The Community Health Care Clinic (CHCC), located at 900 Franklin Avenue in Normal, has been in operation for 25 years and is McLean County’s only free medical clinic focused on improving access to care for the medically underserved. The CHCC provides a patient-centered medical home to approximately 1,000 adult patients each year. As a free medical clinic, no patient is charged for any services provided at the clinic or upon referral to specialty care offices and local hospitals.
Mike Romagnoli, executive director, ex-officio member
Mike Romagnoli, executive director of CHCC, has been leading the clinic operations for 10 years, and began his work at the clinic 15 years ago as a Spanish language interpreter. Romagnoli ensures patients needing access to health services receive team-based primary care. CHCC’s team-based primary care services include medical, nursing, case management, pharmaceutical, nutritional and dental care.
The CHCC has demonstrated value to McLean County in distinct ways, including quantifiable cost savings by reduced emergency department visits and delivery of extensive preventative medical care to keep our community healthy and productive active members of society. The CHCC will expand its community health care outreach with the addition of a dedicated CAUSE grant-funded registered nurse (RN), whose complex care management services and preceptorship to Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN) students will be invaluable.
Introducing the CHCC registered nurse (RN) care coordinator, Brigitte Lamar
Brigitte Lamar, RN care coordinator
The MCN CAUSE Grant has allowed CHCC to hire a dedicated registered nurse to function as an embedded clinic care coordination RN. The partnership with Mennonite College of Nursing will offer a unique opportunity for Brigitte Lamar to precept nursing students learning how to practice within an integrated team-based care model alongside the CHCC primary care team.
“When I was young, I was the one who loved to fix all the scrapes and cuts. I had an aunt who was a nurse, and I remember thinking this could be what I wanted to be when I grew up. Having been a RN for 25 years now, I know I made the right choice. I feel one of the most rewarding aspects of nursing is advocating for patients. This is especially important for those in our community with the fewest resources (underserved), that face the greatest challenges in health care. I am excited to have the opportunity to work at CHCC and partner with ISU to mentor the next generation of nurses.”
Meet the CHCC team
Pictured left to right: Barb Neumann, drug assistance coordinator; Mike Romagnoli, executive director, ex-officio member; Erin Schmitt, nurse practitioner; Alejandra Bucio, medical assistant and receptionist; Ana Manriquez, medical assistant and receptionist; Brigitte Lamar, RN care coordinator; Mary Garcia, patient care associate; and Leigh Helmuth, operations manager, pharmacy technician coordinator.
CHCC’s long-anticipated expansion into dental services began in February 2019 and has served more than 30 patients with many more scheduled future service appointments.
Community Health Care Clinic’s new Dental Clinic.
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