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Dear Colleagues,
Our State Legislature goes back to Tallahassee for a Special Session next week, but the Senate and House remain at odds on expanding health coverage for over 800,000 low-income Floridians. A bipartisan coalition of business owners and organizations, chambers of commerce, hospitals and community leaders has formed the "Healthy Florida Works" advocacy effort to push for a semi-private coverage program. The program would require subsidize premiums for qualifying beneficiaries. Members would pay modest premiums as well as participate in health and job training programs. Financing would come from the estimated $50 billion in federal funds available to Florida over the next decade. For more information, go to www.ahealthyfloridaworks.com .
The PCAN collaboration was recently cited in an article in Becker's Hospital Review. The article discussed the importance of Federally Qualified Health Centers to the health system of the future, and included PCAN as an example of a successful collaboration. Margaret Brennan and I were interviewed on ways that health systems and FQHCs can and should work together to improve health care access. To view the article, go to:
PCAN welcomes back Healing the Children to the board. Healing the Children provides free, specialized medical treatment to children in need in Central Florida, Florida and Georgia. Arlene Rhodenbeck will serve as the PCAN board member.
Finally, I want to thank the Nominating Committee for their work on the recent election. We have a dynamic Executive Committee: Vice-chair Margaret Brennan, Secretary Linda Sutherland, Treasurer Jerry Kassab and At-Large Bart Rodier, MD. In addition, thank you for re-electing me as PCAN Chair. It's going to be a great two years!
Thanks for all you do for our community. As Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Gratefully,
Maureen Kersmarki
Board Chair
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UPDATES ON WIC
Florida Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program
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The Florida WIC Program has changed the way WIC approved foods are issued to eligible clients from WIC checks to a WIC specific EBT card. Breastfeeding Clinic and Breast Friends support group is available most Friday mornings at the 901 W. Church Street, Orlando location. The current contracted provider for standard milk-based infant formulas is Mead Johnson Nutrition. Nestle Infant Nutrition remains the contracted provider for standard soy based infant formulas. For more information or to make an appointment, please contact the Orange County WIC Program Call Center at 407-858-1494.
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Healthy and Safe Swimming: We're in it Together
~Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week 2015~
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The week before Memorial Day (May 18-24, 2015) is Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week. Every year, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational water illnesses (RWIs), which are caused by germs found in places where we swim. The Department of Health in Orange and Seminole Counties are highlighting the importance of preventing these illnesses by emphasizing healthy swimming behaviors this summer. The theme for RWII Prevention Week 2015 is Make a Healthy Splash: Share the Fun, not the Germs. It focuses on the role of swimmers, aquatics and beach staff, residential pool owners, and public health officials in preventing drowning, pool chemical injuries, and outbreaks of illnesses. It highlights swimmer hygiene and the need for swimmers to take an active role in helping to protect themselves and prevent the spread of germs.
For more information on Healthy and Safe Swimming.
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Advance Health
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In an effort to improve the coordination of health improvement initiatives in order to maximize their effectiveness and leverage limited resources, the Health Council of East Central Florida has begun meeting with PCAN partners to explore a collective impact model called Advance Health. Stanford University researchers have identified five elements that enhance the effectiveness of any community improvement program:
- Common agenda
- Shared measurement system
- Mutually reinforcing activities
- Continuous communication
- Backbone support organization
Advance Health would include creation of a governance council comprised of participating organizations, implementation of a strategy support system, alignment of health promotion activities, and immediate feedback on the status of health improvement strategies. Call or email Ken Peach at the Health Council of East Central Florida to learn more about how collective impact can benefit your organization and community health.
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Dental Care Access Foundation
Access to Oral Hygiene Education and Fluoride Varnish Program
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The Dental Care Access Foundation in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, UCF Pre-Dental Association provide proper oral hygiene education, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and apply fluoride varnish to elementary schools in Orange County. We target Pine Hills, Holden Heights and Parramore and have reached over 2000 kids. We have seen each school twice in the last two years and are expanding our reach to additional schools in these neighborhoods. Michelle Lawton, Children's Dental Coordinator of the Foundation, partners with targeted schools including Nap Ford, Cherokee, Pine Loch, Ivey Lane and UCP to provide the care. The Foundation has seen a tremendous impact on the overall oral health of these children and has referred many to local agencies including Evans Cottage, Orange Blossom Family Health Center and the Pine Hills Family Health Center.
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Community Health Centers, Inc.
News
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Selected As HIMSS
Community Health Organization Davies Award Winner
Community Health Centers, Inc. (CHC), received Healthcare Information Management Systems Society's (HIMSS) Community Health Organization Davies Award of Excellence in April. The award recognizes excellence in the use of health information technology, specifically the use of the electronic health record (EHR) to successfully improve health care delivery processes and patient safety while achieving a demonstrated return on investment.
Davies Community Health Organization Award recipients are federally qualified community health centers that have demonstrated significant sustainable improvement of patient outcomes through the utilization of electronic health records and information technology while achieving return on investment.
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Community Health Centers Opens
A Pediatric Medical Center In Rosemont
Community Health Centers, Inc. (CHC), has added a pediatric medical practice in the Rosemont area. The center is located at 5844 N Orange Blossom Tr, Orlando, just south of Clarcona Ocoee Road in the Rosemont Plaza.
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The Primary Care Access Network (PCAN) is a coalition of 20 public, private, faith-based and government agencies that operate a full range of primary and secondary care services for over 100,000 uninsured residents of Orange County. PCAN is an integrated health network that is funded by sliding scale fees, as well as federal, state, county and community partner dollars.
PCAN's mission is to improve the access, quality and coordination of health care services to the underinsured and uninsured populations of Orange County.
For more information, visit our website at: www.pcanorangecounty.com
Sincerely, Debbie Belanoff Primary Care Access Network |
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