Newton Falls – I must have driven by it a hundred times. I’m not sure what it is. Have you ever caught yourself describing a business this way? That was on my mind when I got the call from a friend. “They are donating money for the Community Center. Can you come and take some pictures? Maybe write something about it?” The call was from Ron Stoner, volunteer extraordinaire for Heritage Accord. So, in the car I jump, and head out. Since becoming a reporter for the Weekly Villager, I have learned much about this wonderful small town, and was about to find out more!
I arrive at a place I have driven by, used as a turn-around, and of which I have otherwise remained ignorant. Located at 175 E. Broad Street, it is on a very busy corner. There were canopies set up, games in the front, informational booths with keepsakes advertising the business, One Health Ohio., aka Falls Family Care. Unknown to me, it is National Health Center Week, and One Ohio Health/Falls Family Care was celebrating it in a big way. Food, prizes, they even had a raffle. (Fingers crossed!) As I exited my car, I was offered a blood pressure check, fliers describing the services available there, lunch and a beverage. I was just in time for a tour of the facility. On that tour was Ron, Connie Smith Talcott of Heritage Accord, and Newton Falls Mayor Ken Kline. And myself. Hmm, what did I get myself into this time?
The tour started at a socially distanced, modern waiting room. Then Mark, our tour guide, took us into the hub of the facility. Mark Haddle is actually more than a tour guide, he is the Compliance Officer for the facility. He did make an excellent tour guide, he was very informative and excited about the facility. He showed us very modern patient rooms, a newly finished floor, a state-of-the-art refrigerator for protective storage. Continuing down the hallway, there were many more patient rooms. At the end of the hallway, there were multiple dental stations. beautiful, new dental furniture that actually looks comfortable. We saw the dental lab, the equipment looked modern enough to star in a science fiction movie. Mark was quite proud of it, showing the no-touch cupboards, and other equipment that eliminates cross-contamination. There was also a digital imaging room. Mark explained many of the advantages of digital imaging over older, ‘wet’ imaging technology. Not only does it enable an instant consult with other professionals, it is also better for the environment. We passed an office for the dentist and hygienist as we returned to the waiting room. I thought it was odd, though utterly wonderful, that a facility would have infrastructure for ‘x-rays’, patient care, and dental care. ‘At last,’ I thought, ‘a one-stop facility for the whole person.’ Little did I know…
Then the administrator of the facility entered. Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, M.D., MBA, F.A.A.P. sat down with us and explained the mission of the facility, as well as his interest with Heritage Accord. He traced the history of One Health Ohio, having grown out of the need to treat underserved people. This facility which started in 2016, as well as other ONE Health Ohio facilities, have multiple services at each location. Treating the whole person, there are; family practice, pediatric care, dental care, women’s health, behavioral health, nutritional services, podiatry and lab testing. Their mission is ‘to improve the health and well-being of people in our communities by providing quality healthcare, particularly to the uninsured and underinsured.’ Starting 35 years ago, this grew out of a need for a safety net. Too many people were falling through the cracks of the medical system. Youngstown was their first site. That site now boasts a greenhouse, so doctors can ensure that their clients are getting healthful food. As typical medical facilities went the route of specialization, their approach was to integrate. Because of that integration, one can catch problems more quickly and conveniently. Knowing that dental health, physical health, mental and emotional health are all interrelated into one’s well-being, it just makes sense. We were then joined by Dr. Maria Kowal, the founder of Rise Recovery. One can get addiction counseling and treatment at this facilty, too. She has pioneered medically assisted treatment for addiction recovery.
Dr. Dwinnells then spoke with Heritage Accord Director Connie Smith Talcott, and Ron, to explain his interest in the Newton Falls Community Center. He is concerned about areas becoming ‘social deserts.’ Especially since the epidemic, social connections are lacking. In treating the whole person, one cannot ignore social health. He has observed a strong connection the community has to the former USO building. As he says, “I only saw it once, but I fell in love with the building.” Ron added, “there was always something there for us to do as teenagers. I only hope there is something like that for my grandchildren.” Dr. D would like to see it restored, and return to the social hub it used to be. In this manner, perhaps a partnership could develop between One Health Ohio and Heritage Accord. He envisions many informational classes there, and he already has trained professionals to run them. Exercise classes, behavioral health classes, even healthy cooking classes could be held there. His vision can easily tie in with HA’s vision of returning the building to a social hub, perhaps a social/health hub could be created. Blood pressure checks, Red Cross Blood Drives, all can be held there, and can improve the overall well-being of the area.
With that, Dr. Dwinnells presented a check to Heritage Accord for a thousand dollars. On behalf of HA, Ron accepted. Knowing that much more is needed to renovate the building, Dr. D apologized that he couldn’t fund it all. Knowing that every donation helps, it was graciously accepted. Hopefully, I witnessed the beginnings of a great partnership.
Heritage Accord is very busy this month. They have held an informational meeting hoping to recruit volunteers. That was very successful! Wednesday, August 11 was the first ‘Clean Up’ of the facility. Over twenty community members braved the storms and came. Another clean-up was held Saturday, August 14 from 9:00am to 1:00pm. They have an Alumni Tour scheduled for Saturday, August 21. Also scheduled is the culmination to the Pluck A Duck Fundraiser. That will be held on Sunday, November 7, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. Along with food, there will be live music, and someone (could be me) plucking a duck from the pond. Follow them on Facebook for updates!
One Ohio Health works with many insurances, Medicare and Medicaid, and offers a sliding fee scale for the uninsured or the underinsured. They are accepting new patients. Call them at (330) 872-2010 for more information, or to schedule your appointment. You can gain information on their website, onehealthohio.org, or email them at care@onehealthohio.org.
I came home from that whirlwind of activity with my head spinning. I could hardly wait to sit down at my computer and put my thoughts to the page. My day certainly didn’t go as planned. It went much better! In the small, but wonderful, town of Newton Falls, many good surprises await.
