Neighborhood Health Station Breaks Ground In Central Falls

Blackstone Valley’s Community Health Center breaks ground today on a new Neighborhood Health Station in Central Falls. The station is meant to serve patients as more than a health clinic. Former health department director Dr. Michael Fine is one of the driving forces behind the new Neighborhood Health Station. He says it’s a different model from a community health center: “Community health centers focus on the people who consult them and do a great job at it. A neighborhood health station really looks at the health of the entire city whether people have walked through the doors yet or not.” That means the station will have community outreach workers, relationships with housing and educational officials, and programs that promote physical activity. Services such as urgent care, dentistry, and physical therapy will be available on site. The facility takes insurance but also payment on a sliding scale for people who can’t afford care. Fine says an outreach worker will visit residents who