AHEC-NW (Arkansas) Published February 2007
In the summer of 2006, AHEC-NW offered a first-of-its-kind
program in Arkansas that specifically supported minority
students interested in health careers. “I can’t wait
until tomorrow!” This comment summarized the feelings of
the fifteen junior high school participants as they
completed their first day of the week-long event. “This
was the first time I ever experienced something like this!”
wrote one participant. “I liked it because I learned
the proper way to get clean and sterile,” wrote another.
Fourteen of the participants were Latino, and one was Asian.
During the week the students met 33 different health
professionals. They visited four post-secondary institutions
and met their respective healthcare faculty members. They
toured four healthcare institutions. The students were given
scrubs and T-shirts to wear during the program. After
instruction, students were given stethoscopes, thermometers,
and first aid kits to take home. The students also took a
CPR class and earned a CPR credential. Responses to these
experiences indicated learning was taking place on many
levels:
“You have to work hard to get your own clinic.”
“I learned that no matter what, keep going and don’t give
up.”
“I felt so important being a part of this program and going
to different places.”
“I learned not to do the Heimlich on a pregnant person.”
Family members were also educated through participation in
an opening orientation reception and an end-of-the-program
graduation.
A final comment from one student summed up the program: “I
can’t really describe it. You have to be there and do it so
you can know.”
Submitted by: Mary Ann Shope, Director of Advancement, AHEC-NW,
479.684.5163, mashope@ahecnw.uams.edu
Arizona-Sonora Mexico Border
Community Initiative By Amanda Aguirre, CEO/President, RCBH/WAHEC
The
Regional Center for Border Health, Inc./Western Arizona Area
Health Education Center (RCBH/WAHEC) in collaboration with
Community Health Workers National Network Association is pleased
to announce the 9th Annual National Community Health Workers/Promotores
Conference that will be sponsored in San Diego, CA on August
23-25, 2006. This year’s conference theme is “A
State of Mind: Community Health Workers Promoting Mental Health
and Prevention of Substance Abuse.”
With this annual conference, we proudly create a unique forum
for Community Health Workers, leaders of agencies, and organizations
to network, empower, support, inform, unify, and enhance their
knowledge and strengthen their efforts in serving their communities
nationwide. Last year conference was very successful with
an average of 350 participants.
This educational and uplifting event has the major goals
of providing the opportunities to:
Enhance the National Network capabilities of Community
Outreach Workers/Promotores programs by participating in
the “Community Health Worker National Network Association/Red
Nacional de Promotores de Salud.”
Promotores will learn about effective health education,
disease prevention, community strategies and interventionsin
community emergency preparedness.
To increase the quality of life and to eliminate health
disparities by providing a variety of health educational
training and informational sessions that will best prepare
CHW to address and meet their communities “Healthy
People 2010 Objectives.”
Community Outreach Workers will learn best practices in
community awareness and outreach on mental health and substance
abuse programs.
Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative
Paso a Paso Chronic Disease prevention through education on
nutrition and physical activity as a means of health forming
habits. Cooking classes stressing the importance of healthy
eating as well as community sessions are offered to the public.
Paso a Paso classes are offered throughout the target
areas of: San Luis, Somerton, and Yuma, Arizona with emphasis
in the areas of the Lanes, Carver Park, Pecan Grove, and
Wellton.
Five Walking Clubs have remained constant since 2004.
Participants complete a series of 12-week/12-session program.
The topics for these classes are nutrition, chronic disease
prevention and physical activity including cooking classes.
School Health Index- Created by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. This program aides in improving school nutrition,
physical activity and diabetes awareness through increased
capacity of school personnel, programs, and the development
of related policies in the context of a coordinated school
health program.
A total of six schools completed the School Health Index
in which one school added Health Screenings for its employees.
Three of the schools will use the SHI Program in the creation
of their Wellness Policy. The Health Career Club Students
at one of the local high schools have completed the SHI
as well as the Action Plan in which they plan to educate
and bring awareness to other students on Nutrition &
Chronic Disease Prevention through healthy eating. Some
other school districts are interested in completing the
SHI for the creation of their Wellness Policy during 2006.
Quality of Care- Program
To improve the quality of medical care.
Offers medical providers the standards for preventative
healthcare practices.
Increases the likelihood that physicians develop treatment
plans for diagnosed patients. Pr
ovides follow up so that physicians apply acceptable standards
of care.
PROJECT
H.E.R.O. – Helping Everyone to Reach Out- Youth and
Community to Prevent Drug Abuse
Effective prevention of alcohol, drug use, violence and related
problems requires communities to become organized and strongly
motivated to meet this challenge. The Regional Center for
Border Health, Inc. is one of three Arizona FY2004 grantees
receiving support from the Drug-Free Communities Program.
The Drug-Free Communities Support Program enables local citizens
and coalitions to strengthen coordination and encourage citizen
participation in substance abuse awareness, reduction and
prevention efforts. The Regional Center for Border Health
also serves as the lead agency in partnership with Community
Intervention Associates, Inc. a licensed behavioral health
provider agency. Project H.E.R.O. staff and coalition leaders
and members prioritize prevention goals and objectives which
promote and advocate for the integration of health and behavioral
health services which can address the needs of children, youth
and families most affected by substance abuse and related
problems. Grant funds awarded in Yuma County help to mobilize
citizens and groups to address problems and needs related
to Underage Drinking Border Binge-drinking, the Production,
Sale and Use of Methamphetamine, Early Identification &
Referral, Prevention Education & Outreach and Public Information
& Social Marketing.
Community Access Program of Arizona and Mexico
The Community Access Program of Arizona-Mexico Healthcare
Discount Network (CAPAZ-MEX) is a program of the Regional
Center for Border Health, Inc. that provides a medical safety
net to the uninsured and vulnerable residents of Yuma County
so they can better gain entry into a comprehensive system
of medical services. The program facilitates access to professional
healthcare at discounted prices so the uninsured can afford.
This system provides a medical home for primary and preventive
healthcare, as well as access to specialty, diagnostic and
inpatient care. CAPAZ-MEX is a Discount Network, not a health
insurance, for residents of Yuma County in which the person
is responsible for payment to healthcare providers at the
time of the visit. This is an opportunity for members to participate
in their own care by allowing affordable care, provided by
the Yuma County Healthcare Providers as well as providers
in San Luis, R. C. Sonora, Mexico, at greatly reduced prices.
Currently, there are a total of 720 individuals and 448 families
enrolled in the CAPAZ-MEX program.
For more information on our programs you can contact us at
(928) 627-9222 or www.rcfbh.com
New Employee Grows Poison Prevention
Outreach in California’s Central Valley
By Mary C. Wallace, MHA, FACHE, San Joaquin Valley AHEC/HETC,
Fresno, California
Gloria Ponce Rodriguez and Governor
Mark Warner of Virginia, Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit,
9/29/05.
The San Joaquin Valley AHEC/HETC, in partnership with the
California Poison Control System (CPCS), is delighted to spotlight
the newest addition to our team, Gloria Ponce Rodriguez. Gloria
will serve as a Health Educator in poison prevention, expanding
educational efforts throughout the Central Valley. Given the
ethnic composition of our region, outreach to the Hispanic
and Southeast Asian community is of particular interest.
Poison exposure is the third leading cause of injury and
death among children 5 years of age and under in California.
Hispanic children are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic
Caucasian children to be hospitalized as a result of poisoning.
Regrettably, the toll-free poison control hotline is underutilized
by non-English speaking individuals, despite 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, 365 days a year, continuous, simultaneous interpretation
capacity in over 100 languages! Calling the hotline puts you
in touch with a trained healthcare professional who will immediately
assess an incident’s severity and offer fast, free,
and expert medical advice for the on-site management of any
poison exposure. Pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and poison
information providers answer the phone and can prevent an
unnecessary trip to the emergency room. On average, CPCS helps
to avert approximately 60,000 trips to the emergency room
each year. The CPCS Fresno/Madera Division is under the management
of Dr. Richard Geller, MD, MPH, FACMT, and is generously hosted
by Children’s Hospital Central California.
The California Poison Control System (www.calpoison.org)
looked at the valley’s hotline usage data and issued
a call-to-action to respond to the changing demographic shifts
of the Central Valley. Working with the San Joaquin Valley
AHEC/HETC and the CPCS Fresno/Madera Division, CPCS designed
a culturally sensitive outreach project to get the word out
about services. Gloria was brought aboard to increase consumer
awareness, and also, to train community health workers from
partnering organizations to help spread the word!
Gloria has an extensive background in education and multicultural
outreach. She has served on numerous boards, panels, and committees
throughout her professional career in Virginia. In recognition
of her work in the community, she was appointed to Governor
Mark Warner’s Latino Advisory Commission for the Commonwealth
of Virginia, and was nominated for four consecutive years
to the Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit. Gloria is a Fresno
native and we are fortunate she returned home after thirty
years!
The CPCS is certified by the American Association of Poison
Control Centers, which sets standards for poison center operations,
personnel and education programs. Activities also include
promoting scientific research, creating awareness of poison
center services nationwide, and collecting national poisoning
data. For more information and contact information for your
local Poison Control Center, visit www.aapcc.org.
For further information, contact Gloria Ponce Rodriguez at
gloriar@sjvhc.org
RN to BSN Online Nursing Program,
CSU Chico, sponsored by Shasta Community AHEC Center
By Alice Knipe BSN RN CPN
I am a first generation college graduate. Education has always
been very important in my family. Growing up my parents inspired
me to find something better than working the fields. Education
was the key they stressed. My goal during high school was
to obtain a career and go to work. I was not able to afford
the tuition for a State or University education at that time
so I looked towards the local junior college.
I have always known that my profession would be one in which
I could help others. I have been in the nursing field twenty
three years. I acquired my associate degree in nursing and
then accepted a job working on a medical surgical unit for
five years. I then transferred to a pediatric unit with adult
overflow where I worked as a Primary caregiver. I was given
the opportunity to manage the unit and have been doing so
for the last eighteen years.
My desire to continue my education was stimulated by the
interaction with the nursing students from CSU Chico. Working
as a preceptor to the students stimulated my desire to teach.
I delayed entering the BSN nursing program due to the fact
that attending fulltime school was not financially feasible
for my family situation and my work situation would not allow
the flexibility required to attend on campus classes.
The development of the on-line program was the solution to
achieve my higher educational goals. The program allowed for
continued employment and minimal disruption of my family life.
The program offered classes in a self directed atmosphere
that allowed easy access to the instructor and students. The
flexibility of the program allowed the planning and organization
of my assignments with my work schedule and extracurricular
activities. I graduated in 2003 with my BSN from California
State University, Chico and am currently enrolled in their
MSN on line program.
I enjoy nursing and am excited to build on the various opportunities
that higher education has to offer. Teaching for the California
State University system is one of my future goals. The availability
of higher education on line allows the opportunity for other
who have limitations and restrictions to take the step to
acquiring their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.
The economy requires both spouses work to make ends meet and
On-line programs offers the possibility of advancing in education
in an obtainable manner. I look forward to participating in
other On-line programs to continue my education in either
a specialty nursing field or obtaining my PhD in Nursing.
Post Baccalaureate Program at UC
Irvine funded by California HETC
Participant Profiles
Post Baccalaureate
Class of 2004
Connie Gomez, MS II
Connie was accepted to the UCI Postbacc Program as a two-year
participant. Typically the program is completed in one year,
but it was with the recommendation of advisors that she take
a complete year of upper division undergraduate courses before
reapplying to medicals school. She took this advice seriously
and performed at the “A” level during her time
as a postbacc student. She received multiple acceptances to
med school, but ultimately matriculated in fall of 2004. She
is now participating in a preceptorship program at Harbor/UCLA
Medical Center, which is also a HETC funded initiative.
Connie is a graduate of UCLA. While a postbacc student, Connie
volunteered at the Share Our Selves free clinic in Costa Mesa,
serving also as translator.
Connie has been actively involved in LMSA the Latino Medical
Student Association, serving as co-chair while at UCI and
has given a tremendous amount of time to premedical students.
Francisco Navarro
and Shanee Porter on Graduation Day 2005
Francisco Navarro, M.D.
The environment, where most of his peers either were destined
to become high school drop outs or join a gang, Francisco
was determined not to be a statistic. During high school he
received grants, scholarships and was a work study student
in order to put himself through a college preparatory high
school. With determination and self-motivation he went on
to college, graduated from UCLA with a degree in Psychobiology.
He is the first in his family to graduate from college and
his parents both had elementary school level education. Francisco
worked up to 30 hours per week during college.
While in medical school he was involved with the student
run Clinica Cariño and was inducted into UCI’s
inaugural chapter of the Gold Humanism Society. He was nominated
for graduation with Distinction in Service. He also served
as class co-president and delivered the address at commencement.
The joy in his mother’s eyes said it all on that bright
June afternoon.
Francisco is now a first year Psychiatry resident at UCLA
Medical Center and will be a tremendous asset to the psychiatric
field of medicine.
Mayra Contreras
and Eileen Munoz-Perez on Match Day 2004
Mayra Contreras, M.D.
Being raised in a close-knit traditional Mexican American
family, it was expected of Mayra upon graduation from high
school to be married and raise a family. Mayra was determined
to take another path. She persuaded her parents to allow her
to attend college and she began her studies at USC, graduating
with a Biology degree in 1999. She was fortunate to have found
a mentor in Dr. Diana Ramos, an Ob/Gyn physician who guided
her to the Postbacc Program when Mayra was initially rejected
from medical school. It was in fact the path that Dr. Ramos
took, as she was a graduate of the 1988 UCI Postbacc Program.
Both of these women attended USC as undergraduates. It has
come full circle now as they are colleagues in the specialty
area of Ob/Gyn.
Mayra Contreras
on Graduation Day 2004
Mayra was accepted to UCI College of Medicine in 2000 and
is now a second year Ob/Gyn resident at USC Medical Center.
While Mayra was a medical studentshe served as a mentor and
conducted numerous mock interviews for the postbacc students.
As a medical student, she was co-director of Madres del Futuro,
a student run pre-natal clinic. She also served as co-founder
and co-president of the Ob/Gyn Interest Group. Most recently
she presented her research findings with Dr. Ramos at the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists annual
conference. We envision Mayra carrying on as a mentor to other
Latina women such as herself. She continues to be involved
with the program visiting as a lecturer and she has invited
our students to “shadow” her while at USC Medical
Center. Mayra is truly a role model.
Hospital Fostering Future Doctors
with Mentoring - Harbor-UCLA teams high schoolers with college
students for summer of surveys and health fairs
By Melissa Milios, Daily Breeze
Door to door, they've been canvassing Wilmington for weeks
with questions about children's health: How many cans of soda
did your daughter drink last week? Is there a safe place for
her to play nearby? Has she ever had a wheezing attack?
Like the doctors that most of them hope to become, the 35
students in County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's Summer Urban
Program listen intently and scribble on their clipboards.
On Tuesday, during their annual Health Summit at Banning High
School, they'll present preliminary results from the children's
health survey, along with complete data from last year's survey
and information on local health-care providers.
It's the culmination of a six-week program that brings together
three levels of students -- 15 from Banning and other local
high schools, 13 college undergraduates and seven from medical
school -- for a peek at what it's like to be a family doctor
in a medically underserved community.
The students also attend lectures, shadow doctors and mentor
one another. They've put on two health fairs, where they screened
nearly 500 local residents for anemia, tuberculosis, asthma,
obesity and access to medical coverage.
University of California, Irvine medical student Connie
Gomez, who is Latina and bilingual, said she was right at
home working with the primarily Latino population in Wilmington,
where -- according to last year's survey results -- at least
18 percent of families don't have health insurance.
"A lot of doctors want to go practice in Beverly Hills
or areas where they can make a lot more money," Gomez
said. "This program really makes everyone aware there
are other areas that need physicians badly, and what you can
bring from your own background."
Gomez said that for her, one of the most rewarding parts
of the program was giving the younger students career and
academic guidance that she, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants
with only sixth-grade educations, didn't have.
Family physician and clinical professor Gilberto Granados
said that forging mentoring relationships among minority students
was exactly what he and his wife, Dr. Jyoti Puvvula, had in
mind when they founded the Department of Family Medicine's
Summer Urban Program in 1991.
"We really want to get them to start thinking about
higher education," Granados said. "If they can see
students that look like them in medical school and in college,
that in and of itself is going to help them out."
The medical students and undergraduates in this year's program
were selected through a competitive application process. But
Granados said they welcome all students from high schools
in the Harbor Area, especially those from lower-income households.
Dammy Joseph was just 13 years old when she and her mother
-- both Nigerian immigrants -- heard about the program during
a checkup with Puvvula. Dammy said she had always dreamed
about becoming a doctor when she grew up, but didn't know
how to get there.
Now, after three summers of working side-by-side with pre-med
and medical school students, she is about to start her junior
year at Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School near
USC. Her brother, Michael, 14, has joined her in the program
the past two summers.
"The mentoring is helping us now ... and also helping
us with the future -- answering questions we have and sharing
experiences they've had that can actually help us," said
Dammy, 16.
"Getting the experience in the medical field, it's
exciting for me," she added. "It makes me feel good,
like I didn't waste my summer. I did something constructive."
Community Health Workers Make Housecalls
By Esmeralda Servin, Student Intern, San Diego EXPORT
From her office in San Diego, Maria Barraza is armed with
pen in hand and ready to take down the next appointment for
one of her daily house calls—a house call that usually
leads to a three-year relationship with the family. As a community
health worker for the Parents as Teachers program, Barraza
serves the predominantly Latino communities in Mid-City.
“It helps that I speak the language,” said Barraza,
whose primary language is Spanish.
Equipped with 10 years of experience, Barraza visits homes
prepared to share her knowledge on the subject of child development.
Though most of her training involves topics such as dental
hygiene, immunizations, or lead poisoning, she is also prepared
to handle other issues that may come up during the visit.
“But sometimes all of the little secrets come out,”
said Barraza. “We’re workers, but most of time
we establish friendships. Once we establish a rapport with
the family, we learn that there are other issues that need
attention.”
If someone has a problem with domestic violence or child
abuse, she is able to refer the individual to the proper health
and social services agency. Barraza also refers families to
low-income medical or dental programs—a much-needed
service considering many of the families lack health insurance.
The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program, began as a pilot project
in 1981 in St. Louis, Mo. It was created to put an emphasis
on parent education and family support, in order to enhance
a child’s development from birth to three years of age.
Now, the program has been modified to serve the low-income,
multicultural population of Mid-City. PAT is a nationally
acclaimed, home-based prevention program that empowers parents
to give their children the best possible start in life.
“We visit mothers with children or pregnant mothers,”
said Barraza. We visit grandmothers too. Sometimes the parents
are at work and the grandmother is the primary caretaker of
the child.”
Community outreach workers for PAT must complete many hours
of training before the home-visits take place. During the
first year of training, 25 hours of community service must
be achieved. The second year of training involves 15 hours
of community service and a third year requires 10 hours of
service, Barraza said. Most of the community service involves
fieldwork related to topics in child development. According
to Barraza, the program has increased in popularity just by
word of mouth. Mothers often times refer their friends to
the program because of the success that they’ve encountered,
she said.
“We guide them and let them know what to expect—depending
on the age of the child,” said Baraza.
The home-visits, which usually last one to two hours, are
a great way to sit down and talk to the mothers in their own
environment. The counseling sessions can begin as early as
the birth of the child and last until the child is three.
One mother enrolled in the program, “Sylvia,”
has benefited enormously from a year of home visits and counseling
from Barraza. “Sylvia struggled with domestic violence
in her life and has seen dramatic changes as a result of the
PAT program.
“Pinch me—I think I'm dreaming,” said “Sylvia,”
in reference to the PAT program and its services. (“Sylvia’s”
story is recounted on Homestart’s web site, www.home-start.org).
It’s stories like “Sylvia’s” that
emphasize the need for programs in the community like the
efforts of PAT.
In June, the final farewell is marked by a graduation celebration,
where mothers celebrate the accomplishments they’ve
achieved due in part to the program.
But the learning doesn’t stop there. The child is then
referred to Head Start—a program aimed at increasing
school readiness of young children in low-income families.
The Parents As Teacher program serves community members living
within the Mid-City boundaries. For more information on how
you can participate in the program, contact Maria Barraza
at (619) 281-2670.
Youth Health Service Corps Created by the Connecticut Area Health Education Center
Amargeet and Celeste
practicing BP
The Youth Health Service Corps trains and places high school
students as volunteers in community agencies providing health
care to vulnerable populations. Students provide valuable
services with in their community while increasing their awareness
of health care and public health careers. Through their participation
in the Youth Health Service Corps students are filling a large
community need for volunteer service while acquiring real
life learning experience under the guidance of professional
role models.
The early success of the Youth Health Service Corps was recognized
when the program was named the first place winner of the 2005
Linkage Award presented by the Council on Linkages between
Academia and Public Health Practice.
Brushing and flossing
instruction.
Since Connecticut AHEC implemented the program in September
2004, a nine module curriculum with evaluations has been developed.
Over 250 high school students from urban, subuAmargeet and
Celeste practicing BP.Connecticut have completed the Youth
Health Service Corps core training. Student volunteers have
logged over 1,000 hours of service at over 20 health care
agencies across the state of Connecticut. Current volunteer
sites include community health centers, migrant farm worker
clinics, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and nursing homes.
The Connecticut Area Health Education Center is partnering
with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut
Primary Care Association, and the National Health Service
Corps to implement the Youth Health Service Corps.
After receiving national exposure as the 2005 Linkage Award
winner and presenting at two national conferences, several
sister Area Health Education Centers expressed interest in
utilizing the Youth Health Service Corps in their respective
states. In response to this interest, Connecticut AHEC has
developing a Youth Health Service Corps Coordinator Training
to train staff at other AHEC’s in the nation who want
to implement the Youth Health Service Corps in their respective
states. Through the National AHEC Network the Youth Health
Service Corps has the potential to mobilize high school students
across the nation to provide much needed volunteer services
while concurrently developing a national pipeline of future
health care practitioners willing to serve our nation’s
most vulnerable populations,
Rubab practicing
on the AED
As a complement to the Youth Health Service Corps, Connecticut
AHEC is developing the College Health Service Corps. The College
Health Service Corps will train college students as who are
pursing a career in health care and place them as volunteers
in a health care setting. The College Health Service Corps
will include a college level web based curriculum to train
college aged Corps members. College students will be placed
as volunteers working side by side with the high school corps.
To learn more about the Youth Health Service Corps visit
our website at www.youthhealthservicecorps.com
or call Tricia Harrity at (203) 758-1110.
AHEC’s
Anti-Tobacco Message Rocks – Loud and Clear By Dianne Frankel, MPH, Anne Maynard, MPH, CHES, Emily
Meade, BA, and Vanessa Travieso Published March 2007
The music was pumping in Karen Stewart’s fourth period class
at Pineview Middle School.
“Fergalicous… So delicious… It’s hot, hot!”
Under the watchful eye of University of South Florida (USF)
College of Nursing students: Crystal Nichols, Brittany Reidy,
Marcell Rice and Clarissa Rowe, 20 sixth graders were
jumping and swaying around their classroom to the pop tune’s
rhythmic beat.
“Okay,” Crystal shouted after pausing the CD, “now stop and
take your pulse!”
As the class dutifully and silently counted their
heartbeats, the nursing students began handing out drinking
straws. After completing a lesson on the effects of smoking
on the heart, Crystal turned the music back on and
instructed the kids to get up and dance around again while
breathing through the straws.
This time, it was harder.
Some of the kids found it difficult to get enough air.
Before a minute was up, a few stopped dancing and sat down.
“Okay, now take your pulse again,” Crystal instructed.
The kids took their seats and did as asked. For many their
pulse rates were higher. The team of future nurses from USF
explained that breathing through a restricted airway like a
straw is similar to having emphysema – one of many
conditions caused by smoking.
Since 2000 the USF Area Health Education Center Program (AHEC)
has marshaled the resources of health professions students
in a coordinated anti-tobacco effort known as PIPSA
(Partners in the Prevention of Substance Abuse). Teams of
health professions students from the USF College of Medicine
and Nursing along with doctoral students from the Florida
A&M University School of Pharmacy are assembled and trained
on a variety of tobacco-related issues. Lesson plans, videos
and teaching kits were provided to 244 future healthcare
professionals to help them deliver an anti-tobacco message
aimed at vulnerable young people such as these sixth
graders.
“We target children at this age level because Big Tobacco is
also targeting them,” said USF AHEC Program Director Cynthia
Selleck. “While delivering an important message, our
students also serve as role models to these kids.”
Community Profile: Dr. Christina
Pelaez by Emily
Meade, Gulfcoast South AHEC
Published February 2007
Pediatrician Christina Pelaez, M.D., has become a familiar
face to children in Parrish, Florida, over the last year.
She was hired in July 2005 by Manatee County Rural Health
Services (MCRHS) and is the only pediatrician at MCRHS’
Edgar H. Price Jr. Children & Family Healthcare Center. As a
bilingual pediatrician, Pelaez is a great asset to both
MCRHS and to the children and families of Parrish.
“I am excited to be in the job,” said Pelaez. “I really
wanted it. I want to give the best service possible to all
of my patients and let them know they can get good treatment
in a community health center clinic. I know it is working
because the patients are coming back.” However, Pelaez does
recognize the unique challenges that come with working in a
community health clinic. “It can be frustrating because you
want to help with everything. It’s hard to let go because I
can’t stand the thought of someone not getting care.”
Even though she has only been employed by MCRHS for the last
year, Pelaez is no stranger. She originally came to the area
as part of her University of South Florida (USF) residency
under the guidance of Dr. Xavier Sevilla, a pediatrician and
preceptor with Manatee County Rural Health Service. During
her residency Pelaez was impressed with her “exposure to a
wide variety of people” and felt that she was “better
utilized in the clinic than in a private practice.” So after
completing her residency rotation with Sevilla, also an AHEC
preceptor and the beneficiary of an AHEC rotation during his
medical school education, Pelaez is now returning the favor
by precepting USF medical school students.
When asked why she decided to precept, Pelaez responded, “I
want to be a role model and let students learn by example.
You cannot be a good doctor just by knowing all the
information in the books. You need to be motivated. Children
need fun, nice, happy doctors. They respond to the look on
your face.”
Pelaez’ success as a preceptor is evident by her award as
the 2004-2005 “USF Pediatric Resident Teacher of the Year.”
As a preceptor, Pelaez focuses on teaching the students
about patience, attitude and observation. “There are
qualities [of a good doctor] that you have or you don’t.
Certain things can’t be taught, but others can. I teach them
about the details and that observing your patients is
extremely important,” said Pelaez.
As a preceptor, Pelaez is a wonderful mentor who has gladly
taken on students throughout her time at MCRHS. Gulfcoast
South AHEC is extremely appreciative of her dedication,
expertise and time and looks forward to continuing to work
together in the future.
Health Literacy: A Prescription for
Clarity – A Curriculum for Health Professionals
By Michael Cunningham, Florida Keys AHEC
Did You Know?
Low health literacy is a common problem in the United
States and in Florida.
Forty-six percent of American adults are unable to understand
instructions written on most prescription labels.
Low health literacy increases health care costs by $73
billion a year.
Low health literacy may affect the quality of care thus
impacting an individual’s overall health.
The Florida AHEC Network, in partnership with the Florida
Department of Health, has developed a comprehensive health
literacy curriculum for health care professionals. In addition
to a speaker/trainer guide and resource directory, the curriculum
also includes practical suggestions for improving verbal and
written communication between providers and patients with
low health literacy.
This curriculum is designed to support health professionals
striving to meet the Healthy People 2010 Goal of improving
the health literacy of persons with inadequate or marginal
literacy skills. This national objective is a critical step
in understanding and improving the health of the nation.
To purchase a copy of this curriculum call Rachel Chase,
(386) 462-1551. Purchase price is $99.99 per curriculum.
The University of South Florida AHEC Program, Tampa and
Gulfcoast North AHEC, located in Land O’Lakes, Florida,
presented the first annual “Belles & Boots Bash.”
This fund raising event was held on November 19, 2005 at the
Lange Farm in Dade City, Florida. Our special guest speaker
was Neil Shulman, MD, writer and producer of the film “Doc
Hollywood” which starred Michael J. Fox.
The reception, dinner and auction raised funds for Student
Health Career Camp scholarships. Gulfcoast North Area Health
Education Center, Inc. has educated over 500 students from
rural and underserved neighborhoods about the benefits and
qualifications needed to pursue a career in the health professions
field. Emphasis is placed on early preparation for high school
coursework, community service involvement, SAT study courses
and onsite visits to area health care facilities. Funds raised
from this event will provide additional scholarships for rural
and underserved area high school students. For more information
contact Kathryn Scallon, kscallon@hsc.usf.edu.
Active
Living and Healthy Eating in Logan Square, Chicago Illinois Health Education Consortium
Published February 2007
Garages and basements in Chicago’s Logan Square are filled
with bikes in need of repair. Many families, living from
paycheck to paycheck can’t afford to have them fixed at a
shop. Through the Ayuda Mutua (Mutual Help) program,
Matthew, an eighth grader from Ames Middle School,
participated in the bike repair and safety “Train the
Trainer” program. With support from his parents, Matthew
turned their basement into a small bike shop where he
teaches his peers how to fix their bikes. Matthew learned
how to ride on his own at age five and is mechanically
inclined his mother says. This program has helped build
Matthew’s self-esteem and as a result, he is doing better in
school.
The Active Living Logan Square partnership focuses on
creating an environment that promotes physical activity and
healthy living in Logan Square, a dense, predominantly
Latino community in Chicago. An asset-based community survey
identified safety concerns as a major barrier to physical
activity for adults and children. In response, the
partnership organized a Walking School Bus program and
created a safety committee, bringing together seven
neighborhood schools, local police districts and four
Aldermen to collaborate on safety issues. The vision is that
residents will implement a strategic plan that emphasizes
their priorities: sharing their skills in the “Ayuda Mutua”
program, reinstating recess, increasing walking and cycling,
and establishing family gardens.
Through the Healthy Eating by Design subgroup, first graders
at McAuliffe School receive a fresh fruit or vegetable snack
every afternoon and participate in a curriculum that
integrates nutrition and gardening into other subjects.
Healthy eating messages are translated to the home
environment through after-school healthy cooking
demonstrations for parents and school to home nutrition fact
sheets.
For more information please refer to the IHEC web page at
www.ihec.org
or email Virginia Warren at
vwarren@ihec.org.
Jonathan C. Barclay, MA Associate Director,
Indiana Area Health Education Centers Program (AHEC) speaking
to press and attendees. Renetta H. Williams, Executive
Director of HealthVisions of Fort Wayne is also in the
picture waiting to speak.
The Indiana AHEC Program is proud to announce the opening
of the Northeast Indiana AHEC (NEI-AHEC), the fourth of five
planned Indiana AHECs. Hosted by the Purdue University School
of Health Sciences on the Indiana University-Purdue University
Fort Wayne (IPFW) campus, the Northeast Indiana AHEC held
an open house Monday, November 28, 2005.
Local press and 50 partners and visitors joined IPFW administration
and local and state elected officials in celebrating the launch
of Indiana’s newest AHEC. During the opening, Renetta
Williams, Executive Director of Health Visions of Fort Wayne
and member of NEI-AHEC partner Allen County Health Disparity
Coalition said:
“HealthVisions of Fort Wayne and the Allen County Health
Disparity Coalition is pleased to be a community partner with
IPFW and the NEI-AHEC center. This center will address the
shortages of minorities in the healthcare field, especially
African American. One of the goals of the Health Disparity
Coalition is to increase the number of minority students in
healthcare careers. It is our hope that this center will work
with community leaders, community groups, healthcare providers
and religious groups to help spread the word about the center
and it resources. We are excited about the collaboration and
congratulate IPFW for its desire to bring the services to
the community. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”
Located in the Lafayette Medical Center, in a Health Professions
Shortage Area and medically underserved area of the city of
Fort Wayne, the NEI-AHEC will focus initially on health careers
outreach to minority K-12 students, education and training
of dental, dental assisting, and dental hygiene students,
engaging health professions students in community health literacy
and mental health activities, and continuing education of
health professionals. The NEI-AHEC will serve as an education
resource and health promotion site for the community.
The NEI-AHEC is delighted to join the AHEC family! For more
information, please contact NEI-AHEC at 260-744-1188, or Linda
Finke, Director, Northeast Indiana AHEC, at finkel@ipfw.edu.
A Formal Partnership Developing and Sustaining Off-site
Clinical Education to Kentucky’s Working Poor, Uninsured/Underinsured,
Immigrant and Refugee Populations in the Louisville Metro
Area
In 1991, a formal partnership was established between Kentucky’s
two major health science hubs and two federal 330 supported
clinics located in Louisville’s West End that has the
largest concentration of African Americans in the state coupled
with high levels of unemployment and poverty. This partnership
gave impetus for the establishment of the NorthWest Area Health
Education Center to develop off-site clinical education in
the aforementioned comprehensive federal 330 community health
centers, i.e., Park DuValle Community Health Centers, Inc.
and Family Health Centers, Inc. Annually, approximately 55
health professions students and medical residents participate
in off-site medical education in disciplines such as family
medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, nurse practitioner
studies, dentistry, nursing and physicians assistants. Through
these two well established training sites, health professions
students and medical residents participate in the delivery
of quality health care services to medically underserved populations,
regardless of their ability to pay. For more information,
contact Brenda Fitzpatrick, Northwest AHEC, at brenda@louahec.org.
The Kentucky AHEC Program provided important input for the
proposal and is providing in-kind support to the University
of Louisville Schools of Medicine and Dentistry for a new
summer academic program for undergraduates. One of 12 sites
selected, the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program
(SMDEP), funded and designed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
will also involve two of Kentucky's regional AHEC centers
with recruiting undergraduates for this new summer academic
program. Participating students will gain information about
the Kentucky AHEC program as part of their orientation to
providing healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged populations.
The national SMDEP, as designed by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, with AAMC and ADEA, supports the primary goals
of AHEC to acquaint students from rural, disadvantaged and
underrepresented minority backgrounds with health careers.
This new summer academic program is a very good fit with the
mission of the Kentucky AHEC program and is open to any undergraduate
from across the country. This new summer academic program
provides an essential link between our pre-college and MCAT/DAT
prep programs for pre professional students interested in
studying medicine and dentistry. For more information, contact
Rebecca Stutsman, rsstut03@louisville.edu.
Health career recruitment is exponentially enhanced when
classroom teachers understand and are enthusiastic about health
careers. This can be accomplished through teacher academies
or teacher training in health careers.
South Central Kentucky AHEC conducted a 2003 Kentucky Department
of Education funded teacher academy for five days in June
for 25 teachers of grades five through eight. The final figures
from these teachers’ evaluations indicated that over
1800 students were exposed to health career curriculum through
their classrooms during the 2003-2004 school year.
During five days in June, 2005, South Central KY AHEC coordinated
an AHEC funded teacher training for 14 teachers of grades
5 through 12. The first three days of the academy provided
a working knowledge of health careers, shortages and educational
opportunities.
Through presentations and experiential activities, including
job shadowing of health professionals, the participants were
immersed into the world of health care. The teachers examined
the knowledge base, skill requirements, roles, and responsibilities
of a broad range of different health careers. Beverly Mortimer,
Director of Career Development, at T.J. Samson Community Hospital
arranged shadowing with over 40 different health careers professionals
for the teachers.
The fourth day focused on completing the 25 modules of the
“Exploring Faces of Opportunities,” a curriculum
developed and piloted by Southwest Georgia AHEC. Implementation
was the focus of the last day. Possible barriers and solutions
were explored as well as how the curriculum could be used
to address the appropriate Kentucky standards.
One teacher stated, “The shadowing experiences were
so beneficial. I can’t begin to write about the knowledge
I gained while seeing these individuals in their working environment.
I have a much deeper understanding of the many, many jobs
that are in the health care field. This will allow me to perhaps
get students interested in a health care career.”
Another teacher responded, “If you do not have a lot
of money but want to be in the medical field of some form,
there are a hundred options that students can do and then
gradually work their own way up both by on the job training
and eventual testing to push upward both educationally and
financially.”
Still another teacher remarked, “In my experiences
we were able to see behind the scenes – it was fascinating!
The jobs we saw did not always deal directly with patients,
but totally affected patient care. One fact that I can use
in my classroom is to find an area you’re interested
in, there’s a need for it or a related area in the medical
field.”
Lastly, a teacher summed it up, “I feel the most useful
resource I gained was the hands-on shadowing I did at T.J.
Samson. My knowledge was greatly enhanced by personally observing
and discussing with the staff as they went about their daily
routine. This was great info that I can pass along to my students.”
For more information, please contact Glynda Stone, glynda.stone@wku.edu,
at South Central KY AHEC.
Bringing Out-of-School Youth Back
In
By Margaret “Bootsie” Durand, MS, Director/Career
Recruitment & Professional Education, SW LA AHEC
The SW Louisiana AHEC is researching health career exposure
and/or training programs targeting WIA eligible out-of-school
youth. This population is defined as persons between the ages
of 14 and 21, who are school dropouts; or who have either
graduated from high school or hold a GED, but are basic skills
deficient, unemployed, or underemployed. (“Basic skills
deficient” is defined as being unable to compute or
solve problems, reads, writes, or speaks English at or below
the 8th grade level.) Please email Bootsie Durand at careers@swlahec.comi
if you know of any such programs. Thank you.
In the aftermath of Katrina…‘A
Day with the Docs’ Program is Outstanding Success!
By Nan Ewing, CLAHEC Program Coordinator
The 2006 “A Day with the Docs” participants
enjoyed the day of learning, observation, and experience.
2006 could have been difficult for Central Louisiana Area
Health Education Center’s (CLAHEC) “A Day with
the Doctors” program. Most of the parishes in the served
region of central and south Louisiana were greatly affected
by Hurricane Katrina. The LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans
was forced to relocate medical students and faculty to the
Baton Rouge area. Finding the appropriate facilities to accommodate
the medical students and participants seemed a tough task,
but Our Lady of the Lake College opened their doors between
semesters to generously provide full use of the facilities
and equipment at the Health Careers Institute. Even though
the displaced 2nd year students were facing difficulties in
housing and educational space, they made an outstanding impact
on local high school students interested in a career in medicine.
On January 5, 2006, forty-three qualifying high school students
from South Louisiana parishes had the opportunity to learn
and practice listening to breathing and heart sounds, measuring
respiratory rate, CPR skills, first aid, and splinting through
one-on-one interaction with second year LSUHSC medical students.
Janki Patel,(On Right),
East Ascension HS junior, practices taking the blood pressure
of her LSUHSC medical school “buddy”.
Dr. Richard DiCarlo from LSUHSC-NO demonstrated the correct
method of patient interviewing in a mock patient interview.
Dr Robert Eubanks, Head of the Admissions Committee at LSUHSC-NO,
walked students through the application process Marie Kelley,
Vice-President of the Health Career Institute, and Marvell
Nesmith, Director of Admissions for OLOL College, encouraged
students to pursue health careers and told about opportunities
offered by Our Lady of the Lake College. Students gained knowledge
of other medical career choices and training requirements
as described in the CLAHEC Health Careers Directory.
Central Louisiana Area Health Education Center (CLAHEC) collaborated
with Our Lady of the Lake College and the LSU Health Sciences
Center-New Orleans to bring the program to high school students
in the area interested in a medical career. The high school
students were chosen on the basis of grades, a letter of recommendation,
and an essay expressing their future goals in the medical
profession.
(On left), Jessica Banford,
West Feliciana HS junior, and Blessing Odohofre (on right),
Baton Rouge HS junior, enjoy learning with their “med-school
buddy.”
CLAHEC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving
healthcare in Louisiana and addressing the health professional
shortages in rural and underserved areas of our state. The
“A Day with the Doctors” program is one of the
ways that CLAHEC works to alleviate the health professional
shortages by recruiting students into medical careers early
in their educational experience and providing them with the
necessary knowledge and tools with which to accomplish their
goals. “This program places the kids in a practical
atmosphere which allows them to develop ideas for their own
future careers through observation and interaction,”
says Nan Ewing, the CLAHEC program coordinator.
Photographs were taken by: Nan Ewing, CLAHEC Program Coordinator-Baton
Rouge
The Boston AHEC, sponsored by the Boston Public Health Commission,
is pleased to announce that two students in their Youth to
Health Careers Program, Chubuzo Ibeabuchi and Bobby Lubin,
have received POSSE scholarships. Mr. Ibeabuchi received a
four year scholarship to Centre College where he will be pre-dental
and Mr. Lubin, received a 4 year scholarship to Denison University
where he will study dental informatics. Both students interned
with Dr. Ana Karina Mascarenhas at the Boston University Goldman
School of Dental Medicine through the Boston AHEC program.
They were selected from a pool of 1100 nominations, 125 finalists
and are two of only 50 scholarships nationwide.
Western Maryland Area Health Education Center (WMAHEC) is bringing to a close its highly successful Project Aware program after two and a half fruitful years. The focus for this innovative project was to encourage and equip people, particularly those aged 55 and older, to perform meaningful and constructive volunteer service to minimize damage from Homeland Security threats and natural disasters and to aid in the recovery after an event.
The Corporation for National and Community Service awarded WMAHEC $347,000 per annum for Project Aware. In keeping with its philosophy of community partnership, WMAHEC distributed an average 73% of total funds to community partners contracted as project Field Sites and for regional volunteer training and activities. The six community-based Field Sites, encompassing a 17 county, four state service area, received funding for Field Coordinator salaries, laptops, and support for outreach and local training. 27% of CNCS funds were budgeted directly for WMAHEC for program oversight and overall project coordination.
During the course of the project, the six program field sites- Garrett County Area on Aging, Volunteer Center of Allegany County, Washington County Department of Emergency Services, Volunteer Frederick, Inc. Western Maryland Health System Parish Nurse Program and Grant Memorial Hospital- succeeded in recruiting 1,247 total volunteers. Among those volunteers, 630 were age 55 and older, meeting the project’s ambitious goal. Those volunteers provided their communities with more than 48,000 volunteer hours during the program. In addition to the large volume of volunteer hours, Project Aware staff, led by Martha Bird-Middleton, succeeded in providing training related to public health emergencies to hundreds of regional professionals and community members, including 28 regional educational programs with 9 tabletop simulations utilizing Command School, Inc.
The funding for Project Aware will have a long-lasting regional impact. Project Aware supported the growth of the local Community Crisis Response Team, and enabled team members to train and become a regional NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) team serving the Potomac Highlands of Maryland and West Virginia. WMAHEC continues to support the work begun under the Project Aware grant through its Emergency Preparedness Caucus.
For more information about Project Aware’s accomplishments, contact WMAHEC at (301) 777-9150.
Minnesota and the International Legislators
Forum
By Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Director,
Minnesota Area Health Education Center
Minnesota Area Health Education Center Director, Dr. Barbara
Brandt, and Deputy Director, Jennifer Stumpf Kertz, gave a
presentation in June of 2005 regarding health care professionals
in rural areas to the Fifth Annual International Legislators
Forum, which serves legislators from Manitoba, Minnesota,
North Dakota and South Dakota. Their presentation reinforced
Minnesota’s interest in the continued development of
regional strategies to support education, awareness and community
engagement in order to focus on the unique contributions that
health professionals make to community vitality. Attendees
requested that Brandt and Kertz bring additional information
to the 2006 forum.
In preparation for the 2006 forum, the Minnesota AHEC Program
Office has convened representation from health care leadership
and health professions education from Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Manitoba to discuss cross-jurisdictional
health and health workforce issues in rural areas. The discussion
has centered on health professions workforce challenges such
as recruitment, retention, burnout and competition. Future
meetings will address health professions workforce data, the
health professions educational process, and opportunities
for collaboration and coordination among the participants.
The outcome of these meetings will be presented in May 2006
and will include recommendations to the legislators attending
the International Legislators Forum.
For more information, contact Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D.,
M.B.A., Associate Director, Minnesota Area Health Education
Center, Minneapolis, MN, halaa001@umn.edu,
612-626-8788.
Minnesota Adds New AHEC Center
By Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Director,
Minnesota Area Health Education Center
Fergus Falls has been selected as the host community for
the Central Minnesota Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
Fergus Falls will take leadership for collaborating with other
communities in the region to promote existing health programs
and to bring community and university interests together to
address health care workforce concerns in the region. Fergus
Falls was selected as the host community due to its strong
community support, regional vision, entrepreneurial energy,
creativity, and innovation. The community demonstrates the
capacity and experience to successfully foster partnerships
and opportunity throughout the region. The Central AHEC office
will be located on the local campus of the Minnesota State
Community and Technical College. This is the first academic
based AHEC center in Minnesota; the other two regional AHEC
centers are hospital-based.
Fergus Falls is the third regional center for the Minnesota
AHEC which started in 2002. The centers in Hibbing for the
Northeast AHEC and in Willmar for the Southern AHEC have been
very successful in educating and engaging youth in programs
for future health care careers. Hibbing was the first Minnesota
regional center and Brendan Ashby, director of the Northeast
AHEC, has had great success in partnering with local health
care partners in obtaining funding for programs, and has recently
announced the plan for a satellite office at Mercy Hospital
in Moose Lake.
For more information, contact Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D.,
M.B.A., Associate Director, Minnesota Area Health Education
Center, Minneapolis, MN, halaa001@umn.edu,
612-626-8788.
Give Kids A Smile - Grand Island Children
Selected to Participate in University of Nebraska’s
College of Dentistry Dental Day
By Cindy Paustian
On February 3rd, 2006, forty-six Grand Island children otherwise
unlikely to receive dental care, participated in the Nebraska
College of Dentistry’s “Give Kids A Smile”
Dental Day. Children ranging in age from kindergarten through
high school from low income, uninsured and underinsured families
along with their sponsors boarded a bus at 6:00am and traveled
90 miles to Lincoln, Nebraska. While visiting the University
of Nebraska School of Medicine College of Dentistry, children
received cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, cavity
fillings, education and emergency dental care as needed. In
addition, “Give Kids A Smile” Dental Day provided
an opportunity for children to learn the importance of good
dental habits while engaging in entertaining activities. This
project is a collaborative effort between Central District
Health Department and Central Nebraska Area Health Education
Center, both located in Grand Island.
Central District Health Department Community Health Nurse
Dee Brabander explained, “These children have been screened
for family income and level of insurance. The initial dental
screenings have been generously provided at no cost by several
Grand Island area dentists.” Regular trips to the dentist
prevent infections and other dental problems that negatively
impact a child’s health. The University of Nebraska
School of Medicine College of Dentistry recognizes this and
seeks to reach underserved children. Dental care plays an
important role in a child’s overall health. For families
who have no means of paying for dental care, this Dental Day
provides access to dental screenings and treatment for their
children.
During “Give Kids A Smile” Dental Day, students
from the College of Dentistry learned that there are many
needy children in Nebraska who have serious dental problems
but don’t have the means to get the care they need.
They also learn that throughout their dental careers, there
is a need to give back to those less fortunate.
Contact Cindy Paustian at cindy@cn-ahec.org
for additional information.
Nebraska SEARCH Program Partners
with AHECs for Clinical and Community Service Program
By Robyn Henderson, MHS, Rural Health Education Network/Nebraska
AHEC Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha,
Nebraska.
The Nebraska SEARCH program (Student/resident Experiences
And Rotations in Community Health), sponsored by the National
Health Service Corps/HRSA, is partnering with the Nebraska
AHECs to provide clinical and community service opportunities
for a wide-variety of health profession students. The SEARCH
program works with the AHECs to identify practice locations
for health profession students focusing on primary care. Rotation
lengths vary from a couple of weeks to a month or more. Students
gain valuable clinical experience as well as experience in
working with the community on a variety of projects, such
as lunch and learn sessions with seniors, talking with students
about health professions, assisting with health fairs, or
developing patient education materials. The SEARCH program
provides limited financial assistance to SEARCH participants.
Students eligible for participation in this program must
be in at least the first year of their health professions
study in family medicine or general internal medicine; advance
practice nursing in family medicine or psychiatry; physicians
assistant in family medicine; pharmacy; dentistry; social
work; or clinical psychology.
For more information, please contact Robyn Henderson, 402-559-1979
or rhenderson@unmc.edu.
An ABC camerawoman films Prime Time host Diane Sawyer, as
she confers with a client and Camden AHEC Nurse Practitioner
Mary Kay Dollard (facing front). Sawyer and a Prime Time crew
spent several days with Camden AHEC’s mobile community
health services team on the AHEC van. Watch for it soon.
In other national media coverage: CNN Television and National
Public Radio’s The Nation featured Camden AHEC’s
fight for clean needle exchanges to reduce rampant HIV/AIDS
infections resulting from contaminated needles.
Other AHEC stories appeared on NJN Television, Life-Net Radio
and WTMR Radio, and in the Baltimore Sun, as well as tri-state
publications, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Courier
Post. The latter published a front page photo-feature on AHEC’s
work with commercial sex workers, many of whom are homeless,
HIV-infected or both.
For information, contact Camden AHEC at 856-854-3182.
Seeing is Believing: Teaching Environmental
Education to Middle School Students
By Shelley Cohen, Garden AHEC, Bridgeton, NJ
Cumberland County, NJ straddles the Delaware River with picturesque
fishing villages, historic lighthouses, and rivers and creeks
flowing amidst the marshlands. Because of the region’s
rich heritage and scenic beauty, local residents have organized
to promote the area as an eco-tourism site. It is also the
poorest county in NJ and its low literacy rates and high unemployment
figures helped it secure federal Empowerment Zone funding.
Pre-doctoral students placed in community agencies by Garden
AHEC facilitators are told to expect inner city problems in
a rural setting.
A Memorial Middle School, Millville,
NJ student tries her hand at oyster shucking
In 2004, the Cumberland Empowerment Zone (CEZ) received a
NJ Department of Education grant to initiate the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program. The CEZ funded Garden
AHEC, based in Cumberland County, to provide after-school
science enrichment courses and Careers in Healthcare programming
to underserved and minority students in four middle schools
throughout the county. For the FY 2005/06 grant, Garden AHEC
was asked to expand the scope of its activities to include
summer program offerings. Garden AHEC staff immediately thought
of offering programs that would increase student knowledge
of the local ecosystem and identify pollutants posing threats
to the natural habitats of birds, fish, and other animals.
These outdoor activities would be designed to focus on the
underlying message of social responsibility, how each person
can prevent pollution, leading to improved community health.
Garden AHEC contacted The Bayshore Discovery Project to arrange
a two-hour walk in the Bivalve, NJ wetlands where students
fished from the dock of the bay, learned the characteristics
of different shellfish, and tried their hands at shucking
oysters. Through hands-on activities, they explored aspects
of the Delaware Estuary, its main pollutants, invasive and
non-invasive plants, and how the destruction of natural habitats
affects the annual migration of birds. Despite the fact that
all of the students are residents of Cumberland County, most
of them had never been to this pristine bay area located right
in their own county. Students and their site coordinators
left the wetlands with a better appreciation of the effects
of water and soil pollution and the fragility of the saltwater
marshes. Student comments on their Garden AHEC evaluation
forms included: “I learned that if a plastic bag is
in the ocean, floating turtles think it is a jellyfish, eat
it, and die.”
Other activities, facilitated by the Schuylkill Center for
Environmental Education, included building watersheds and
exploring the water cycle. This was followed by a mapping
tour where students compiled lists of non-point pollutants
on the ground and in nearby ditches and creeks. Students were
amazed to learn how much water the average family consumes
daily and one stated that he “learned that trash can
go underground and can affect our underground wells…how
we reuse it is important.” A related activity focused
on the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. Students
learned how much trash is thrown away each day by the average
American. They worked in groups to separate materials that
could be reused or recycled. Each of these programs had the
students focus on how their behaviors impact the environment.
One student commented, “The Trash Bash project was very
interesting. I learned that most of the trash you throw away
can still be recycled and the quantity of paper trash in the
U.S. is the highest amount in the world.”
Students at Cherry Street School in
Bridgeton, NJ get ready to become plant caretakers under
the assistance of Sue Slotterback from the Nature Center
of Cape May/NJ Audubon Society.
The third set of programs, facilitated by the NJ Audubon
Society, Nature Center of Cape May, focused on collecting
soil samples outside of each school and studying the differences
in composition. Students learned the uses of common plants
indigenous to the region and how to grow and cultivate them.
They had the opportunity to pot their own plants and learned
how to take care of them at home. Another activity involved
creating bird feeding stations out of recycled materials like
plastic soda bottles. Students learned to identify local birds
by sight and by sound. They then went outside with binoculars
to see how many species they could find in the school environment.
It was interesting to observe how many of the students, identified
as very high risk, participated in and enjoyed these activities
Garden AHEC had students evaluate each program using a Likert
scale to indicate what they liked best about the program and
specifically what they learned. Their comments indicated that
they understand the interrelationship between pollution prevention
practices, protecting local ecosystems and community health.
Garden AHEC plans to reinforce and incorporate what was learned
in the summer session into its fall programming. For example,
during science enrichment programming, one session will focus
on sources of lead in the environment and how it affects the
brain.
A senior medical student checks a client
on the AHEC Community Mobile Health Van.
Camden AHEC is southern New Jersey’s first non-profit
to offer HIV/AIDS rapid testing. No needles are used –
just a gentle cotton mouth swab. Results are ready in 20 minutes,
instead of the usual two to three weeks wait.
Camden AHEC has provided free HIV/AIDS tests for more than
20 years but, because results were not available for weeks,
nearly 60 percent of clients failed to return for test results.
“Now we can test clients, get their results, counsel
them, help them access treatment, and they can be on their
way in less than an hour,” says Jose Quann, AHEC mobile
team leader.
Camden AHEC’s fully-equipped Mobile Community Health
Van team includes a physician, phlebotomist and nurse practitioner
who give free check-ups and tests for HIV, hepatitis C and
other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as well as pregnancy,
diabetes, hypertension, and other routine health screenings.
Outreach workers scour the streets, inviting passersby into
the van for confidential risk-assessment and testing. Counselors
and health educators help HIV-positive clients cope with their
diagnoses and access free or affordable treatment. Healthy
clients are counseled on protecting themselves and others
against the HIV virus and other disorders that are common
among low-income residents, including diabetes and hypertension.
Persons who live and work in the Camden area also can take
advantage of free and confidential tests at AHEC’s downtown
headquarters, 514 Cooper Street, between 11 AM and 6 PM weekdays.
No identification is required.
“Free condoms and education on STDs are provided to
all,” says Quann. “Clients are recorded only by
the initials they give us and they are given secret I.D. numbers;
these are stored in a restricted database that is not accessible
to the Internet.”
Camden AHEC is a non-profit agency, providing access to free
and affordable medical, dental and psychosocial care for low-income
and uninsured residents of Camden, Burlington and Gloucester
Counties. For further information, call 856-963-2432.
The
Regional Center for Border Health, Inc./Western Arizona Area
Health Education Center (RCBH/WAHEC) in collaboration with
Community Health Workers National Network Association is pleased
to announce the 9th Annual National Community Health Workers/Promotores
Conference that will be sponsored in San Diego, CA on August
23-25, 2006. This year’s conference theme is “A
State of Mind: Community Health Workers Promoting Mental Health
and Prevention of Substance Abuse.” 
PROJECT
H.E.R.O. – Helping Everyone to Reach Out- Youth and
Community to Prevent Drug Abuse
During the course of the project, the six program field sites- Garrett County Area on Aging, Volunteer Center of Allegany County, Washington County Department of Emergency Services, Volunteer Frederick, Inc. Western Maryland Health System Parish Nurse Program and Grant Memorial Hospital- succeeded in recruiting 1,247 total volunteers. Among those volunteers, 630 were age 55 and older, meeting the project’s ambitious goal. Those volunteers provided their communities with more than 48,000 volunteer hours during the program. In addition to the large volume of volunteer hours, Project Aware staff, led by Martha Bird-Middleton, succeeded in providing training related to public health emergencies to hundreds of regional professionals and community members, including 28 regional educational programs with 9 tabletop simulations utilizing Command School, Inc.
