Baystate’s Community Health Centers Offering Free Health Fairs This Week

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center’s three community health centers in Springfield will hold free health fairs during National Health Center Week, Aug. 4-10. This year’s theme is “Powering Communities Through Caring Connections.”

“Our health centers bind our medical community to the communities we serve. The services we provide can be geographical within neighborhoods or specific population based either by illness or by purpose, but the service is broad as well. We never turn away a patient,” said Dr. Paul Pirraglia, chief of General Medicine and Community Health for Baystate.

He noted that National Health Center Week is a time to inspire and build relationships that celebrate community health centers and the comprehensive, innovative, and cost-effective care they provide; increase awareness and support for community health centers; and advocate for community health center funding and policies that protect access to care.

The health fairs begin on Wednesday, Aug. 7, from noon to 2 p.m. at Baystate Brightwood Health Center/Centro de Salud at 380 Plainfield St. The fairs continue on Thursday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Baystate High Street Health Center – Adult and Pediatric at 140 High St., and end on Friday, Aug. 9, from noon to 4 p.m. at Baystate Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center at 11 Wilbraham Road.

The free health fairs are open to all and include food, music, giveaways, and community resource vendors.

“Across the country, health centers like those operated by Baystate provide access to care for millions of Americans,” Pirraglia said. “National Health Center Week is a time for celebrating community health centers and their contributions to our national health.”