Health Fundamentals Newsletter

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

September 2008

General 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:

How grantmaking sometimes relates to bowling
Which organization received our 2007 Janet Sevier Gilbreath Project of the Year award
Where we funded grant projects in 2007
What a church or organization interested in possible grant funding should do
What Health Fund grant project received a national communications award
Which Kansas United Methodist churches were recognized for their health ministry efforts

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.

Aging on the Plains Conference, September 24-26, Wichita, KS
The Wichita State University Regional Institute on Aging is convening "Aging on the Plains" September 24-26 at the Broadview Hotel in Wichita, KS. The conference is designed to help participants:

Gain a broad understanding of the history of aging in America, with an emphasis on the relative success achieved by older persons
Understand the demographic and social components of aging on the plains
Appreciate the predictions of changes in the characteristics of the older adult population to 2050 in the U.S. (including gender, ethnicity, and family structure)
Be aware of the social and psychological meanings of those changes for older residents who "age-in-place" in rural towns
Grasp the context of community decline in selected small Kansas towns
Understand lifestyle factors associated with healthy aging
Identify evidence-based programs that are successful in preventing and/or managing chronic illnesses in later life
Understand innovative programs being developed in Kansas to meet the needs of older adults
Understand, in general, the dramatic advances in technology and their application to the health and well-being of older adults
Understand the necessity for innovation and new paradigms to address the needs of the large and growing percentage of older adults in rural communities

The conference includes an "Innovation on the Plains" panel. Kansas, like much of the central U.S. has a few population centers with the remainder of its population spread over relatively large geographic areas. As people age in Kansas, the often stay in their local community, even if services are scarce or nonexistent. In the current economic and workforce climate, it is not feasible to build "brick and mortar" solutions for care in every small community. Rather, solutions are emerging from local grassroots efforts in combination with technological and communication advances that are aimed at improving the lives and enhancing the well-being of those elders who choose to age in place. The panel will showcase a variety of innovative programs aimed at addressing services and needs of older adults.

CEU's are available for Adult Care Home Administrators, Social Workers, and Nurses. The conference is sponsored in part by a Health Fund grant of $11000.

Full conference information, agenda, and on-line registration are available at www.wichita.edu/conferences.

Health Fund Trustee Nathan Stanton to Participate in 2008 Leadership Wichita
The Health Fund wishes to congratulate Trustee Rev. Nathan Stanton, who has been chosen to take part in the 2008 Leadership Wichita class beginning September 11. The mission of the program, presented by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, is to identify, inform, and inspire leaders in the community. The 2008 class will participate in eight sessions covering issues such as economic development and the future vision for Wichita.

Rev. Stanton is Senior Pastor of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church, Wichita, and has served on the Health Fund Board of Trustees since 2006.

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:

Young adults are less likely to have access to employer-sponsored insurance than are older adults
Young adults, like other working-age adults, are less likely to be eligible for publicly-sponsored health insurance.
Young adults tend to have fewer financial resources and may forego private health insurance either by choice or by necessity.

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:

Even full-time employment is no guarantee of access to employer-sponsored health care in Kansas
At any point in time, thirty-six percent of all employees do not have access to health insurance through their employers, either because it is not offered or they are not eligible
Nearly half of all full-time employees at small firms or low-wage establishments do not have access to employer-sponsored health insurance.
Even where employer-sponsored health insurance is available, insurance is not accessible unless the premiums are affordable for employees.

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.

Report highlights Kansans' support for expanding health care coverage and their dissatisfaction with current health care costs
A report released this week found that 67 percent of likely Kansas voters support providing health care coverage to everyone. The 43 page report was based on the results of a telephone survey of 504 likely Kansas voters which was conducted in May 2008.

The report found that 63 percent of survey respondents would support a tax-funded health insurance program covering all Americans without private insurance company involvement, if it endorsed high-quality medical care and free choice among doctors.

"This report reflects that Kansans from all sides of the political spectrum desire health reform that guarantees choice and peace of mind. Kansans want to choose the doctors and other providers that are best for their own families," said Corrie Edwards, Executive Director of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition.

The report also found that among several proposed health insurance systems, approximately 53 percent of respondents preferred either publicly-funded health care coverage like Medicare or affordable subsidized private health insurance which everyone would be free to purchase. According to the report, only 22.9 percent preferred the current health insurance system.

A second report was based on the results of 6 focus groups conducted in January 2008 with likely Kansas voters under age 65 who were viewed as politically undecided on health care coverage issues. The 32 page report found that some focus group participants felt "frustrated" over the cost of their health insurance coverage.

The authors of the report noted that most participants felt that everyone should have coverage. The authors also noted that when they asked participants to explain why they felt everyone should be covered, the participants "cited a general altruistic view or suggested that overall healthcare costs will be kept down."

According to David Burress, President of Ad Astra Institute, "Most of the focus group participants expressed a high level of dissatisfaction with existing medical insurance and payment systems and were open to strong corrective action on the part of the government. However, they were uncertain as to what form that action should take and were not well-informed about the proposals currently being discussed by political candidates."

The Ad-Astra Institute is a nonpartisan, non-profit think tank dedicated to promoting the health and prosperity of Kansas families and the communities in which they live. The Ad Astra Institute designed and directed the research for both reports.

The Kansas Health Consumer Coalition assisted in the preparation and release of the reports as part of the organization's ongoing efforts to better understand the attitudes of Kansans toward access to health care. Funding was provided by a Health Fund grant.

For more information and to view the reports, visit the Kansas Health Institute News Service website at www.khi.org

Oral Health

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

Second Round of Dental Hub Grants Announced
The Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved recently announced nine Kansas safety net clinics selected to receive Dental Hub Grants. This is the second round of grants from the state and five private foundations to expand oral health services for Kansans who cannot afford dental care. The Health Fund has awarded an additional $500,000 in funding for the second round of grants, following an initial $500,000 grant last year. Healthy Teeth for Kansans logo

The grants are a collaborative, public/private effort intended to increase the capacity of the Kansas dental safety net, which provides access to oral health care to individuals regardless of ability to pay for services. The Kansas Legislature appropriated $500,000 for the dental hub program this year, adding to last year's original $500,000 allocation. Total funding for this second round of dental hub funding is expected to reach $2.8 million with commitments from the Health Fund, Kansas Health Foundation, REACH Healthcare Foundation, Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans, and Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation.

The following clinics were selected through a competitive process to receive the state funding:

Foundation funding was awarded to these clinics:

The program is based around a dental "hub and spoke" model to expand geographic access to underserved populations around the state. It increases the number of oral health professionals in safety net clinics (the hubs) and promotes their use of Extended Care Permit dental hygienists in off-site areas (the spokes). Spokes can be operated out of a variety of locations, including schools, nursing homes, and health departments.

The grants will support program planning, program expansion, and salary support. The state funds are administered through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, while KAMU will administer the non-governmental portion of the grant.

"Oral health is an essential component of overall health," said Cathy Harding, executive director of KAMU. "With more than 80 percent of Kansas counties identified as underserved for oral health and approximately 300,000 uninsured individuals in the state, there is a critical need for this creative and collaborative approach to expanding oral health services."

Harding said, "We are indeed fortunate and grateful that these foundations and the Kansas legislature recognize the importance of dental access for those who otherwise could not afford it. Their support of this project will insure that thousands of Kansans will receive dental care and be able to lead healthier lives."

According to a 2005 report from the Kansas Health Institute, more than 40 percent of adults with family incomes of less than $25,000 had not visited a dentist in more than a year. Further, 13 percent of Kansas adults in the under-$25,000 income category had lost all of their permanent teeth.

Income is not the only barrier to oral health care, however. The low supply and uneven distribution of dental providers make dental services hard to come by in some parts of Kansas. Almost one-third of the state's 105 counties are designated as Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with fewer than one dentist for 5,000 people.

Another 63 counties lack dental health professionals who are accessible to low-income populations. The problems is worsened by the fact that only 40 percent of dentists treat children enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

"This project is truly a collaboration that will benefit Kansans for years to come. The dental hubs reflect the tremendous vision, energy, and generosity of all the partners involved," said Harding. In addition to the funding organizations, Oral Health Kansas and the Kansas Dental Association participated from the beginning in developing the goals and scope of the project and refining the request for proposals.

KAMU is a professional association representing 41 primary care safety net clinics in Kansas. In 2007, the clinics provided care for over 169,000 Kansans who live in or near poverty, 89,000 of them uninsured.

The Health Fund’s support of the dental hubs concept is a continuation of the Fund’s strategic interest in oral health which dates back to 1998 when the Fund identified oral health as one of the major health issues facing Kansas and began its Healthy Teeth for Kansans initiative; a commitment which has been reaffirmed and will continue to guide the Fund’s work at least through 2009. The Health Fund worked with the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, a number of state-level groups and agencies, and private funders to help the dental hubs idea progress from concept to reality.

Oral Health Kansas Annual Meeting November 6-7
Oral Health Kansas, a statewide organization dedicated to improving oral health in Kansas through advocacy, public awareness, and education, will hold its fifth annual conference November 6-7 at the Double Tree Hotel, Overland Park, KS. The theme of the conference is “Making Oral Health a Priority in Kansas…Because it Matters!”

Event speakers include Gregory Folse, DDS and Barbara J. Steinberg, DDS. Dr. Folse will deliver the keynote address, “Dentist of the Back Roads: House Calls to Neediest Patients Bridge Health-Care Gap.” Folse is a graduate of the Louisiana State University Dental School and has a mobile geriatric dental practice in Lafayette, LA.

Dr. Steinberg is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Drexel University College of Medicine and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

The event will include the presentation of Annual Excellence in Oral Health awards, workshop sessions, and exhibits.

The meeting is supported in part by a $5,000 grant from the Health Fund.

CEU's are available for oral health and medical professionals. For questions or more information, please contact Oral Health Kansas, Inc. at 785.235.6039 or ohks@oralhealthkansas.org. or visit www.oralhealthkansas.org. Online registration will be available on the Oral Health Kansas website starting September 1.

Healthy Lifestyles

Promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity to maintain and improve health

Local Mental Health Agency Receives $652,000 in Grants for Physical Wellness Program; Oct. 8 Kick-Off Event to Feature 2-time Olympic Medalist Rulon Gardner
The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is pleased to announce a grant of $200,000 over three years supporting a project to provide people living with severe mental illness in Wichita new hope for living healthier, longer lives. Breakthrough, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping people with mental illness rebuild their lives, recently received a $396,000 matching grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation's largest philanthropy devoted to health and health care. The three-year grant will be used for Breakthrough's Health Education and Leadership (HEAL) project, which was created with the goal of empowering individuals with serious mental illnesses to take charge of their own wellbeing through physical activity and nutrition.

RWJF dollars will be matched by the project's funding partners including, including the Health Fund, Wichita Community Foundation, and Cargill Cares. The organizations have matched $256,000 so far. "The Health Fund is concerned about the physical activity and nutrition of all Kansans," said Kim Moore, president of the Health Fund. "The HEAL project is a great opportunity to bring together a variety of community resources to improve the health of a population of Kansans who have unique barriers for achieving good levels of physical activity and nutrition."

Barb Andres, executive director of Breakthrough, commented on the significance of the program. "The high rate at which people with severe mental illnesses are prematurely dying is alarming," she noted. "Many psychotropic drugs increase appetites, which contributes to obesity; thus there is an urgency to find a balance between medications and healthy lifestyle choices. Treatment for mental illness should not shorten a person's lifespan by 20 years."

Over 17,000 Sedgwick County residents suffer from some type of major mental illness and those with the most disabling illnesses are low-income individuals who are helped through community-based services. The HEAL project will improve the lives of these individuals by working with them to enhance their overall health through physical activity and healthy food skills. Breakthrough is the main site for the project, providing an exercise facility and housing most of the project staff.

Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas (MHA) is also providing a site for wellness training and fitness classes. Genesis Health Club fitness staff will be training project participants in physical exercises and will also be cross-trained in mental health education. The University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita (KUSM-W) is creating healthy food skills training for Breakthrough and MHA food service staff and will also be organizing "Lunch and Learn" sessions to educate the Wichita community on health concerns related to mental illness. The Department of Human Performance Studies at Wichita State University is creating an online fitness curriculum for HEAL project trainers. The project will enable these partners to facilitate a vast community change in how health professionals and social service providers implement wellness services for people with severe mental illnesses.

Psychological consequences of weight gain include low self-image, feeling out of control and feeling like a failure. The stigma of being overweight combined with the stigma of mental illness diminishes a person's ability to move toward physical and mental recovery. The HEAL project's collaboration seeks to remove lifestyle barriers to wellness with education, exercise opportunities, and both peer and professional support.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Local Funding Partnerships (LFP) program is one of RWJF's most competitive annual grantmaking programs. The LFP office receive 138 very strong applications for the 2008 awards and only 12 projects were selected. "We are so excited and thankful to have received this grant and the matching support of our local funders. We now have new possibilities for truly changing peoples' lives," said Katie Gibbons, HEAL project supervisor. "We hope that this project not only helps our community members to become healthier but also that it can serve as a blueprint for other mental health agencies around the country to improve their wellness education."

Breakthrough will kick-off the HEAL project with an event featuring Rulon Gardner, two-time Olympic wrestling medalist. The event will be free and open to the public and will be held at Wichita State University's Metropolitan Complex on October 8, 2008 at 7 P.M. More information will be announced closer to the date.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful, and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

Breakthrough helps persons with mental illness rebuild their lives through vocational and social programs such as educational assistance, job training, employment support, housing, wellness, and transportation, striving to give individuals hope for becoming more productive, independent citizens of the community. For more information about Breakthrough, visit their website: www.btcwichita.com

Child Care Training Workshops and Grants Offered to Church-Based Programs
A promising Kansas project aimed at integrating more physical activity and quality nutrition into child care programs is being made available through training by the Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (KACCRRA) and its seven resource and referral district offices. Healthy Kansas Kids has been developed through a grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. According to an evaluation conducted over the last two years, Healthy Kansas Kids is helping child care providers significantly improve nutrition and physical activity policies and practices.

Training workshops are offered statewide to all child care professionals. Approximately 100 child care providers are selected each year to participate in a more intensive coaching and professional development program called Excellent Care for Early Learning or EXCEL. These child care providers receive follow-up support and coaching on implementing practices taught in the training workshops. EXCEL participants are also eligible to receive a $500 grant upon meeting participation eligibility requirements.

KACCRRA has agreed to make this program available to child care programs provided by Kansas United Methodist Churches. With grant support from the Health Fund, church-sponsored child care programs would be eligible to participate in the EXCEL program which will include the $500 grants.

"This is an excellent opportunity to make a program that has demonstrated positive results available to our United Methodist churches," said Health Fund President Kim Moore. "We know there is a lot of interest in doing something about preventing obesity among children. Healthy Kansas Kids shows how evidence-based practices can be integrated into an established child care curriculum."

If your church might be interested in participating, please fill out an online interest form on our website. We'll follow up as more information becomes available.

Mark Your Calendars! Self-Care Workshops Series Coming Soon
The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is underwriting a series of free workshops for Kansas clergy, clergy spouses, and church staff this fall and throughout 2009. Servant Leadership: Personal and Professional Self-Care provides a structured opportunity for individuals to examine their current choices within the areas of mental/emotional, physical, social, and spiritual health and to develop personalized plans for behavioral and environmental changes to improve their personal health.

We are constantly presented with choices that either enhance or detract from our overall health and well-being. When we are not healthy in body, mind, and spirit together, we are less than what God intended us to be and are less available to do the work to which God has called each of us in ministry. To deny interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit--or to shortchange any aspect of our lives--is to deny the fullness of what God has called each one of us to be. To recognize the inseparability of our complete nature and to operate from that center is to lead from the soul.

Workshop participants will explore the connections between spiritual, mental, social, and physical health; understand how servant leadership requires self-care; experience stress-management techniques; learn how to say "no"; self-assess current health behaviors and choices; and discuss current knowledge and recommendations for nutrition, physical activity, hydration, and sleep, and how to personally implement those recommendations.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed a structured self-care covenant for behavioral and environmental changes to improve personal health, and an accountability plan to help keep on track with the chosen self-care goals.

Mark your calendars and plan to attend one of these free events in your community. Pre-registration is required. Workshop details, dates, locations, and online pre-registration can be found on the Health Fund website www.healthfund.org/selfcare.php.

Healthy Congregations

Working together with local United Methodist churches for a healthier Kansas

Find out why you should attend the 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.

Visit our website to see videos and read comments from participants at this year's retreat as they describe the retreat experience in their own words and encourage others not to miss out on this "best-kept secret."

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?

United Methodist parish nurses, local pastors, and other laity who are actively involved in congregational health ministries
All who want to initiate new health and wellness ministries in their United Methodist congregations
United Methodist church teams of two or three persons are encouraged to attend for mutual support after returning home

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

More event information and online registration is available at www.healthfund.org/hcar.php. Retreat sessions are still being finalized; additional details will be posted as they become available.

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