Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center

Established in 1971, Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center, Inc. (WYH) is a community based, 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation that provides affordable, accessible primary and preventative medical, dental and addiction services to the uninsured, working poor and medically under-served people of the Capital Region. Whitney Young currently operates from eight physical locations in Albany, Troy and Watervliet, including school-based health centers in three Albany elementary schools. In addition, Whitney Young Health provides mobile dental services through Seal-a-Smile, a partnership with the Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI). Whitney Young Health fulfills its mission and vision by offering comprehensive primary care services to all, from birth to old age, with special focus on chronic illnesses, prevention and early intervention. Particular emphasis is placed on reducing health disparities identified through the needs assessment and deployment of the chronic care model in the medical setting. The design of WYH's delivery model is patient centered addressing clinical symptoms as well as behavioral issues to achieve measurable outcomes. Recently, the National Committee for Quality Assurance recognized Whitney Young’s Troy and Albany Health Centers as Level III Patient-Centered Medical Homes. Most of the 21,000 patients WYH serves annually are under or uninsured minorities living in poverty. Moreover, the conditions of high rates of unemployment and poverty; and the lack of health insurance cause higher rates of morbidity and consequent health disparities amongst Whitney Young’s target patient population. Whitney Young Health works to alleviate barriers accessing care and augment its primary care services by providing transportation, translation, patient education, nutrition and case management services as well as by employing culturally diverse clinical and support staff.