The Wright Center’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program Receives National Recognition The Wright Center for Community Health’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program, based on the award-winning UCLA Program, is now listed in a national database of proven, effective dementia care programs. Best Programs for Caregiving, a partnership between the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and Family Caregiver Alliance, is a free, searchable, and interactive database that helps families and caregivers find the right program for their loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The website includes descriptions of the program, whether it is offered in-person or online, information on providers, eligibility criteria, how to enroll, languages offered, and more. To see The Wright Center’s ADC Program listing, visit bpc.caregiver.org/caregivers/12/967. The Wright Center launched the ADC Program in 2020 to help patients and families navigate the medical, behavioral, and social needs associated with Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases. Wright Center geriatricians, advanced practitioners, and dementia care specialists work closely with each patient’s primary care and referring physicians to develop a personalized care plan. The program also provides ongoing patient monitoring and round-the-clock access to assistance and advice so patients can avoid emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Go to TheWrightCenter.org/services/alzheimers-dementia or call 570-230-0019 for more information about the ADC Program. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, 6.7 million people 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s dementia in the United States, including over 280,000 in Pennsylvania. The report says there were an estimated 404,000 family caregivers in Pennsylvania in 2022. “The Wright Center is very proud of the care we provide to patients and caregivers in this program,” said Nicole Lipinski, director of the geriatric service line. “It’s an honor to be listed in this database, especially as we continue to grow the program and provide patient-centered care for all participants.” The Wright Center for Community Health, headquartered in Scranton, operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. Its locations offer integrated whole-person primary health services, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information about The Wright Center’s integrated whole-person primary health services or for the nearest location, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center Outlines Better Health Outcomes for Women The Wright Center: One of the things we notice in health care is that far too often women neglect their own well-being because they’re so focused on the needs of their children, their spouse, or their aging parents. So, it’s important to promote awareness campaigns like Women’s Health Awareness Month in May, which provides us with a terrific opportunity to stress the importance of women taking a proactive approach to their overall health. National Women’s Health Week occurs every year beginning on Mother’s Day and is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health. The theme for this year’s observance is “Empowering Women, Cultivating Health: Celebrating Voices, Wellness, and Resilience,” and is focused on empowering women to be proactive in their health journeys. Each day of the campaign spotlights a relevant women’s health topic. They are: Day 1 – May 12: Empowering Women in their Health Journey Day 2 – May 13: Safe Sexual Health Day 3 – May 14: Shining a Light on Maternal Mental Health Day 4 – May 15: Talk About It—Reducing Women’s Health Stigma Day 5 – May 16: Understanding Care is There Day 6 – May 17: Reproductive Health from Puberty to Menopause and Beyond Day 7 – May 18: Women and Heart Health Here at The Wright Center, we offer a variety of services that allow women to balance their own wellness with their many daily responsibilities. Our local primary and preventive care community health centers provide integrated whole-person primary health services that give patients the convenience of going to a single location to access all their physical, dental and behavioral health care needs. That’s why our patients are encouraged to make us their medical home. Our women patients can access such health services as regular gynecological checkups, pelvic and breast exams, cervical cancer screenings, well-woman visits, bone density testing, age-appropriate immunizations, Pap smears and HPV testing, STI testing and treatment, and hormonal testing. And to spare women – really all patients – from the needless suffering associated with preventable illness and many of today’s leading causes of death (heart attack, stroke and certain cancers among them), The Wright Center is increasingly focused on preventive care through our Lifestyle Medicine and Obesity Medicine programs. Our dedicated team of dieticians, counselors, and other professionals can help patients adopt a personalized care plan to manage – or outright avoid – chronic diseases. We accept almost all insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), plus private plans. If you’re uninsured, our enrollment assisters can help to educate you about the options and the sign-up process, and our sliding-fee discount program ensures high-quality whole-person primary health services are affordable and accessible for everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. We’re proud to offer first-rate women’s health care, and we’ll continue to do all we can do to exceed that care in any way possible. Supriana Bhandol, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician, serves as the associate program director and physician faculty in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Regional Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Bhandol is accepting patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health – Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave.
Dress For Success Celebrates 25th Anniversary This year marks Dress for Success Lackawanna’s 25th Anniversary! We are excited to mark this occasion and reflect on the incredible impact we have made with your support, empowering women to achieve personal and professional success and economic self-reliance. We invite you to join us in commemorating this special milestone. The event will be held: Thursday, May 16th from 6pm-8pm at The Anthracite Center, 41 North Main Street, Carbondale. Our anniversary celebration will be a momentous occasion as we will recognize the honorees from our 2024 Women Making An Impact campaign, the achievements of the women we have served, showcase success stories, and highlight the transformative work of Dress for Success Lackawanna over the past 25 years. We have developed a range of sponsorship packages to offer you visibility and recognition for your support at our anniversary celebration. Raffle basket donations will also be appreciated. Your sponsorship for Dress for Success Lackawanna’s 25th Anniversary celebration will not only demonstrate your commitment to empowering women but will also align your company with a cause that makes a tangible difference in the lives of women throughout Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne, Pike, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties. If you are interested in contributing, please contact us at 570-941-0339 or email lackawanna@dressforsuccess.org. Sponsorships should be made by Tuesday, April 30th, 2024. We appreciate your consideration and support in making Dress for Success Lackawanna’s 25th Anniversary event a memorable and impactful occasion.
Marion Munley Presents at Houston Trial Lawyers Association Workshop Marion Munley of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys recently presented at the Houston Trial Lawyers Association’s CLE and Workshop: “Building and Bringing Home your Case Story: Openings/Closing.” The focus of her presentation was “What You Want to Look For in Trial to Use in Closing.” Widely recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent and widely respected truck accident lawyers, Marion is Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, Civil Practice, and Truck Law. Marion has earned an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale-Hubbell, the industry’s highest ethical and client satisfaction rating. A leader in the legal community, Marion is an active member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and currently serves as its Treasurer. Marion was the first woman to become Chair of the AAJ Trucking Litigation Group in 2018 and is a past chair of the AAJ Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. Marion is the second woman in Pennsylvania to become Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Among her other professional affiliations are the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Society of Barristers, and the Summit Council, an exclusive group of today’s top civil justice attorneys committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt by corporate wrongdoing, and to the protection of the civil justice system. During her career, Marion has received some of the highest honors a lawyer can receive. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2012, Marion has been named the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She has also been recognized as Best Lawyers® 2022 and 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania and 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury-Plaintiffs for the Allentown metro area. Marion has also been selected to the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers forthe last 18 years and was recently named to the 2023 “Top 10” Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. A graduate of Temple University School of Law (J.D., 1986), Marion received her undergraduate degree from Scranton University in 1983.
Tobyhanna and USAMMA Cut the Ribbon on Modernized Medical Maintenance Operations Facility Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is now home to one of the most modernized Medical Maintenance Operations Division (MMOD) facilities in the United States. On Thursday, May 2, employees and Army leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of a brand-new United States Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) facility at TYAD with a ribbon cutting. The project was the result of a four year long, multi-million dollar effort that saw USAMMA transition their entire workspace to a newly renovated area. Keynote speakers at the event included TYAD Deputy Commander Robert Lantka and USAMMA Medical Maintenance Management Director CW4 (Ret.) Jorge Magana-Cortez. The repair and conversion of the new building, known as MMOD-PA, has been designed to meet the United States Army Medical Logistics Command’s (AMLC) requirements, which included complete renovations to an entire bay and half of another. Some specific renovations include a new roof, dock enclosures and ramps, structural steel mezzanine, overhead and personnel doors, lighting, sprinkler system and valve room, HVAC, X-ray room, conference room, offices, sterilizer testing pit, rack storage, and an open area with 40 workstations. In the end, 60,000 square feet of building area has been recapitalized. Magana-Cortez said that above all, the ribbon cutting is for the hard-working individuals who execute the mission on a daily basis. “In today’s audience is the very special staff who this was done for that execute the day-to-day operations. This ribbon cutting ceremony is for you,” said Magana-Cortez. “We appreciate all of the hard work that you’ve done and what you’re going to do in this building in the future.” This project builds upon an already strong working relationship between USAMMA and TYAD and represents a win-win for both parties. For USAMMA, they now have modernized facilities and furnishings. Additionally, the layout in their new area is more efficient and quality of life has been improved for their staff. For TYAD, the now unoccupied building has been returned to mission space and will be renovated with the goal of improving efficiency and quality of life for depot employees. Lantka lauded the teamwork that occurred between the teams at AMLC and TYAD saying that without it, this all wouldn’t have been possible. “The story of how we got here today is amazing. For over the last 12 to 14 years, Tobyhanna has been able to invest over $900 million into its facilities and this is just one successful program,” said Lantka. “The reason why this was successful is the excellent teamwork between the AMLC team and our Garrison Installation team. They ran the processes that ensure our modernization projects have the right justification, the right prioritization, and that barriers and obstacles got broken down to ensure success.” MMOD-PA Interim Director William Wall echoed Lantka’s sentiment, saying that the close collaboration allowed both parties to provide the very best to the warfighter. “This project was 4 years in the making. It wouldn’t have been successful without continued collaboration between AMLC, USAMMA, and TYAD. We all worked in concert to ensure the funds were secured and the project stayed on schedule,” said Wall. “The modernization of the facility has not only improved our capabilities to the Warfighter, but the infrastructure improvements have also improved the quality-of-life aspect for our team.” Additionally, Wall distributed 10 awards to USAMMA employees for their hard work and dedication during the renovation and moving process. Working with USAMMA to open this new facility is a TOBY2035 initiative aligned with the C5ISR Readiness and Shape the Future lines of effort. The plan, which has two additional focus areas, strives to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s Gala Raises More Than $100,000 for Student Scholarships Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine celebrated a monumental success with its annual Black Ties for White Coats Gala, raising more than $100,000 in support of student scholarships. Held at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, April 20, the event brought together esteemed guests, faculty, students, and community members for an evening of philanthropy and celebration. Geisinger Commonwealth would like to thank the Diamond Sponsor of this year’s event, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Service/Discover NEPA and the Gold Sponsor, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. The annual gala serves as a cornerstone fundraising event for the school and is aimed at supporting the next generation of healthcare leaders. “We are thrilled by the overwhelming generosity and support shown at this year’s Gala”, said School President and Dean Julie Byerley, MD, MPH. “The funds raised will directly impact our students by enabling them to pursue their dreams of becoming a healthcare provider who will make a difference in the communities they serve.” The success of the Black Ties for White Coats event underscores Geisinger Commonwealth’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment where students from all backgrounds can thrive. By providing scholarships, the school aims to alleviate the financial burden of medical education and empower students to focus on their studies and clinical training. Each year Geisinger Commonwealth selects a Founders, Wel-lbeing and Community honoree. This year’s honorees include: Founders: Tom Churilla, MD Well-being: Shubhra Shetty, MD Community: The Scranton School for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children
Marywood Students Join AICUP Day on the Hill A group of six Marywood University students and one staff member recently participated in the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) Day on the Hill in Harrisburg, Pa. They were among 170 attendees from 23 different schools. The annual one-day event, which was held this year on April 9, brings students from AICUP schools across the Commonwealth together at the Harrisburg Capitol Building to advocate on behalf of their institutions and the Pennsylvania State Grant Programs. Participants get the opportunity to meet with legislators and see how the advocacy process works in Harrisburg. The six students, all members of the Student Government Association, met with Pennsylvania State Representatives from Lackawanna County, including Rep. Kyle Donahue, Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, and Rep. Kyle Mullins, as well as Pennsylvania Senator Marty Flynn. Student Government Association (SGA) President-elect Scott Gartley was selected to speak at the event on behalf of Marywood University. Other Marywood student participants were: Ian Kovatch, Rosalyn Page, Aiyanna Jean, Kevin Budveit, and Kelly Royer. Dr. Ross Novak, Dean of Students, accompanied the students during the event. Image ID: Marywood University SGA President-elect Scott Gartley spoke at AICUP’s recent Day on the Hill event on the steps of the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pa.
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine to Host Community Event Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine is hosting a community event: “Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken in and What We Can Do About It” on May 14.
Lackawanna College Awarded $150,000 Grant to Further Assist Parenting Students Lackawanna College received the Parent Pathways Grant for $150,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education. The funds from this grant will expand existing resources for parenting students to directly impact the persistence of parenting students with tuition assistance, emergency funding, and support services. “We are thrilled to receive the Parent Pathways Grant, allowing us to grow our support services for parenting students,” Brian Costanzo, vice president for government affairs & special projects said. “At Lackawanna, we are dedicated to ensuring that all students, regardless of their family responsibilities, have the resources and support they need to succeed academically and personally.” The Parent Pathways grant aims to provide essential resources directly tailored to the needs of parenting students, ensuring their success in academic endeavors. Initiatives in the grant include childcare costs, scholarships, emergency funds for parenting students who require assistance with an academic or basic need affecting their education. These enhanced support services will benefit approximately 21% of Lackawanna’s parenting learners, providing them with the necessary assistance to navigate the demands of both parenthood and higher education. “We strive to offer as much support as possible to our students, and initiatives like the Parent Pathways Grant help further our mission to provide a quality education to all persons who seek to improve their lives and better the communities in which they live,” Costanzo said. For more information about Lackawanna College and its support services for parenting students, please visit Lackawanna.edu.
