Jun 25, 2025
WATERVILLE – Connie Coggins, President & CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, is pleased to announce that two new members have joined the organization’s Governing Board of Directors.
Paula Callan
Paula Callan, of Oakland, Maine, is a retired educator and administrator. After a 10-year high school special education career, she transitioned into the role of assistant principal, and then principal, where she stayed for the remainder of her impressive 40-year career in education. Callan’s unique perspective will be an incredible asset to the HealthReach Board. The HealthReach team looks forward to what she will be able to accomplish alongside her new colleagues.
Buffy Higgins
Buffy Higgins, of Fairfield, Maine, has held many roles in healthcare operations and finance. She serves as Director of Operations at Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan. Previously, she held a variety of positions at MaineGeneral Health, and worked closely with former HealthReach board member Terry Brann and MaineGeneral’s finance team. HealthReach is thrilled to welcome Buffy to the Board of Directors, and looks forward to the positive impact she will make for the organization.
Paula Callan and Buffy Higgins will join Board officers: Jim Higgins, Chair; Jack Ducharme, Vice Chair; and John Opperman, Secretary & Treasurer; as well as Board members: Jenny Boyden, Michelle Kelley, Juliana Richard, Susan Tedrick, Carolyn Tranten, and Allen Wicken. HealthReach appreciates the volunteer efforts of its Board members, who contribute to the leadership, direction, and success of the nonprofit. Without them, HealthReach would not be able to serve the people of rural Maine as effectively as it does with local, high-quality, and affordable healthcare.
HealthReach Community Health Centers — headquartered in Waterville, Maine — is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating twelve family medical practices with the mission of serving the otherwise medically underserved. In 2025, HealthReach proudly marks 50 years of delivering high-quality healthcare to the rural communities of Central and Western Maine since its founding in 1975! HealthReach services include general primary and preventative healthcare, including behavioral, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric care services. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers, and there are no eligibility requirements to access care through HealthReach; all are welcome. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs, including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
The above is issued in furtherance of HealthReach Community Health Centers’ federally funded health center project. In 2025, HealthReach is projected to receive $4,436,654 in federal assistance, which is estimated as constituting 12% of project costs. Of total project costs for 2025, HealthReach estimates 88% to be financed with non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
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Mar 18, 2025
WATERVILLE — Connie Coggins, HealthReach President & CEO, is happy to commemorate an important milestone: in 2025, HealthReach Community Health Centers marks its 50th year of providing high-quality, affordable care to rural Maine. Founded in 1975, HealthReach’s mission continues to be serving the otherwise medically underserved areas of Central and Western Maine. HealthReach offers rural communities convenient healthcare close to home, including general primary and preventative, behavioral, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric care services.
In 1975, when the local doctor in Bingham retired, the tightknit community pulled together and imagined a family medical practice where everyone felt welcome. Working together, neighbors helped raise funds to renovate an old house, which they converted into a community health center. This is how the very first HealthReach clinic — Bingham Area Health Center — was formed!
Since its founding, HealthReach has gradually grown to now operate 12 community health centers across Maine, including one school-based health center, as well as integrated dental centers in two towns: Bingham and Strong. HealthReach is a 501c3 nonprofit that offers patients high-quality care without high costs by putting patients before profits. Nearly 300 HealthReach staff serve 26,000 patients each year. The majority of the volunteer HealthReach Governing Board are patients of HealthReach. This model has led to steady success by building the voice of the patient into the organization’s strategy and priorities.
HealthReach proudly celebrates a half-century of patient-centered care while looking forward to the future!
HealthReach Community Health Centers — headquartered in Waterville, Maine — is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating twelve family medical practices
with the mission of serving the otherwise medically underserved. In 2025, HealthReach proudly marks 50 years of delivering high-quality healthcare to
the rural communities of Central and Western Maine since its founding in 1975! HealthReach services include general primary and preventative healthcare, including behavioral, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric care services. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers, and there are no eligibility requirements to access care through HealthReach; all are welcome. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs, including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
The above is issued in furtherance of HealthReach Community Health Centers’ federally funded health center project. In 2025, HealthReach is projected to
receive $4,436,654 in federal assistance, which is estimated as constituting 12% of project costs. Of total project costs for 2025, HealthReach estimates 88% to be financed with non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S.
Government.
Feb 12, 2025
Susan Tedrick
WATERVILLE – Connie Coggins, President & CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, is pleased to announce that a new member has joined the organization’s Governing Board of Directors.
Susan Tedrick of Farmington, Maine, has a deep understanding of healthcare, having served as in-house counsel at Maine Hospital Association, Vice President of Legal Administration at MaineGeneral Health, and Chief Compliance Officer at Franklin Memorial Hospital. In her free time, Susan enjoys music, having participated in many shows, theater, and ensembles. She also enjoys spending time with her son and 3-year old granddaughter; traveling; and restoring antique and classical architecture. Susan has restored 12 antique homes built between 1789 and 1920! We look forward to the well-rounded expertise that Susan will bring to our Board.
Of her addition to the Board, Susan says,
“I am delighted for the opportunity to serve on the HealthReach Community Health Centers Board of Directors. I have represented the Southern Seven Community Health Centers (now part of Southern Seven Health Department) in Illinois, and serve on the Heart of Florida Health Center Board of Directors in Marion County, Florida. Each FQHC serves a unique population, but all strive to provide the highest quality care and easy access to services. Whether well-insured, underinsured, or uninsured, high-quality nonprofit healthcare is available to all.”
In 2025, returning to serve as Board officers are: Jim Higgins, Chair; Jack Ducharme, Vice Chair; and John Opperman, Secretary & Treasurer.
HealthReach Community Health Centers — headquartered in Waterville, Maine — is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating twelve family medical practices with the mission of serving the otherwise medically underserved. In 2025, HealthReach proudly marks 50 years of delivering high-quality healthcare to the rural communities of Central and Western Maine since its founding in 1975! HealthReach services include general primary and preventative healthcare, including behavioral, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric care services. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers, and there are no eligibility requirements to access care through HealthReach; all are welcome. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs, including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
The above is issued in furtherance of HealthReach Community Health Centers’ federally funded health center project. In 2025, HealthReach is projected to receive $4,436,654 in federal assistance, which is estimated as constituting 12% of project costs. Of total project costs for 2025, HealthReach estimates 88% to be financed with non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
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Dec 20, 2024
Waterville — HealthReach Community Health Centers has launched a new Patient Portal solution, offered by software firm InteliChart. HealthReach patients can now securely access their own medical records, request appointments and medication refills, and send messages back and forth with the HealthReach clinical and front office teams. Advice from these teams helps patients to make better informed medical decisions — including whether the patient should visit urgent care or simply schedule an appointment at the center.
Connie Coggins, President & CEO of HealthReach, says, “We look forward to engaging our patients through our new Patient Portal. The Portal will improve communication channels and provide convenient, safe access for patients to their personal health information.”
Existing HealthReach patients can sign up for the new Patient Portal online with an existing email address by using this link: https://patientportal.intelichart.com
Becoming a HealthReach patient requires no special eligibility — everyone is welcome to learn more about HealthReach’s high-quality, affordable healthcare available at health centers close to your home in Central or Western Maine. To reach out for information about establishing yourself and your family as patients of HealthReach, or for information on the new Patient Portal, please visit: https://www.HealthReach.org/contact
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across rural Central and Western Maine. Since 1975, HealthReach clinicians have delivered high-quality healthcare — inclusive of primary care, behavioral health, substance use disorder, dental, and podiatric services — to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs — including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
The above is issued in furtherance of HealthReach Community Health Centers’ federally funded health center project. In 2024, HealthReach received $4,815,606 in federal assistance, which is estimated as constituting 17.8% of project costs. Of total project costs for 2024, HealthReach estimates 82.2% will be financed with non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
Sep 20, 2024
Bethany Shalit
Waterville – Connie Coggins, President & CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, and the HealthReach Governing Board of Directors are pleased to welcome Bethany Shalit as their newest volunteer Board Member.
Shalit brings a wealth of experience to HealthReach, including from her work at Redington-Fairview General Hospital — a longtime organizational partner of HealthReach — as their current Director of Education and former HR Recruitment Coordinator. She is also a current member of the Board of Directors for the Skowhegan Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Shalit shares, “I am honored to join the HealthReach Board of Directors, and look forward to working with such a talented group of leaders who are committed to making a difference in rural healthcare in Maine.”
The HealthReach Governing Board of Directors is comprised of an incredible group of volunteer leaders, the majority of whom are patients of HealthReach. This model of patient representation ensures that the most important perspectives — those of rural Maine communities and, especially, of patients — form the basis for all major organizational decisions made at HealthReach.
Working alongside Shalit on the HealthReach Board are: Jack Ducharme, Chair; Bruce Harrington, Vice Chair; John Opperman, Secretary & Treasurer; Jenny Boyden, Jim Higgins, Michelle Kelley, Juliana Richard, Candy Sherman, Brenda Stevens, Carolyn Tranten, and Allen Wicken, Members.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare — inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, dental, and podiatric services — to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs — including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
Jun 6, 2024
Waterville – Connie Coggins, HealthReach President & CEO, is pleased to announce that HealthReach has received the highest award level for tobacco-free achievements. The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI) Breathe Easy Maine initiative recognized forty-four healthcare, hospital, higher education, and behavioral health organizations – as well as four individual Gold Star Champions – for efforts to address tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.
HealthReach Community Health Centers was recognized for meeting Platinum Status through the 2024 Gold Star Standards of Excellence program, for efforts to both prohibit smoking and tobacco use on campus, and to address patient tobacco use. This was the first year that HealthReach has participated in the initiative, and we look forward to a continued partnership with CTI to address tobacco use and exposure.
All Maine behavioral health organizations, hospitals, higher education organizations, and healthcare organizations were encouraged to apply for recognition. Qualifying organizations are recognized at Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels, based on program criteria. Best practice criteria include smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies, annual screening practices for tobacco use, referral processes for tobacco use treatment, and the provision of employee education in tobacco treatment topics.
“We applaud the ongoing efforts of Maine hospitals, healthcare, higher education, and behavioral health organizations to address tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure, and nicotine dependence, by meeting the Gold Star Standards of Excellence,” says Sarah Rines, Senior Program Manager for CTI. She continued, “Advice and assistance from healthcare providers are powerful tools to help individuals quit tobacco products. These awardees are taking key steps to support their patients, clients, and communities.”
For more information about Breathe Easy Maine and the Gold Star Standards of Excellence, please visit BreatheEasyMaine.org/GSSE.
MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence’s Breathe Easy Maine initiative is dedicated to providing Maine’s hospitals with the information and resources needed to make all organizations smoke- and tobacco-free. Learn more at BreatheEasyMaine.org. This initiative is supported through a grant from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Department of Health & Human Services.
HealthReach Community Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center consisting of twelve community health centers located across Central and Western Maine. Dedicated clinicians deliver high-quality healthcare – inclusive of behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, dental, and podiatric services – to residents from 9 of Maine’s 16 counties. To ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. An Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured people. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with your healthcare and medication costs – including enrollment support for Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
A private non-profit with a 49-year history, HealthReach is funded by patient fees, grants, and by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) as part of an award totaling $4,815,606 with 82.2% financed by non-governmental sources.
The contents above are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official views of or an endorsement by, HRSA, DHHS, or the U.S. Government.
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