Health Fundamentals Newsletter
An online newsletter published by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.
November 2005
Access to Health Care
Working to make professional health care available to all
Health Fund Considers Expanded Advocacy Efforts to Improve Access to Health Care
Representatives of the Health Fund last month attended an educational workshop to learn more about ways to support advocacy efforts to increase access to health care, one of the Fund’s strategic goals.
Alliance for Justice, a national association of public interest organizations spanning a range of issues including civil rights, social justice, and consumer and environmental protection, presented a special training session titled “A Funder’s Guide to Supporting Public Policy and Advocacy: The Rules for Private and Public Foundations.”
The training session addressed issues such as the definition of and reasons for advocacy efforts, rules affecting foundations in the area of advocacy, and ways to build advocacy capacity in grantees and evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy work.
Components within the Health Fund’s strategic goal of increasing
access to professional health care in Kansas have included the
development of consumer advocacy for improved access to care, the
engagement of key policy makers in health planning related to access,
and advocating for equitable access to health care nationally.
While the Fund has seen some early positive signs in its existing
advocacy efforts, greater use of advocacy-building strategies may
hold the potential for developing significant and lasting change
toward improved access to health care for all.
Oral Health
Working to improve oral health through education, prevention, and access to care
Garden City Receives Water Fluoridation Grant
With its decision to provide water fluoridation to its water consumers, Garden City has joined a statewide effort to end tooth decay. Garden City recently received a grant of $97,758 from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to cover the costs of equipment and the first year’s supplies for water fluoridation. The fluoridation system will provide the recommended level of fluoride proven to prevent tooth decay.
The Health Fund awarded the grant to start water fluoridation through its Healthy Teeth for Kansans campaign. The statewide campaign funds projects aimed at preventing tooth decay and other oral disease, a rampant problem which leads to lost days of school and work as well as a variety of health and social problems.
“For too long, oral health has taken a back seat to other health issues,” said Kim Moore, president of the Health Fund. “It’s time to address the significant toll dental decay takes—especially on children and seniors.”
The ideal cavity-fighting level of fluoride in water is 0.7 to 1.2 parts-per-million (ppm). Garden City water historically had a naturally-occurring fluoride level of 0.7 to 0.75 ppm until the construction of a reverse-osmosis water treatment plant dropped levels below the effective range for decay prevention. Restoring fluoride levels to the optimal range will help prevent tooth decay and its related problems for all residents.
“By its decision to fluoridate the water, community leaders have not only acknowledged that tooth decay should be prevented before it becomes a costly problem, they have also chosen to use the single most effective decay prevention method,” Moore said in announcing the grant. “Fluoridation works for everyone—young or old, rich or poor.” “The unfortunate fact of tooth decay is that it becomes the biggest problem for the poor—the very people who can least afford fluoride supplements, dental sealants, and regular professional treatment,” he added.
Fluoride helps people of all ages—building strong, healthy teeth in children; maintaining and rebuilding tooth enamel throughout adulthood; and, as we age, protecting the roots of teeth exposed to risk of decay by receding gums.
Moore said the small cost of on-going water fluoridation will be paid back many fold through reduced health care costs and saved days at work and school. Putting into practice the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” studies indicate that for every dollar spent on water fluoridation, $80 in dental treatment needs are saved.
In addition to water fluoridation grants, the Health Fund’s Healthy Teeth for Kansans initiative seeks to improve oral health through access to treatment and prevention services, integration of oral health into medical and social service settings, and dental workforce recruitment, retention, and career education projects.
Kansas Dental Residency Program Feasibility Being Studied
A feasibility study is being conducted to consider the development of an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program in south central Kansas. The residency program, if established, would provide an additional year of training for dentists in pediatric dentistry, difficult cases, and other advanced situations. St. Louis-based consulting firm Triangle Associates is preparing the analysis for consideration by a group of interested parties led by Oral Health Kansas, a statewide coalition working to improve Kansans’ oral health. Sedgwick County is serving as the fiscal agent for the study, which will be completed by the end of December.
The primary goals of an AEGD program would be to increase access to oral health care by increasing the supply of dentists, dental hygienists, and oral health care services, especially in low-income and rural areas; and through improved data monitoring and reporting. Funding partners for the AEGD feasibility study include the Health Fund, the Kansas Health Foundation, the Delta Dental Foundation, and United Way of the Plains.
Oral Health Book Available from Health Fund
Limited quantities of an oral health resource booklet are now available from the Health Fund on request. The booklet, titled “Oral Health: Resources & Information for Kansas Medical Professionals,” provides information on assisting patients with dental referrals; links to online oral health training information; and information regarding fluoride varnish (a decay-preventive treatment which can be applied to teeth by medical as well as dental professionals). Fluoride varnish is a simple yet effective tool for preventing tooth decay, especially for young children, with studies indicating 25-45 percent reductions in decay with fluoride varnish use.
The booklet is designed as a supplement to a recent oral health
publication by the American Academy of Family Physicians. To receive
a copy, contact the Health Fund office at healthfund@healthfund.org,
620-662-8586, or 800-369-7191.
Healthy Lifestyles
Promoting healthy nutrition and healthy activity to maintain and improve health.
Research Conducted into Potential Childcare Provider Roles in Reducing Childhood Obesity
The Health Fund recently met with a constituent group to hear and discuss the results of two studies the Fund commissioned this year relating to the rapidly escalating problem of childhood obesity and the serious and lasting health problems overweight in youth can cause. Data from the American Obesity Association indicates that the percentage of overweight children ages six and under had increased from 7 percent in 1980 to 15.3 percent in 2000. Obese children are at risk for a number of health problems including several, such as orthopedic problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type II diabetes, which in the past were rarely associated with childhood.
A concurrent trend also having increased greatly over the past few decades is the number of children in childcare for at least part of the day. This trend, due to greater numbers of single working parents and families finding they need two incomes to survive, puts childcare providers in a position to have a positive impact in reducing childhood obesity.
The first study, conducted by the Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (KACCRRA), looked at the perspectives of childcare providers regarding childhood obesity. The study addressed the following five basic questions:
- Do childcare providers perceive that there is a problem with obesity and overweight among young children?
- If so, what do they perceive are the contributing factors?
- What can childcare providers do to prevent obesity?
- What additional resources are needed?
- What are the barriers to taking these actions now?
The KACCRRA study found that providers agree that childhood obesity is on the rise, but that some do not consider it a problem until children reach school age, and that factors contributing to obesity include hurried modern lifestyles, unhealthy food choices, and inactivity due to a number of causes. Most study participants indicated that they already follow USDA guidelines in providing and encouraging healthy food choices, and that most provide daily outdoor activities including opportunities for vigorous exercise. Participants responded that needed resources include materials and equipment for active play, materials to teach nutrition principles to children and parents, and visits from specialists in nutrition and physical education.
The second study, conducted by Kansas State University researchers, measured the impact of a “move and learn” curriculum on the physical activity of preschool children in the campus child care center. The randomized trial was conducted in two classrooms of the child care center, with one classroom implementing the activity curriculum and the other serving as the control to measure against.
The primary aim of the “move and learn” program was to increase the amount of physical activity in the classroom. To achieve this, physical activity or movement was integrated into all aspects of the normal preschool curriculum, including math, science, and language. Teachers were asked to incorporate at least two, 10-minute move and learn activities into each session; activity levels were tracked through observation and through electronic activity monitors (similar to pedometers) worn by the children.
The study results showed that integrating additional movement into an existing early childhood curriculum is both workable and effective for increasing physical activity in preschool children. The study also found that it took some time for teachers to successfully implement the additional movement activities into the normal routine, and that follow up training sessions for teachers were helpful in achieving effective implementation.
Taken together, the two studies indicate that there are both techniques
and effective means available to help address childhood obesity
from very early ages, building a foundation of healthy choices
for life.
Healthy Congregations
Working together with local United Methodist churches for a healthier Kansas
Healthy Congregations Recognition Reports Due March 1
The Healthy Congregations Recognition program, now in its ninth year, highlights what 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 their health work 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. Six congregations can also receive a $1,500 Healthy Congregations of the Year award for outstanding health and wellness ministries.
More information about Healthy Congregations Recognition, including report forms for 2005 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, 2006. Start your report today and update it throughout the year!
Healthy Congregations in Action Pilot Program Launches
Teams from 29 Kansas United Methodist churches attended the Healthy Congregations in Action (HCIA) launch event November 4 at Pleasant Valley UMC in Wichita. HCIA is an exciting initiative of the Kansas Area Healthy Lifestyles Committee to improve health in local churches and surrounding communities.
The launch event, attended by over 120 people, featured a keynote presentation titled “Multi-Dimensional Congregational Health: The New Vision” by Dr. James Early, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, KU School of Medicine-Wichita; and Medical Director of the Department of Outreach & Prevention, Via Christi Regional Medical Center.
The event began with church teams participating in an exercise designed to be fun while at the same time demonstrating the importance of planning before action. Later, teams received guidance from project director Judy Johnston in developing and refining their individual action plans, which will provide direction during the 18 month pilot program.
The Health Fund is supporting the HCIA pilot projects in a number of ways, through grants, technical assistance, and by providing a variety of customized communications materials at no charge. Produced by Catalyst Creative Services, the communications materials include customizable radio spots, posters, print media ads, bulletin inserts, door hangers, and a hymn composed specifically for HCIA by musician and Health Fund staff member Matt Kuzma. A “Hallelujah Health” theme is carried throughout the communications materials.
Participating churches from the Kansas West Conference are: Almena/Clayton/Norcatur, Beloit First, Brookside/Cedar Chapel (Wichita), Chapel Hill Fellowship (Wichita), Colby, Copeland, Dodge City First, Hutchinson First, Hoisington First, Kechi, Marion Valley, New Covenant (Wichita), Otterbein, Pleasant Valley (Wichita), Rose Hill, Saint Mark (Wichita), Russell Trinity, Salina Trinity, and University (Salina).
From the Kansas East Conference, participating churches are: Cherryvale, Columbus First, Fredonia First, Ottawa First, Grace Emporia, Harveyville, Humboldt/Big Creek, Jerusalem Road Parish (Leonardville, Randolph, Swede Creek, and Fancy Creek UMCs), Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh), and Tecumseh.
Healthy Congregations in Action has already received the attention of several state and national groups outside of Kansas which have expressed interest in this unique and innovative approach to health. An important part of the initiative is an evaluation component which will measure in concrete terms the results of each congregation’s HCIA implementation in order to determine if the overall project is effective and whether continuation and expansion of the initiative warrants pursuing.
Healthy Congregations in Action, an initiative of the Kansas Area Healthy Lifestyles Advisory Committee, aims to:
- Encourage self-care
- Provide accessible exercise venues and healthy eating knowledge and experiences
- Develop local partnerships to increase opportunities
- Increase health issue communication in churches
- Develop policies and activities which support and model health
- Collect church-specific health behavior data
- Network United Methodists who are active in health issues for additional training and support
Complete information about Healthy Congregations in Action, including pilot program details, is available on the Health Fund website at: http://www.healthfund.org/hcia.php
General/Other News
Health Fund Grant Request for Proposals and Application Procedure
The Health Fund has a current Request for Proposals (RFP) available for Healthy Congregations grants.
The Healthy Congregations Grants RFP makes one-time grants of up to $5,000 available to Kansas United Methodist churches to stimulate 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.
For 2005, the Health Fund has committed an additional $100,000 in funding for the Healthy Congregations Grants program. There are no set application deadlines for the Healthy Congregations Grants program. The invitation to apply is anticipated to continue throughout 2006.
Grant Application Procedure: Persons wishing to assess the possibility of Health Fund grant funding for a project are encouraged to call and discuss their ideas with a program officer. The Health Fund continues to seek funding opportunities within its strategic focus areas of access to primary health care, oral health, and healthy lifestyles (nutrition and exercise), even if the proposed project may not fit a current RFP. The program officer will determine if there is potential for Health Fund grant funding and if so will provide guidance in the application process.
In most cases, persons authorized to apply for grants will be given access to our simple online application system. Applications are considered by our Programming & Evaluation Committee and our Board of Trustees at meetings scheduled four times a year. The next grant application deadline is January 9, 2006.
The Healthy Congregations Grants RFP is available at: http://www.healthfund.org/hcgrants.php
General information about the Health Fund grant process:
http://www.healthfund.org/grants.php
Hutchinson, KS—The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund announces new grants totaling over $1,086,000 for projects to improve the health of Kansans. The Health Fund grants an average of nearly $3 million each year to support health projects in its three strategic focus areas: access to health care, oral health, and healthy nutrition and exercise.
Two grants have been awarded to assist education efforts in Kansas concerning the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. The Kansas Health Consumer Coalition (KHCC), Topeka, was awarded $235,146 to provide analysis, education and enrollment support focused in six regions throughout Kansas, in partnership with local Area Agencies on Aging. According to Laurie Dale Marshall, director of the coalition, an estimated 360,000 Kansas seniors will need to choose a prescription drug benefit plan before May 15. Medical Service Bureau, Wichita, received a grant of $43,383 to provide outreach and education in Sedgwick County. The goal of both organizations is to help Medicare beneficiaries make informed decisions on a dizzying array of options.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is launching an expanded dental care program with the acquisition of a facility in downtown Pittsburg. A $100,000 grant from the Health Fund will assist with the purchase of the remodeled facility. The dental program will offer on-site dental treatment and prevention services five days a week. The new Fort Scott Community College dental hygienist training program will use the Pittsburg site for its clinical training. When fully operational, the program anticipates providing 6200 patient encounters a year.
Salina Family Health Care Center will use grant support of $51,765 to assist in the start-up of its new dental clinic. Dr. Tim Pivonka is the dentist for the new service which will operate at 625 E. North Street, Salina. The new clinic features six operatories, an x-ray room, lab, waiting area, and business office. The new dental clinic also provides dental services to Heartland Programs, the local Head Start program.
Kathy Hunt, RDH, Wamego, will expand dental hygiene services to students who are enrolled in Medicaid and HealthWave in some area school districts. Community Health Ministry of Wamego will provide a base of operation for the service. With a sponsoring dentist, Hunt will be functioning under provisions of the Kansas extended care permit law which encourages hygienists with appropriate permits to serve groups with problems accessing oral health care. The Health Fund grant of $38,517 will pay for mobile equipment, program management, and some miscellaneous expenses of delivering the services.
Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved (KAMU), Topeka, receives three Health Fund grants to improve oral health and access to care. A one-year grant of $163,248 will help augment a new Kansas program intended to expand access to low-cost pharmaceuticals at primary care safety net clinics. The Health Fund grant will help expand the benefits of this program to include additional clinics.
A grant of $50,000 will establish a statewide fund to provide timely assistance to low-income clinics as they grow to serve additional patients and provide additional services. The Kansas Community Development Fund will be administered over the next two years by KAMU. Funds will be requested as needed for consultant fees, travel expenses, training, workshops, and other technical assistance when clinics attempt to expand to meet every growing demand or add new services. Community health centers in Kansas provide care to nearly 50,000 patients each year. An estimated 300,000 Kansans lack health insurance.
With expenses covered by an $8,440 grant to KAMU, dental directors and managers from several safety-net clinics in Kansas will participate in four trainings provided by the Iowa/Nebraska Primary Care Association.
A $100,000 grant has been awarded to the Office of Oral Health of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Topeka. The grant will partially support the new position of Professional Outreach Coordinator for two years. A dental hygienist is expected to be hired for the position by January. The initial charge of the coordinator will be training and supporting medical professionals in the application of fluoride varnish for their young patients. Fluoride varnish has been shown to reduce tooth decay among young children when applied several times each year. It can be easily and quickly applied by nurses or physicians during a child’s medical visit, which would also include a screening of the child’s mouth and referral to a dentist if needed.
A grant of $124,334 will support the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Topeka, in its effort to encourage Kansas hospitals to adopt life-saving interventions advocated by the national 100K Lives Campaign. The national campaign, sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, aims to prevent the avoidable deaths of 100,000 hospital patients by June 14, 2006. The Kansas Foundation for Medical Care estimates the number of avoidable deaths in Kansas could decrease by 1,000 if Kansas hospitals adopt the recommended improvements.
Kansas Action for Children, Topeka, receives a grant of $78,535 to continue its work of advocating for Kansas children and families. “It is especially important in this time of ideological and financial turmoil to have a strong voice for the physical, emotional, and educational well-being of all Kansas children and youth,” said Kim Moore, Health Fund president. Kansas Action for Children provides information on child well-being through the Kansas Children’s Report Card, the Kansas KIDS COUNT Data Book, and many special reports. For twenty-five years, Kansas Action for Children has proposed policy alternatives that are child, youth, and family friendly and worked to build a base of citizen advocacy for the concerns of children.
Center for Health & Wellness, Wichita, will receive a $30,000 grant to continue its Prescription for Prevention program. This program, started with a Health Fund grant last year, provides health education and exercise classes to patients as part of a “prescription” from health care providers at the clinic. Fifty-three patients were enrolled in the program during its first year and that number is expected to significantly increase in the second year.
A grant of $62,500 has been awarded to Wichita State University to support the first year of a Manager of Dental Programs for Healthy Options for Kansas Communities (formerly Healthy Options for Planeview) in Wichita. The grant supports development of a dental hygiene clinic on the campus of Colvin Elementary School. The clinic will provide affordable, accessible preventive dental care and oral health education.
The Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Wichita, has been awarded a $1,000 grant which will be used to enhance training for the church’s parish nurse program. The grant project director is Gwen Whittit, and the pastor of Aldersgate UMC is the Rev. Butch Lambert. Under the Health Fund’s Healthy Congregations initiative, start-up grants of up to $5,000 are available to local United Methodist churches to stimulate the development of comprehensive congregational health and wellness ministries.
Speakers Available to Provide Information About the Health Fund
Interested in learning more about the Health Fund, our strategic focus areas, and philanthropy? Speakers are available to come to your church or civic group to provide information about the who, what, and why of the Health Fund; the reasons for our current focus on access to care, oral health, and healthy lifestyles; and about philanthropy and grants. If you would like to schedule a speaker to visit your meeting or event, please contact the Health Fund at 800-369-7191 or email healthfund@healthfund.org and we’ll make the necessary arrangements.
Inspirational Video 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 the possibilities before us, and to find solutions for the challenges before us. Filled with inspirational photography and dialogue, the DVD is designed to help viewers approach their lives with celebration, confidence, and grace.
Nonprofit organizations interested in checking out the video should contact the Health Fund at healthfund@healthfund.org, 620-662-8586, or 800-369-7191. Subject to availability and previous scheduling.
C 2005 United Methodist Health Ministry Fund
www.healthfund.org – healthfund@healthfund.org – 620.662.8586 – 800.369.7191