June 2012 North Country Children’s Clinic receives word that we have been named a Federally Qualified Health Center. The designation will mean significant changes in the way the agency does business.
June 2012 – Aileen Martin leaves the agency after 4 years as Executive Director. Collene Dare Alexander begins work as her successor.

October 2012 – Mrs. Alexander resigns. Janice L. Charles, Retired Executive Director returns to serve as the Interim Executive Director.

October 2012 – NCCC begins the process of a name change (North Country Family Health Center, Inc.) NCCC opens their Adult Primary Care Center. Pediatric Primary Care, the School-Based Health Centers, and the new Adult Care Center “went live” with the GE Centricity Electronic Medical Record.

January 2013 – Without advertising of the Adult Care Center, new patients are still waiting at least three weeks for an appointment. The Board of Directors has approved hiring an architectural firm to present plans for expansion of the adult services.

August 2013 – The Board of Directors completes their search for an Executive Director and hires Daniel Wazneechak. Dan is welcomed by staff and community during a series of community events held in September

September 2013 – The agency creates a position to oversee our Healthcare for the Homeless program. NCFHC begins reaching out to the community to find and provide coordinated care for the area’s homeless population.

October 2013 – As a result of an extremely severe cash flow crisis, on Monday, October 7, the Board of Directors of North Country Family Health Center passed a resolution to temporarily suspend operations on Friday, October 11 at the close of business.

After a meeting with The New York State Department of Health, legislators and Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) a plan was developed to allow the agency to keep it’s doors open.

SMC agreed to assist in addressing the significant financial difficulties faced by taking on the role of “temporary operator” to help develop a long-term, sustainable solution that meets the needs of the community. They have also offered a loan of up to $200,000 to sustain operations through the next month. As Temporary Operator, SMC appointed Joey Marie Horton as Interim Executive Director and Dan Wazneechak resigned as Executive Director. The temporary Operator Agreement became official on October 31, 2013 and is to be in place for at least 6 months, with two 90-day extensions possible.

November 2013 – SMC and NCFHC staff complete a Pro Forma financial plan to streamline and reorganize the agency for maximum efficiency. The plan included improving revenue by outsourcing billing, reducing no-show rates, increasing reimbursement rates, decreasing expenses by reducing staff by a net of 13 positions and restructuring operations, restructuring and reducing debt by paying off unsecured debt and refinancing a $1.1 million mortgage, and improving information technology by subcontracting to improve the efficiency of the center’s electronic medical records program.