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Contact Name: Kari Ellignstad Contact Email: kari@i-netconsulting.com Contact Phone Number: 9415393949 CenterPlace Health, a provider of primary care health services for children and adults and Sarasota County’s only Federally Qualified Health Center, welcomes a new CEO. The board of directors selected Melissa Parker to lead the community-based health center. Melissa joined CenterPlace in November 2019 after serving United Family Medicine in St. Paul, MN for more than 18 years. She worked in a variety of roles at United Family Medicine, rising through the ranks to the position of CEO. Her accomplishments include numerous quality improvement transformations and the completion of two clinic building projects with sustained day to day operations. Ms. Parker successfully led and produced a nationally recognized, silver LEED ® Certified Facility from the US Green Building Council. Ms. Parker replaces Linda Stone, PhD, who retired after serving as the health center CEO for more than a decade. During much of this period, Dr. Stone worked alongside leadership at the Department of Health-Sarasota County to ensure the provision of primary care services to a low-income population. When the State made the decision to discontinue providing primary care at local health departments, CenterPlace Health stepped in to fill this role. CenterPlace Health has three locations in Sarasota County and provides comprehensive primary care for adults and children in addition to women’s health, dental, laboratory, and mental health and substance abuse services. CenterPlace Health patients also have access to discounted prescription drugs through an onsite pharmacy. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans are accepted, and an income-based formula is used to offer reduced rates for those who qualify. Everyone is expected to pay something, but no one is turned away. Ms. Parker plans to expand services even further, hoping to add chiropractic care, walk-in hours, an innovative diabetic care program, and additional dental services to CenterPlace Health’s offerings. A reception to welcome Ms. Parker and to thank Dr. Stone will be held in April. For more information, contact Oksana Melinchenko at Oksana.Melnichenko@centerplacehealth.org. To learn more about CenterPlace Health, visit www.centerplacehealth.org .