Latest Press Releases from the Institute for Family Health

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Dr. Robert Schiller, the Institute’s President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Diana Perez, a family medicine resident in the Harlem Residency in Family Medicine, were both quoted in an article in <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/physician-teaching-health-centers-funding-instability-underserved-areas/">KFF Health News</a> highlighting the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education program. Although the program has proven successful in preparing physicians to provide primary care in medically-underserved areas, Congress must continually reauthorize the program’s funding — unlike hospital-based residency programs, which receive guaranteed funding each year.
<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/physician-teaching-health-centers-funding-instability-underserved-areas/">Read the full article here.</a>

Institute’s Teaching Health Center program featured in KFF Health News

Albany, NY (March 5, 2024) – On March 4, 2024, Dr. Mark Josefski received the Catherine Abate Memorial Award, which recognizes his work as a physician leader and as an outstanding advocate for primary medical care and public health. The Catherine Abate Memorial Award is presented annually at the Community Health Center Association of New York State (CHCANYS) Advocacy Day in Albany.
Dr. Mark Josefski is a family physician who has worked at the Kingston Family Health Center in Kingston, New York since 1989. In addition to caring for patients in the health center and the hospital, Dr. Josefski was the director of the Institute’s Mid-Hudson Family Medicine Residency for 10 years and remains a senior faculty member there. He was instrumental in establishing the program, which later became one of the first federally funded Teaching Health Centers in the nation, as a vital health workforce pipeline in the region. Residents work at the Institute’s health centers in Kingston, New Paltz and Ellenville in Ulster County and the program currently graduates 10 physicians annually, many of whom continue to practice in the Hudson Valley. Dr. Josefski serves on the faculty, trains medical students who rotate at the center, and chairs the Department of Family Medicine at HealthAlliance of Hudson Valley.
Dr. Josefski is a past president of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, where he was an outstanding advocate for primary care, public health, and affordable health care for all, regularly meeting with State representatives to educate them about these concerns. In 2020, he received their Family Medicine Educator of the Year Award for his extraordinary accomplishments as a physician educator. He also serves as an alternate delegate representing upstate New York in the American Academy of Family Physicians.
In the written nomination for Dr. Josefski, Institute leaders praised his commitment and achievements. Dr. Walter Woodley, the Institute’s vice president for medical services and regional medical director for the Institute’s Mid-Hudson region, who has worked with Dr. Josefski nearly his entire career, said, “Mark Josefski is a local treasure, admired by patients, residents and colleagues for his expertise and his willingness to serve the community. He is our ‘Swiss army knife’ physician – he has many interests and is skilled at them all. He’s always willing to jump in and help wherever the need arises.”
“The Institute is incredibly fortunate to have a physician leader like Mark on our team,” Dr. Neil Calman, the Institute’s president and CEO, recounting his experiences with Dr. Josefski for the award nomination. “He is an outstanding clinician who cares deeply about his patients, a remarkable teacher, a hard worker, and an advocate for healthcare for all. Through his work as a provider, as a teacher, and as a mentor and role model, Mark has contributed tremendously to the health of the people of Ulster County.”
The Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) is a membership organization representing over 70 community health centers across New York State. For nearly 50 years, CHCANYS has provided training and technical assistance to New York’s community health centers, as well as advocacy efforts that elevate public health issues at the local, state and federal level. Community health centers provide care for 1-in-9 New Yorkers at over 800 locations across the state.
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The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

Institute for Family Health Faculty Physician Dr. Mark Josefski Receives Catherine Abate Memorial Award

In November, Institute CEO Dr. Neil Calman, MD, announced the promotion of two dedicated senior leaders who will each assume expanded direction and vision of major Institute programs. Dr. Eric Gayle, MD, chief medical officer, has been named president of health care services and Dr. Robert “Red” Schiller, MD, chief academic officer, has been named president of academic affairs. Dr. Calman will continue in his role as chief executive officer, with a stronger focus on policy development and advocacy at the state and federal level.
In his new role, Dr. Gayle will manage the Institute’s clinical programs and collaborate with senior leadership to oversee the administrative functions of the organization. Dr. Gayle has been a part of the Institute since he was a medical student. After serving as chief resident in the Institute’s Beth Israel Residency in Urban Family Practice, he went on to serve as the medical director of the Parkchester Family Practice Center in 2000. In subsequent years, he was promoted to serve as the Institute’s regional medical director for the Bronx, regional medical director for New York City, and finally to chief medical officer. In addition to stewarding the Institute’s clinical programs, he also served on the Clinical Quality Board of a major health plan, championed the IMPACT Collaborative Care model, and chaired the St. Barnabas’ DSRIP Clinical Initiatives. He has also served as a role model and mentor to numerous health professional students and trainees. Throughout, he has continued to see patients in the Bronx, currently practicing at the Stevenson Family Health Center.
In his new role, Dr. Schiller will manage all relationships and contracts with the Institute’s academic and hospital partners, as well as continuing to oversee all of our residency and student programs. Dr. Schiller has been with the Institute since 1987, joining after completing his residency in the Social Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center. He helped start the Sidney Hillman Family Practice at 16th Street, as well as the Institute’s Care for the Homeless and School Based Health Center programs. Dr. Schiller was the founding chair of the Alfred and Gail Engelberg Department of Family Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center in 1993, started the family medicine residency there in 1994, and later played a critical role in the development of the Institute’s portfolio of family medicine residencies. He currently serves as the Institute’s chief academic officer and designated institutional official for graduate medical education, and as vice chairman of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
In his announcement, Dr. Calman said, “Throughout our organization’s history, the Institute has benefited from dedicated staff and leaders, many of whom have remained with our organization for decades. This stability is a tremendous asset and has allowed us to grow and successfully adapt to changes when they come.”
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The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

The Institute Names Two Longtime Leaders as Presidents

The Institute for Family Health was awarded renewed funding for the <a href="https://www.aathc.org/">Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education</a> (THCGME) program, which provides support to two of the Institute’s three family medicine residencies. These residency programs graduate seven resident physicians annually in New York City and 10 annually in the Hudson Valley, with the majority of training taking place in community health centers.
Teaching Health Centers (THCs) are community-based primary care training programs committed to preparing health professionals to work in communities historically neglected due to racism and poverty. By training physicians in these communities, THCs are on the leading edge of ensuring a relevant and sufficient supply of primary care providers. Though THCs often collaborate with other health and education organizations to ensure quality training for their trainees, they maintain the lead role in setting the educational mission and framework for their programs.
Teaching Health Centers are funded by the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, an initiative established under the Affordable Care Act to increase the number of primary care residents trained in community-based settings. However, the Institute&#8217;s funding and funding for all THCs nationwide are contingent on <a href="https://www.nachc.org/putting-health-center-funding-on-the-top-of-congress-to-do-list/">whether Congress acts quickly to reauthorize the program this year</a>. THCs are also asking Congress to <a href="https://www.aathc.org/advocacy">increase funding levels to reflect the true cost of training</a>, from $160,000 per resident per year to $210,000.
The Institute’s family medicine residents train primarily at our community health centers, with rotations at nearby hospitals and in other settings. Besides the core requirements for primary care training, these residencies center concepts of social justice and community-based care, as well as advocacy and leadership within the field of family medicine. The Institute currently operates three residency programs, two of which receive THC funds; an additional residency in Brooklyn is also currently in development, and is anticipated to welcome its first class in 2025.
Medical students are invited to visit <a href="https://institute.org/training-careers/family-medicine-residencies/about-us/">institute.org/residencies</a> for more information.
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The Institute for Family Health (<a href="https://www.institute.org/">www.institute.org</a>) is a federally qualified health center network that serves more than 100,000 patients annually.  Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

The Institute receives renewed federal funding for Teaching Health Center programs

<div style="text-align: center;">Community Health Care Association of NYS Urges Passage of <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S6959" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S6959">Legislation</a> Directing State DOH to Analyze CHC Costs and Create New Sustainable Medicaid Rate</div>
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The Community Health Care Association of New York State is demanding that state leaders raise the state Medicaid reimbursement rate for community health centers statewide, following a new <a href="https://urbn.is/3NpSnSf">report</a> from The Urban Institute which finds that health centers are only reimbursed 70% of the cost of care. <a href="https://www.urban.org/research/publication/critical-role-new-yorks-community-health-centers-advancing-equity-medicaid">The Urban Institute report</a> concludes that “strategic investment in New York’s community health centers through the Medicaid program should start with closing the gap between Medicaid payment rates and the costs of delivering services. This will enable centers to expand and strengthen access to comprehensive, high-quality, and culturally effective care in the state’s under-resourced communities and help New York achieve its health equity goals.”
To accomplish this, CHCANYS is urging the passage of <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S6959">legislation</a> that would direct the New York State Department of Health to analyze health center costs and create new, sustainable Medicaid rates that are informed by stakeholder input, account for increased cost pressures and changes to the CHC care model, and are adjusted annually using an updated trend factor.
“With each new health crisis we face, the state’s dependence on Community Health Centers increases – but health center funding is based on what it cost to treat a patient back in 1999. Health centers are the linchpin of the health care safety net and without them, their patients might not have access to care. We are asking that health center funding levels are adjusted to keep pace with inflation and reflect care delivery in the 21st century,” said CHCANYS President and CEO Rose Duhan. “On behalf of Community Health Centers across the state, CHCANYS implores New York’s leaders to provide CHCs the funding they need and deserve.”
“New York’s health centers provide vital health services in our communities,” said Dr. Neil Calman, CEO of the Institute for Family Health and Chair of the CHCANYS Policy Committee. “To continue to fulfill our promise to care for all patients who come through our doors, we need payments from Medicaid to reflect the true cost of the services we provide.”
Community Health Centers in New York State provide comprehensive primary care, behavioral health care, and dental and vision services to 2.3 million patients statewide who likely would not have access to care otherwise. They are governed by patients, hire from their communities, and provide culturally competent care at more than 800 locations statewide.
New York State’s community health centers are instrumental in guaranteeing healthcare equity, even though Medicaid only covers 70% of the costs. That’s why we are urging lawmakers to pass A.7560 (Paulin) / S.6959 (Rivera) and tell New York to #RaiseTheRate to ensure community health centers’ survival.
About the Institute for Family Health
The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay. 
About CHCANYS
The Community Health Care Association of New York State is New York&#8217;s Primary Care Association, a membership organization representing New York’s 70-plus Community Health Centers.
CHCANYS provides training and technical assistance to New York’s CHCs in areas including clinical quality improvement, emergency management, data and technology, workforce development, and compliance and operations. CHCANYS also supports CHCs through policy and advocacy work, strengthening and focusing health center voices at the local, state, and federal levels.
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New York’s Community Health Centers Tell New York State to #RaisetheRate After New Report Reveals Medicaid Reimburses Just 70% of Cost of Care

<figure id="attachment_235408" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-235408" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-235408 size-large" src="https://institute.org/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-3-1024x679.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="679" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-3-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-3-300x199.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-3-768x509.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-235408" class="wp-caption-text">From left to right: Dr. Neil Calman, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Peter Buffett of NoVo Foundation, Kingston Mayor Steve Noble</figcaption></figure>
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Kingston, NY (November 16, 2023) – Community leaders and elected officials gathered on Thursday, November 16th, to celebrate the grand opening of the Pine Street Family Health Center. This brand new state-of-the-art community health center is located at 140 Pine Street in midtown Kingston and is operated by the Institute for Family Health, a federally qualified health center network that serves patients in both the Hudson Valley and New York City. The center welcomes patients of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay.
Pine Street Family Health Center, which opened for patient care on November 13th, offers primary care, mental health care, social services and community wellness programming. The center also offers assistance with insurance enrollment and connection to other resources. As with all Institute sites, patients at the Pine Street Family Health Center benefit from the organization’s top-quality electronic health record, which includes access to a secure online portal where patients can review their medical records, make appointments and securely message their provider. The Pine Street center is one of two Institute locations in Kingston: a long-standing health center on Route 32, the Kingston Family Health Center, continues to serve the community as well.
<figure id="attachment_235411" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-235411" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-235411 size-large" src="https://institute.org/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-2-1024x679.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="679" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-2-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-2-300x199.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-2-768x509.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/pine-street-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-235411" class="wp-caption-text">Community leaders join the Institute for Family Health in cutting the ribbon at the grand opening of the Pine Street Family Health Center. From left to right: Kingston Mayor Steve Noble; Peter Buffett of NoVo Foundation; Dr. Neil Calman; New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey; and Vincent Martello, Director of Community Health Relations at the Ulster County Department of Health. </figcaption></figure>
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Dr. Neil Calman, co-founder and CEO of the Institute for Family Health, and other speakers remarked on the important role the Institute’s facilities and programs have had in Kingston and Ulster County. Since 2007, when the Institute for Family Health merged with the Mid-Hudson Family Health Institute, the region has seen both expanded access to care through development of community health programs and increasing the number of family medicine residents trained in Ulster County.
With nearly 100 people in attendance at the November 16th grand opening, Dr. Calman explained how the Pine Street Family Health Center embodies the Institute’s mission to assure high-quality and affordable health care to everyone in the community. “We are immensely grateful to Peter Buffett and the NoVo Foundation and our other supporters for this opportunity to bring our vision to life. The Pine Street Family Health Center is an extension of our commitment to the Kingston and Ulster County communities.”
Dr. Marta Sanchez, the Medical Director of the Pine Street Family Health Center, said “We are here to increase health care access for everyone. We never turn anyone away. Coming from an immigrant family, I grew up not having insurance, and I know how important that is. We have so much potential to improve community health—the possibilities are endless.”
Peter Buffett, Co-President of the NoVo Foundation, which funded the development of the new center, shared, “We feel immense gratitude to everyone here. Once we have a partner like the Institute, with the integrity and history, we have the easy part. It is our gift to be able to take part in something like this.”
New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “This property is built on a foundation of love&#8211;we’re doing the right things in our community. This is what I want our kids to know: you deserve to have guaranteed quality health care. To the staff here: thank you for choosing to be in Kingston. This is a beacon of what our communities deserve.”
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger applauded the Institute’s mission of delivering care to all who need it. “This is a huge milestone for our communities in expanding access to care,” she said. “I believe healthcare is a human right and everything else is affected by it. Ulster County is thrilled to partner with the Institute in Ellenville, New Paltz, and Kingston.”
Kingston Mayor Steve Noble also highlighted the impact of accessible, high-quality health care in the community. “When I look out into this room, I see a community of caring. This is what makes Kingston special: we say, how can we come together with our partners to put health care first. We can do health care better, and we’re proving it in Kingston.”
The new facility was designed by Geddis Architects and built by MGI Construction. Funding for the construction was provided by NoVo Foundation and the New York State Department of Health.
The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network committed to providing comprehensive and affordable health care to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. All are welcome to access care at the Pine Street Family Health Center or any other Institute location. To make an appointment, call 844-434-2778.
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The Institute for Family Health (www.institute.org) is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

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