Health Fundamentals
September 2011
UPDATE: CANCELLED 9-19-2011
Health Care Reform's Impact on Your Small Business: Small Business meets the real Affordable Care Act, September 29, Wichita
Almost all Americans agree that reform of health care is necessary to control costs, improve quality and provide reasonable access. Small businesses, in particular, face challenges in today's insurance market in offering or maintaining adequate, affordable coverage for their employees.
Event In Brief
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The Affordable Care Act is one approach to the reform of the health care industry and its financing. As is true of all approaches to address spiraling costs and diminishing access, there are many opinions about this law across ideological and political divides.
For small businesses, their employees and families, there is a pragmatic need to understand what the law actually says, what its likely impacts will be, and how to prepare for its implementation.
Note: this event has been cancelled.
The goal of this session is to provide useful information for small businesses -- those employing 100 or fewer employees -- about the Affordable Care Act.
The speakers for the event are Martie Ross, Partner, Spencer Fane Britt & Brown, Overland Park, KS and Jon Rosell, Executive Director, Medical Society of Sedgwick County, Wichita, KS.
Martie is a noted speaker on health care reform, having presented dozens of sessions of a wide range of audiences over the last two years. Her down-to-earth, practical approach makes this enormously complex subject accessible and understandable, regardless of an individual's familiarity with the health care industry.
Jon brings more than 25 years of administrative experience in both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. In addition to his work since 2007 as Executive Director of the Medical Society, Jon is also vice chair of the Wichita Business Coalition on Health Care and he serves on a number of boards including the Wichita Health Information Exchange, Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education, and the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce.
Note: this event has been cancelled.
The session is sponsored by the Sunflower Foundation, Topeka, and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Hutchinson.
Area Mental Health Center receives national funding for integrated health care program serving Hamilton and Greeley counties
The Area Mental Health Center (AMHC), Garden City, recently received grant awards of nearly $700,000 to address the mental health needs of Greeley and Hamilton County residents through integrated medical care. The project, which involves numerous community partners and funders, will offer comprehensive behavioral health care, focused on prevention and early intervention, two days each week at Greeley County Health Services, with identical services offered in Hamilton County at a location to be determined.
AMHC Executive Director Ric Dalke described the project as having three key elements: behavioral health therapists to deliver services, build relationships, and provide training; Local Advisory Councils in both counties which work with therapists to assure that behavioral health services, training, and resident-friendly information are delivered in a sensitive manner by people residents know and trust; and the use of telemedicine to increase access to both basic and specialty services.
The project is funded by a $346,598 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through RWJF's Local Funding Partnerships program. Local funders partnering to support the project include the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund with a $250,000 grant, and the Greeley-Wallace Healthcare Foundation. Agencies partnering in the program include Local Advisory Councils, the Greeley and Hamilton County health care systems, Greeley and Hamilton County public schools, Greeley and Hamilton County local governments, and the University of Kansas.
United Methodist Health Ministry Fund President Kim Moore said the Health Fund's grant was awarded to address two important health issues--access to health care in rural areas and early identification and intervention for mental health, particularly for young children. "The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's selection of this project in a very competitive national grant process is evidence of the need to find new solutions for health care delivery in our rural communities," Moore said. "We are proud that this project was selected and we are pleased to work with the organizations involved. We're hopeful that this project will demonstrate viable approaches not only for Kansas communities, but for small communities throughout the nation."
Greeley County Local Advisory Council Chair Angie Woelk said "This is a tremendous opportunity for our county residents, and we are very fortunate to be chosen as the first location. Mental illness has a great impact and affects our community and its members in many different ways. These grants will open up the door to more services, more education, and help to reduce the stigma that is sometimes attached to those who suffer from a mental health disorder. I can't wait to get started and begin making a difference today!"
Out of 181 applications for 2011 RWJF Local Funding Partnership grants, this project was one of only 10 selected nationwide for funding. For more information, please see the news release issued by AMHC, available here.
National Zero to Three Fellowship program seeks candidates
Zero to Three, a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers, is accepting applicants for its 2012 Leaders for the 21st Century Fellowship Program through Friday, October 28.
The Fellowship is designed to develop and strengthen the ability of committed, talented professionals in the areas of knowledge development, practices, and policies that promote the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and their families. The Fellowship brings together a select group of current and future leaders from varied professional backgrounds, geographic regions, and racial and ethnic groups and offers them career-expanding opportunities. The Fellowship is the nation's oldest national fellowship program for infant-family professionals and policymakers, and has more than 260 alumni around the country.
Each Fellow completes a project during his or her tenure in the program. In addition, Fellows have the opportunity to receive mentoring from Zero to Three board members, from previous graduates of the Fellowship program, and from Zero to Three staff. Training and discussions occur throughout the Fellowship to develop leadership skills in the areas of critical thinking, project evaluation, public policy, communications, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
For more information on the Fellowship, including the application form, please see the Zero to Three website at www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/fellowship/ or call Betty Johnson at 202-857-2617.
Self-Care Workshops for Kansas United Methodist Clergy offered online
The steadfast dedication of Kansas United Methodist clergy to the spiritual and holistic health of those in their congregations and communities is clearly demonstrated day in and day out. But too often, pastors fail to adequately address their own care, placing their needs behind all others.
Event In Brief
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Without health in body, mind, and spirit together, we are less than what God intended us to be and less available to do the work to which God has called each of us in ministry. To help pastors access tools and techniques for self-care, the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is sponsoring a series of self-care workshops for Kansas United Methodist clergy, clergy spouses, and church staff.
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.
Workshop participants explore 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; discuss current knowledge and recommendations for nutrition, physical activity, hydration, and sleep, and learn 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.
The online workshops are delivered as a series of four, two-hour sessions using a live electronic meeting room format with no travel required. The online workshops provide the same eight participation hours and cover the same materials as the in-person workshops. Online workshops remaining for 2011 are available in October and November.
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. The workshops are underwritten by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and are provided at no charge to participants.
October 8 is last 2011 Healthy Congregations Covenant training date
If your church is participating in the Healthy Congregations Covenant program, or would like to join, we want to remind you of the training sessions available for the balance of 2011. To be eligible for annual funding under the Covenant program, church teams of at least three members, not including the pastor, must complete the seven core training courses (pastors are welcome to complete the training, but don't count toward the three-person requirement). The tools and techniques provided through the courses will help empower your team to deliver high-quality health ministries in a sustainable program.
There is no cost to register or attend, but pre-registration is required.
Event In Brief
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The core courses count toward the training requirements of the Healthy Congregations Covenant program, but a Covenant agreement is not required to attend. If your church may be interested in future participation, or you would just like to learn more about ways to deliver high-quality health ministries, we encourage you to register today. October 8 is the last training dates for 2011.
Core courses scheduled are:
- Group Facilitation Techniques
- Health Ministry Communication and Marketing
- Program Evaluation and Using Data
- Program Options and How to Plan Program Events
The trainings are offered at several regional locations throughout the state:
- Baldwin City - Baker University
- Garden City - Southwest KU Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
- Hays - Northwest KU AHEC
- Pittsburg - Southeast KU AHEC
- Salina - Trinity United Methodist Church
- Wichita - University of Kansas School of Medicine
A Goodland training site is under development; check back for availability of that site.
More event information, including a full schedule, detailed course descriptions, and online registration, is available at www.healthfund.org/hcctraining.php.
Kansans Optimizing Health Program (KOHP) leader training available
KOHP is a 6-week, interactive workshop where participants learn self-management for chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and lung disease. The 2.5 hour sessions are held once a week in community settings and are facilitated by two trained leaders. Topics covered include techniques for dealing with frustration, pain, and fatigue; how to exercise safely; medications; communication techniques; nutrition; and making informed treatment decisions.
For more information, please see the program brochure and application form [pdf files]
Event In Brief
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Why implement KOHP?
As an evidence-based program, participant outcomes include an increase in physical exercise; a decrease in health distress; improvement in self-care; a beneficial effect on confidence in dealing with illness and its effects; and, some studies suggest, fewer days in the hospital and fewer outpatient and ER visits.
2011 sessions are offered in Wichita (September), Kansas City (October) and Manhattan (November). The leader training is offered free of charge, with mileage and hotel expenses covered. Leaders must commit to completing the four days of training and to provide a minimum of two 6-week community programs a year, with the first being held within 90 days of training.
Please see the brochure and application form for more information on the program and on how you can participate, have an implementation site at your organization, or complete KOHP leader training. If you are interested, or have questions, please contact Judy Johnston at jjohnsto@kumc.edu or 316-293-1861.
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