Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton Receives Award

Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase. 

WVIA to Host Free Open House

WVIA, Northeastern, and Central Pennsylvania’s PBS and NPR affiliate, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of WVIA radio with an open house on Saturday, August 12, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at WVIA’s headquarters in Pittston, Pennsylvania. This event is free for attendees. Tours are approximately 45 to 60 minutes long.

The open house will feature tours of the WVIA studios, demonstrations of WVIA’s production facilities, interactive sessions with WVIA staff, refreshments, and giveaways. There will also be a variety of activities for children, including educational and art activities and prizes. Children can participate in a “touch-a-truck” style tour of the WVIA production truck and meet Miss Debbie, the Clubhouse Mom. 

In addition to celebrating WVIA radio’s 50th anniversary, the open house will also be a chance for the public to learn more about the station’s history, programming, and community impact. This will only be the second open house in WVIA’s history. 

WVIA offers a wide variety of educational and cultural programming, including documentaries, children’s shows, local and national music performances, and news and public affairs programming. Over the past 50 years, WVIA has grown to include radio, television, and live programming, and now includes on-demand streaming services and its own in-house news team. WVIA television channels include WVIA TV, WVIA PBS Kids 24/7, and WVIA Create. WVIA’s radio channels include WVIA Radio, WVIA Arts, and the Chiaroscuro Channel. 

“We are excited to celebrate our 50th anniversary with the community and our members,” said Carla McCabe, WVIA’s President & CEO. “We want to thank our viewers and supporters for their continued dedication to WVIA. We look forward to many more years of serving the region and providing the public with enriching and entertaining content.” The WVIA open house is free and open to the public, however, tour spaces are limited so registration is required. For more information or to register for this event, visit the WVIA website.

Sustainable Energy Fund Honors Peter Krajsa with Epstein Award

Sustainable Energy Fund honored Peter Krajsa with the Epstein Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday, July 11, at the Hotel Hershey. The Epstein Award is presented to a deserving individual each year for a lifetime of work moving society towards a sustainable energy future.

“We are thrilled to award Peter Krajsa with the Epstein Award,” said John Costlow, president and CEO of Sustainable Energy Fund. “He has greatly impacted the sustainable energy community throughout his career and directly influenced the future of sustainable energy.”

Mr. Krajsa has been recognized as an innovator in energy efficiency finance for over two decades. Peter Krajsa is Co-Chair and Founder of the National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF). He spearheaded the creation of a number of national energy finance programs as CEO of AFC First Financial Corporation, a specialty residential energy efficiency lender, operating programs nationally with a network of over 6,000 participating contractors.

As CEO of AFC First, Peter led the development of the company’s national EnergyLoan® program as one of Fannie Mae’s approved lenders; created the Keystone Home Energy Loan Program in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, DEP, and PHFA, which laid the foundation for WHEEL, (Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans), the world’s first investment grade rated securitization of a portfolio of unsecured energy loans, to name a few. Under his leadership, AFC First closed over $500 million in energy efficiency loans, was named by the U.S. DOE as the nation’s first private Home Performance with ENERGY STAR sponsor, selected as one of five national pilot lenders for the HUD PowerSaver program, received the Alliance to Save Energy Andromeda Award and established the Green Energy Training Academy supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Geisinger at Home Receives Grant

Geisinger Health Foundation has been granted $50,000 to support the Geisinger at Home™ program from the Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania (FCFP).

“We’re grateful to the FCFP’s Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund for this generous grant, which will bolster our Geisinger at Home program as we continue to help patients manage their conditions in the comfort of their own homes,” said Nancy Lawton-Kluck, Geisinger Health Foundation’s chief philanthropy officer.

Geisinger at Home brings health care to eligible Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage members where they need it most — right where they live. The program cares for patients with complex, difficult-to-manage health conditions like kidney disease, heart disease, cancers and dementia, and Geisinger’s team of doctors, registered nurses, dietitians, case managers and medical support staff visit them in their residences.

The program keeps patients healthier, safer and better connected to their care team, so their health needs can be met before they require emergency room visits or hospital stays.

Funding will be used for program costs and to support social and home needs for Geisinger at Home patients in Northumberland County.

FCFP works to improve the quality of life in north-central Pennsylvania through community leadership, the promotion of philanthropy, the strengthening of nonprofit impact and the perpetual stewardship of charitable assets. The Community Foundation strives to create powerful communities through passionate giving. For more information visit, fcfpartnership.org.

Chamber Email Delivery Issues

The cyber world has forced businesses to employ extreme efforts to guard electronic communications and operations with multiple layers of firewalls and filters.  Unfortunately, this may have unintended consequences. In the case of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, it appears that many emails to our members are being blocked by Spam or Junk filters.

This situation is more than a bit disturbing, as we want you to receive the communications and information that maximize the value of your Chamber membership.  This includes your membership renewal. Membership invoices are sent via email, and we are finding that in some cases those electronic filters prevented delivery. 

If you or your organization did not receive your membership renewal via email, please reach out to Tina Bechaver at tbechaver@scrantonchamber.com, or (570) 342-7711, extension 132, and she can help rectify this situation.

Thank you for your continued support of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

Scranton Tomorrow to Host Deck the Downtown

Summer specials are heating up in Downtown Scranton! In honor of July as Independents Month, we’re encouraging everyone to Deck the Downtown and celebrate Christmas in July! From July 22 through 29, participating Downtown Scranton businesses will offer special promotions. It’s all the fun of holiday shopping without the ice and snow.

Women’s Resource Center to Hold Golf Tournament

The Women’s Resource Center is pleased to announce its Annual Golf Outing this September. Industry partners Erie Materials and Simplex Homes are teaming up to plan the WRC golf tournament at Pine Hills Country Club on September 15, 2023. WRC provides comprehensive services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties. The tournament is sponsored by Seven D Wholesale & Windows. The returning honorary chair this year will be Kurt Aaron of WNEP-TV 16 and his dog Ranger! 

FORMAT

Captain & Crew

Registration 9:00 – 10:00 AM

Shotgun Start 10:00 AM

Furthermore, WRC has received the National Purple Ribbon Award for Outstanding Youth Initiative from DomesticShelters.org, Alliance for HOPE. The Safe Dates & Healthy Relationships program supported primarily through EITC funding and grants was recognized as the top program across the USA. Using an evidence-based dating abuse prevention curriculum, specially trained teen/youth educators teach students about healthy relationships, communication, calming techniques, identifying feelings, red flags, boundaries, and how to help friends.

The Women’s Resource Center started in 2018 with one educator in the Scranton Area School District, and today have grown to serve thousands of students across all grade levels. They are now in 7 Lackawanna School Districts, 4 Susquehanna County School Districts, and 6 private schools! They also now have a program manager and three educators, with a need for another one.

The Dime Bank Announces Four Officer Promotions

The Dime Bank recently promoted four key team members to continue strengthening and developing their management team. 

Brian Haun to Vice President; Victoria L. Agazzi to Assistant Vice President; Nicholas Pomroy to Assistant Vice President; and Marcris A. Rueger to Assistant Vice President.

Brian Haun joined The Dime Bank seventeen years ago in September of 2006 as a member of The Dime Bank’s Wealth Management department. He then went through The Dime Bank management trainee program. Haun was promoted through various positions including mortgage collection advisor and loan officer. In 2019, Haun was promoted to Assistant Vice President. His current position as Vice President, Commercial Lending Officer affords him an opportunity to assist business customers.

Victoria L. Agazzi joined The Dime Bank in April of 2022 as The Dime Bank’s Greentown Branch Manager. Agazzi has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager, managing the overall operations of the Greentown branch to meet the financial service needs of The Dime Bank’s customers. She works with management in the strategic planning for the branch market area to assist with overall goals of The Dime Bank and her staff’s development. Agazzi is involved in the Greentown area and supports various initiatives throughout the community. Agazzi has been in banking for the last 14 years; starting as a teller right out of college and working her way up through various roles. She has been a branch manager for the last seven years. Agazzi states, “All the years of my banking career have been spent working for community banks and I believe supporting our communities is vital to our success. I have a true passion for helping people achieve their financial goals and providing excellent service.”

Nicholas Pomroy joined The Dime Bank team in September 2020 with several years of experience in information technology, specifically as an information security support specialist. As Assistant Vice President, Network Administrator, Pomroy is responsible for planning, coordination, design, installation, and connectivity of computer and network systems to ensure the stable operation of The Dime Bank’s information technology network and infrastructure assets. This includes developing, configuring, maintaining, supporting, and optimizing all new and existing network hardware, software, and communication protocols.

Marcris A. Rueger joined The Dime Bank’s Damascus team as branch manager in 2022. Rueger brought many years of banking experience to The Dime Bank including branch administration and training. With this promotion to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager, Rueger will continue to manage the Damascus branch, assisting customers to attain their financial goals. She will also take on increased project management roles for the overall bank. Rueger states, “The role of the Damascus manager is a wonderful experience. I have a certificate in accounting, and I enjoy learning new tasks. I am always up for challenging situations, and I believe each day is an opportunity to learn.”

President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich stated, “Please join me in congratulating this group of employees and wishing them the best going forward. At The Dime Bank, our journey is directed toward growth and prosperity. We are dedicated to creating authentic relationships with our customers, giving back to our communities, and enhancing our shareholders’ investment. To realize these initiatives, we need an advancing management team whose abilities and efforts will help us attain our goals, and whose enthusiasm and leadership will carry us into our future.”

The Wright Center Knows That Success in Recovery Takes a Village

Substance use disorder affects people in all walks of life, no matter their profession or socio-economic status. No one is immune from substance use disorder impacting their lives, whether it is a family member, friend or themselves.

September marks the 30th anniversary of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. This year’s theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger,” could be the theme for The Wright Center for Community Health’s comprehensive recovery programs for people facing alcohol and substance use disorder in a nine-county area of Northeast Pennsylvania.

The Wright Center for Community Health was recognized as a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designated Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence in 2016, accepting their first patient in February 2017. Since then, about 2,300 people have interacted with the program and 670 patients are currently actively involved in the Center of Excellence

“We’ve grown tremendously as an organization and as a recovery community. When you have a village mentality, you are tapping into every resource to meet the needs of patients. It’s about getting them on and keeping them on a recovery journey, regardless of their pathway,” said Scott Constantini, assistant vice president of primary care and recovery services integration at The Wright Center for Community Health.

Services to Support People with SUD

As an integrated health care organization, the Center of Excellence works with patients to ensure they have the proper medical care and treatments for their recovery to be successful. When a patient who hasn’t seen a doctor in 20 years enters the Center of Excellence program, they are offered access to medical, dental, behavioral health and other supportive service lines. Every patient is connected with a case manager and a certified recovery specialist (CRS) for support. Medication for Opiate Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment is also available.

“We offer multiple pathways to recovery; what works for one patient may not work for another. We have grown both our Center of Excellence to expand patient capacity and we’ve also grown our collaborative partners in the community to meet the needs of our patients. It’s about a full circle of services,” said Constantini.

Together with these community partners, The Wright Center for Community Health connects patients with multiple recovery supports, treatment, and socioeconomic necessities.

The Healthy MOMS program

The Healthy MOMS (Maternal Opiate Medical Support) program supports pregnant women and mothers with substance use disorder. Launched in 2018, the program has treated 420 mothers, with 223 babies born during that time. Currently, 168 mothers are active within the program.

Healthy MOMS provides intensive case management services for expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy up until their youngest child is two years old. The program aims to stabilize this high-risk population and allows participants to receive the necessary support to manage their chronic condition in conjunction with pregnancy and the postpartum period.

“Many mothers in the program are considered high-risk pregnancies because of their prescribed MOUD. Our case management provides many services by connecting this population with resources including family planning, OB/GYN, pediatricians, and social services like transportation, housing and WIC,” said Maria Kolcharno, director of addiction services.

Efforts to Reduce the Stigma

An important function of the Center of Excellence is to work in the community to reduce and educate the stigma associated with addiction.

“We are doing a lot of work around stigma. People are no longer feeling alone in their recovery journey,” said Constantini. “Unfortunately, society doesn’t look at addiction as a chronic health condition. They tend to look at it as a moral failure or choice and we are working to change that narrative.”

The Wright Center for Community Health is a part of Project PROGRESS (Providing Recovery Opportunities for Growth, Education, and Sustainable Success), a multi-county recovery-to work program that connects people in recovery with employers in six counties.

The program works with employers to educate them about the benefits of hiring people in recovery and coordinates training classes to make more CRSs available in the community.

Addiction Affects the Family

Families struggle with addiction as it is a family disease. Addiction is very powerful and no different than if someone was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

Families are encouraged to also seek support to understand the disease through local Al-anon support groups or other family support organizations. In these groups, families will learn how to offer positive support and understand the symptoms of the disease.

For more information about recovery programs at The Wright Center for Community Health, visit TheWrightCenter.org.

Best Practices for Getting and Remaining Sober:

Sobriety is very personal and may mean different things to different people. By definition, sobriety means not being under the influence of a substance, whether alcohol or drugs.

It is estimated that 80% of people who experience long-term sobriety had at least one relapse during their journey to sobriety. Some people experience many setbacks before they find long-term recovery.

You have recognized your need for sobriety, which is the very first step. The more strategies you use for your recovery, the higher the chances are that you will remain sober. Below are some best practices to getting and remaining sober.

Identify your triggers.
The biggest part of preventing relapse is knowing what causes the relapse and avoiding them. Some common triggers include:

  • Stress
  • Environmental cues
  • People who are still using
  • Relationship troubles
  • Job or financial problems

Recognize warning signs.

A relapse can happen when you least expect it. Warning signs of relapse include:

  • Returning to addictive thinking patterns
  • Engaging in compulsive behaviors
  • Seeking out situations or people involved with drugs or alcohol
  • Thinking less rationally

Additional strategies for a successful recovery include:

  • Prepare for Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS)
  • Avoid old routines
  • Build healthy relationships
  • Ask for help and seek local agencies that can assist you with getting the appropriate help.
  • Get support from new, sober friends and those who are successful in their recovery
  • Develop a structured routine to your day
  • Find employment and focus on your finances
  • Practice healthy living and exercise
  • Deal with past mistakes
  • Find balance in your life
  • Acknowledge your hard work and how far you have come towards your recovery

For more information on best practices to getting and remaining sober, visit The Wright Center Opioid Center of Excellence online at thewrightcenter.org