November 24, 2025
September 11, 2025
Building Routines and Confidence for a Great School Year
It’s hard to believe the new school year is already underway. It seems like just a short time ago parents were excited about summer weather and wondering how they were going to fill their kids’ time.
Now that school has started, we wanted to share some important tips* for elementary aged children to help you and your kids kick the year off right.
*source: CDC – Tips for a positive start to the school year!
Daily Routines Help Kids Feel Safe and Confident
Put away electronics one hour before bedtime to relax together and get ready for a good night’s sleep. Plan regular times for healthy meals, play, and homework every day. Kids need 9–12 hours of sleep each night to help them learn. Get clothes and backpacks ready for school the night before. Set aside regular one-on-one time, without screens, to do something relaxing and fun with your child.
Building Connections Boosts Confidence
Visit the school together to meet teachers and see where your child will be spending their day. Talk to your child about what they can expect during the school year. If they are nervous, let them know it’s normal. Have a buddy for bus rides or carpools to make going to school easier. Reduce bullying by forming positive connections in after-school and mentoring programs. Praise your child: “Thank you for helping set out your school clothes for tomorrow!” or “Great job packing your backpack!” Practice positive self-talk: say “I can try this” instead of “I can’t do this.”
Talking About Their Feelings Builds Trust
Ask your child: “What was the best thing about your school day?” Acknowledge their feelings, even when emotions are tough because of conflict or disappointment. Practice coping skills such as belly breathing. Talk about their feelings: “It’s okay to feel…” and “I’m so glad you told me about…” Try belly breathing together: put both hands on your belly, breathe in slowly through your nose, then breathe out slowly through your mouth.
You Know Your Child Best. If You Think Your Child Needs More Help:
Talk to your child’s teachers about how you can support their needs at school. If your child’s feelings are affecting their sleep or school, talk to school behavioral health staff or the Lowell Community Health Center’s School-Based Health Center team about ways to help. Consider a health check-up to stay up to date on your child’s routine care.
August 8, 2025
Community Comes Out to Support Lowell Community Health Center Patients and Staff
Governor Healey and Mayor Rourke Officially Declare Health Center Week in Massachusetts and the City of Lowell
Lowell, MA – This week, Lowell Community Health Center held a community celebration to honor the health center’s 55th birthday. Attended by more than 200 supporters, elected officials, and community partners, the fundraising event was also part of this week’s national celebration of community health centers.
Collectively, community health centers are the United States’ largest network of primary care providers. In Massachusetts, about one in seven residents choose community health centers as their health care home. At Lowell Community Health Center, nearly one-third of all children in Lowell receive their care through the health center, which serves more than 41,000 individuals.
The community celebration included a number of speakers, many of whom had personal connections to the health center.
Lowell Community Health Center CEO, Susan West Levine, noted, “We are the front door to integrated care – where you can see a doctor, nurse practitioner, a case manager, a mental health counselor and get your prescriptions or your glasses and if you need, your dental cleaning…all under ONE roof. We are the community health center for everyone in this community. Our doors are for everyone.”
Lowell Community Health Center Board Member, Bopha Som Boutselis spoke about The Power to Care and visiting the health center as a patient, “I still remember… walking into [the health center] and seeing yourself reflected in the faces of other patients and the staff. I saw a true reflection of our community. I was not afraid to ask questions because I knew someone would understand me and be able to answer me. That made me feel hopeful and relaxed. This is what Lowell CHC stands for in this community. That is The Power to Care.”
Governor Maura Healey sent the health center a proclamation—co-signed by Lt. Governor Kimberley Driscoll and Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin—declaring this week Massachusetts Community Health Center Week. In her proclamation, the Governor noted,
“Massachusetts Community Health Centers have created over 17,800 jobs, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, licensed family therapists and certified nurse-midwives, who work as part of multi-disciplinary clinical teams designed to treat the whole patient, and generated over $2,800,000,000 in total economic activity in 2021.”
Mayor Daniel Rourke, who attended the event in person along with City Council Vice Chair Paul Ratha Yem and Councilor Wayne Jenness, proclaimed August 4 through August 10, 2025, as National Health Center Week in the City of Lowell. In the official proclamation, he “encourage(s) all residents to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Lowell Community Health Center and to recognize its vital role in building a healthier… community for all.”
Representatives from U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office, as well as from Congresswoman Lori Trahan’s office, were also in attendance. Each presented citations and notes on behalf of the members. U.S. Senator Edward Markey sent a citation to commemorate the week’s celebration. These citations included:
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren: “Since its founding, the Lowell Health Center has displayed meaningful commitment to providing exceptional healthcare and experiences to patients through competent and reliable service. Thank you for everything you do for your patients.”
U.S. Senator Edward Markey: Presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition,
“In honor of 55 years of providing compassionate, high-quality healthcare for Greater Lowell, dedicated advocacy on behalf of their patients, and outstanding and invaluable service to the community.”
U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan: Presented a Congressional Proclamation in Recognition of Lowell Community Health Center, which read in part, “The care provided by community health centers like Lowell CHC has never been more essential, offering not only medical treatment, but also connection, continuity, and compassion at a time when accessible health care is critical to both individual and community well-being.”
Massachusetts State Representative Vanna Howard, who also attended the event in person, presented the health center with a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives, co-signed by Representatives Rodney Elliott and Tara Hong, as well as Speaker Ronald Mariano.
Representatives from the office of Massachusetts State Senator Ed Kennedy presented the health center with a Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate Official Citation, also signed by Senate President Karen Spilka, “In recognition of 55 years of providing medical care and services to over 41,000 patients in the Greater Lowell Area.”
CEO Susan West Levine emphasized the importance of elected support, “We couldn’t do the work we do without the support of our legislative delegations, and we are all so lucky to have them in Lowell, in Boston and in Washington fighting for and protecting healthcare access for all.”
About Lowell Community Health Center
Lowell Community Health Center, established in 1970, is the healthcare home of choice for more than 41,000 individuals in Greater Lowell. For 55 years, our mission has remained constant: to provide comprehensive, high-quality care to all—regardless of income or insurance status. Today, as we celebrate The Power to Care, we continue to bring together care and compassion under one roof. Our integrated model connects patients to medical, dental, behavioral health, vision, and pharmacy services—all designed to meet the evolving needs of our community.
June 20, 2025
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BrentCa@lchealth.org
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BrentCa@lchealth.org2025-06-20 15:42:212025-06-20 15:43:38Helping Teens Build a Healthier Relationship with Screens This Summer
May 23, 2025
Parking Alert – Edward Early Garage
The City of Lowell is closing the 2nd floor of the Edward Early Garage for cleaning on Tuesday, May 27.
Parking will not be permitted on that level starting at 8PM on Monday, May 26. Please use other levels of the garage.
Questions? Contact Lowellparking@lazparking.com.
May 5, 2025
Lowell CHC, Lowell Public Schools, and Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Collaborate to Deliver Care to Kids
For families with limited transportation and busy schedules, getting to the doctor’s office for routine checkups can be a challenge.
To bring care directly to Lowell children, Lowell Public Schools, UMass Lowell’s Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and the Lowell Community Health Center joined forces to launch a Mobile Health Unit. The “clinic on wheels” travels to Lowell community schools, providing K-12 students with access to services such as checkups, sick visits and vaccinations.
At a Mobile Health Unit ribbon cutting at the Greenhalge Elementary School on May 5, local officials celebrated the launch of the community initiative.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with our community partners to meet children where they are, breaking down barriers to care while providing experiences for our health sciences students,” said UMass Lowell’s Mary Gallant, dean of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences.
Lowell Public Schools Superintendent Liam Skinner praised the power of the partnership.
“In Lowell, this is what we do,” Skinner said. “We join together to find solutions to difficult problems. Thank you to everyone who made the Mobile Health Unit possible for our children and their families.”
Outfitted with two private exam rooms, a vaccination and blood collection area, and equipment to monitor vital signs, the Mobile Health Unit is staffed by Lowell Community Health Center licensed health care providers and community health workers. The unit will be a setting for career-connected experiences for UMass Lowell students. Students in the Solomont School of Nursing will earn clinical hours by assisting in delivering care, and students from all majors will collaborate to provide workshops that promote healthy living in areas such as nutrition, stress management and physical activity.
Susan Levine, CEO of the Lowell Community Health Center, said her team was exploring ways to expand school-based health care beyond their clinics at Lowell High School and Stoklosa Middle School when she learned UMass Lowell had a Mobile Health Unit and was looking for community partners.
“On day one, our team was delivering vaccines and helping families connect to primary care,” Levine said. “That’s the kind of access this mobile unit makes possible. Students can step into the unit, get the care they need, and return to class – healthy and ready to learn. We are grateful to UMass Lowell and Lowell Public Schools for helping to turn this vision into a reality.”
UMass Lowell’s Nicole Champagne, Zuckerberg College associate dean for academic affairs, worked closely with faculty and partners to bring health services to the children and youth of Lowell.
“We always had this vision that we’d use the Mobile Health Unit to travel to places where people are in need and immerse our students in community care,” Champagne said. “I’m grateful to all my colleagues and partners who united for the common good of our community.”
November 13, 2024
New School-Based Health Center Officially Opens
Lowell Community Health Center celebrated the official opening of its new School-Based Health Center location at Lowell High School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In attendance were Mayor Daniel Rourke, Superintendent of Lowell Public Schools Liam Skinner, Howard Amidon from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Nate Robertson from MassDevelopment, Lowell CHC CEO, Susan West Levine, along with and members of the Health Center’s School-Based Health Center and Executive Teams.
The new space within Lowell’s new High School provides a range of essential services for local youth, including physical exams, immunizations, behavioral health support, and preventive education. Following the ribbon-cutting, the School-Based Health Center team led tours to showcase the facility’s offerings.
Click Here To Learn More About Our School-Based Health Centers.
Read about it in the Lowell Sun.
November 6, 2024
March 20, 2024
Sheila Och Honored by The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy
Lowell Community Health Center is proud to announce that Sheila Och, Chief Engagement and Equity Officer, has been recognized by The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy (IHE) as part of their “Women Leading the Charge” feature for Women’s History Month. This distinguished acknowledgment celebrates Sheila’s exceptional contributions to advancing health equity within the community health sector in Massachusetts.
In the “Women Leading the Charge” feature, Sheila shares her invaluable perspectives alongside other influential women leaders. Her dedication to enhancing community health through cultural proficiency, comprehensive engagement, and a steadfast commitment to addressing the social, emotional, and cultural factors impacting healthcare sets a benchmark for leadership in health equity.
In receiving the recognition, Och remarked about community health centers, “We aim to actively engage our communities and collaborate in health initiatives, outreach programs, and health education. This engagement helps foster a sense of ownership and empowerment, centers our communities’ voices and strengths in our work, and advances our mission to bridge the gap in health disparities.”
Lowell Community Health Center is thrilled that Sheila’s work and the impact of our collective efforts are being recognized on such a prestigious platform. This accolade not only honors Sheila’s individual contributions but also highlights the critical role of community health centers in providing accessible, quality healthcare to underserved populations.
The Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy is an initiative of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.
January 2, 2024
