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Coming Soon!
The annual "Access to Care" report release event is being planned for October - more details to come soon. | |
The RHC is a collaborative effort of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, the state of Missouri, health providers, and community members to improve the health of uninsured and underinsured citizens in St. Louis City and County.
The monthly Healthcare Happenings newsletter is our way of keeping you informed on our progress in these efforts. Thank you for taking time to read this newsletter, more importantly, thank you for your committment to improving the health of those in our community with limited access to healthcare services. |
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New Program to Grant $1.5 Million in Local Communities
 There is a new partnership in town and it is poised to bring dollars, answers and new avenues for collaboration along. This new program will be known as the St. Louis Community/University Health Research Partnerships.
The purpose of this program is to provide a vehicle through which to focus on health care problems of importance to the community with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities. The $1.5 million in funds provided by Washington University, Saint Louis University and BJC Healthcare will support the development of research partnerships between community-based organizations in St. Louis City and County and faculty members at Washington University and Saint Louis University.
Examples of the eligibility criteria for proposed partnerships include (but are not limited to):
- Two principle investigators per project (one must be from one or more established community-based organizations; the other must be from Washington University and/or Saint Louis University)
- Research studies must focus on research into health problems of importance to the community (supported by broad and balanced input)
- Research studies must propose innovative interventions and models of care with the potential to improve the health of the community and to attract long term funding if successful
Research projects that produce important findings requiring further study or a new approach requiring additional funding for program development and implementation will be submitted to governmental and private funding agencies for ongoing financial support. Please be on the lookout for more detailed information on the application process, criteria and timeline in the months to come!
For additional information please contact:
Angela Fleming, MPH
Strategic Planning Director
St. Louis Regional Health Commission
314.446.6454 x1011
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 It's shaping up to be a very busy summer here at the Regional Health Commission. We look forward to seeing you at one or more of our upcoming events in the summer months ahead.
Community Health Forum:
Exciting changes are taking place within the Health community and we want to know your thoughts on where we are and the direction in which we are headed.
The forum is designed to give the community an opportunity to share your experiences with healthcare in the region. We want to hear from the community about what is working well and what needs to be improved in the regional healthcare system.
Your feedback helps to inform strategic change to the regional healthcare system.
Participants in the Community Forum will have an opportunity to do the following:
- Voice your experience with what has worked well for you in the regional healthcare system
- Voice your experience with specific barriers that may limit access for you in the regional healthcare system
- Suggest changes to the regional healthcare system
Details of the Community Health Forum:
Where: ConnectCare (Gymnasium)
5535 Delmar Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63112
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Time: 2:00 - 7:00pm
Parking: Free Parking is available in the East parking lot on the corner of Delmar and Belt
We will be hosting a series of pre-forum discussions on health at area community-based organizations with smaller groups of individuals as we prepare for the August forum. If you are interested in hosting or participating in a pre-forum or would like additional information, please contact Riisa Rawlins at 314.446.6454 x1102 or rrawlins@stlrhc.org. |
Highly Recommended
In January 2009, the Access to Behavioral Health Task Force was formed and charged with creating a set of recommendations to address structural and financing issues that restrict access to behavioral health services in the Eastern Region. To date, the Task Force has approved guiding principles and five key focus areas for recommendation:
- Integration of physical and behavioral health services including the criminal justice system
- Psychiatric Acute Care Transformation (PACT)
- Existing Service Area Structure
- Funding
- Provider Capacity
The Task Force has begun its process for recommending changes to the system. The recommendations are being reviewed by the various RHC advisory boards and commitees. These recommendations will serve as the framework for increasing access to behavioral health services for years to come.
The community is invited to participate in this process. To provide your input into these recommendations, please attend the upcoming Community Health Forum on August 25 between the hours of 2:00 and 7:00 in the gymnasium of St. Louis ConnectCare, or join us at an open meeting. Please visit our website: www.stlrhc.org for a listing of meeting dates, times and locations. |
St. Louis Integrated Health Network Names New Chief Executive Officer
The Board of Directors of the St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN) has selected Bethany A. Johnson as its new Chief Executive Officer effective June 1, 2009. IHN is a collaborative effort of the region's major primary and specialty care safety net health care providers to improve the quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care for uninsured and underinsured St. Louis area residents.
In her new role, Johnson will serve as the liaison among the region's health providers to help transform the health care safety net system. "I become CEO at an exciting time," says Johnson. "I plan to have IHN serve as the focal point for meaningful change in the areas of shared information systems, community-based service initiatives, and other new opportunities to improve health care in the region."
Johnson possesses over ten years of experience working and volunteering for non-profit organizations that serve disadvantaged populations. Prior to her new position, she was Chief of Staff for the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, where she directed the Eastern Region Behavioral Health Initiative. Johnson was also the Study Director for the Special Advisory Committee on St. Louis Public Schools, which was co-chaired by Dr. William H. Danforth and Attorney Frankie M. Freeman.
The St. Louis Integrated Network (IHN) is a strategic partner of the RHC working in close collaboration to improve access to healthcare in the St. Louis region.
IHN members provide over 400,000 primary care encounters to the uninsured and underinsured each year. IHN members include Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers, Crider Health Center, Family Care Health Centers, Grace Hill Neighborhood Health Centers, Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers, St. Louis ConnectCare, St. Louis County Department of Health, St. Louis University School of Medicine and Washington University School of Medicine. | |
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Your dedication and continued support are what make these efforts possible. We look forward to continued partnership with you in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
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Robert Fruend
Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Health Commission |
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