 A Message from our President and CEO  Dear Friends and Supporters, Can you believe it's already September? Before we know it, winter will be here, and that means that cold and flu season are right around the corner. Here at CHN, we strongly advise all of our patients to get the flu shot. But there are other things you can do to stave off those dreadful illnesses. The power of holistic and integrated approaches to medical care is something I recently learned about, and want to share with our patients going forward. In May of 2012, I was diagnosed with stage four uterine cancer that had metastasized to other parts of my body. I was told that my cancer was aggressive, would not respond well to chemotherapy, and that I had twelve months to live. I began chemotherapy in July, knowing that I needed to do more if I was to survive. Before my cancer diagnosis, I knew little of the world of healing or the power of the mind and human spirit in recovery. I now understand the limitations of traditional medicine alone, and the importance of also using alternative approaches. Positive thinking and making healthy life choices can produce better outcomes. This March, I was told by my oncologist that I have made incredible progress. My "mind," he said, was the most powerful weapon I used to fight the cancer. I continue to feel healthier and stronger each day and am committed to sharing what I've learned along my journey to health and wellness with our patients and others in need. This commitment has led CHN to create a holistic, integrative health program at our Downtown Health Center. We're excited to offer our patients an array of services which include traditional medical services, along with alternative therapies such as yoga, healthy cooking and nutrition classes, acupuncture, energy healing, and meditation.
On October 22nd we will host a benefit with all proceeds helping us launch these new holistic services. I hope you can join me for the event, but also join me on this journey to health and wellness. With the right information and medical approaches, we all hold the power to live long, happy, fulfilling lives.
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CHN HIGHLIGHTS You're Invited! Join Catherine M. Abate and CHN on a Journey to Health and Wellness  October 22nd, 2013 6:30pm Yacht sails at 7pm Pier 81 at 41st Street & 12th Avenue, NYC Join Catherine and CHN for a yacht trip around Manhattan! All proceeds benefit the creation of a holistic integrated medicine health center at CHN's Downtown Health Center in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Cocktail Hour followed by buffet dinner and holistic-health information and demonstrations. To view the evite and register online, click HERE.
Save the Date! CHN's 3rd Annual Transgender Conference
October 25th, 2013 9am Pace University 1 Pace Plaza, New York, NY For more information, email rbarruco@chnnyc.org or click HERE. National HIV Testing Day At this year's National HIV Testing Day event in Union Square Park, CHN tested a record 175! Though the heat was sweltering, it didn't stop CHN's dedicated staff from providing New Yorkers with free and confidential access to HIV and Hepatitis C tests, along with meningitis vaccines for at-risk candidates.  
While patients waited 20 minutes for their results, CHN offered massages, wellness counseling, coupon books and healthy snacks from our local sponsors in the Union Square area. Thanks to Union Square Partnership, Whole Foods Market in Union Square, Sixteenth Street Massage Studio and Bodyworks DW / Stretchworks DW for their support! And special thanks to NY State Senator Brad Hoylman and former Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Monica Sweeney, for stopping by.
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Staff at Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center in Brooklyn
welcome visitors with a smile
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National Health Center Week
To celebrate National Health Center Week this August 11thFamily Health Center Opening
-17th, CHN's 11 health centers hosted outdoor health fairs throughout New York City. Visitors received health information and takeaways, free health screenings, wellness/nutrition advice, health insurance information and much more. Kids enjoyed healthy snacks, face-painting, games, etc. Thanks to all staff for your hard work and dedication, and thanks to our community partners and elected officials for stopping by!
Family Health Center Opening
On Friday, June 21, CHN formally launched its Family Heath Center in Jamaica, Queens. The completely renovated health center replaces an existing Public Health Solutions family planning center and offers much more robust services: primary care, sexual health services, health education, social services, mental health services, nutrition counseling, prenatal and post-partum care, gynecology and transgender-specific programs and medical services. It's also open from 9am-7pm on Tuesdays to better serve the Jamaica community.
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Thank you to Melinda Katz, former NYC Council Member,
for coming out to support our Family Health Center opening in Jamaica, Queens! (Pictured here CHN's President and CEO, Catherine Abate, Family Health Center Director, Diana Castillo and Deputy Assistant Vice President of Clinical Operations, Liz Joglar)
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Nutrition Shopping Trip It's not every day you get to go grocery shopping with a nutritionist, but on July 30th, CHN invited 12 patients from our Queens Health Center to do just that! The women received a hands-on tour of Key Foods in Jamaica, Queens, to learn how a family of four can eat a balanced, healthy diet for $150 a week. To view the grocery list, click HERE our check out our video HERE.  On Friday, August 2nd, NY State Senator Gustavo Rivera visited our Tremont Health Center in the Bronx. The Senator toured the facility and met with CHN's President and CEO, Catherine Abate, Vice President of Development and Public Relations, Elizabeth Howell, and Center Director, Roni Taradash, to learn more about CHN and possible health initiative partnerships in the borough.
 African American Hepatitis C Action Day The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc. (NBLCA), in partnership with Community Healthcare Network, the Harm Reduction Coalition and the Coalition for Positive Health Empowerment (COPE), spearheaded the first annual African American Hepatitis C Action Day on Thursday, July 25th at NYC's City Hall. CHN's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Matthew Weissman, spoke on behalf of CHN, and we also offered free Hepatitis C testing all day in the South Bronx. Health Literacy Hosts Webinar, Set to Start Training Other OrganizationsThis August, our Health Literacy Program Manager, Emily Briglia, Director of Health and Community Education, Michele Perlman, and Deputy AVP of Clinical Operations, Elizabeth Joglar, hosted a Family Planning Advocates of New York State webinar, Addressing Health Literacy: Helping Patients Understand Healthcare Information to Make Decisions and Successfully Follow Treatment Plans. The webinar focused on the importance of health literacy in the field, and shared strategies and challenges when implementing a health literacy initiative. CHN is also in the preliminary stages of creating health literacy trainings for other healthcare organizations, and hosting a health literacy "resource center" on our website. We'll keep you posted as the project moves further along! 8th Annual Iris House Summit
On May 6, 2013, CHN's Director of Social Work, Vera Stokes, and CHN's Senior Social Worker, Annie Cummings, conducted a best practices presentation entitled "Support Group Forums as a Creative Intervention to Maintain Optimal Health" at the 8th Annual Iris House Summit: Women as the Face of AIDS. The presentation emphasized the importance of utilizing support group interventions as a means to reduce social isolation for undocumented women, to increase compliance with medical providers, to increase medication adherence, and as a way to connect women to much needed services. The workshop also reinforced the importance of establishing healthy partnerships between the health care team and case management programs.
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PROGRAM UPDATES
 New Texting Campaigns CHN has launched two new texting campaigns, one to celebrate Mental Health Month this past May, and one to educate transgender individuals within the communities that we serve. To sign up for OnUrMind, text "OnUrMind" to 877877. To sign up for TransMission, text "Transmission" to 877877.
Transgender Family Program Expands to Manhattan
CHN's Transgender Family Program has recently expanded to Manhattan! The program, which helps transgender individuals get hormones, healthcare and help with other needs, now meets at our Downtown Health Center, located at 150 Essex Street in Manhattan, on Wednesdays from 9-7pm. For more information, please contact Renato Barucco at rbarucco@chnnyc.org. CHN's Nutritionist's Launch a New Cookbook Be sure to download your FREE copy of Everyone's Plate! The book features simple, culturally sensitive, and fun recipes encouraging healthy habits.
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