
Codman Square
Health Center
637 Washington Street
Dorchester MA 02124
(617) 825-9660
MassHealth Members Alert - Be Sure to Renew Your Coverage
|
Codman Square
Health Center
637 Washington Street
Dorchester MA 02124
(617) 825-9660
Multicultural AIDS Coalition: 9 Palmer St, Roxbury, MA 02119
New England AIDS Education & Training Center Program: 529 Main St Suite 301, Boston, MA 02129
Care That Fits You: A program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Bedsider: Family Planning resources
CDC: PrEP | HIV Basics | HIV/AIDS
Programs:
Africans For Improved Access
CONNECTED Boston
Women Connecting Affecting Change
Contact: MAC, Inc. | (617) 442-1622 | contact@mac-boston.org
Facebook: Multicultural AIDS Coalition | Instagram: macinboston, connectedboston
Locations and Hours:
9 Palmer St, Roxbury, MA 02119 – MAC Headquarters
157 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA – WCAC (Women Connecting Affecting Change)
Services offered: MAC offers testing for HIV, hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections at no cost to clients. We provide prevention counseling and education, navigation to medical care if needed, and access to PrEP. A wide range of services for People Living with HIV are available, including peer support, case management, and access to pharmacy delivery or pick-up.
Insurance: Services provided at no cost to clients. Most insurances accepted patients without insurance can still be seen.
Are you the parent of a Trans child?
This support group aims to provide parental support. We’ll tackle questions about gender development, navigating the transition process, developing healthy and respectful communication, and advocating for your child.
Who: Parents of Trans, non-binary, and gender-questioning individuals
Where: Online via Zoom (Call or email for the Zoom link)
When: Mondays, 6 pm – 7 pm. March 14 – June 16
Contact: melissa.dagher@codman.org, 617-822-8185
A Trans & Non-binary Peer Group
Who: Trans, non-binary, and gender-questioning individuals, ages 18-29
Where: Online via Zoom (Email or call for the Zoom link)
When: Fridays, 12:30-2 pm. March 18 – June 3
How: Have your parent or guardian call to sign you up and get the Zoom link
Contact: hayley.bohn@codman.org, 617-822-8745
A Trans & Non-binary Youth Hangout
Who: Trans, non-binary, and gender-questioning individuals, ages 12-17
Where: Online via Zoom
When: Tuesdays, 5 – 6:30 pm. March 22 – June 7
How: Have your parent or guardian call to sign you up and get the Zoom link
Contact: jordan.brooks@codman.org, 617-822-8484
Are you part of the LGBTQ+ community? Are you a community ally? Are you age 14 – 19?
Codman Square Health Center’s LGBTQ+ support group offers youth a safe space where you can express your feelings and thoughts, and create ideas and projects that you feel passionate about.
Where: Codman Square Health Center (637 Washington St., Dorchester), 3rd Floor Multi-purpose Room.
When: Mondays, 5 pm – 6 pm. Beginning March 28.
Contact: cherish.lamar-smith@codman.org, william.graves@codman.org
Program: Project SHINE: HIV/STI Testing & Treatment Coordination, PrEP Navigation, Community-based Prevention, HIV Medical Care Coordination, Linkage and Retention, Medical Case Management, Behavioral Health
Contact:
Project SHINE main line: 617-568-4490
PrEP services: 617-970-6443
Email: orellane@ebnhc.org
Location: 79 Paris St., East Boston, MA 02128
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm. Testing by appointment only on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Services offered: Project SHINE offers confidential HIV/STI testing and treatment. Prescribe PrEP and provide navigation. Provide HIV medical care, medical case management, linkage to care, peer support and behavioral health to patients who test positive for HIV.
Insurance: HIV/STI testing is free for all patients with or without insurance. The person does not need to be a patient of EBNHC for HIV/STI testing at Project SHINE. Uninsured patients who want to take PrEP or test positive for HIV will be helped in accessing Masshealth/Healthconnector. Uninsured patients that test positive for a bacterial STI can be linked to BMC or MGH for treatment. EBNHC accepts several insurances. Patients interested in PrEP at EBNHC/Project SHINE and have primary care elsewhere are encouraged to check with their insurance provider if EBNHC/Project SHINE is in network and if the patient will need a referral from their PCP (for those with HMOs).
Contact:
Zariah Williamson (She/Her) – PrEP /STD Treatment Coordinator
617-898-9159 | Williamsonz@matchc.org
Testing Clinic Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:30 am – 5 pm
Wednesday: Virtual appointments only.
Please note that times for the clinic are subject to change.
Walk-in appointments are accepted and will be seen the next available time slot that the center can offer.
Type of appointments: Virtual, Walk-in, Scheduled appointments
Testing Services:
PrEP
PEP
Hep C/Hep B
HIV
STD
Plan B
Additional Services:
Safety planning
Sexual Health Education
Transgender Health Care Safety Planning
Peer Groups
Free condoms, lube, and sexual health supplies
HIV Case Management
Future Services:
Mobile Testing
Outreach
Home Testing Kits
Sexual Health Chat with Zariah (teens and young adults)
Living with HIV Peer Connect
Harm Reduction
Canned Food Bags/Pantry
HIV Wellness Group
Insurance:
We accept most health insurance, including the following:
Aetna
BMC Health Net
BMC-BACO -Community Alliance
MassHealth limited/basic and Standard
Harvard Pilgrim
Health Safety Net
Tufts
Tufts Together
United Health Plan
Medicare
Cigna
BlueCross BlueShield
Unicare
AARP
Senior Whole Health
Health Plans
Children Medical Security Plan
Allways-NHP
Please contact us if you have insurance that is not listed above.
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02122
We Keep You Well
Name of program: DotHouse Health HIV Services
Testing: Patients can receive HIV testing during routine visits to their primary care provider. You can also be tested on a walk-in basis in our Urgent Care Department which is open 7 days a week. You should receive your results within 30-45 minutes.
HIV testing is billed to your insurance. If you are uninsured, our financial counselors will help you apply for insurance or explore other options.
HIV PrEP: We offer education, counseling, and medication management to prevent HIV infection to those at risk. DotHouse primary care patients can speak with their primary care provider if they’re interested in PrEP. Urgent care patients who do not have a primary care provider can speak to their attending provider, who will help them determine options, including establishing care with us.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI): DHH provides comprehensive care for patients at risk or diagnosed with STIs. Care can be accessed in primary care or at our urgent care center.
HIV treatment and supportive services: People living with HIV can access comprehensive HIV treatment and services with the DotHouse infectious disease team. Services include case management assistance with insurance, treatment adherence, risk reduction, income and food support, housing, legal issues, and referrals to psychosocial services.
Contact:
To schedule an appointment, please call the Appointments Line at 617-740-2320.
For information on testing services, please call 617-288-3230 and ask to be connected to the Urgent Care Reception Desk.
For information about treatment and case management for people living with HIV, please call 617-740-2584.
Program: X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center
Contact: Call 617-822-8350 or visit www.codman.org/xclinic to set up an appointment for HIV/STI testing and PrEP. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Location: 637 Washington St., Dorchester, MA 02124
Hours:
Monday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Tuesday: 8:30 am – 7 pm
Wednesday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Express only)
Thursday: 8:30 am – 4 pm; 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Friday: 1 -5 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 1 pm
Services offered: The X-Clinic offers patients counseling, testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Patients can access services through telehealth or in-person (walk-in or appointment). We are LGBTQ+ friendly, and have the newest and fastest testing equipment. We are proud to be a safe space, culturally competent, and have multi-lingual staff. The X-Clinic can get you your STI test results on your phone in as little as a few hours, though some results can take up to a couple of days. The X-Clinic offers: Same-day PrEP, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), Emergency Contraception/Plan B, testing for teenagers (visits and results are completely confidential), testing and treatment regardless of citizenship status, on-site or at-home HIV tests.
Insurance: The X-Clinic accepts all insurances. If you do not have insurance, Codman can help you apply for health insurance for you and your family. Visit our website or call 617-822-8162.
Name of programs:
Recovery services
THRIVE Clinic
PrEP Navigation
PrEP/PEP for primary care patients
HIV treatment, care, and support
Contact information:
HIV Services website
Recovery services: 617-282-3200
THRIVE Clinic: 617-533-2228
PrEP Navigation: 617-533-2319
HIV treatment, care, support: 617-533-2318
Hours and locations:
Please visit our website or call for up-to-date hours.
Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center
398 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester, MA
Geiger Gibson Community Health Center
250 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA
Services offered: At Harbor Health, we offer HIV prevention, treatment, and support services to make sure everyone can get the care they need. Our THRIVE clinic offers free and confidential rapid testing, risk counseling and prevention education, and free safer sex supplies. Our PrEP Navigation services are free and open to anyone who needs assistance connecting to PrEP. We also offer care, treatment, and support services to help people living with HIV lead a healthy life.
Insurance: Harbor Health serves everyone, regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. You do not have to have insurance to receive care and support services. Our HIV Rapid Testing and PrEP Navigation Services are offered free of charge and no insurance is required. For medical services, we accept most insurances including MassHealth and Health Safety Net. We can help you apply for insurance and programs to help with the cost of a prescription. We also offer a sliding fee scale for services and discounts based on income and family size.
The New England AIDS Education and Training Center (NEAETC) provides HIV/AIDS education, consultation, technical assistance, and resource materials to health care professionals. The MA Regional Partner (MARP) is a member of the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Steering Committee, working with stakeholders in Suffolk County to support workforce capacity development and provide technical assistance. The MARP has also been awarded additional funding to increase screening, prescribing, and management of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) among, but not limited to, People Who Inject Drugs (PWIDs) and Trans/Non-Binary individuals, as well as overall expansion of same-day PrEP/nPEP access in Suffolk County.
Website: New England AIDS Education and Training Center: Home (neaetc.org)
NEAETC MARP Clinical Director: Debra Winters dwinters@crine.org
NEAETC MARP EHE Program Manager: Kristin Moccia kmoccia@crine.org
Care that Fits You is an education and awareness initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS). The initiative is designed to inform gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men about the most effective HIV prevention options as well as related health topics and services. This website features current information about gay men’s health and includes links to medical and community resources. Learn more about MDPH.
Program: Boston GLASS
Contact: Text or call 978-604-6937 to set up an appointment for HIV/STI testing and PrEP. Find us on Instragram @boston_glass
Location: 555 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02135
Hours: Appointments available Monday-Friday 10 am – 6 pm
Services offered: Boston GLASS is a program of JRI Health offering a dynamic, welcoming drop-in center for LGBTQ+ Youth of Color ages 13-29 to receive supportive social and clinical services that cultivate a sense of belonging. The program serves LGBTQ+ Youth of Color who are at risk for HIV/STIs, substance use, homelessness, violence, commercial sexual exploitation, family disruption and lack of access to healthcare.
Insurance: Insurance accepted, but not required (all testing and PrEP services are free)
Codman Engages Community in Discussions about Race and Health
/in NewsCodman Square Health Center behavioral health providers have been reaching out to community members in a series of virtual network nights to share information and engage in conversations about race and how it can impact health. The events, which community members could attend free and on Zoom, dove deep into discussions about race and racism, and how it interacts with health.
One of Codman’s psychiatrists, Dr. Jessica Isom, MD, MPH, led the two sessions. On May 31, Dr. Isom addressed about 200 community members on the topic of racial stress, racial trauma, and substance abuse. She and other panel members talked about how dealing with racism can lead people to cope in health and unhealthy ways, including with alcohol and drugs.
Some Codman experts from our substance use disorder program shared resources the health center offers.
After the experts presented the information, they engaged the audience in discussion about the topic, and answered many questions. Attendees were grateful for the information.
On June 28, Dr. Isom presented to another group of about 200 community members about how expiring racism can impact one’s health and how to create a Racism Recovery Plan. They also answered questions and had a discussion with attendees.
“The conversations Codman Square Health Center has been having are much needed. We can’t wait for the next one,” one attendee shared after the meeting.
Codman offered these network nights with financial support from a grant from RIZE Massachusetts, and in partnership with Union Capital Boston.
HRSA Awards Codman Grant to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes
/in NewsCodman is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of only 35 health centers in the country, and the sole health center in Massachusetts, to receive a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the Fiscal Year 2023 Quality Improvement Fund-Maternal Health. This prestigious grant provides essential funding to support CSHC’s mission of improving the health outcomes of patients at the highest risk of maternal morbidity and mortality.
“At Codman Square Health Center, we are acutely aware of the urgent need to address maternal health disparities and reduce the alarming rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly within the Black community,” said Sandra Cotterell, CEO of Codman Square Health Center.
Codman, a federally qualified health center, serves a diverse patient population of approximately 23,500 individuals. Within our patient population, 94% identify as racial or ethnic minorities, including 81% Black, African American, or Afro-Caribbean, and 11% Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, approximately 20% of our patients prefer a language other than English, with many being recent immigrants from Haiti or the Caribbean. These factors contribute to acute disparities in maternal health within our service area.
In response to these needs, Codman developed the innovative and patient-centered Pregnancy Equity Accelerator for Codman Health (PEACH) project to address the disparities in our community, particularly among Black and minority communities. PEACH aims to transform our prenatal and postpartum care by implementing care that is individualized and responsive to our community’s maternal health needs.
Under the PEACH program, Codman will create pregnancy groups based on gestational age, starting early in the first trimester and continuing throughout the pregnancy. Families interested in ongoing care will also have access to a postpartum support group in this format. Our interdisciplinary team of certified nurse midwives, family medicine physicians, residents, and support personnel will provide comprehensive care that addresses our patients’ physical health needs and psychosocial well-being.
Collaborating with behavioral health clinicians, nutritionists, community health workers, case managers, and family planning counselors, we will provide holistic support for a woman’s journey toward optimal maternal health. Trusted community partners such as WIC, Baby Café, Birth Sisters, Healthy Baby Healthy Child, and ABCD will share resources and support our maternal health group cohorts to enrich our program.
Patient and community engagement are fundamental to the PEACH program. “We are grateful to our federal partners for developing the Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis and to Congress for investing historic funding in agencies such as HHS and HRSA,” added Sandra Cotterell, CEO of Codman Square Health Center. “With this HRSA funding, we will continue to work tirelessly to reduce disparities, provide culturally sensitive care, and empower our patients to thrive throughout their pregnancies and beyond.”
At Codman Square Health Center, our commitment to advancing maternal health and eliminating disparities in our community is unwavering. The HRSA grant will allow us to significantly improve our patients’ prenatal and postpartum health. We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey and eagerly anticipate sharing our progress with the broader health community.
Graduates hail the mind-opening values of the Clemente Course in the Humanities; Codman Sq. Health Center hosts cultural programming
/in Dorchester Reporter, NewsBy Seth Daniel, News Editor, Dorchester Reporter
When Rose Dolin and her two sisters, Hans and Lynda, signed up for the one-year commitment to the Clemente
Sisters Hans Dolin, Rose Dolin, and Lynda Dolin graduated from the Clemente Course in the Humanities at the Dorchester location and celebrated at a ceremony last month in the Great Hall in Codman Square.
Course in the Humanities at the Codman Square Neighborhood Health Center’s Adult Education program, they had no idea how many doors it would open to them intellectually. They thought they would simply be practicing English speaking and writing.
While they did do that, they also got a tutorial in the finer points of art history, among other studies. During a graduation program this spring in the Great Hall, Rose Dolin took note of how the program has changed the course of her life:
“Coming to this country six years ago has been very hard,” said the native of Haiti. “Feeling a sense of belonging in the US has always been challenging for me. Adjusting has been a really long journey. A lot of times I have felt very lonely, especially during the Covid-19 quarantine. I often asked, ‘What will I do with my life?’ I was on the verge of really giving up before Clemente. For me, Clemente opened up my eyes to so many things with American history, writing, art history and English. I feel enlightened.”
The Clemente Course in the Humanities has been in operation at the Health Center for 22 years. It is sponsored there by the Mass Cultural Council as one of five Clemente Course sites around the state that provide low-income adults with college-level introductory humanities courses, free of charge, for credit that is awarded by Bard College.
Co-Directors Tim McCarthy and Jack Cheng took the lead on the course in the fall of 2001 in the Great Hall and have taught hundreds of students since then. They collaborate with other teachers and instructors, but in the end, the reward is the lightbulb that goes off when students invest in studying the humanities and the world of arts.
“The best definition we’ve come up with of the humanities is it is the study together of what it means to be human so we can all become more humane,” said McCarthy, a Dorchester resident. “This course was born just after the 9/11 terrorist attack with just a little bit of money. We started here and people came, and they have continued to come for the past 22 years for this joyous work.”
Added Cheng, directing his comments to the graduates at the Great Hall ceremony: “I hope you’ll take with you all we learned and the trips we took with each other and the talks about what is right and wrong in the world and what happened in the past to make it the way it is. I hope when you’re in Dorchester or elsewhere, you’ll visit an art gallery or notice a building’s architecture outside – and that you don’t do those things alone, but with others.”
Sharon Howell, a 60-year-old Lower Mills native and member of Morningstar Baptist Church, said she committed to the one-year Clemente Course after feeling burnt out from the pandemic. She said she had never in her life watched television until the pandemic set in, and then, after watching too much, she said, her brain “needed some exercise.”
Her interests were philosophy, African American history, art history, but more than that, they were about herself.
“I want to say I learned truth,” she said. “They have the saying, ‘To thine own self be true.’ This class taught me a lot more about that. I learned how much further I’m ready and willing to take the truth and honesty in life.”
The 2023 graduates of the Clemente Course in Dorchester included: Rose Sherley Dolin, Hans Dolin, Lynda Dolin, Sharon Howell, Hazel Hutcherson, Pierre Jeremie, Gwendolyn McLean Kirkland, Sandra Means, and Dianna Miles.
For more information on the next course, contact Michelle Rue at 617-740-2531, or by email at michelle.rue@dorchesterhouse.org.
Take the MDPH Community Health Equity Survey
/in UncategorizedThe MDPH Community Health Equity Survey is an opportunity for residents to share their experiences and priorities to help shape the future of health care in the Commonwealth. The information you share will help MDPH and community partners determine how best to allocate funding, improve programming, and develop policies to address health inequities.
Codman Adopts New Electronic Health Records System
/in NewsCodman is pleased to be transitioning to a new electronic BMC Connect Epic health records system that will help us provide more efficient care to all of our patients. Starting on June 1, our staff will be working in the new system, and you may notice some changes.
Thank you for your patience as we go through this process.
Codman Shares New COVID-19 Masking Guidelines
/in UncategorizedThe federal COVID-19 public health emergency expired on May 11. Codman Square Health Center will continue to provide exceptional care to all of our patients, but you will see some changes across our campus, beginning May 12, since this public health emergency determined how we cared for patients during the pandemic.
Final Randolph Vaccine Clinic Offers Gift Cards, Lunch, and More!
/in NewsCodman is hosting its final all-ages vaccine clinic on Saturday, April 29, at 47 Memorial Parkway (Shaw’s Plaza) in Randolph from 9 am to 5 pm. We offer primary or booster doses. Come for the health protection, but stay for the fun.
See details below:
This vaccine location is closing its doors on April 30.
Questions? Call 781-961-0930, ext. 1
MassHealth Members – Don’t Lose Your Health Insurance Coverage!
/in NewsAll members of MassHealth must renew their coverage to make sure they are still eligible and receive the best benefits they can.
Learn About Health Equity in Massachusetts
/in NewsCodman is partnering with the Health Equity Compact and Union Capital Boston to host a free virtual network night on Thursday, April 13 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to join!
The Health Equity Compact is a group of more than 50 black and Latinx leaders in Massachusetts working to advance health equity in the state. Attendees at the Network Night will lear about why the compact was created and what it is doing to make measurable change. Bring your questions!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE NETWORK NIGHT
Senator Markey Visits Codman, Calls it the “Platinum Standard”
/in NewsUS Senator Ed Markey visited Codman on February 23 to talk with providers and staff, and to discuss his efforts to make diabetes care more affordable. Several local press attended the event, which featured Codman’s CEO Sandra Cotterell, Codman’s Chief Medical Officer Renee, Crichlow, MD, and Boston Medical Center’s Christian Arbalez, MD, Chief of Emergency Services.
US Senator Markey (center) poses with Chief Medical Officer Renee Crichlow, MD (left), Sandra Parisien, RN, Siiri Bantz, RN, Paulette St. Germain, RN, Janay Sanford, RN, and Mah Weah, MA.
Sen. Markey toured the health center and chatted with staff, asking about their jobs, patients, and work. He talked, laughed, and took photos with many staff members, and was very engaged in learning more about Codman’s services.
Sen. Markey reminisced about his last visit, and said, “In 2018 I said Codman wasthe gold standard of health centers. As I walk around and see the changes, I now say you are the platinum standard.” He continued: “You just keep getting better and better at what you do.”
After Markey’s introductory remarks, he talked about the challenge for many people to afford their medication, specifically insulin for people with diabetes. He pointed out that some people may pay more than $1,000 a month for insulin and added that the scientists who discovered it sold the patents for $1.
Sen. Markey is advocating for legislation that would cap out-of-pocket insulin expenses for those who need the medication.
Dr. Crichlow elaborated on the importance of insulin and its affordability. “It’s not just about the insulin — it’s about getting the insulin to the right people at the right place at the right time,” said Renee Crichlow, Codman Square Chief Medical Officer. “You have to realize equity is putting resources where they’re needed most. “
Dr. Arbalez talked about how, as an emergency room physician, he sees the results of acute illness brought on by inadequate diabetes care. He told the story of a patient who came to the emergency department with severe complications of her disease as a result of not being able to afford medication.
Sen. Markey’s legislation has broad support among many other lawmakers and interest groups.