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Health Fundamentals Newsletter

An online newsletter published by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.

February 2008

Health Fund News

New Grants Announced
The Health Fund is pleased to announce over $788,000 in new health grants to increase access to health care, improve oral health, and promote healthy lifestyles through better nutrition and exercise in Kansas.

The Kansas Head Start Association, Lawrence, receives a grant of $155,760 to create a more coordinated system of oral health care for young children. The goals of the program are to assure that children enrolled in Head Start and other early learning programs receive dental assessments, preventive services, and treatment in a timely manner.

The Salina Family Healthcare Center has been awarded $115,000 to expand its dental clinic services. The grant will support hiring a second dentist and a hygienist after a new dental director is hired. The clinic expects to take hygiene services to counties surrounding Salina as part of its expansion.

The Health Fund has pledged a second grant of $500,000 to the continued development of regional dental clinics to serve low-income Kansans if an additional $1 million can be raised. The Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, Topeka, is coordinating an effort started this year to develop “dental hubs” in community health centers statewide. Each “hub” will offer dental services on a sliding fee scale based on income and provide outreach prevention services to a broader geographic region using dental hygienists. The Health Fund joined other private funders and the Kansas Legislature in supporting the “dental hub” development project. Health Fund President Kim Moore explained that the Health Fund’s commitment of a million dollars to regional access to health care is a strong statement from the foundation, which awards total grants of just over $3 million a year. “It will take several years to achieve the kind of geographic reach envisioned with the dental hub plan, and we hope our early commitment to continuing this development will encourage others to join in and provide needed support.”

Support for the newly-created Kansas Faith Alliance for Health Reform comes in the form of a $17,500 general operating grant from the Health Fund. The Alliance supports faith-based advocacy for health care reform in Kansas and provides people of the faith community with information about health care reform issues. The Alliance’s advocacy agenda for 2008 includes support for expanded health coverage for children and low income adults, and suppression of tobacco through increased taxation and restriction on usage in public places.

The Kiowa County Health Department will sponsor a community health screening for Greensburg area residents. Lab tests will be available to help determine those in the county who may have health issues stemming from the May 4th, 2007 tornado. The Health Fund is providing underwriting for the lab tests so that this service can be provided without charge.

Innovation Funding Grants February Webcast/Teleconference
The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund announces a special allocation of $500,000 for Innovation Funding grants in 2008. The funding is designed to attract and support new approaches to oral health, access to health care, and healthy lifestyles in Kansas. Through the inaugural Innovation Funding program in 2007, 17 grants totaling over $743,000 were awarded.
Applying for an Innovation Funding grant is a two-step process. An initial letter of intent must be submitted to the Health Fund by April 7, 2008. Those subsequently invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by May 26. The invited proposals are due by July 7.

Full details of the Innovation Funding Grants Request for Letters of Intent and the online Letter of Intent form are available on the Health Fund website, www.healthfund.org.

A webcast/teleconference will be offered February 19 & 21 to review Innovation Funding guidelines and answer questions. For participation information and to pre-register, please see the Request for Letters of Intent on our website.

If you have questions, contact Virginia Elliott, Vice-President for Programs velliott@healthfund.org or Kim Moore, President kmoore@healthfund.org , 800-369-7191 or 620-662-8586.

Uplifting video program available for checkout
“Celebrate What’s Right with the World,” with National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones, encourages us to celebrate the things that are right with the world, to recognize our possibilities, and to find solutions for the challenges before us. Filled with inspirational photography and dialogue, the video is designed to help viewers approach their lives with celebration, confidence, and grace.

Nonprofit organizations may check out the video free of charge by contacting the Health Fund at mfellows@healthfund.org, 620-662-8586, or 800-369-7191. Availability is limited and subject to previous scheduling; please contact us well ahead of the requested viewing date.

Access to Health Care

Working to make primary health care available to all

Kansas Health Policy Authority Health Care Reform Recommendations Updated
In May, the Kansas Health Policy Authority was tasked by the Legislature and Governor Sebelius with the development of a plan for health care reform in Kansas. Through a data-driven process with stakeholder input at all stages, KHPA developed a plan containing 21 health reform recommendations to improve access to health care in Kansas. The KHPA Board received input from four Advisory Councils totaling 140 members, from a 22 community listening tour, and from numerous stakeholder groups and concerned citizens of Kansas. Over 1,000 Kansans provided their advice and suggestions. Additionally, four Kansas foundations, including the Health Fund, funded an independent actuarial and policy analysis of various health insurance models to support the process with reliable data.

As noted in the KHPA recommendation report, the goal of health reform is to improve the health of our children, our families, and our communities—not just to improve health insurance or health care.

KHPA delivered its recommendations to the Kansas Legislature at the November 1, 2007 Joint Committee on Health Policy Oversight meeting. The three overall priorities identified for health reform in Kansas are: promoting personal responsibility; promoting medical homes and paying for prevention; and providing and protecting affordable health insurance.

The full recommendations document was updated January 30, 2008 and contains a substantial amount of information and analysis, including background information and details of the process KHPA used to arrive at its conclusions. The document is available online through the KHPA website: http://www.khpa.ks.gov. The Kansas Health Institute news service site at http://www.khi.org is a frequently updated source of information about the ongoing dialog concerning health reform in Kansas.

Health Advocacy Day Planned for March 12
The Kansas Faith Alliance for Health Reform, Kansas Health Consumer Coalition, and Kansas Action for Children invite you to save the date for Health Advocacy Day, March 12 at the First Presbyterian Church, Topeka, and at the State Capitol Building. Persons interested in participating may contact Kansas Action for Children at 785-232-0550 or rsvp@kac.org for more information and to RSVP for the event.

Kansas Health Ethics Annual Conference Planned for April 18
Kansas Health Ethics has scheduled its 2008 Annual Conference for Friday, April 18, 2008 at the Wichita Airport Hilton Executive Conference Center. The 2008 conference is titled “Time to Cure, Time to Care.” The conference is designed to join participants with leading experts who will address how to structure difficult conversations with patients and families regarding the transition from active treatment to palliative care and will highlight ways to deal with misperceptions about hospice and end-of-life care.

The conference is geared toward nurses, physicians, social workers, attorneys, clergy, healthcare professionals, hospice and palliative care staff, funeral home directors, and anyone else interested in ways patients and their families are assisted in facing end-of-life decisions. Persons interested in attending may contact Kansas Health Ethics through www.kansashealthethics.org or by calling 316-684-1991.

Oral Health

Working to improve oral health through education, prevention, and access to care

Authors of Kansas Oral Health Reform Report Present Findings to Legislators
Andrew Snyder and Shelly Gehsan of the National Academy for State Health Policy, authors of “Kansas Health Reform: Options for Adding Dental Benefits,” presented their findings to four Kansas legislative committees last week. The report was produced at the request of Kansas officials to inform the work of the Kansas Health Policy Authority and the Health for All Kansans Steering Committee, and was produced through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report notes that oral health is often overlooked during efforts by states to increase access to health care. In their report, the authors recommend consideration of three options Kansas could implement to improve oral health coverage:

• Expand dental benefits under Medicaid
• Offer a private dental insurance product with the state paying part or all of enrollees’ premiums
• Or, combine the above approaches for coverage modeled after a program enacted in Massachusetts.

Each plan has unique advantages and disadvantages, but the need to address oral health as a critical component of overall health is clear.

Health Fund President Kim Moore was one of the reviewers for the report, which is available on the Oral Health Kansas website: www.oralhealthkansas.org

Healthy Lifestyles

Promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity to maintain and improve health

Grant Project Study Recently Published
The results of a study funded by a Health Fund grant and conducted by the Department of Kinesiology at Kansas State University have recently been published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Authors of the paper are Stewart Trost, formerly with K-State and now with the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at Oregon State University; Bronwyn Fees, Family Studies and Human Services at K-State; and David Dzewaltowski, Department of Kinesiology at K-State. Titled Feasibility and Efficacy of a “Move and Learn” Physical Activity Curriculum in Preschool Children, the paper discusses a study that evaluated the effect of a curriculum developed in Kansas on physical activity in 3- to 5-year-olds attending a preschool program. Results at the end of the eight week intervention showed children completing the curriculum exhibited higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than children completing the usual curriculum. Results suggested to the authors that integrating movement experiences into an existing early childhood curriculum is feasible and potentially effective for promoting physical activity in preschool children. The paper cites the rising trend in overweight among preschool children as a critical public health problem.

Healthy Congregations

Working together with local United Methodist churches for a healthier Kansas

Healthy Congregations in Action Initiative Selected for International Presentation
Healthy Congregations in Action, the eighteen-month pilot initiative completed last year in 27 Kansas United Methodist churches, will be the topic of a presentation at the annual conference of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. The conference will be held in Banff, Canada, May 21-24. Judy Johnston, the initiative director and research instructor with the Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, is the lead presenter. She will be joined by her colleague at the school of medicine and evaluator for the initiative, Elizabeth Ablah, and Virginia Elliott from the Health Fund staff.

In submitting Healthy Congregations in Action for consideration as a presentation at the conference, Johnston cited the preponderance of faith-based initiatives that offer a prescribed program with leadership from the clergy. Healthy Congregations in Action, she described in contrast, focuses on the development and empowerment of lay health ministry teams that develop and implement congregation-level intervention plans in response to local needs and resources. Although evaluation results are still being gathered and analyzed, Johnston believes preliminary information supports the effectiveness of building skills and efficacy among lay leaders in faith communities to promote improved nutrition and physical activity behaviors.

Register Today! 7th Annual Healthy Congregations Retreat April 11-12, 2008
The 2008 Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat for United Methodists will be held April 11-12 at Rock Springs 4-H Center. Register online today and look forward to enjoying two days of relaxation, interesting and informational sessions, and networking with friends and peers in a beautiful and peaceful natural setting. The retreat is provided free of charge* by the Health Fund. The event brings together United Methodists with shared interests in congregational health ministries and the promotion of holistic health and healthy lifestyles. The retreat features a variety of sessions covering the spiritual, mental, physical, and social components of health.

Who should attend the retreat?

*The $25 registration fee will be refunded at the event for all attendees whose church has completed a 2007 Healthy Congregations Recognition report. Please encourage your church to participate and receive recognition for health ministry work!

Additional event information and online registration are available at www.healthfund.org/hcar.php.

Healthy Congregations Recognition Deadline is March 1
The Healthy Congregations Recognition program, now in its twelfth year, highlights what Kansas United Methodist churches are doing to nurture, reach out, and educate through ministries of health, healing, and wholeness. Healthy Congregations Recognition also provides a way for churches to share health work ideas with others, encouraging and inspiring the growth of congregational health programs.

All congregations meeting the basic requirements of the Healthy Congregations Recognition Program receive a free health resource and recognition at the Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat and at the Kansas East and Kansas West Annual Conferences. $1,500 Healthy Congregation of the Year awards are presented to six congregations demonstrating outstanding health and wellness ministries.

Report forms are available online, with features designed to make reporting easy and simple. Churches that submitted an online 2006 report can easily roll-over recurring activities to the 2007 report.

More information about Healthy Congregations Recognition, including report forms for 2007 activities, is available on the Health Fund website at http://www.healthfund.org/hc.php. Completed reports must be submitted online or mailed by March 1, 2008.

Health Fund Seeking Feedback on Healthy Congregations Programs Through Online Survey
For over 11 years, the Health Fund has sponsored a variety of programs designed to support the implementation or expansion of health ministries in Kansas United Methodist churches. Our work has centered on three main programs: Healthy Congregations Grants, Healthy Congregations Retreat, and Healthy Congregations Recognition reporting.

Throughout that time, the Health Fund has awarded over $200,000 in grants, over 230 churches have reported health ministry activities, and nearly 600 persons have participated in the retreat. We congratulate and thank all the congregations which have started and grown health ministry programs over the years.

However, the Health Fund believes that more can be done, in more churches, throughout the state. We are interested in your feedback on the current Healthy Congregations programs and on your ideas for how we might reach more churches in the future.

Starting February 15, an online survey will be available on the Health Fund website seeking your thoughts. If you are a member of a Kansas United Methodist church, please take a few minutes to complete the survey, and in appreciation the Health Fund will make a $5 donation to a United Methodist agency you select from a list at the end of the survey. Thank you for helping to improve the health of Kansans!

Four Kansas United Methodist Churches receive Healthy Congregations Grants
First United Methodist Church, Hutchinson, has been awarded a $5,000 Healthy Congregations grant to help expand health and wellness services for the congregation and community. Grant funding will be used to provide a spiritual retreat, a divorce recovery program, and other health ministry resources. The grant project director is Joyce Conard, and the pastor is the Rev. Mark Conard.

The Kirwin United Methodist Church receives a $5,000 HC grant to establish a Health and Wellness Center to serve the congregation and community. Grant funds will be used to purchase equipment, supplies, and other health ministry resources. The grant project director is Judy Stockman, and the pastor is the Rev. Nancy Harris-Ott.

The Axtell United Methodist Church is awarded a $2,000 HC grant to help establish a health and wellness program serving the congregation and surrounding community. Grant funding will be used to purchase fitness equipment and other health ministry resources. The grant project director is Lorna Farrell, and the pastor is the Rev. Phoebe Pitney.

The Kechi United Methodist Church receives a $5,000 HC grant to help expand its health and wellness program. Grant funds will be used to provide presenters and other health ministry resources. The grant project director is Sheila O’Connor and the pastor is the Rev. Guy Rendoff.

Healthy Congregations Grants Available to Kansas UM Churches
The Healthy Congregations Grants RFP makes one-time grants of up to $5,000 available to Kansas United Methodist churches to stimulate the development of comprehensive ministries of health and wellness. Projects funded will emphasize wellness, prevention, volunteer caregiving, social support, and congregational health education and awareness. Examples of such ministries include parish nursing and health promotion projects. Grant funding is not intended for projects focused on a single disease, disability, or health issue.

The Health Fund hopes that these one-time grants, added to local church resources, will mobilize strong volunteer efforts to address many facets of health, healing, and wholeness in congregations and communities throughout Kansas.

C 2008 United Methodist Health Ministry Fund
www.healthfund.org – healthfund@healthfund.org – 620.662.8586 – 800.369.7191