Rhode Island Health Center Association to Host Annual Meeting: Awards to be Presented to Representative Eileen Naughton, Dr. Jackie Fantes and Ronald Winter
The Rhode Island Health Center Association (RIHCA) will celebrate innovators and leaders in Rhode Island health care at its annual meeting on Monday, October 17, 2011. Dr. Jackie Fantes, Associate Medical Director at Providence Community Health Centers, Inc., will receive the Clinical Leadership Award in recognition of the leadership she provides to the community health centers and providers. Ronald Winter will receive the John J. Cunningham M.D. Distinguished Citizen Award for his longstanding leadership at Rhode Island community health centers. Representative Eileen Naughton will receive the John H. Chafee award for her commitment to primary health care and advocacy on behalf of vulnerable Rhode Islanders in her service as a state representative in the General Assembly.
“Our annual meeting will celebrate how our community health centers are meeting ever-increasing community need for high-quality, low-cost health care,” said Jane A. Hayward, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Health Center Association. “The three honorees have used their diverse skills to increase access to high quality primary health care at community health centers and throughout Rhode Island.”
Dr. Tray Dunaway will be speaking about “connecting the health care dots” in order to improve the healthcare delivery system. Dr. Dunaway is a healthcare consultant and speaker interested in helping people, businesses and organizations improve their connectivity with other parts of the health care system to improve delivery and better serve patient needs.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is expected to attend and give welcoming remarks. Jane Hayward, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Health Center Association and Peter Bancroft, Chair of the Board of the Rhode Island Health Center Association, and President and CEO of WellOne Primary Medical and Dental Care, will also address the meeting.
Rhode Island’s ten community health centers are a critical element in the state’s health care landscape. Serving 125,000 Rhode Islanders annually, the community health centers provide comprehensive, high quality primary and preventive care to Rhode Islanders whether they have insurance or not. Half of community health center patients are publicly insured (RIte Care, Medicaid and Medicare); 31% of community health center patients are uninsured; and 19% are privately insured.
Founded in 1972, the Rhode Island Health Center Association supports, sustains, and strengthens Rhode Island’s community health centers so they can provide high quality, comprehensive health care.
About the Awards:
John H. Chafee Healthcare Leadership Award: Given to an individual, group or organization whose work embodies the spirit of the late Senator John H. Chafee, demonstrating his commitment to strengthen the health care safety net and provide true justice and equity in health care for all.
John J. Cunningham, MD Citizen’s Award: Given to an individual, group or organization whose work promotes the goal of access to primary care for the underserved and uninsured, and who recognizes the importance of the RI community health centers in meeting the health care needs of the underserved.
Clinical Leadership Award: This award is open to all licensed providers in Rhode Island’s community health centers, and looks to recognize an individual who exemplifies continued clinical excellence/professional development; is innovative in practice or policies; demonstrates leadership in areas that benefit the organization and/or the system of care; and gives back to the community.
About the Award Recipients:
Eileen S. Naughton
Eileen S. Naughton was first elected as a State Representative (District 21 in Warwick), in the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1992. She currently serves as Deputy Chairperson of the House Finance Committee and is a member of the Joint Committee on Healthcare Oversight.
Representative Naughton is very involved with state health policy. She has worked to improve the health of all Rhode Islanders by championing affordable and accessible health care and improved care overall. Among accomplishments, she has been instrumental in developing a Birth Surveillance System; promoted prevention for HIV/AIDS programs; created a vision-screening program for preschoolers; and called for statewide reporting of Pressure Ulcers. She has also urged prevention and reporting of Hospital Acquired Infections; spearheaded a Stroke Prevention and Treatment System; bolstered the Early Intervention System in Nursing Homes; fought for Oversight for RI’s Medicaid Global Waiver and lobbied for inclusion of tobacco cessation treatment in Medicaid.
Representative Naughton is a graduate of Amherst College and the Southern New England School of Law. She and her husband, Dr. William C. Naughton, live on historic Lockwood Brook Farm, where they raise sheep and other livestock. They have two children and six grandchildren.
Jackie S. Fantes, MD
Jackie S. Fantes, MD, is Associate Medical Director and a family physician at Providence Community Health Centers, Inc. She came to PCHC following a career as a family physician in the military. Dr. Fantes is receiving the award for her innovation in changing the model of care at the Olneyville Health Center from the tri-specialty model to one of family medicine, and her guidance in bringing a site-based primary care pediatric practice format to PCHC, enhancing the concept of “medical home.”
Dr. Fantes is the recipient of several academic and military awards and honors, including the Joint Service Achievement Medal (May 1992), the Navy Achievement Medal (February 1997) and the Navy Commendation Medal (September 2002). She recently obtained the certification of Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records through the RI Quality Institute.
Dr. Fantes is originally from East Alton, Illinois and currently resides with her family in Middletown, Rhode Island.
Ronald Winter
Ronald Winter has been a part of the community health center movement since 1972, when he first served as executive director of the Providence Health Centers. He returned again to the helm of the Providence Community Health Centers, Inc. from 1994 – 2001. He has served as chair of the board of directors of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and is currently the chair of the board of directors of Blackstone Valley Community Health Care.
Ron has brought a passion for increasing access to care for vulnerable populations throughout both his professional and volunteer experiences. His commitment to supporting community health centers in achieving their community public health mission has been an ongoing theme of his work. Rhode Island has a richer community health presence as a consequence of his longstanding involvement.
Ron and his wife Elena live in Barrington and have two children and three grandchildren.