Sentara Community Care opens new center in Newport News, Virginia, improving healthcare for Hampton Roads

Sentara Community Care has opened the doors to its third community care center in Hampton Roads to drive greater access to health and wellness services for community members in Newport News, Virginia, and surrounding areas.

The Sentara Community Care Center in Newport News – housed in the former Gethsemane Baptist Church – is the program’s largest brick-and-mortar center, equipped with eight medical exam rooms, a Sentara Therapy Center, a dedicated community space for educational opportunities and resource sharing, and a retail food hub offered in partnership with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.

“Sentara Community Care embodies Sentara’s mission ‘to improve health every day,’ as we focus on delivering high-touch, holistic care beyond our hospital walls and directly into the communities with the greatest needs and largest gaps in care,” said Prasanna Mohanty, executive vice president and president, ambulatory care, Sentara Health.

“Our goal is to make it simpler and more convenient for individuals – especially those facing multiple health and social challenges – to access the care they need, when they need it. This includes addressing social drivers of health, such as housing, food security, education, and employment. By partnering with local organizations and leveraging community resources, we aim to provide comprehensive support that empowers individuals and families to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

“The new Sentara Community Care Center is a remarkable addition to our community, providing high-quality medical care and a wide range of health and wellness services,” stated Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones.

“By maximizing convenience and offering consistent, embedded medical and wrap-around services in neighborhoods, Sentara is making a profound and positive difference in the lives of many.”

A one-stop shop for comprehensive health and wellness services

The Sentara Community Care Center – located at 3509 Chestnut Avenue in Newport News, Virginia – serves as a one-stop shop for individuals to access high-quality medical care and a range of health and wellness services that can be particularly difficult to access in many communities.

The center offers primary care, behavioral health, and social care services; physical therapy and chiropractic services; prenatal and postpartum care; health and wellness education; rooms to house mental health counselors and community health workers; and more.

The on-site food hub provides healthy food options and educational resources on proper nutrition and ways to promote good health.

“The generous funding that Sentara has provided to us to support the distribution of nutrient-rich food through a Food Hub pantry site at their new Chestnut Avenue facility in Newport News will be of significant benefit to our community,” said Bob Latvis, chief executive officer at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.

“We know that having access to nutritious meals empowers our neighbors to live a healthier lifestyle, and food can actually be a form of medicine for those who are receiving medical treatment and essential health screenings. We appreciate Sentara’s longstanding commitment to addressing the fundamental role nutrition plays in improving overall health, and we look forward to working with them on this important initiative.”

The Sentara Therapy Center on the first floor includes private treatment rooms and a gym with state-of-the-art equipment for patients to access therapy and chiropractic services, including manual therapy, post-surgical rehabilitation, and orthopedic therapy. Integrating physical therapy and chiropractic services directly within the center enables the team to collaborate with the medical provider in real-time, providing more seamless care and comprehensive treatment options to improve the quality of life for patients.

The Sentara Community Care team also collaborates with community partners to better identify and address unmet needs in the community. The second floor of the center offers an array of multi-purpose spaces to host community activities and educational workshops, and to connect patients with essential community resources.

“Beyond providing high-quality medical care at the center, we are partnering with dedicated allies to drive greater access to the health and community resources that we all need to thrive,” said Iris Lundy, vice president of health equity, diversity & inclusion, Sentara Health.

“We are supplementing our direct care services with health education programs tailored to community needs to promote lifelong wellness and disease prevention, such as nutrition and healthy eating workshops, mental health support classes, and chronic disease management support.”

The Sentara Community Care Center in Newport News offers flexible care hours for individuals to seek the care they need, when they need it. The current hours of operation are:

• Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Saturday (second and fourth Saturday each month), 8 a.m. – noon

To schedule an appointment, call 757-271-4090. Walk-in appointments are available as well.

Sentara Community Care continues to expand

Sentara Community Care launched its three initial programs in Hampton Roads in the summer of 2022, and has expanded to serve Northern Virginia, Petersburg/Richmond, Henrico, Harrisonburg, and Halifax communities. Since its inception, Sentara Community Care has served more than 5,000 Virginians through its innovative healthcare delivery model.

Now with six community care centers, six mobile care vehicles, school-based telehealth clinics, and numerous strategic partnerships, the Sentara Community Care program continues to extend its reach to provide holistic care in the communities that need it most.