By Andy Hernandez, Community Development Manager

For those who lack the means to obtain health insurance, being able to do so is a life-changing event. Health insurance provides not only health security, but economic security as well. Many of us are fortunate enough to have an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, but I would like you to take a moment to consider what your life would look like without it. It might look something like this: our lives would be less financially secure; our health care options more limited; and our long-term prospects for living a vital and productive life, more compromised.

The next enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will take place Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015. This period gives us a window of opportunity to help connect others to the Health Information Marketplace where many affordable healthcare plans are available. Being able to afford health insurance is transformational – it transforms the “underserved” to the “served.”

Your network is broad, as is the need

The one-to-one contacts, conversations and touches we have on a daily basis with our clients and community residents are considerable. Converting our touches into short discussions about the ACA can go a long way in building a prospective list of persons who might benefit from the ACA.

Beyond that, we each have family, friends and neighbors who might be eligible to enroll. If we use our personal “circles of influence” to have conversations with family and friends about the need for, and the opportunity to have, affordable health insurance not only are we are living our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God,” we are being good friends and neighbors. If each Methodist Healthcare Ministries employee could identify two persons who are interested and might be eligible, that’s over 600 potential enrollees!

How you can help

It’s a simple process, really. First, you ask someone their annual income to determine if they make too much or too little to enroll. Don’t worry, I will provide you with an income chart that will quickly tell whether someone qualifies. If it appears, based on this preliminary information, that someone might be eligible you provide him or her with an EnrollSA card to complete and return to you. The card is then returned to EnrollSA, a San Antonio-based coalition of healthcare professionals. A trained staff or volunteer member will then follow up with this individual to work with them to identify healthcare options available to them through the Healthcare Insurance Marketplace. That’s it. That’s all we have to do.

Get started

If you are interested in making a difference and connecting those in need to the healthcare they deserve, email me. I’ll provide you with assistance cards and give you some helpful tips. And we’ll do it pronto!

By Sharlene Scheler, Wesley Nurse, Smithville

Over 15,000 diapers collected

I have always enjoyed helping people. My responsibility as a Wesley Nurse is to be aware of the needs within my community and then finda way to help. One Smithville need that I quickly identified was the high demand for children and adult diapers.

Diapers are very expensive so I determined holding a diaper drive was one way that I could help. Believe it or not, there are many families in the area struggling to provide very basic needs including affording something as basic as diapers. Last year was our inaugural event. We collected 4,000 diapers. That was wonderful. This year was amazing! I promoted this year's event by distributing flyers to local businesses. The local Chamber advertised the diaper drive in their newsletter and the local newspaper promoted it as well. The church's Health Committee helped me make signs for the church too. It was really a group effort, even my husband helped. We collected over 15,000 diapers.

All the diapers collected will be sent to the Smithville Food Pantry for distribution. In addition, some of the children's diapers will be distributed to local organizations helping those in need through the My Baby and Me Maternity Home. It is great to see the wide reach and positive impact our drive was able to make within the community. I'm very proud of our success.

Seeing the relief on the mothers and grandmothers faces when they get that big box of diapers for their little ones proves how important this drive is. God is good. I've witnessed his work through the coming together of people to support this event.

MHM treats team members to daylong “skip day”

I’ve got spirit, yes, I do… I’ve got spirit, how about you? Methodist Healthcare Ministries was full of spirit at the 2014 MHM Retreat also known as #MHMSkipDay.

Last Friday, team members were granted a “skip day” from work gathering together at the Main Event entertainment center for the annual MHM Retreat. The retreat provides an opportunity for the executive management team to share information about the current state of the business and offer insight into upcoming events. Tenured team members celebrating 5, 10 or 15 years with the organization were also honored for their service during an award ceremony. The main purpose of the retreat is to show gratitude for the dedication of each MHM team member and provide a time for fellowship.

There were a wide variety of activities to choose from, including laser tag, ropes course, arcade games, bingo, photo booth, bowling and billiards tournaments. “We wanted to show our appreciation for the staff and all they do in support of our mission throughout the year. The MHM Retreat is one way we recognize their contributions while also having a lot fun,” explained Oanh Maroney-Omitade, vice president of community health programs and organizational learning. The retreat was organized by MHM’s Ambassador Academy, a select group of team members participating in a one-year program that focuses on skill development and leadership opportunities.

A highlight of the day was the announcement of the executive management team awards. With titles such as “Miss Congeniality” and “Too Cool for School” these endearing awards had everyone guessing until the recipients’ names were read.

“I really enjoyed visiting with team members I don’t see on a daily basis. I’m thankful to work for an organization that cares deeply about our clients and also takes time to recognize its team members.” shared Susan Garcia, administrative assistant.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ (MHM) Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC) joined millions of people worldwide on Aug. 5 in observation of National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. MHM clients, team members, neighbors and the San Antonio Police Department joined together to show support for the San Antonio Southside community where WHWC is positioned.

Balloon characters, face painting, a bounce house, basketball, ping-pong and many more family-friendly games entertained the masses. Music kept the motivation high as an outdoor Zumba class showed that fitness could be fun. When the WHWC line dancing group performed, they proved to all in attendance that you can keep moving at any age—they were all seniors, but very young at heart. Los Mariachitos de Wesley, a cultural arts program based at WHWC, graced the crowd with the gift of music. The Wesley Café provided a warm meal and tables sprinkled throughout the campus shared information with guests about the medical, dental, nursing, behavioral health, counseling and family wellness programs offered at WHWC.

In the end, the National Night Out event increased awareness of crime and drug prevention programs within local neighborhoods. The annual celebration seeks to strengthen neighborhood spirit and community law enforcement partnerships, which enables improved communication and promotes safer communities.

By Jorge Luna Jr., LMSW, Behavioral Health & Social Work Supervisor

In my profession, I often encounter individuals with diverse feelings. I must educate my clients about how to recognize their triggers and healthy ways to manage them. I also work with caregivers because they are directly affected. It’s important to talk about feelings and emotions—the general thoughts a patient has about him or herself and their condition. When an individual is living with illness, or caring for someone who suffers from a chronic ailment, the journey can be scary, lonely and exhausting. It’s my job to help the patient and their families manage these feelings in a healthy way. I call it providing holistic support—mind, body and spirit.

Recently I led a six-week support group at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center for patients living with diabetes and their families. With the San Antonio diabetic population rising over 14 percent—which is double the national average of 7 percent according to the American Diabetes Association—the group was a very timely resource. The purpose was to help the patients better understand their personal thoughts, feelings and goals while coping with the chronic issues associated with diabetes. Using the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy concept, the main goal was to help all the participants understand how their state of mind affects their overall health and wellbeing. At the end of the session, participants left with new skills to recognize harmful and negative thought patterns, understand the importance of self-care and how to effectively manage stress.

Topics discussed during the diabetic support group included: Understanding Depression; Identifying Healthy Coping Skills to Manage Stress; Acknowledging Spirituality in the Healing Process; and Healthy Aging.

My favorite part of the group has been the opportunity to learn from the group members themselves as they openly share about their personal experiences. The personal testimonials from the group were both inspiring and touching. I look forward to the next session.

As a faith-based, not-for-profit organization, spirituality is a core component of MHM’s outreach. Our faith is not only something we talk about, but also something we practice. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

Students, families and community members gathered at MHM’s Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC) this week for a special invocation led by Rev. Mickey McCandless to start the 2014 academic school year. Arlynn Ellis, director of family wellness at MHM, greeted guests and offered her continued support for the students. The children were each presented with a cross to serve as a reminder that our Lord is always with them.

The behavioral health services, dental, parenting programs, health education and recreation and enrichment teams provided resources to the students and their families about services available at WHWC throughout the year. At the end of the evening, everyone enjoyed healthy snacks provided by the Wesley Café and a time for fellowship.

"This ceremony is intended to help students and their families start the new school year on the right foot. The event was so well received and attended that I hope to make this an annual tradition at WHWC," explains Arlynn Ellis. 

By Ann Scarth, Wesley Nurse, First United Methodist Church, Mason

The Summer Meltdown Challenge is underway in Mason, Texas and it seems to be catching on fast. Churches and area organizations have teamed up with instructors from various fitness genres to offer a variety of free exercise classes in locations across this small city of around two thousand people. From tai chi to Zumba, there is a class for every taste and fitness level. Participants are encouraged to track their time exercising using logs provided for the challenge, which are validated by instructors at the completion of each class. The tracking logs will be tallied at the end of the challenge and the top three participants who logged the most hours will win health and wellness prizes. The Summer Meltdown Challenge runs from June 11 to August 15 and will end with a covered dish event to celebrate the successful completion for all participants.

The challenge helps the citizens of Mason to develop a habit of pursuing exercise as a means of improving and/or maintaining optimal health, while fostering relationships with community members. In fact, the challenge was intentionally scheduled during the summer so school district employees would have the opportunity to participate if they wished to do so.

I feel a close connection to community events such as this. Exercise not only improves physical health, but improves mental wellbeing too. Exercise classes offer a psychosocial benefit in that they provide socialization, especially for those who travel into Mason from remote ranches or nearby smaller communities that lack such programs and opportunities to network with people who share their same interests. Similarly, this aligns with MHM’s holistic approach to health—mind, body and spirit.

As long as people are moving, they are actively taking steps toward a better life. Since this challenge began, participants reported feeling a difference in their health and feel a stronger connection to their community. Others, who had drifted out of class, have now returned with a renewed zeal for fitness and commitment to their health.

What inspires me most about being part of this endeavor is the fun that everyone is experiencing—myself included! I believe in exercise and a healthy diet, but strong relationships are also important. We are created for relationships. It’s one of those trickle-down things in life. If meaningful relationships exist, there is more meaning to all the other aspects of life. If someone comes to an exercise class, he or she may not make a lot of changes in looks (we are still going to have gray hair, a few wrinkles, etc.) but we will gain a whole cheering section to share in the victories and challenges in class and in life.

Read the original article featured in the Mason County News here.

Camp Wesley Campers learn about dental hygiene

MHM’s dental services team recently met with the 6–10 year old campers at Camp Wesley to share information about why it is important for the children to brush their teeth. The main learning from the day centered on photos of bacteria that live in our mouths and the consequences of this bacteria turning into plaque if we do not brush and floss regularly.

The dental team surprised the young campers when they covered one half of a raw egg with fluoride and placed it in a glass filled with vinegar, which symbolized acid made from bacteria in the foods we eat and drink. The children were amazed to see the acid begin to break down the egg’s shell as an example of how acid breaks down the enamel of our teeth and causes cavities. Once the demonstration concluded, campers received a goody bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and educational stickers.

“I love to educate children at a young age about the importance of oral hygiene. If you teach the child the value of their teeth, you set them up for life long health,” shared Maria Reyes, MHM dental hygienist.

Camp Wesley is underway at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center (WHWC). With nearly 200 registered campers for Camp Wesley session 1, this year’s event is proving to be fun and educational for all involved.

Weekly themes help campers focus

Each week, the camp’s activities are based on a different theme. The first week’s theme was global awareness. Campers engaged in games that are played around the world, they learnedfun facts about different countries and the children participated in craft projects highlighting various cultures. These activities helped promote awareness and acceptance of different cultures. The second week’s theme was super hero’s week. Campers were excited to pretend to be their favorite super hero for the week, they even made their own super hero capes! This week, campers focused on building good character, and practiced finding different ways to help others and how to be a good friend and role model to others.

Social Workers engage older campers

Four social workers from MHM’s Behavioral Health services partnered with Camp Wesley for a special program for campers age 12 years and older. The social workers led gender and age neutral group-based discussions with the pre-teens about social issues currently impacting the group. The campers were given scenarios and encouraged to share their thoughts about how they would approach the situation. The social workers encouraged the campers to be proactive in the planning and prioritizing of their personal responsibilities.

Healthy eating during Camp Wesley

In addition to the nutritious meals served to campers during Camp Wesley MHM’s Nutrition services provided participants with information about how to maintain and keep a healthy diet. MHM’s registered dieticians taught campers about the five food groups and how they should portion their food and daily meal selection. The dieticians made healthy eating fun using coloring pages and visuals that even the youngest camper could get excited about. The hope is that each child will take the experience home with them so they can share what they learned with their families.

Free dental screenings at Camp Wesley

MHM’s Dental services offered a free dental screening to all campers. The campers were given fluoride treatments, in addition to an exam by MHM’s pediatric dentist, Dr. Webster. After the screenings were complete, the campers were sent back to camp with notes for their parents detailing the screening and their findings.

Anti-bullying initiative

Campers also participated in an anti-bullying program, presented by the United Communities of San Antonio. During the program, they partake in teambuilding exercises with camp counselors to help them understand the important of connecting with their peers and learning to respect each person’s differences. Campers also learned how to keep themselves from engaging in bullying and what to do if they witness any bullying in camp, at school or at home.

As the first session of Camp Wesley wraps up, we look back in gratitude to all the MHM team members who helped make camp, not only fun, but educational too! The collective efforts of our Behavioral Health Services, Dental, Nutrition and countless others helped the campers walk away with experience and knowledge from a variety of topics. At Camp Wesley, and throughout MHM, we are committed to holistic health—mind, body and spirit. Camp Wesley is just one way we deliver our mission.

Riders with a cause

Methodist Healthcare Ministries (MHM) and Methodist Healthcare System (MHS), once again, have teamed up to form team MHvsMS to participate in the Bike MS: Valero Ride to the River on October 11 & 12. This marks the seventh consecutive year MHvsMS has participated in the signature fundraising event benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society.

Since their formation, MHvsMS has made great strides: in 2008, the team was made up of 20 riders and brought in $402. Last year, the team doubled in size with 57 riders raising more than $58,000. On Thursday, June 19, the team came together for their official kickoff party. Representatives from the San Antonio chapter of the National MS Society were on hand to answer questions and team captain, Barry Blackman, motivated guests with tips and tricks to guarantee a successful ride.

The sale of vintage team t-shirts and uniforms also helped to kick start the team’s fundraising by bringing in $120 toward the team fundraising goal of $50,000.

MS has no cure. There are more than 2.3 million people worldwide affected by MS. It is a disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The symptoms can be unpredictable and often debilitating. Together we can offer support, fund research and help find a cure. Will you help us reach this milestone? Your gift will make a lasting difference to the people who must battle MS everyday of their lives. Donate to MHvsMS or join the team and show your support for the fight against MS. 

By Rev. Mickey McCandless,
Director of Spiritual Care & Church Connections

June 12-14, 2014 was the last time the Rio Grande Annual Conference and the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church met in their annual regional conference. Corpus Christi was host to the historic ending of these two conferences that are unifying into the Rio Texas Annual Conference to more effectively make up The United Methodist Church in South Texas.

There were elections of leaders for the new conference, the finalization of the first budget, and affirmation of the mission "to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World."

Delegates to the General Conference in 2016 were also elected at the June conference. We took time to begin planning for ways to implement our new conference and district structure. We celebrated the life of clergy leaders who were retiring, remembered those who had died during the previous year, and celebrated the commissioning and ordination of persons into the full time servant leadership ministry of the Church.

A new day is dawning for United Methodists in South Texas. We look forward with excitement, anxiety, questions, passion and faith to new opportunities to touch people and nurture faith and faith communities.