ROCKPORT and BELFAST — The Community Health team at Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital has added another Community Health Worker (CHW), Quinn Pickett.

In his position, Pickett will go out into the community, working with clients throughout Knox County to connect them with resources to help manage their health.

Pickett comes to Pen Bay from Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he gained experience working with patients and staff in several hospital departments, including infection control, emergency department registration and radiology, where he most recently served as operations coordinator. He is currently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University and is on track to graduate with a bachelor’s in public health/human services later this year.

The CHW program is designed to help community members who have historically faced barriers to accessing health care, such as lack of transportation or insurance, or discomfort with navigating the medical system.

This assistance is provided at no cost to patients and allows CHWs to work with clients for a period of three months. Together, they set health goals and overcome challenges, from navigating new medical diagnoses or identifying sustainable transportation options to applying for SNAP benefits or learning to cook meals at home.

The CHW program is open to patients 18+ who live in Knox or Waldo counties. Patients are referred through providers and community partners, including food pantries and soup kitchens, schools, shelters and Community Action Partnership (CAP) agencies. Community members can also reach out to the program directly using Mainehealth.findhelp.com.

About Pen Bay Medical Center

Pen Bay Medical Center is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit pbmc.org.

Waldo County General Hospital

Waldo County General Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit wcgh.org.