NACHC Washington Update

Good Community Health Care in Seattle

You can always find a good "cuppa joe" in Seattle, but bet you didn't know you can also find good health care. Our kudos go to Seattle-based International Community Health Services, a health center that provides such great care, it drew notice from Premera Blue Cross. The health care plan recently awarded the health center a Health Care Quality Leadership Award, and a check for $15,000. You can check out the press release Download ichs_press_release__quality_award_.pdf

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Health Care in Southern Cal's Disaster Zone

Firefighters continue efforts to put out the massive wildfires in southern California. The wildfires have destroyed nearly 1,500 buildings and forced more than half a million people to flee their homes, according to news reports. Public health remains a big concern during disasters like this. Not only are there respiratory risks associated with breathing in smoke and ash, but the mass evacuations of people from the affected areas, and closures of hospitals and long-term care facilities in the disaster zones can diminish health care options for the chronically ill and vulnerable populations who are often the most directly impacted by disasters. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is coordinating with relief organizations and the health center community to direct resources and help for health centers and their patients and staff in the wildfire disaster zone. So far federally-supported Community Health Centers located in the seven counties declared federal disaster areas remain undamaged by the blaze; some have closed due to the mandatory evacuations or are operating with a skeletal staff. Click here to read more.
other useful links:
California Primary Care Association
Direct Relief International
Operation USA

Good Taste for a Good Cause in Boston

Men putting on aprons is always a good thing, but Codman Square Health Center and Dorchester House Multi-Service Center took matters a step further when they launched a Men of Boston Cook event to raise money for women's health services. Over 1000 people attended the event, held under a tent at the Codman Square Health Center, and were served by Boston luminaries such as Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Tom Menino, Citizens Bank Chairman Larry Fish, former Gov. Mike Dukakis, Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi, author Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), and other media, corporate and political personalities. The event raised a whopping $250,000 for women's health services.

Former Speaker of the Massachusetts House Tom Finneran, Current Speaker Sal DiMasi and University of Massachusetts Chancellor Keith Motley, are featured in the photo looking smart in their aprons.

Odds and Ends in the World of Community Health

Amazing what one can find out about the exciting developments in community health just by picking up a local news letter. Here's what we found out in the recent newsletter dispatched by the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved (KAMU): grants cobbled together from the state and foundations will expand oral health services for Kansas residents through eight safety net clinics. The "dental hub" program in Kanas aims to break down the geographic and financial barriers many people face in getting access to preventive dental care, which is part of good health. You can read more about effort here:Download kansas.pdf

And speaking of good health care, you need look no further than the Triangle area of North Carolina to find it. Piedmont Health Services Inc., which operates the Carrboro Community Health Center in Chapel Hill, NC, has received the Gold Seal of Approval from the nation's largest health care accrediting organization. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations accredited the organization based on its compliance with national standards for health care quality and safety. Check out the news story here.

Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer

Breast cancer doesn't discriminate when it comes to race, poverty, or insurance status. Low-income, uninsured women face a host of obstacles when it comes to following through with the early detection and screening guidelines that are key to survival. In Bridgeport, Connecticut, Southwest Community Health Center is trying to bridge that economic divide between the haves and have-nots in the war on breast cancer, the leading cause of death for women in America. The health center will offer FREE breast cancer exams on October 9th. Check out the press release Download press_release_breast_examinations_2007__2_.pdf

Dr. Raul Perez at Southwest Community Health Center in Bridgeport, Ct., and patient

Colorado Community Health Centers Fighting Breast Cancer. Find out more here:Download coloradobreastcancer.pdf

Martha's Way

Our Community Health Center Advocate of the month for October is Martha Zarate, Risk Manager for La Clinica de Familia in Las Cruces New Mexico. Martha took on the National Health Center Week petition with fierce dedication. “Let’s be Winners” was her motto and oft repeated mantra to the staff she recruited from all nine of La Clinica’s sites to participate in the national petition drive for health centers. But Martha’s hard work and commitment continued even after National Health Center Week was over. Zarate marshaled staff and patients to collect nearly 600 petition signatures and countless new health center advocates, the highest number of petition signers in New Mexico! The always humble Martha just shrugs her shoulders to the throngs of health center fans, saying, "Sometimes we just need a cheerleader—that’s me.” Three cheers for Martha!

Rocky Mountain High on Activism

Jennifer Morse has been a dynamic leader in developing the advocacy efforts of Salud Family Health Centers and in sharing her grassroots advocacy strategies and tools with the other community health center advocates in Colorado. Jennifer is the Development Director of Salud, a health center that provides affordable primary health care services and operates out of six counties in northeastern Colorado. Jennifer is also a committed community health care activist and informal rainmaker when it comes to buildling grassroots momentum. First, Jennifer developed a detailed plan to build Salud’s advocate network that included goals and strategies. Making National Health Center Week a central part of Salud’s advocacy program was also a key goal, and partnering with community organizations and individuals. Jennifer also cleveraly developed an advocate “job description” called “Is there an ADVOCATE stirring within you?” to help employees understand what an advocate can do to help community health. Jennifer's creativity and passion is creating a ripple of change in the Rockies. That's why Jennifer is NACHC's September Advocate of the Month.

Health Care After Katrina

Two years after Katrina struck, health care is still trying to recover in the Gulf Region. News headlines report that there’s shortage of health care providers in New Orleans with four hospitals that remain closed after the storm, and an overall shortage of primary care physicians. National Public Radio reported on the mental health care system in New Orleans. The number of adult psychiatric beds has dropped from 240 prior to Katrina to 30 currently in Orleans Parish, which has a population of about 300,000. According to NPR, the "crisis ... is so intense that even mentally ill patients who were a threat to themselves or others are often turned away" from hospitals. But there is good news. In Biloxi, MS Coastal Family Health Center is springing back full force. Katrina destroyed two of Coastal’s seven permanent and school-based locations, its entire IT and billing system, two mobile healthcare units, and significantly damaged the buildings and/or destroyed the contents of almost all other locations. It also initially displaced sixty of Coastal’s 175-strong staff. Now Coastal will open three new permanent sites this fall, and recently recieved some much needed support from the Fed with a $1,393,902 grant from the Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA) for electronic health record implementation. You can read all about Coastal Download coastal_family_health_center_2_year_anniversary.pdf

A Boost for the Uninsured and Underserved

$61 million in new Community Health Center Grants to help half a million Americans-- many with no health insurance-- have been unveiled. Health Resources and Services Administration head Elizabeth Duke made the announcement at the annual convention of the National Association of Community Health Centers in Dallas, TX. Right now 56 million Americans have no access to basic health care services, even if some do have health insurance. Check out the HRSA press release here., and here are some local newspaper articles about the grants in Kansas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma., Arkansas,, North Carolina,, Virginia,Washington State, Texas Kentucky, Louisiana.

The Community Health Institute To Kick Off in Dallas

Hold on to your cowboy hats. Nearly 2000 Community, Migrant and Homeless Health Center representatives descend on to Dallas, TX this week for the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) 38th Annual Convention and Community Health Institute (CHI) & EXPO. The NACHC CHI will focus on a host of pressing health care policy issues-- including health care reform, Medicaid, health disparities among the poor, workforce training and recruitment—and clinical and management training for health center professionals. Other features of the CHI include special guest Ben Stein, actor, author, and TV commentator Ben Stein who will keynote a general session on Sunday, Aug 26 at 3 pm. Check out the press release here.