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Health Fundamentals Newsletter

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

June 2008

Health Fund News

Health Fund annual report available
The Health Fund's Annual Report covering 2007 activity is now available on our website www.healthfund.org. Find out more about the work of the Health Fund and its partners in health:

All of this and more may be found in "Reaching Out: A Report on Kansas United Methodist Health Philanthropy in Action." We hope you'll take the opportunity to learn more about how we work to fulfill our mission and how you can be a part of improving health in Kansas.

New grants announced
The Health Fund announces four grants to Kansas organizations seeking to improve the health of Kansans.

The Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (KACCRRA) has been awarded a grant of $332,070 to continue its Healthy Kansas Kids program. The program, started two years ago with another Health Fund grant, encourages Kansas child care providers to incorporate more physical activity and healthy foods into child care programs.

An evaluation of the first year of the program showed marked improvements in both nutrition and physical activity policies and practices.  The most significant changes were observed in the area of physical activity.  This may be partially explained, according to the written evaluation, by the generally high scores for nutrition content areas before the program started and that training in physical activity has received limited attention in the past in comparison to nutrition.  With this grant award, Healthy Kansas Kids training will emphasize physical activity, particularly for infants and toddlers.  Training programs will be offered in regional locations throughout the state and are open to all licensed child care providers.  Small grants will be available to 100 child care providers each year who commit to a more intensive training program.

Kansans for Better Health is a statewide network of organizations and individuals that came together specifically to support health care reform in Kansas.  A grant of $10,000 supports information and meeting coordination for the members of that coalition and advocacy training for individuals associated with the coalition membership.  Kansas Health Consumer Coalition serves as fiscal agent for the group.

Kansas Health Ethics (KHE), Wichita, was awarded a $5,000 grant to support its 2008 Annual Conference.  The conference explored the transition from active life-saving treatment to palliative care at the end-of-life.  The conference was designed for health professionals, attorneys, clergy, and others involved with patients and families in making end-of-life decisions.  “When patients understand that more treatment cannot significantly change the course of their serious illnesses and may extend their suffering, they often elect to substitute comfort care for treatments that may be both painful and costly,” explained KHE Executive Director Julie Russell.  “Important progress in slowing rising health care costs can be made if we can reduce hospitalization at the end of life.  For individuals and families to make the decisions that are right for them, they need to understand their options – and they need to know they will be comfortable, and they will not be abandoned.”

The University United Methodist Church, Salina, has been awarded a $5,000 Healthy Congregations grant to help expand its Parish Nurse and Parish Health Outreach program to serve the congregation and community.  Grant funding will be used to purchase training, supplies, and other health ministry resources.  The grant project director is Evelyn Maxwell, MN RN, and the pastor is the Rev. Mike Rose.  With assistance from the grant, the church’s “Healthy Lifestyle” programs will continue to be broadcast on local cable channel 21 of Community Access TV-Salina.  More information is available on the church website: www.uumcsalina.org

Health Fund Happenings
Former Health Fund trustee receives Frist Humanitarian Award
Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, has awarded Karen Osterman Fieser a Frist Humanitarian Award. Named in honor of Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr., a founder of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and begun in 1971, the awards honor outstanding HCA staff and volunteers for their humanitarian work and volunteerism.

An active United Methodist and valued former Health Fund Trustee, Fieser is the Director of Pastoral Care and Education at WMC, where she has worked since 1983. She is also active in United Way and the GraceMed Guild. Twenty people nominated Karen for the award, with the nominations including comments such as "Her humility is evident to all who know her; she does not seek attention or reward" and "She is the embodiment of humanitarianism; her very presence has a therapeutic effect."

As a local Frist Humanitarian Award recipient, Fieser was also nominated for the national HCA Frist Humanitarian Awards. We congratulate Karen on this recognition and couldn't agree more that she is a deserving recipient.

Health Fund intern elected Student Government Co-President
Health Fund intern Marty Baumbach, a student in the Master of Health Services Administration program at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, was recently elected Co-President of the Student Governing Council (SGC). The Council, entirely student-run with input from faculty advisors, is the primary governing body at the KU Medical Center. SGC makes funding allocations to over 50 student groups from a $50,000 budget, and hosts a number of committees seeking to improve student life on campus. SGC also organizes the annual Street Fair, an outdoor festival serving the community. The Street Fair includes carnival activities, health booths, and screening stations, with proceeds donated to charity.

Marty will serve as SGC Co-President for the 2008-2009 term beginning this summer. Marty said that he was glad to be able to become more involved in the community and is looking forward to serving. "Since I'm working part-time, I have the time to devote to serving and it was nice to be able to get on board and become more involved with the student body and community," Baumbach said.

Marty explained that the SGC maintains a close working relationship with University leadership staff which is not common. "The SGC is built on a fairly unique model which is not seen at every university medical center. Each month, SGC meets with University executives, including the Chancellor, so we do have a voice with the leadership. It's not often that a governing council is able to regularly meet with executives and be able to effect change."

Baumbach is serving in a summer intern position with the Health Fund through August, researching and developing strategies for potential future funding focus areas. Hailing from Leavenworth where he lives with his family, Marty is a Health Services Collegiate Program Officer Candidate with the US Navy.

Kansas Health Ethics Committee Network workshops coming soon
Kansas Health Ethics is sponsoring an upcoming series of Ethics Committee Network meetings. The meetings are targeted toward both the network of long term care facilities, home health/hospice organizations, and hospitals which already have ethics committees as well as toward those which would like to learn more about starting an ethics committee. Local churches, particularly those involved in congregational health ministries, may be interested in learning more about health ethics and ethics committees, and possibly participating as a member of an institutional health ethics committee. Anyone interested in ethics in health care is welcome to attend.

Agenda items planned include:

Meeting locations and times currently scheduled are as follows:

Registration is required with a $20 fee. CE credits will be available for nursing and certificates will be provided for allied health (social workers, clergy, etc.) at all workshops. Persons interested in attending may contact Kansas Health Ethics through www.kansashealthethics.org or by calling 316-684-1991. Please direct questions to Carolyn Harrison, charrison@kansashealthethics.org.

Health Through Faith and Community Study Guide Offered
The Health Fund has a limited number of copies of the“Health Through Faith and Community: A Study Resource for Christian Faith Communities to Promote Personal and Social Well-Being” study guide available, which we are offering to Kansans at no charge. Health Through Faith and Community Book Cover To request a copy, please use our simple online form or call 800-369-7191.

The curriculum contains eight study sessions which can be used independently or together as a multi-week class. The guide provides information and learning activities on the physical, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental aspects of health from an ecumenical Christian perspective.

The study guide is designed as an instructor resource, containing handouts and worksheets which may be copied and distributed to class participants. Participants do not need individual copies of the book.

The study guide was produced through a Health Fund grant and written by a team led by KU social work professor Ed Canda, Ph.D. Haworth Press is the publisher.

Supplemental materials to aid in teaching the curriculum are available at www.healthfaithstudy.info. The supplemental materials include electronic versions of the overheads and handouts contained in the book, and a special supplement available only online. Interested out of state persons or churches are encouraged to purchase the curriculum through Haworth Press. Additional information and online ordering is available at http://www.haworthpress.com/store/product.asp?sku=5595.

Access to Health Care

Working to make primary health care available to all

New Kansas Health Institute publications on health insurance issues available
The Kansas Health Institute recently announced two new publications on issues relating to health insurance in Kansas.

Uninsured Young Adults in Kansas is a fact sheet considering some of the reasons why young adults are more likely to be uninsured than other age groups. According to the fact sheet, twenty-three percent of Kansans age 19-34 are uninsured. Individuals in that age group are the most likely to be uninsured and together comprise nearly half of the total uninsured population in the state. Among the possible reasons for this are:

Employer-Sponsored Insurance in Kansas is an issue brief looking at several factors affecting the availability of health insurance for Kansans. Among the key findings:

The publications are sponsored by funding from the Sunflower Foundation and the Health Fund in conjunction with funding from KHI. The publications are available on the KHI website: www.khi.org.

Healthy Congregations

Working together with local United Methodist churches for a healthier Kansas

Mark your calendars - Healthy Congregations Retreat May 1-2, 2009
The 2009 Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat for United Methodists will be held May 1-2, 2009. Mark your calendars and look forward to enjoying two days of relaxation, interesting sessions, and networking with friends and peers in the beautiful and peaceful natural setting of Rock Springs 4-H Center, a scenic 735-acre conference site located in the Flint Hills. The retreat is provided free of charge by the Health Fund.

The Rev. Fred D. Smith, Ph. D. is one of the scheduled keynote speakers for the 2009 Retreat. Smith is the Associate Professor of Urban Ministry and Associate Director of the Practice of Ministry and Mission at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC. Smith presented at last year's annual National Congregational Health Ministries Conference, "Empowering Ministries of Health," sponsored by the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and the UM General Board of Pension and Health Benefits and is again scheduled at this year's national conference in September.

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?

A $25/person refundable deposit is required for registration; the uncashed deposit check will be returned during check-in.

Check back later for additional event information and online registration at www.healthfund.org/hcar.php.

Healthy Congregations program review provides insight and guidance
For 12 years, the Health Fund has sponsored several programs designed to support the creation and development of health ministry efforts in Kansas United Methodist churches. This spring the Fund conducted an evaluation of its three main Healthy Congregations programs; Healthy Congregations Recognition, Healthy Congregations Grants, and the Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat to determine effectiveness and to consider ways to improve participation and program impact to achieve greater health results.

Input to the evaluation process was sought through several focus groups and nearly 200 online surveys which were received. The results from this input and other information was discussed at a May meeting facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Gary Gunderson. Gunderson is the director of the Interfaith Health Program at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare - Emory University and the author of several holistic-health books including The Leading Causes of Life and Deeply Woven Roots: Improving the Quality of Life in Your Community. Past and present Health Fund trustees, pastors, parish nurses, health and wellness coordinators, Conference staff, and other interested parties participated in the meeting to celebrate the accomplishments of Healthy Congregations, take stock of what has been learned, and consider what direction future efforts should take.

The meeting generated good discussion and a number of ideas which will be further developed by staff this summer and brought to the Health Fund Board of Trustees this fall where the future direction of Healthy Congregations will be charted. Thank you to all who participated in the program review process!

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