As we enter 2015,
the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity staff have settled into
the space on the first floor of the Urban League of Greater Hartford
and are engaged in numerous activities by bridging the divide between health care providers and patients; navigating through the complex healthcare system to find solutions; and by supporting the community in addressing health disparities.
In
this issue, we highlight the impact of our programs, describe recent
activities and let you know what is yet to come. This year our focus is
on simple, well designed and universally understandable solutions to
the complex problems that contribute to health disparities.
Newsletter Overview
Numbers Reached
Language Services
Health Survey
Town Hall Event
Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.
Diabetes Self-Management Training in Spanish
Golf Tournament
MIRACLES
A Visit from Dr. Clayton Yates
Annual Community Benefit Report
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THE IMPACT OF ON-GOING PROGRAMS
Numbers Reached
The
Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity engages the community in a
variety of ways and in various settings to offer support and training as
well as learn more about what the community has to say. Since our last
newsletter we have reached 1,820 people and over 6,000 people have been
reached since our start! We focus on activities that allow community
input and lead to relationships that improve health outcomes. For
example, we offer training to community
members and healthcare providers; provide individual navigation services
for patients who come to the Center; collaborate with community
agencies to meet the expressed needs of community members; work closely
with hospital departments to provided needed language services; conduct
research and collect data to better understand the impact of our work;
assist with the training of new doctors; and organize support for those
who need it most. ALL OF THIS WORK HAS ONE PURPOSE - TO ACHIEVE HEALTH
EQUITY FOR ALL.
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New Staff Member and Language Services Program
Language
Services at Saint Francis is improving! First and foremost we have a
new Health Equity Programs Coordinator - Nkemdilim (Chi) Anako who has
been with us less than a month and has already moved the language
services program forward significantly. New resources have been
distributed, training has been developed for Health Stream, document
translation is being offered on an as needed basis, staff are receiving
in-unit training, and program oversight is in place. Chi can be reached
at 714-5748 if you have questions about this new service. The Language
Services SharePoint site, which will feature all of the resources in
one location, will be launched very soon!
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Nkemdilim Chi Anako - Health Equity Programs Coordinator
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Health Survey
The
first round of community input for our Health Needs Assessment included
over 600 surveys completed by members of two large churches in
Hartford. Preliminary data analysis show that diabetes, heart disease
and being overweight/obese are the top three priorities. We have much
more work to do to complete the health needs assessment and gain a clear
understanding of how to address the identified needs, but we have
already started discussions with the Diabetes and Metabolic Disease
Center at Saint Francis to create a partnership to provide diabetes
screening and educational services in the community for those who need
it most. More to come in our next newsletter....
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 RECENT ACTIVITIES
Town Hall Event
Since 2011, The Curtis
D. Robinson Center for Health Equity (CDRCHE) has hosted an annual town
hall meeting on health disparities. The purpose is to have an open and
constructive dialogue about health issues that affect populations most
impacted by health disparities. For 2014, the topic was "Is Food
Making us Sick?-A Conversation about Food and our Health."
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Panelists included:
Danielle Smiley: Nutritionist with the Hartford Women, Infants and Children Program
Evelyn Richardson: Founder of Daughters of Eve a community action organization
Dr. Nissin Nahmias: Bariatric surgeon at Saint Francis Hospital
Dr. Roy Kellerman: Primary Care Physician with Saint Francis Hospital
Martha Page: Director of the Hartford Food System
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The
event was held on November 18, 2014 at the Capitol Region Education
Council Theater of Performing Arts, over 200 people attended. CDRCHE
reached out to community partners for promotion, support, and
attendance. The primary goal was to engage the community and connect
people to services and organizations to provide information and answer
questions about food and health.
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Martin Luther King Celebration and Award
Dr.
Marcus M. McKinney was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr., "Drum Major
of Justice" award on Monday, January 19th at Shiloh Baptist Church by
the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. Rev. Dr.
David Massey (President) and Rev. Ronald Hiomes (Vice President) gave
the award as a part of the annual service with 700 attendees. This event
supports scholarships to students aspiring to matriculate in post-high
school education.
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Reverends David Massey, Marcus McKinney, and Ronald Hoimes
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Diabetes Self-Management Workshop Provided in Spanish
On
October 25, 2014, Rebecca Santiago, RN and CDRCHE's Community
Healthcare Navigator, facilitated the first 6 week Diabetes
Self-Management Workshop for 10 members of the House of Restoration
Church. The workshop, taught entirely in Spanish, was based on the
Stanford Chronic Disease Management Program and in collaboration with
the CT Department of Health. Classes were held once a week for 2 ½
hours. Topics included: 1) dealing
with diabetes symptoms 2) appropriate exercise 3) healthy eating 4)
medication use and 5) partnering with health care providers.
Participants made weekly action plans, shared experiences, and helped
each other solve problems they encountered in creating and carrying out
their self-management program.
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