansion announcement. From left to right: Terica Larmond, Chair, Board of Directors, NFCHC; Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls; Laura Blundell, Executive Director, NFCHC; Tara Galitz, Executive Director, NOHT-ÉSON.
Niagara Falls, ON – Today, the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre (NFCHC) announced $2.696 million in new funding from the Government of Ontario. The funding will expand its staffing to provide primary care and wrap around services to attach an additional 3,800 people with a focus on equity-deserving individuals. It will also work closely with the Niagara Ontario Health Team – Équipe Sante Niagara (NOHT-ÉSON) and its partners the Niagara Medical Group Family Health Team and Niagara North Family Health Team to attach an additional 2,500 residents in the first 12 months.
“Meaningful attachment to primary care is a fundamental component of an effective health care system,” said Laura Blundell, Executive Director of the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre. “NFCHC has built an interdisciplinary, community-based model of care focused on keeping people with unique needs well. We’re extremely grateful to the Government of Ontario for this investment, which will enable us to provide our services to more individuals.”
“For far too long, families in Niagara Falls have struggled to find a family doctor or access timely, consistent health care,” said MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls). “This funding is an important step toward closing that gap and making sure no one in our community is left behind. I’m proud to see nearly $3 million coming directly to the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre to help thousands of residents — especially those who need care the most — finally get the support they deserve. Primary care is the foundation of a healthy system, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure every person in Niagara has access to it.”
“The NOHT-ÉSON values the Ministry of Health’s commitment to providing the much-needed support to interprofessional primary health care in Niagara,” said Tara Galitz, Executive Director of the NOHT-ÉSON. “This funding is essential in enabling greater access and attachment to health professionals, ensuring people who face barriers to health can access the comprehensive care they need from interprofessional teams in their community.”
If you or someone you know doesn’t currently have access to a primary care provider, call the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre at 905-356-4222 to get connected.
