Monitor your mental health during COVID-19

There are so many ways COVID-19 is affecting everyone right now.  All of those ways can contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, and poor mental health.

Many are sick and dealing with health issues, while others are facing unemployment, food insecurity, social isolation, grief, and/or uncertainty about the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic event.  The Disaster Distress Helpline, a federal crisis hotline, has seen a huge spike in calls from people seeking help. Compared to March 2019, the hotline saw a 891% increase in calls in March 2020.

Monitoring your mental health is important to do, especially right now.  Harbor Health’s behavioral health team wanted to share 8 warning signs that you may be mentally and emotionally exhausted.

When you know the signs, you can help a family member, child, and yourself find support.

8 Warning Signs You Are Mentally and Emotionally Exhausted

Español     Português     Kreyòl Ayisyen    Tiếng Việt

If you are…

1. Easily irritated.
2. Feeling completely unmotivated – even to do things you normally enjoy.
3. Having anxiety or panic attacks.
4. Having trouble sleeping. Either it takes you hours to fall asleep or your sleep is broken all through the night.
5. Finding your self being short with colleagues and family – you have almost no patience.
6. Experiencing indigestion. You have a low-grade stomach ache all the time or feel like there’s butterflies in your stomach.
7. Starting to cry unexpectedly.
8. Feeling detached from reality – you go through your days without really emotionally responding or connecting to anything. You feel empty.

These are warning signs that you are mentally and emotionally exhausted.

[button type=”info” size=”lg” link=”https://www.hhsi.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/8_Warning_Signs-Multi-languages.pdf”] Download 8 Warning Signs[/button]

Get Help For Mental Health

Getting help for mental health will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger!

Our behavioral health team is offering telehealth appointments over the phone and accepting new patients.

If you need help applying for insurance we can help with that over the phone.  Please call to make an appointment! Find a health center near you.

There are also things you can do at home to help cope with stress and fear from COVID-19.  The video below from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has some good ideas.

Coping with Stress and Fear from COVID-19

Talking to children about COVID-19

The CDC also has additional information about managing stress and anxiety due to COVID-19:

• English: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html
• Español: espanol.cdc.gov/enes/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html
• Tiếng Việt: vietnamese.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Mental Health Resources

You can also visit the Disaster Distress Helpline, call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746

Our behavioral health care team also often shares these helpful numbers with our patients:

• • • Boston Emergency Services Team: 1-800-981-4357
    • South Shore Crisis Team: 1-800-528-4890
    • Child & Family Services Mobile Crisis: Plymouth: 1-877-966-3154
    • Bay Cove Emergency Services – Hyannis: 1-833-229-2683
    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
    • Massachusetts Substance Abuse Hotline: 1-800-327-5050

Español

8 señales de advertencia de que está mental o emocionalmente agotado

1. Se irrita con facilidad.
2. Se siente muy desmotivado, incluso para hacer cosas que normalmente disfruta.
3. Tiene ansiedad o ataques de pánico.
4. Tiene problemas para dormir. Puede que le cueste horas quedarse dormido o que su sueño se vea interrumpido a lo largo de la noche.
5. Casi no tiene paciencia y actúa de manera cortante con sus colegas y familiares.
6. Sufre problemas digestivos. Tiene un dolor de estómago leve todo el tiempo y siente como si tuviera mariposas en el estómago.
7. Comienza a llorar de forma repentina.
8. Se siente desconectado de la realidad, pasa los días sin responder realmente a nivel emocional y sin conectarse con nada. Se siente vacío.

¡ESTAMOS A SU DISPOSICIÓN! Nuestros equipos de salud conductual en nuestros centros de salud ahora consultas por teléfono.

Enfrentar el estrés y el temor causados por COVID-19

Português

8 sinais de alerta de esgotamento mental e emocional

1. Você fica facilmente irritado.
2. Você se sente totalmente desmotivado – mesmo para fazer as coisas de que gosta normalmente.
3. Você sofre ataques de ansiedade ou pânico.
4. Você sente dificuldade de dormir. Ou leva horas para adormecer ou seu sono é interrompido durante toda a noite.
5. Você está quase sem paciência e é grosseiro com os colegas e parentes.
6. Você sofre de indigestão. Você tem uma dor de estômago de baixa intensidade o tempo todo ou sente borboletas no estômago.
7. Você começa a chorar inesperadamente.
8. Você se sente desvinculado da realidade – passando seus dias sem realmente responder de modo emocional ou se conectar com algo. Você se sente vazio.

CONTE CONOSCO! As nossas equipes de saúde comportamental dos nossos centros de saúde agora estão dando consultas pelo telephone.

Como lidar com o estresse e medo da COVID-19

Kreyòl Ayisyen

8 Siy Avètisman ki montre ou Mantalman ak Emosyonèlman Epwize

1. Ou irite fasilman.
2. Ou santi w demotive konplètman– menm pou fè sa ou renmen fè jeneralman.
3. Wap eksperimante angwas oswa kriz panik.
4. Ou gen difikilte pou dòmi. Swa li pran w anpil tan pou dòmi oswa somèy ou twouble pandan tout nwit lan.
5. Ou preske pa gen pasyans e ou vin pa ka sipòte kòlèg ak fanmi w pou lontan.
6. Wap eksperimante endijesyon. Ou gen yon ti maltèt tou piti toutan oswa ou santi tankou gen papiyon nan lestomak ou.
7. Ou kòmanse kriye sanzatann.
8. Ou santi w detache nan reyalite a–ou fonksyone san ou pa emosyonèlman reponn oswa konekte avèk anyen. Ou santi w vid.

NOU ISIT LA POU OU! Ekip swen sante konpòtmantal  nan sant sante nou yo kounye a ap bay randevou   ki pa-ijan nan telefòn.

Jere Estrès ak Lakrentiv COVID-19 lakòz

Tiếng Việt

8 Dấu Hiệu Cảnh Giác Quý Vị bị Suy Kiệt Tâm Thần và Cảm Xúc

1. Quý vị dễ nổi cáu.
2. Quý vị thấy hoàn toàn không có động lực nào – ngay cả khi muốn làm những điều quý vị vốn thích làm.
3. Quý vị thấy lo lắng hoặc hoảng sợ.
4. Quý vị bị khó ngủ. Quý vị mất nhiều giờ mới ngủ được hoặc quý vị ngủ chập chờn suốt đêm.
5. Quý vị hầu như mất kiên nhẫn và thấy mình bớt giao thiệp với đồng nghiệp và gia đình.
6. Quý vị bị ăn khó tiêu. Quý vị thường xuyên đau bao tử nhẹ hoặc thấy cồn cào.
7. Quý vị bắt đầu khóc bất chợt.
8. Quý vị tách biệt mình khỏi thực tại – mỗi ngày trôi qua và quý vị không có cảm xúc hoặc gắn kết với điều gì. Quý vị thấy trống rỗng.

CHÚNG TÔI ĐANG Ở ĐÂY ĐỂ  CHĂM SÓC CÁC BẠN! Nhóm dịch vụ Y Tế và Sức Khỏe Tâm Thần tại Trung Tâm Y Tế tiếp tục chăm sóc cho những cuộc hẹn không khẩn cấp qua điện thoại.

Ứng Phó với Căng Thẳng và Sợ Hãi do COVID-19

Hello valued dental patients,

Our dental services at all Harbor Community Health Centers have suspended services due to COVID-19.

The safety of our patients and the members of our dental care team is always our top priority!

We will open our dental practices for routine and non-urgent dental care when the recommendations for staying closed are lifted and we believe it is safe for patients and staff to return.

Our dental team follows all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. We will closely monitor any additional infection control or personal protection equipment policies coming from the CDC and make the changes necessary to keep everyone safety.

Urgent Dental Questions and Emergencies

Call your health center with urgent questions and dental emergencies.  We can provide care with a telehealth appointment over the phone and also have limited in-person appointments for the most urgent emergency cases.

For more information about COVID-19, visit hhsi.us/patient-information/coronavirus

Thank You For Your Understanding!

As the situation with COVID-19 changes, we will continue to keep you updated on when our dental practices will open again for non-urgent care.

We very much appreciate the patience and understanding of all our patients at this time!

Our medical and behavioral health services at our health centers remain open.

Please remember to call BEFORE you come to the health center if you have any of the following symptoms: Fever, difficulty breathing, cough.

Be well,

The Harbor Health dental care team

Medical and behavioral health appointments over the phone

Telehealth and telemedicine are two words you may be hearing a lot about with COVID-19.

It’s OK if you’re not quite sure what they mean!

What is Telehealth?

Using telehealth, you can have a visit with your provider over the phone or with video chat.

Telehealth is very helpful for many types of appointments including when you need to:

• Talk about symptoms you are having to find out if you should get tested for COVID-19 or other health conditions.
• Have an appointment with a behavioral health provider.
• Get a non-COVID-19 related appointment that can’t happen in person for safety.

Having an appointment over the phone is also a way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19!

Harbor now offers telehealth over the phone

NEW! Harbor’s community health centers are now offering telehealth visits with our medical and behavioral health providers over the phone!

The way you make a telehealth appointment is the same.  You call your health center to schedule appointment with your provider.

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to provide a telehealth appointment if you are in Massachusetts.  If you will be in another state for a telehealth appointment, we are unable to offer care at this time.

Our health centers are welcoming new patients!  Our family medicine providers can see ages 2 and up.

A telehealth visit over the phone is another option for getting the care you need! Essential and urgent appointments will still take place at our health centers.

Harbor accepts most insurance plans, including MassHealth and Health Safety Net.  Our financial counselors and community health workers can also help anyone in our community apply for health insurance over the phone.

Find a Harbor Health Location

Here is a list of our community health centers offering phone appointments with our providers:

Geiger Gibson Community Health Center, (617) 288-1140
*NOTE: Urgent and essential visits will take place at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center

Daniel Driscoll-Neponset Community Health Center, (617) 282-3200

Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth,(508) 778-5470

Harbor Community Health Center – Hyannis, (508) 778-5420

REMEMBER: Call the health center to make a telehealth appointment with your provider or new provider just like you would for a regular appointment.

We’re here to help and support you! 

Click the button below for more information about the services at our health centers and frequently asked questions about Coronavirus/COVID-19.

[button type=”info” size=”lg” link=”https://www.hhsi.us/patient-information/coronavirus/”]COVID-19 Information[/button]

Tiếng Việt

The Food Pantry at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center will offer extended hours beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Until further notice, the Food Pantry will be open every Tuesday from 8:30AM-5:00PM.

Come to the Food Pantry later in the day to avoid lines early in the morning!

To keep all of our clients and staff healthy and safe, please do not come to the food pantry if you:

• Are sick or have a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, fatigue.
• Have been in close contact with someone suspected of having or who tested positive for COVID-19.

A friend or family member can pick up food for you.

If you don’t have someone to pick up food for you or you cannot come on Tuesdays, call the prevention services team at (617) 533-2228.  We will do our best to help you.

Please note, the Fresh Truck has temporarily stopped its marketplace at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center during the Food Pantry.

About the Food Pantry

The Food Pantry at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center is open to everyone.  Patients of all Harbor community health centers and members of the community are all welcome. Financial eligibility requirements apply.  Pantry clients can attend once per month.

To learn more about the Food Pantry and other food access programs at Harbor Health, visit hhsi.us/programs-and-services/food-access.

Emergency Meal Resources

Boston

• Emergency Meal Site Map: boston.gov/departments/food-access/map-meal-sites-boston#map–409806
• Full List of Meal Sites: boston.gov/departments/food-access/map-meal-sites-boston

Additional Resources

• Uninsured Massachusetts residents can now apply for health insurance through the Health Connector up until April 25, even though open enrollment has closed. In order to get coverage for April 1, residents need to apply and have submitted all documentation by March 23. For more information, visit mahealthconnector.org
• Comcast is giving up to 2 months of free internet to low-income families to respond to the many school closings and widespread plans for online classes. Sign up through this website: internetessentials.com
• Free online learning apps including ABCmouse for students whose schools have closed as a result of COVID-19. A teacher or representative from a child’s school needs to apply and they will then provide information to impacted students.  To apply, visit ageoflearning.com/schools
• The Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 is a national hotline for immediate crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress from a disaster including the COVID-19 outbreak. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year.

Tiếng Việt

Nơi Phục Vụ Thức Ăn sẽ mở cửa mỗi Thứ Ba từ 8:30 sáng – 5:00 chiều cho đến khi có thông báo thêm.

Quý vị có thể đến Nơi Phục Vụ Thức Ăn trễ hơn trong ngày để tránh bị xếp hàng vào buổi sáng sớm!

Xin đừng đến Nơi Phục Vụ Thức Ăn nếu quý vị:

• Bị bệnh hoặc bị sốt, ho, hoặc khó thở
• Có tiếp xúc gần kề với người nào bị nghi là nhiễm hoặc kết quả thử nghiệm bị nhiễm COVID-19

Bạn bè hoặc người trong gia đình có thể đến lấy thức ăn cho quý vị.

Nếu không có ai để lấy thức ăn cho quý vị hoặc quý vị không thể đến vào thứ Ba, xin gọi cho chúng tôi theo số (617) 533-2228. Chúng tôi sẽ cố gắng giúp quý vị.

Xin cảm ơn quý vị cố gắng giúp cho mọi người được khỏe mạnh và an toàn!

Xe rau cải (Fresh Truck) sẽ đóng cửa cho đến khi có thông báo mới.

Award will support relocation and expansion efforts and sustain local access to dental care

We’re pleased to share that The Palmer and Jane D. Davenport Foundation awarded Harbor Health $5,000 to support the relocation and expansion of our Ellen Jones Community Dental Center.

“The support from The Palmer and Jane D. Davenport Foundation will help us sustain access to local affordable dental care to everyone on the lower Cape,” explained Chuck Jones, president and CEO of Harbor Health.

“Harbor must raise $300,000 for dental equipment and other critical items needed for patient care at the new location for Ellen Jones– this award gets us closer to that goal.”

Harbor’s Ellen Jones is one of the few dental practices accepting MassHealth for adults on the lower Cape. The dental center sees over 3,300 patients each year and 88% are low income or uninsured.  The dental care team provides regular and walk-in emergency dental care for all ages, and the Center also offers help applying for health insurance and a sliding fee scale.

Harbor opened the dental center inside Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (CCT) in 2000 and started a unique collaboration with the school’s dental assisting program.  Program students work alongside the dental care team at Ellen Jones, developing the skills they are learning in the classroom.

When CCT moves to its new building this June, Ellen Jones will relocate to Patriot Square in Dennis.  In addition to continuing the partnership with CCT’s dental assisting program, the Center will expand to 8 exam rooms and offer more appointments.

If you’re interested in supporting the relocation and expansion efforts for Ellen Jones you can make a donation!

There are two ways to donate:

1. Donate online at HHSI.US/DonateEllenJones
2. Mail a check payable to the Ellen Jones Fund to Harbor Health Services, 1135 Morton Street, Mattapan, MA  02126.

Cape Cod Healthcare will generously match up to $100,000 in donations to the Center’s relocation and expansion efforts!

Offering expanded hours for medical and dental appointments, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

We’re happy to shared that Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth now has Saturday hours!

Starting on February 15, the community health center located at 10 Cordage Park Circle, Suite 115, is now open every other Saturday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, for medical and dental appointments.

Call (508) 778 – 5470 to make an appointment.  New patients are welcome.

The dental care team provides care for all ages and has appointment openings on Saturday mornings.  Families are encouraged to make appointments to get everyone dental care in one convenient trip.

The health center accepts most insurance plans including MassHealth and offers a sliding fee scale for services.  The health center accepts MassHealth for dental care for all ages including adults.

Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth offers kind and caring healthcare services including:

• Primary care for ages 2 and up
• Recovery services, including Medication for Addiction Treatment
• HIV services
• Dental exams and cleanings
• Dental fillings and oral surgery
• Root canals
• Dentures/partials
• Crowns
• Dental emergency care

The health center also offers:

• Assistance applying for health insurance and SNAP benefits.
• Medical case management and housing assistance for people living with HIV.
• An on-site interpreter and access to a language line for people with a preferred language other than English.

To learn more about services at Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth, visit HHSI.US/Plymouth

Show some big love for little teeth with helpful resources for parents and caregivers

National Children’s Dental Health Month this February! Even though baby teeth eventually fall out, it’s still very important to keep them healthy.

Baby teeth help kids chew, talk, and smile. They hold the space in the jaws for permanent teeth that are growing under the gums.

Decayed teeth can affect a child’s self-esteem, and pain from toothaches can keep them home from school.

Dental cavities, also known as tooth decay, is still the single most common chronic childhood disease in the United States.

Fortunately, tooth decay is preventable!

Show some love for little teeth the February by helping kids develop good dental health habits at an early age!  Here are three things parents and caregivers can do…

#1 Get It From The Tap

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the community water fluoridation program in the U.S.  Fluoride is a naturally occurring element in water.  Fluoridation is the process of adjusting the amount of fluoride found in water to achieve the best prevention of tooth decay.

Fluoride in water helps prevent cavities so if your community has fluoridated water, make sure to have the kids in your life get water from the tap!

#2 Follow the 2-2-2 Rule

The dental care team recommends all children see a dentist before their first birthday.  And all children should see a dentist TWO times a year and brush with a fluoride toothpaste TWO times a day for TWO minutes!

Need help finding affordable dental care?  We can help!  Harbor Health offers dental services at all of our locations.  We accept MassHealth and can help parents and caregivers apply for insurance.

We also have a sliding scale of fees to make sure everyone can get the care they need.

Find a Harbor Health location

#3 Be a Role Model for Oral Health

Make sure to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and floss once a day.  If the kids in your life see you doing it, they are much more likely to follow the same healthy habits.

You can also download the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness’s oral health tips for families:

• English [PDF, 76KB]
• Spanish (español)[PDF, 72KB]
• Vietnamese (tiếng Việt)[PDF, 180KB]

FREE dental care services for children ages 1-17 by appointment

The dental care teams at Geiger Gibson Community Health Center and Harbor Community Health Center-Hyannis will host “Give Kids A Smile!”

The event will take place on Saturday, February 8, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.

During the event, the team will provide free dental services to children ages 1-17.

Free services will include:

• Dental exams
• Dental cleanings
• Fluoride treatments
• Sealants

Space is limited and services are by appointment only.

Please call one of the health centers below and say you want to make an appointment during “Give Kids A Smile.”

Geiger Gibson Community Health Center
250 Mount Vernon Street
Dorchester, MA
Call (617) 288-1140 to make an appointment at Geiger Gibson

Harbor Community Health Center – Hyannis
735 Attucks Lane
Hyannis, MA
Call (508) 778-5420 to make an appointment at Harbor Community Health Center – Hyannis 

What is Give Kids A Smile?

Give Kids A Smile is a national program of the American Dental Association.  The program is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of oral health and the staggering number of children who don’t have access to care.  As part of the program, thousands of dentists and volunteers across the country donate their time to provide free care for kids.

Annual program events kick off during National Children’s Dental Health Month in February.

“During Harbor’s Give Kids A Smile event, kids in our local community will have the chance to come in to see a dentist.  We want to help every kid keep their teeth healthy and strong,” explained Dr. Matt Horan, executive director of dental services at Harbor Health.

“We’ll also offer parents and caregivers resources such as help with applying  for insurance.  We want to make sure everyone in the family continues to maintain good oral and overall health.”

Other options for pediatric dental care

Our pediatrics practice at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center has a weekly pediatric dental clinic.  The clinic takes place on Thursdays, 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm.

Visit hhsi.us/pediatrics to learn more.

All Harbor Health locations also offer dental care for kids.  To find a dental location near you, visit hhsi.us/location.

Ellen Jones will relocate to Patriot Square in Dennis in 2020 – and we need your help to do it!

Harbor’s Ellen Jones Community Dental Center will move to Patriot Square in Dennis in the spring of 2020!  We also plan to expand our non-profit dental center  in our new location and offer more appointments.

But we need to raise $300,000 to help offset expenses.

Cape Cod Healthcare CEO Michael Lauf (second from right) presents CCHC’s $100K match commitment to Harbor Health’s CEO Chuck Jones (right) and members of the dental care team at Ellen Jones Community Dental Center, Dr. Joao Costa, lead dentist; Erin Mullaney, administrative director of dental services; and Aline Martins, dental assistant.

To kickstart our fundraising efforts, Cape Cod Healthcare (CCHC) has pledged to match every donation to the Ellen Jones Relocation and Expansion Fund up to $100,000!

DONATE NOW

Cape Cod Healthcare Visits Ellen Jones

Last week, Cape Cod Healthcare’s (CCHC) CEO Michael Lauf, vice president of strategy and government affairs Paul Niedzwiecki, and members of the CCHC Community Benefits team visited the current location of Ellen Jones at Cape Cod Technical High School in Harwich.

“We’re grateful to you for getting us started in such a big way,” Harbor’s president and CEO Chuck Jones told the CCHC team during their tour of Ellen Jones.

“Your commitment will help provide dental care to more patients.  And it will also help engage the Cape community in supporting our efforts at Ellen Jones.”

“Making sure all residents of our region can get high-quality healthcare where we live and work is a top priority,” CCHC’s Paul Niedzwiecki explained.

“We welcome the opportunity to support Harbor’s efforts to sustain local, affordable access to dental care – which is vital to maintaining good overall health.”

Why is Ellen Jones Moving?

Ellen Jones is currently located inside Cape Cod Technical High School.  Students participating in the school’s dental assisting program currently work alongside dental staff at Ellen Jones.  Students have the opportunity to practice the skills they learn in the classroom with real patients.

The school plans to move to a new building at the end of this school year.  The dental center is not moving with the school.

With over 3,300 patients and a long wait list, the dental center needs to expand to meet growing community needs.  Harbor plans to continue the partnership with Cape Cod Tech’s dental assisting program.

Our new location is 10 minutes from the school and will offer an enhanced learning environment for students.

Why Did We Choose Patriot Square?

Harbor wanted the dental center to stay on the lower Cape, where it has been for the past 19 years and over a third of the patients at Ellen Jones live.  Patriot Square is accessible by public transportation and is close to the highway, making it more convenient for patients.

You Can Help!

We need to raise $300,000 to offset the costs of moving and building out a new space.  CCHC will match every donation to the Ellen Jones Relocation and Expansion Fund.

That means your donation will instantly make double the difference!

Low income and uninsured patients have few if any options for dental care on the lower Cape.  We stretch our resources every day to serve residents in need.  Now we need your help to keep local, affordable dental care accessible to everyone on Cape Cod.

To make an online donation to the Ellen Jones Relocation and Expansion Fund, please visit hhsi.us/DonateEllenJones 

You can also contact Susan Lit, chief strategy and performance officer, at [email protected] to talk more about contributing to the Ellen Jones Relocation and Expansion Fund.

Harbor Health Services, Inc. recently became aware of a data privacy event that may affect the security of the personal information of a limited number of patients who had an appointment at Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth.

We take this incident very seriously and the confidentiality, privacy, and security of the information provided to us is one of our highest priorities.

What Happened?

Timeline

June 11, 2019 – Harbor Health discovered suspicious activity occurring within a Harbor Health Plymouth employee email account.  We immediately started an investigation into the nature and scope of the activity.

June 24, 2019 – Harbor Health’s third-party forensic investigators determined that on June 11, 2019 an unauthorized actor had accessed the employee email account for a period of approximately 40 minutes.

July 30, 2019 – The investigation confirmed that personal information relating to a limited number of patients who had an appointment at our Plymouth health center was contained in the email account.

Harbor Health is unable to determine which emails, if any, were viewed without authorization.

Because we are unable to rule out access to any particular email, we are reviewing the entire contents of the affected email account and will mail affected patients notification letters when the process is complete. 

While the review of the contents is ongoing, the types of information that were potentially accessible includes patient names and appointment information such as time, date, provider name, and appointment type.

What Are We Doing in Response to this Incident? 

The security of our patients’ information is extremely important to us and we apologize for any difficulty and concern this incident may cause.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the security of the information in our care, we changed the employee’s email credentials and implemented additional security measures. We are also reviewing our existing policies and procedures to further enhance the security of our network.

We take this incident very seriously and are providing information below so that you can take the steps you feel are appropriate.

What Can I Do in Response to this Incident?

We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud.

As a best practice, if you receive a notice from us that your information was accessible, you should review your financial account statements, credit reports and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity.

If you see any unauthorized charges, promptly contact the bank or credit card company.  We also recommend reviewing your credit report for inquiries from companies that you have not contacted, accounts you did not open and debts on our accounts that you cannot explain.

Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus.  To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228.  You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.

You have the right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization.  The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent.  However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit.  Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report.  Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below:

In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
7. If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.

The credit reporting agencies have one (1) to three (3) business days after receiving your request to place a security freeze on your credit file report, based upon the method of the request.  The credit bureaus must also send written confirmation to you within five (5) business days and provide you with the process by which you may remove the security freeze, including an authentication mechanism.

Upon receiving a direct request from you to remove a security freeze and upon receiving proper identification from you, the consumer reporting agency shall remove a security freeze within one (1) hour after receiving the request by telephone for removal or within three (3) business days after receiving the request by mail for removal.

As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on your file at no cost.  An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file.  Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit.

If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years.  Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the agencies listed above.

Under Massachusetts law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident.  If you are the victim of identity theft, you also have the right to file a police report and obtain a copy of it.

You can also further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself, by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, your state Attorney General, or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at:

600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580

www.identitytheft.gov

1-877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338)
TTY: 866-653-4261

The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them.  You can also obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above.

For More Information

We understand that you may have questions about this incident that are not addressed in this notice. For more information regarding the event, please contact our dedicated call center at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am  to 8:00 pm ET (excluding US holidays). You can also write to us at 1135 Morton Street, Mattapan, MA 02126.