Health Authority affiliates with Interfaith Coalition

The Health Authority is strengthening its connection to the faith community through an affiliation with the Interfaith Health & Hope Coalition. Established through a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation five years ago, the Coalition pursues community health objectives through church health ministries and regional partners. Chaired by Rev. Dr. John Duckworth, also a member of the Health Authority Community Advisory Committee, the Coalition has been very active in the national "Faithful Reform" movement, as well as provides "Circles of Care" collaborations at church and health system facilities, "teach-ins" to educate health ministers, and other congregation based health programming.

"In order to achieve our goal of creating a healthy community in Southeast Michigan, we need as many partners as we can get. The Interfaith Health & Hope Coalition offers us a direct connection into the health ministries and faith leaders who share a concern about health access," said Chris Allen, Executive Director and CEO of the Health Authority. "Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of the Coalition to achieve its goals and mobilize its capability for Medicaid enrollment and community wellness programs."

Health Ministry Fellowship begins

In keeping with its commitment to creating a learning culture, the Health Authority, together with Ecumenical Theological Seminary (ETS) in Detroit, has created a health ministry fellowship which will help create a new generation of holistic health advocates within church congregations. The first fellow in this program is Dr. Charmaine Johnson, a graduate of the ETS Urban Ministry Program and a retired Detroit school principal.

"We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Johnson to the Health Authority as our first health ministry fellow," noted Chris Allen, executive director of the Health Authority. "Our affiliation with the Interfaith Health & Hope Coalition, the community outreach relationships we have with local churches, and now this commitment to development health ministers are indications of our strong commitment to meeting the needs of the underserved through the faith community."

Under the mentorship of Rev. Dr. John Duckworth, chair of the Interfaith Health & Hope Coalition and also a graduate of ETS, Dr. Johnson will develop a health ministry at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Westland, support Medicaid enrollment initiatives at local churches, work with the Coalition's Circle of Care programs, and will be involved in other faith-based initiatives as well.

Special congratulations goes out to Rev. Duckworth and his wife for the recent delivery of triplets, whom the parents refer to as "D3."

Starfish Family Services hosts community poverty forum

Starfish Family Services is hosting a "Western Wayne County Community Poverty Forum" on Monday, Nov. 15, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at University of Michigan-Dearborn Fairlane Center. Speakers include Kurt Metzger, Director of Data Driven Detroit; Elizabeth Gershoff, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Texas; Jack Kresnak, President & CEO, Michigan's Children; Carlynn Nichols, Director of Children's Initiatives, Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency. Forum topics include:

·         Demographic and Social Profile of Western Wayne County - Kurt Metzger

·         How Poverty Negatively Impacts Healthy Child Development and a Review of Effective National Models - Elizabeth Gershoff, PhD;

·         Panel Discussion: Implications for Community Leaders and Service Organizations

There is no registration fee, but registration is requested by Nov. 5. Registration includes lunch. Contact Rose Coletti at rcoletti@sfish.org or Pam Lincoln at 734-727-3109.

Wayne County offers flu shots

The Wayne County Department of Public Health is offering flu shots at three sites. One flu shot will protect recipients against H1N1 and season flu. The fee for the shots is $15 ($10 for qualifying children). Pneumonia shots are also offered for $15. For information, call 734-727-7000 or visit www.waynecounty.com. The health centers offering shots are:

Redford Area Health Office

17421 Telegraph Road

Detroit, MI 48219

313-537-1708

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesdays: By appointment only

Taylor Health Center

26650 Eureka Road

Taylor, MI 48180

734-955-3900

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

By appointment only.

Wayne Health Center

33030 Van Born Road

Wayne, MI 48184

734-727-7100

By appointment only:

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Friday

11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday

Walk-ins:

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday

Backgrounders

Affordable Care Act grants fund consumer assistance programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced a new Consumer Assistance Grant Program which will award nearly $30 million to states to support efforts to establish or strengthen consumer assistance programs that provide direct services to consumers with questions or concerns regarding their health insurance. The grants will build on other programs and initiatives to help consumers make decisions about their care, where to find health insurance options customized to their needs and location, and other information about their benefits and rights under the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, the grants will:

·         Help consumers enroll in health coverage;

·         Help consumers file complaints and appeals against health;

·         Educate consumers about their rights and empower them to take action;

·         Track consumer complaints to help identify problems and strengthen enforcement.

For more information on this program to www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/cap_grants.

Studies shows support for health reform slowly growing

Views on health reform tightened in October, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation released in mid-October. Forty-two percent of respondents hold a favorable view on the law, while 44 percent is opposed to it. This is a tighter spread but reflects a trend that has been evident for the months following the bill's passage last spring. While the poll reflects a divided republic and that likely voters tend to be more negative than others, it doesn't necessarily predicate voter behavior. The poll noted that it's really the economy that will sway voter sentiment next month, not health reform.

An Associated Press-GfK poll found likely voters evenly split on whether the law should be scrapped or retooled to make even bigger changes in the way Americans get their health care. So either you like it and want more, or you don't like it and want it scrapped. Among likely voters, 36 percent said they want to revise the law so it does more to change the health care system. If you add the 15 percent who said leave it as it is, you essentially have a slim majority of likely voters approving health reform at this point.

Final Thought

Despite the noise from its opponents, health reform marks achievements

Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, made an observation last month that reminds us how easy it is to overlook some of the accomplishments of health care reform. Her comments were made in a speech at the National Summit on Health Care Quality and Value:

"This August marked a turning point, as major insurance companies, provider groups, doctors, hospitals, and patients all came together to announce that they would team up to support our 'meaningful use' regulations - guidelines that doctors and hospitals will have to follow to earn incentives for moving from paper to electronic medical files. Dramatic change isn't going to happen overnight. But it is under way."