HealthReach announces new hires in Lakes Region, Franklin County

WATERVILLE – HealthReach Community Health Centers recently announced new hires at four of its regional clinices.
Family Nurse Practitioner Andrew Twaite has joined the staff at Belgrade Regional Health Center, and Christina Newsom, PMHNP-BC, has joined the staff at three practices of HealthReach — in Kingfield, Rangeley and Strong.

Twaite brings a wealth of experience in rural patient care and looks forward to providing his services to the communities of the Belgrade Lakes region.
Twaite earned a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Southern Maine, and an undergraduate degree in nursing from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester, Mass. He also completed a bachelor’s degree in Medical Biology at the University of New England.
“Andrew joins an experienced and enthusiastic care team that includes physician Amy Madden, nurse practitioners Jennifer Caudell and Katie Gillihan, psychiatric nurse practitioner Theresa Rush, and licensed clinical social worker Rita Alfonso LaBarbera,” HealthReach officials said in a news release.
Clinicians at the health center offer medical and behavioral health services and serve patients of all ages from the communities of Augusta, Waterville, Rome, Oakland, Sidney, Vassalboro, Readfield, Manchester, Mount Vernon, and neighboring towns.
Newsom, in December, joined Mount Abram Regional Health Center in Kingfield, Rangeley Family Medicine, and the Strong Area Health Center.
She offers psychiatric medication management, including psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Newsom works closely with patients and their primary care providers to determine the best plan of care. “Tina is a tremendous resource for HealthReach patients,” the health care organization said in a news release.
Newsom earned a master of science in nursing, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner degree after earning a bachelor science in nursing degree in 2016 from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Previously, she completed an associate of applied science in nursing degree at North Central Texas College, and a bachelor of arts in psychology from Arizona State University.

Newsom brings more than nine years of psychiatric nursing experience for patients to HealthReach. She has experience practicing across urban and rural settings, helping to bring psychiatric treatments to those who need it most. More recently, she has been key to providing access to substance use disorder treatments to rural populations in Franklin County, the release said.
Newsom will work in coordination with HealthReach primary care and behavioral health clinicians to provide face-to-face and tele-video medication management visits to patients of all ages.
HealthReach is a private nonprofit with a 45-year history, funded by patient fees, grants and by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It has 12 locations in western and central Maine, including in Bethel, Belgrade, Bingham, Albion (Lovejoy Health Center), Kingfield (Mount Abram Regional Health Center), Madison, Rangeley, Richmond, Pittsfield (Sheepscot Valley Health Center), Strong and Livermore Falls (Western Maine Health Center). It offers medical and behavioral care, and to ensure access for everyone, HealthReach accepts Medicare, MaineCare, and major insurance providers. In addition, an Affordable Care Program is available to both uninsured and underinsured residents. Assistance is available for applications to programs that help with the cost of health care and medication, including the Health Insurance Marketplace.