Press Releases

Holyoke, MA – On Saturday, Congressman Richard E. Neal visited Holyoke Health Center’s (HHC) COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at Dean Technical High School where Holyoke Public School staff was receiving vaccines provided through a federal initiative. The clinic had enough vaccines to give first shots to 600 members of the Holyoke Public Schools in one day.

Holyoke Health Center had been in discussion with the school administration since it was selected to be one of the first 250 health centers in the country to receive direct shipments of vaccine from a federal initiative, established through President Biden’s Community Health Center Vaccination Program. This vaccine program directly allocates COVID-19 vaccines to Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers to ensure that our nation's underserved communities and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 are equitably vaccinated.

“There was an immediate call to us from Congressman Richard Neal’s staff in Washington as the federal initiative was being developed and we have remained in contact throughout to make sure there were no last minute problems with the shipment of 600 doses of vaccine,” said Breines. “The federal vaccine has allowed us to focus on the school staff not just as a public health opportunity, but as a means to expedite the return to classrooms for thousands of children in our school system. Most of the children are our patients and we are aware of the difficulties the COVID pandemic has caused for the families of these children, including social, economic, and emotional distress. For the health and educational success of our young patients, we have to get them back into the classroom.”

“I am thrilled to see these federal resources in action here in Holyoke today,” said Congressman Neal. “Community health centers like Holyoke have been on the frontlines of this pandemic for over a year now and the work that they continue to do to ensure that our populations are vaccinated does not go without notice. At the health center, they can vaccinate patients from vulnerable populations and at Dean Tech, they are able to ensure our teachers are vaccinated to return to school. Part of President Biden’s 100 day plan was for a robust rollout of vaccines across our country. I am thrilled to see it in action here today.”

“I am also pleased that just this Thursday, HRSA announced that Holyoke Health Center will receive $3,628,000 from the American Rescue Plan,” continued Congressman Neal. “This funding will go to support and expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver needed preventive and primary health care services to those at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.”

Lori Lewicki, Chief Pharmacy Officer at HHC has overseen the implementation of school effort while also providing vaccine clinics at the health center, senior center and an area housing agency. 

“This has been an exciting way to use the resources of the pharmacy and our staff.  Our programing is built around the integration of pharmacy and medical care, and this effort puts us directly on the front lines in the COVID battle,” Lewicki exclaimed. 

Rosilma Romero, Assistant Clinical Director for Nursing, says to date HHC has been able to provide over 3,000 vaccines to its staff, patients, first responders, and other persons made eligible through the state phasing plan. 

Noelle Flint, Director of Nursing, is looking forward to the arrival of even more vaccines so more 1st doses can be scheduled.  “Although we are all feeling exhausted by the extra workload this has caused, this is what we are here for and this is how we can best take care of our community”.  

Breines noted his thanks for the support provided by Marianne Currier, Holyoke Public Schools Pupil Services Coordinator, and Cynthia Carbone, Head Nurse, as they surveyed staff to work out the scheduling details and provided space and personnel to help manage the all-day effort. 

“We’ve integrated our community and professional staffs in a way that has not been done before and it has all been going like clockwork, Currier said.    

“The commitment of the staff to get Holyoke fully vaccinated has been incredible”, said Ben Cartegena, President of HHC’s Board of Directors.  “We don’t know how they are pulling this off, but we are so thankful that we have the resources and the ability to get the job done. Without the federal shipment, it would have been very difficult to vaccinate school personnel now that they are eligible to receive the vaccine.”

Detailed information on how this funding is being distributed to health centers, including an interactive map of which health centers will receive funding, can be found HERE. 

Information on ensuring equity in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, can be found HERE.

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