Buffalo, NY, October 27--- The Elmwood Health Center at 2128 Elmwood Avenue (between Hertel and Kenmore Avenues in Buffalo), the North Buffalo health facility which offers a comprehensive range of quality primary and specialized health care and can be seen as a model for the community health initiatives currently being debated in Congress, will celebrate its 15th anniversary of service on Wednesday, October 28 from 12 - 1:30 P.M. with a significant grant announcement.

The Patrick P. Lee Foundation of Amherst, NY, will provide $130,000 in funding to the Center for upgrades to its physical plant, specifically a redesign of its registration area and improvements in the efficiency of its communications equipment. The grant announcement is in addition to a recent award from the federal government of almost $400,000 for an electronic medical records (EMR) system. "Inefficient, unwelcoming and inaccessible facilities are a significant barrier to services for people with special needs. Upgrading both our phone and computer system along with modernizing our physical plant will enable us to better triage calls and visits resulting in better outcomes for our patients," said Dr. James Boles. President and CEO. Added Boles, "This grant from the Patrick P. Lee Foundation is going to put us ahead in the area of healthcare delivery in our community. It speaks volumes to the Lee family's commitment to the City of Buffalo and WNY."

Founded in 1994 by People Inc., Western New York's leading not-for-profit human services agency, the Elmwood Health Center is what Anna Korus, People Inc. vice-president for health and senior services, describes as "a very inclusive and comprehensive neighborhood health center." The Center sees 3,600 patients per month, or 43,000 visits per year.

Elmwood Health Center Director Frank Azzarelli referred to the health center as "a place where people can come and we can take care of all of their medical needs." It is a successful and thriving model of a neighborhood health center, the type offered as an example of a low-cost and high-result facility often mentioned in the current national conversation on health care reform.

The Elmwood Health Center provides a wide range of medical, rehabilitative therapies and counseling services for the general public - adults, seniors, teens, and children - as well as specially designed services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Services include adult and pediatric primary health care, audiology, podiatry, mental health counseling services gynecology, neurology, occupational, physical and speech therapies, and support groups.