The Bulldogs for Better Breathing team, organized by the MHM School Based Health Center (SBHC), participated in the 2012 Fight for Air Run/Walk that took place on Saturday, February 11 at SeaWorld San Antonio. Hosted by the American Lung Association, this event is designed to raise money for lung research and education.
MHM sponsors the annual walk as a way to support the American Lung Association in their efforts to improve lung health and prevent lung disease. As an added convenience to participants, the SBHC provided a bus to transport families to the SeaWorld event. Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, the team recruited sixty-four participants. Backpacks with asthma information were provided to the walkers along with games, snacks and water. The Bulldogs for Better Breathing team completed the 5k walk and visited health fair booths setup along the way.
The SBHC team was able to raise $1,175.78 from the Penny Drive held at the two primary campuses in Marion. With the pennies collected, they sponsored the Avila family. Without this sponsorship, this family of eight, would not have be able to participate in the Walk or benefit from all the park has to offer. This marks the family’s first visit to the theme park together.
For the ride home, bus goers enjoyed boxed lunches with juice as they wound down from the excitement of the day. Overall, the Bulldogs for Better Breathing raised a total of $1,505.78 for the cause.
March is National Social Work Month. For 2012, the month of March is dedicated to the Social Work profession with the theme of, "Social Work Matters."
As part of this celebration, MHM and Methodist Healthcare would like to present you with the second installment of our weekly series of Social Work, "Myths vs. Facts."
Myth:
Social workers only listen to peoople talk about their feelings; their "work" is not tangible or quantitative.
Fact:
Approximately 60% of mental health professional providing services are clinical social workers. At least two years after completing their master's degree, a social worker may obtain 100 hours of intense supervision and pass another licensure exam in order to become a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). LCSW is the highest level of education that a social work can receive, other than a doctorate degree in social work which is used for teaching at the college/master's level.
Fact:
Social workers address peoples feelings and so much more! Social workers provide practical and compassionate guidance to individuals, families, and communities confronting and resolving a variety of dilemmas. Social workers can also work as administrators, policymakers and researchers.
Do you have any questions about the Social Work profession? Share them here (by posting a comment below)! We are happy to address any misconceptions, curiosities or thoughts you have about Social Work.
Since inception, MHM has provided nearly $500 million in healthcare services through our clinics and programs, as well as through our partnerships. MHM is proud to partner with organizations that share our mission and organizational objective of delivering healthcare and social services to the least served in the South Texas region. By strengthening other organizations' capacity to provide services, we achieve our overarching goal of increasing access to care.
SACDC provides a wide range of dental services utilizing a corps of volunteer dental professionals. Through this, they offer Haven for Hope residents and the surrounding community dental exams, cleanings, restorative dentistry, extractions, surgery and prosthodontics. Oral health education is provided to further empower patients and support improved oral health.
In late 2010, SACDC requested that the Dental School rotate dental students to its facility to provide primary dental care to patients as a means to supplement the care provided by the private sector volunteer corps of dentists who contribute their services. These rotations also help to enhance students’ clinical knowledge and skills in delivering primary dental care to the homeless population and underserved. In 2011, MHM funded the conversion of the existing dental radiology system to a digital system at SACDC to facilitate UTHSCSA-DS dental student training rotations, also reducing x-ray exposure to patients by 90%.
As a likely ally in health care, the UTHSCSA-DS became a MHM funded partner in 2002. Founded in 1970, the Dental School is a place where students, faculty and staff come together to share knowledge and skills. The mission of the Dental School is the acquisition, dissemination and use of knowledge toward the enhancement of oral health. This mission is addressed through six interrelated action components: education; research; patient care; community service; faculty and staff; and infrastructure.
In 2011, the Dental School added the Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program allowing for dental care at SACDC in the form of extractions, root canals and other more complicated procedures to patients of the clinic.
Along with direct services provided to patients in need – who, most likely, without these types of programs and clinics may not have received care – this partnership has also instilled a sense of civic responsibility in the caregivers of such services. This is evident through a testimonial offered by a Dental School student after completion of work at SACDC:
"I got to know a patient yesterday, and we became very close after just a cleaning! She was one of the most grateful patients I have ever been blessed to work on. She made me feel like I made a difference and it was one of those moments where I love what I do (dentistry). I came to understand her plans for the future, and about her life on campus. As we hugged goodbye, I was wishing that I would somehow see her again, and I hope that I will. For some reason, I know I will never forget her face…just when we were getting used to the swing of things and appreciating this clinic, it is time to leave. I’m grateful to have this experience…"
MHM continues to fund this partnership for SACDC to continue to provide dental care for those who have little to no resources as well as for Direct Dental Services and Training of UTHSCSA-DS students at SACDC. It is estimated that dental students/residents will provide 2,000 dental visits of SACDC's anticipated 38,000 dental visits in 2012.
Both agencies are committed to addressing MHM’s goal of access to dental care for the underserved with the added impact of training a troop of dental students to sustain the effort.
March is National Social Work Month. For 2012, the month of March is dedicated to the Social Work profession with the theme of, "Social Work Matters."
As part of this celebration, MHM and Methodist Healthcare would like to present you with the second installment of our weekly series of Social Work, "Myths vs. Facts."
Myth:
Most social workers work for Child Protective Services (CPS) and their job is to remove children from their homes and to break up families.
Fact:
Approxiamately 20% of the social workers in the U.S. practice in hospitals and about 12% practice in medial clinics; this includes about 111,000 social workers. There are currently over 70 social workers in the Methodist Healthcare System and MHM in San Antonio who hold at least a master's degree.
Myth:
Social workers complete Medicaid applications and hand out meal coupons.
Fact:
Health care social workers provide direct services to clients, impart information, make community referrals, screen and assess clients, assist in discharge planning, provide mental health services, and interven in crisis situations most often in their area of practice.
Do you have any questions about the Social Work profession? Share them here (by posting a comment below)! We are happy to address any misconceptions, curiosities or thoughts you have about Social Work.
March is National Social Work Month. For 2012, the month of March is dedicated to the Social Work profession with the theme of, "Social Work Matters."
As part of this celebration, MHM and Methodist Healthcare would like to present you with the first of our weekly series of Social Work, "Myths vs. Facts."
Myth:
Social work does not require a special degree or licensure. A social worker can be anyone who is compassionate and enjoys helping those who are experiencing difficulties or who are less fortunate.
Fact:
Although most social workers are compassionate and do enjoy helping those in need, a degree, a license, and supervised fieldwork is required to call one’s self a social worker. The minimum requirement for a social worker is a bachelor’s degree, but approximately 82% of practicing social workers have a master's or doctorate.
Fact:
LBSW stands for Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker and LMSW stands for Licensed Master's Social Worker; every social worker at Methodist Healthcare Ministries holds at least a bachelor’s degree.
Fact:
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 600,000 people have a degree in social work; this career path is growing twice as fast as any other occupation in the U.S.
Do you have any questions about the Social Work profession? Share them here (by posting a comment below)! We are happy to address any misconceptions, curiosities or thoughts you have about Social Work.
submitted by Ann Scarth, RN Wesley Nurse, Mason, Texas
Grief is the emotional suffering that is felt after a loss of some kind and can be triggered for a variety of reasons: the death of a loved one, the onset of a serious medical condition or even an intense disappointment. People are so often unprepared for grief—even when an event is predicted. Like so many other small rural towns, Mason’s population has matured and in recent months, it seems we have suffered a rash of loss in our community. As a result, caregivers are left feeling overwhelmed and isolated.
On January 26, I formed a partnership with Patrick Loring, M.S., L.P.C., the bereavement coordinator for Odyssey Hospice located in Kerrville, Texas. Together, we developed a Lunch ‘n Learn program titled, “How You Debrief Grief.” The program was an instant success with over 20 people in attendance.
After the initial meeting, I asked participants to contact me if they were interested in forming a local grief support group in Mason. The response was immense. A flood a respondents contacted me with a resounding request, “we want our own grief support group.” In response, the first of the bimonthly group meeting was held on February 7, in a small, intimate room at the First United Methodist Church in Mason.
So far, a number of participants have joined the group – all dealing with some form of grief or trauma. Some have suffered a sudden, unexpected loss; others are caregivers looking for support. The group has even attracted survivors eager to offer guidance and affirmation to participants.
We have shared memories, tears, pictures of our loved ones and laughter—yes, laughter has crept in on occasion and it really lit up our room with much needed encouragement and release. Feelings have emerged and emotions have been explored. The sentiment is palpable when you hear one participant say to another, “Your spouse was such a dear person and a real pillar of our community.” Participants are beginning to learn that grief is actually a healing process that is normal and healthy.
The grief support group meets at noon on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the conference room at the First United Methodist Church of Mason (224 Broad Street Mason, Texas). Participants are encouraged to bring a sack lunch; beverages and dessert are provided.
For more information, please call Ann Scarth, RN at (325) 347-5983.
Since inception, MHM has provided more than $405 million in healthcare services through our clinics and programs, as well as through our partnerships. MHM is proud to partner with organizations that share our mission and organizational objective of delivering healthcare and social services to the least served in the South Texas region. By strengthening other organizations’ capacity to provide services, we achieve our overarching goal of increasing access to care.
MHM’s partnership with the Triple H Equitherapy Center is a prime example of this community healthcare model. Founded in 1995, the Triple H Equitherapy Center provides people with disabilities and wounded warriors nationally accredited equine assisted activities and therapy. Located in Pipe Creek, Texas, the center offers five unique equine therapy programs for children and adults with a range of disabilities and needs along with two specialized projects to include the “Horses for Heroes” and “Open the Gate” project.
“Open the Gate” serves children ages 6 to 17 from Kendall, Bandera, Kerr, Medina, and northern Bexar counties whose life experiences have triggered social or mental disorders that require judicial intervention or residential treatment. Contributing factors can include physical or emotional trauma, emotional or mental disorders, and poverty, among other life challenges.
Through the “Open the Gate” project participants experience recovery with optimism, autonomy, respect and dignity, partnership and personal growth. They are encouraged to expand their capabilities, fostering self-confidence and self-esteem. This enables them to go beyond their circumstances and “opens the gate” to opportunity as positive citizens of our society. Clinical outcomes of the program revealed successes on several levels. One such story of comes from A.J.*, a participant from Meadowlands–a long term residential treatment and care facility for children ages 6-17.
Upon entrance into the Open the Gate project, A.J. carried an air of overconfidence hinging on arrogance due to prior experience with horses. This caused him to express frustration during encounters with less-experienced participants; he began to take on a competitive, adversarial posture with his peers. A.J.’s participation in the program required attendance at reoccurring group sessions where he was approached positively and made aware of his negative, confrontational tendencies. With time and positive reinforcement, he worked hard to re-channel this energy and it enabled him to accommodate others by helping his peers pick out hooves, assisting with tacking up horses and encouraging others to tack and ride independently. Ultimately, A.J. developed into a positive peer-mentor for the group, carrying with him the skills necessary to practice patience, understanding and empathy.
The center has collaborated with Meadowlands, a Roy Maas Youth Alternatives residential facility, along with county juvenile justice programs and other community intervention programs for at-risk youth to reach program participants.
The Triple H Equitherapy Center has been an MHM Funded Partner since 2008. As of December 2011, MHM has contributed over $690,000 in funding to the center to assist with mental and behavioral health services. The center looks to receive $190,000 in 2012 to continue programming.
Congratulations to the Spirit of Excellence Award Winners of 2011. After receiving nominations by their peers because of their outstanding demonstration of MHM’s core values and the tenets of the 2011 Excellence theme, “I am Excellence. I Make a Difference, Everyday,” the Personnel Committee of the MHM Board of Directors selected these team members as recipients of the Spirit of Excellence of Award:
Integrity
David Ybarra Community Programs Family Wellness Programs Specialist Wesley Health & Wellness Center
Making a Difference
Joe Guzman Behavioral Health Services/Nutrition & Health Education Executive Chef Wesley Health & Wellness Center
Teamwork
Jessica Muñoz-Sherfey Administration Public Relations Manager
Compassion
Charlotte Johnson Wesley Nurse Health Ministries™ Wesley Nurse, Austin Team
Spirituality
Blanca Arguello Clinic Operations *Wesley Nurse Regional Manager *At the time of nominations Blanca was the Clinic RN Supervisor at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center. She was promoted to her current position in July.
All winners will recieve a Jade Crystal desktop clock, a VISA gift card and a certificate for one-full days leave (8 hours) to be used at their choosing (and approved by their supervisor or manager).
MHM thanks these team members for their exemplary service!
Last Friday, the MHM Community Programs department shared in a lunch fellowship to celebrate the accomplishments of the year and the joy of the Christmas season. As part of the celebration, various team members shared their individual talents. One team member, Anna Garces, shared an original poem as a closing to their fellowship.
Have you ever asked yourself, "What difference have I made?"
Another year has passed in which we have done our job and been paid,
but what difference have we made?
Daily we strive for excellence in all that we do,
working hard at modeling our core values.
We have children with parents in prison or decreased,
children hurting or sick with some awful disease.
Our home visits are not always what we plan them to be,
when you get to a home and find no food or electricity.
We have all experienced the emotional roller coaster ride,
when we see a need for which we cannot provide.
Success stories are many, but there are always a few that
matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to get through.
We work so hard to meet the need and fail to celebrate for
just planting the seed.
Remember that successes are many more than we see,
when we treat others as what God sees they can be.
So let's celebrate all the things we take for granted,
and remember that God takes over once the seed has been planted.
Like the buses filled with laughter during our field trips,
seniors dancing, sewing and sharing tip or the tears in a parents eyes after receiving
a gift care, knowing that financially things for this family have been really
hard. And the smiles on children's faces as they arrive for summer camp with
their t-shirts and backpacks so proudly displaying the MHM stamp.
So have I made a difference at the end of the day if all I
can do for someone is to pray?
Remember that Jesus was God's Christmas gift, and God never
gives anything but the best for his kids! So let's continue to celebrate this
gift all year long and forget that is Christ we are strong.
Thank you, Anna, for sharing your story and planting the seed!
The Research, Policy & Planning Department was selected to host the Corporate Offices’ Halloween party this year. We chose “The Decade of the 1960s” as our theme. This offered a wide range of costume possibilities, a great musical selection, and something a little more upbeat than the typical “scary” Halloween focus. How do you put together an authentic theme and atmosphere when most of your team members are too young to remember the 1960s? Research!
Katrin Ludwig chaired the highly creative party committee, from brainstorming through shopping and implementation. A thousand details, such as decorations, how the contests would operate, communications and awards all received consideration.
One of the biggest challenges was how to come up with a strong visual theme for the 1960s without a decoration budget. The team solved the problem with a lot of research and a little ingenuity. We researched images from the 1960s, and used them to create table tents and placemats. Our favorite set of decorations consisted of giant letters spelling out “GROOVY,” along with flowers and peace signs. We cut these out and colored them ourselves, and attached them to the vertical beams next to the board room windows. In true “Green Team” fashion, we cut the letters out of old foam board from discarded signs and displays, saving them from the landfill.
The next step in creating a ‘sixties atmosphere was music. Covita Moroney, our newest team member, went all-out producing an audiovisual extravaganza. She spent hours putting together an eclectic selection of 1960s music, merged with a huge array of digital images from the decade. Three sets of images played from different projectors throughout the board room, really “setting the scene.”
Vanessa Sweet, in an amazing “Mary Poppins” costume, emceed the event. The first feature was a Jeopardy game developed and operated by Sandra Martinez. The questions were challenging but not too obscure, no matter what decade you were born.
The costume contest featured a “People’s Choice” award (by applause meter), won handily by Ed Codina for his highly convincing “hippie” costume. The “Critics’ Choice” costume award went to April Holman, also dressed as a hippie. There were two group costumes as well: The gang from “Scooby-Doo” (Accounting & Finance), and a group of “worker bees” demonstrating their flower power (Wesley Nurse Health Ministries™).
The food was incredible; Variak Khus and Sandra Martinez organized the food for the potluck and the food competition. There were so many items that we had plenty of time in the food line to admire everybody’s costumes. The “People’s Choice” award went to Fabiola Gil de Rubio for her Puerto Rican Saffron Rice & Beans, and the “Critics’ Choice” award went to Marilyn Stanton for her Meatballs.
A special thanks to all the judges, and especially to Linda Lopez for mentoring us throughout this process!
The August Wesley Nurse Health Ministries™ quarterly meeting gave Reverend Mickey McCandless, Director of Church Connections and Spiritual Care, and Wesley Nurses in attendance the opportunity to gather for the spiritual formation, "Come Be My Light."
"Come Be My Light," a presentation created by Rev. Mickey McCandless, was designed with the objective of answering the question, "How do I live my faith through my position as a Wesley Nurse?"
Wesley Nurses were asked to reflect on the lifestyle of faith that radically impacts people through Jesus, John Wesley, and Mother Teresa in an effort to learn how to stay healthy in spirit while living this lifestyle of faith.
Questions posed for reflection included:
What is a lifestyle of faith?
Who in history has demonstrated that lifestyle?
How might each of us reflect that lifestyle as we work as Wesley Nurses?
How do we stay healthy in spirit that we might live this lifestyle for our entire life?
The difference we can make as we live this lifestyle.
Overall, the presentation prompted positive feedback from those in attendance. Further, one participant suggested the clinical staff of MHM might benefit from the same presentation.
When asked for his personal insight, Rev. Mickey McCandless exclaimed, "I have a passion for spiritual formation and this presentation gave me the opportunity to begin to shape a large group of leaders in growing themselves and offering a new set of perspectives to those with whom they serve. It reminded me that I am fed by public sharing of spiritual and vision themes and must utilize my giftedness of authentic expression regularly."
Interested in learning more about the, "Come Be My Light," presentation? Please contact Rev. Mickey McCandless at (210) 692-7841 or mccandless@mhm.org. Were you able to attend the presentation? Please leave us your feedback!
Last Thursday, the MHM Public Relations department continued the social media and social networking learning series with, "LinkedIn: Building Your Professional Network Online."
This workshop was designed to explore the online medium of LinkedIn by providing attendees with the basic landscape of the professional networking site. As MHM expands its reach through the establishment of a company page on LinkedIn, Facebook page, YouTube channel and organizational Blog, the Public Relations department found ensuring team members feel familiar with such online spaces to be of high importance.
Last week’s workshop examined LinkedIn as a means of establishing professional connections and staying up-to-date with the latest industry related news. More specifically, participants learned how to:
Build their own professional profile;
Add network connections;
Join and create groups;
Follow and research companies;
Discover news on LinkedIn Today; and
Configure account settings.
Participants were first introduced to the various sections that constitute a LinkedIn profile. Further exploration allowed attendees to take a more in-depth look at the editing and customization capabilities provided by LinkedIn, such as the ability to rearrange sections, adjust profile visibility, and tips for optimizing profiles for search engine optimization purposes.
Next, participants examined how LinkedIn Groups and Company Pages work, along with how to receive headline news using the LinkedIn Today feature. Finally, attendees were presented with an outline of the Account Settings area of a basic LinkedIn account.
After an analysis of feedback obtained in a post-presentation survey, it was clear many users were unaware of the expansive features the LinkedIn network has to offer. Attendees reported leaving the workshop with a new-found level of comfort and a revitalized outlook on the LinkedIn platform.
Were you able to attend this session? If so, please share your insights. Still have questions? Please share them here (by adding a comment) or contact Dominica Garza at dgarza@mhm.org or 210-253-3220. You can connect with Dominica Garza on LinkedIn at: linkedin.com/in/dominicagarza.
Jaime Wesolowski is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. A healthcare executive with three decades of leadership experience, Jaime is responsible for the overall governance and direction of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Jaime earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Xavier University, and his Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. As a cancer survivor, Jaime is a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society. He serves as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s South Texas Area board of directors and he was appointed as Chair to the recently created South Region Advisory Cabinet, covering eight states from Arizona through Alabama. Jaime believes his personal experience as a cancer survivor has given him more defined insight and compassion to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.
