Tag: Blog

by Kevin C. Moriarty,
President & CEO

This year MHM has visited two communities within our service area to host regional meetings and to visit with our partners and stakeholders about MHM’s presence in South Texas, and to strengthen the relationships that allow us to collectively meet the needs of the least served. What we have learned from those regional meetings has been invaluable to our own strategic planning process, and reinforced what we hear time and again from our partners: The work each of you do in your communities is critical to helping the least served get access to care, and we must continue to work together to be successful.

Celebrations and Lessons Learned in McAllen

In February, I had the opportunity to visit our Rio Grande Valley team members and celebrate MHM’s Church Based Counseling Program’s 10-year anniversary with the Church Based Counseling Services (CBCS) team. The progress that program has made is evidence of how critical strategic planning plays in our ability to meet the needs of those we serve. The CBCS program was part of our strategic plan to improve health in the border area, and was launched in 2003. Our first program site was in Hidalgo County at a Wesley Nurse church site. We started with $180,000 which funded three counselors at six church sites in the Rio Grande Valley, and today the program’s operating budget is over $1 million and funds 11 counselors, who together serve over 17 churches across the Rio Grande Valley, Coastal Bend, and Laredo—and it is still an integral part of improving health along the Texas border.

We also hosted a round table discussion with our funded partners in the Rio Grande Valley, which gave us a unique insight into the challenges they face due to the large unfunded population they serve. The discussion we had during that meeting, and the needs they identified as priority for their community were echoed during a special breakfast we hosted with local UMC Pastors whom we have partnerships with through our Wesley Nurse and CBCS programs.

Rising to Meet Challenges in Del Rio

In May we visited Del Rio, where we had an opportunity to meet with staff and partners from rural communities such as Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Carrizo Springs, Cotulla, and Crystal City. As with each of these events, we invite funded partners, representatives from local hospitals, elected officials, and civic leaders, and the conversations are always illuminating. Similar to the Rio Grande Valley, the rural communities surrounding Del Rio struggle with balancing the tremendous need for healthcare among the uninsured, and sustaining their operations. The recent activity in Austin surrounding Medicaid expansion added a layer of uncertainty as the group discussed the challenges specific to their organizations. Our partner in Cotulla, South Texas Rural Health Services, described how their community in particular has been impacted by Eagle Ford Shale which reinforced my belief that we here at MHM have been successful in identifying the issues that have shaped our strategic planning process.

MHM will be hosting another regional meeting in Corpus Christi in June, which will coincide with the Rio Texas (formerly Southwest Texas Conference) Annual Conference.  While in Corpus, we will visit with Pastors representing the churches where our Wesley Nurse Health Ministries, Church Based Counseling Services, and Parents Helping Parents programs are hosted, and meet with funded partners and other stakeholders to listen and learn how we can continue those partnerships for the health and well-being of South Texas.

submitted by Anne Connor, CFRE
Director, Community Grants

In 2012, four of MHM’s funded partners exceeded the Healthy People 2020 goal for blood pressure reduction in hypertense patients. That means they were eight years ahead of the national curve!

The Healthy People goal (HDS-12) to be achieved by 2020 is that 43.7% of patients diagnosed with hypertension will get their blood pressure under control (below a hypertense level).

These four partners not only exceeded the Healthy People baseline, they did better than the goal for 2020. So what are they doing right?

• CommuniCare’s clinic in Hays County exceeded the Healthy People 2020 goal of 43.7%, with 51% of their patients achieving this goal. According to their Practice Manager, Robert Milks: “The main contributing factor for this success is the patients’ willingness to accept some responsibility. Patients have committed to regular visits and complied with their medication regime along with some health education provided by the nurses. We also provide educational materials in English and Spanish. We have also provided assistance with access to medications by utilizing prescription assistance programs.”
• Matagorda Episcopal Health Outreach Program (MEHOP) far exceeded the goal of 43.7%, with an actual of 69%. MEHOP CEO Celeste Harrison reported, “Since we began the implementation of PCMH [Patient Centered Medical Home] concepts, we have care team members who follow up with these chronic patients who don’t show up for their visits. Most of our providers bring back these patients at 2 and 3 week intervals until we believe we have the best medicine incorporated into overall care goals, including self-management.”
• Mission of Mercy, a mobile clinic, also far exceeded the goal, with a 70% success rate. Their Executive Director, Leo Barrera, Jr., said: “Our results in lowering patients’ blood pressure to healthy levels is due to a combination of factors. These include patient compliance, patient education in regard to the importance of self-maintenance, our patients’ desire to improve their health, and the culture of our mobile clinics to improve health…. Our physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and volunteers continually provide education to patients to remind them of the importance of taking care of themselves and following the directions of health care providers. Key educational components are repeated regularly and providers and volunteers regularly provide moral support. These factors play an important role in creating an environment at our mobile clinic sites that promotes healthy living and improving the health of our community.”
• Atascosa Community Health Center’s Karnes County location also exceeded the goal, with a 62% success rate.

Congratulations to all our partners who are doing such a great job! They are truly making a difference by improving the health of those least served.

Each year team MHvsMS comes together to support the annual Walk MS: Walk to Create a World Free of MS, a community event dedicated to connecting people living with MS and those who care about them. The funds raised as part of Walk MS give hope to the more than 400,000 people living with MS in the United States.

Every hour in the U.S., someone is newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Learn more about MS.

Through the generous support of MHM, MHvsMS recruits dedicated individuals to join the team and fundraise on behalf of the cause. The team held community bake sales, sold team t-shirts and held fundraising contests to foster participation and spark fundraising – all with the added incentive of MHM's pledge to match all team fundraising contributions. The culmination of these efforts took place on Saturday, March 2nd when the team stepped out at the AT&T Center and walked with thousands of fellow supporters.  

In the end, MHvsMS recruited 75 team members and brought in $1,116 for the National MS Society. Combined with MHM's match, the amount brought in by the team totaled $2,232. These funds will help the local MS chapter provide resources to thousands of families touched by MS in Texas!

The National MS Society has been walking since 1988 and to date has raised more than $770 million to support life changing programs and cutting-edge research. There's no cure, but with the help of dedicated fundraisers, research is progressing at a remarkable rate. In 2010, the National MS Society invested more than $37 million to support 325 new and ongoing MS research projects. Learn more about MS Research.

MHM hopes to continue with the tradition started by the National MS Society and keep walking for those affected by MS with hopes of creating a world free of MS.

View the team's photo album on Facebook!

As we all have seen the devastation in West, Texas and in Moore, Oklahoma in recent weeks The United Methodist Church becomes part of the recovery process through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). UMCOR is international in scope, coordinates with other recovery organizations in the affected areas, and maintains a working presence in devastated areas for years until the area affected has sustained full recovery. The efforts of UMCOR staff and volunteers can be viewed through the website www.umc.org.

100% of all monies given to the recovery effort in  Moore, Oklahoma, West, Texas, or other disaster go directly to help the people affected. All administrative costs of UMCOR are paid through apportionments sent by each local congregation in order for the monies given to direct disaster recovery go to assist the people in need.

If you would like to assist with the recovery of the people in Moore, Oklahoma or other disasters past or future through The United Methodist Church, please visit: https://secure3.convio.net/gbgm/site/SPageNavigator/umcor_donate.html?type=1002&;project=901670.

Blessings,
Mickey

Rev. Mickey T McCandless
Director,  Church Connections & Spiritual Care

Congratulations to our 1st Quarter Excellence Rock Stars

These individuals were nominated by their peers, and selected by the MHM Board of Directors for their demonstration of the MHM core values, and for being pillars of excellence in all they do on behalf of MHM.

These winners will receive a desktop award and a certificate signed by MHM's President & CEO and the Board's Personnel Committee Chair; winners will also be featured on the organization's website and social media networks.

All winners will also receive a certificate for leave of one-half day (4 hours) to be used at the choosing of the award winner, approved by the supervisor or manager. Finally, all Excellence Achiever of the Quarter winners will be eligible to win the annual MHM 'Spirit of Excellence' award to be presented at the December team member Christmas party.

Please join us in celebrating their achievement!

 1st Quarter Excellence Rock Stars: 

• Linda Sedeno, Executive Assistant (Administration)
• Jacqueline Mercado, Social Work Case Manager II (Behavioral Health Services)
• Linda Jo Castillo, LVN (Clinic Operations)
• Karla De La Tejera, Family Wellness Programs Specialist (Community Programs)
• Ester Vallejo, Executive Assistant (Wesley Nurse Health Minsitries™)

In Lent we commemorate the journey of Jesus from Galilee where he spent the great majority of his time in ministry teaching, healing, and forming disciples to Jerusalem the religious center of Jewish life. The journey was a physical one from a place of fisherman to a cosmopolitan city. The physical journey was from 690 feet below sea level in Galilee to 800 feet below sea level in Jericho near the Dead Sea to about 2600 feet above sea level in Jerusalem. It was a physical journey of 94 miles that places physical challenges on people and is through some rugged, isolating terrain where safety can be in jeopardy.

The journey was a spiritual one from itinerant preacher in a far-off region to a challenger of the religious, social and political life of Israel in the center of Israel’s power structure. Would Jesus be one who transforms the fabric of life in Israel with power and what kind of power?

As Jesus in the period before what became Easter and has become Lent for the Christian community went through spiritual and physical transitions, we are in the midst of transitions:

• Personal – engagements, weddings, expecting babies, raising children, marital troubles, loneliness in relationships, loss of children, parents, grandparents, friends, economic pressures, unknown before us;
• Work – personal relationships, new ways of doing things, questions about the future, unknown before us; and
• Societally – social safety net versus can we afford it; conservative versus liberal; big government versus small government; individual rights versus communal rights; safety versus freedom.

Those are huge transitions and issues to deal with. The journey of Lent grounds us in being able to put some perspective as we live with those issues. It invites us to be involved in a process in 6 weeks through which we can physically change some of our world and spiritually prepare ourselves for the next beginning that God has for us.

One of my core beliefs is that God is not the God of endings but the God of beginnings. There is never an ending that happens in life with God that there is not a beginning for which God is preparing us. Lent is a proclamation of that belief. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday where we start the journey remembering who we are…we are dust and to dust we shall return. Our life in this world, in this way, is transitory. Life is always in transition. However, Lent travels to the cross and the tomb where we await the possibility of a transformed beginning…which happens at Easter!! A new beginning for which we have been prepared by our journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, from Ashes to the Light of Resurrection!

–Pastor Mickey

The 23^rd Psalm comes from the ancient tradition of Israel and reminds us that in the midst of a particularly significant journey we need to be in the presence of God. The psalm proclaims that God has promised to accompany us on that journey guiding us and keeping us safe. It is a psalm that I invite you to learn by heart and recite daily during this journey of Lent as you and I go with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, from ending to beginning, through transition to transformation.

Dianne Dorsett, Board Liaison, has been selected to join an elite network of more than 5,000 women as a member of the Leadership Texas Class of 2013.

“Mrs. Dorsett is one of 92 outstanding women leaders competitively selected from across the state to participate in the longest-running women’s leadership development program in the US. Throughout the year-long program, she will have the opportunity to broaden her perspective on our state by exploring four Texas cities and receiving cutting-edge information from renowned experts, government officials and other leaders to positively inform her work and community for years to come,” said Candace O’Keefe-Mathis, CEO of Women’s Resources. Leadership Texas, now in its 31st consecutive year, is the flagship program of the Texas-based foundation headquartered in Dallas.

Launched in 1983 as the first statewide program for women’s leadership development, Leadership Texas is patterned after, though not affiliated with, the co-educational civic programs that have found success in a number of cities throughout the state and nation. “Our founders decided to create Leadership Texas to help women become better, more informed leaders in our state’s communities, organizations and corporations,” O’Keefe-Mathis added.

The theme for the 2013 program year is ‘The Future of Texas is Now: From Local to Global’ “Participants will visit Dallas, Bryan/College Station, Galveston and Austin where each city’s opportunities and challenges will help to illuminate the participants’ knowledge of our rapidly evolving state across three common themes– the economy, education and the environment,” O’Keefe-Mathis said.

“We consider it a privilege to offer these influential women leaders from a broad diversity of professional and personal backgrounds some new perspectives, opinions and validation on some of the issues, people and places they might not otherwise encounter outside of the program. We recognize that it is necessary for today’s successful leaders to understand the cultural, social and economic shift before us and the programming of Leadership Texas provides opportunities and access to help the women impact the future of our evolving state.”

Dianne has offered her leadership, guidance and vigor to MHM for over 17 years. It is this passion that has helped to drive and mold MHM’s path to success.

We are all so proud of Dianne’s accomplishment, and contribution to the community!

MHM has had a longstanding relationship with the Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). In 2003, a partnership with the UTHSCSA Dental School and MHM provided school-based prevention programs to provide dental screenings, fluoride treatments, and dental sealants for second-graders in the Edgewood Independent School District. In 2003, this partnership brought about a comprehensive dental care plan to children at the Ricardo Salinas Clinic.
 
More recently, MHM’s School Based Health Centers and the UTHSCSA Dental School collectively worked together to bring about dental hygiene education to elementary students in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District.
 
This initiative, which started ten years ago through a grant provided by MHM to the UTHSC Division of Dental Hygiene, was created to establish a Pediatric Clinical Educational Training Rotation program for dental hygiene students. Through this initiative, dental hygiene students obtain training and instruction while providing direct care and education to school-aged children.
 
Working in close collaboration with MHM’s School Based Health Centers (SBHC) serving the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, and as part of their program curriculum, UTHSCSA dental hygiene students provide Dental Hygiene presentations to prekindergarten and 1st grade students in the district. At the conclusion of the semester, approximately 800 elementary students will have participated in these dental education offerings.
 
To facilitate, the SBHC and dental hygiene students from the UTHSCSA created “Tooth Fairy Island” as a means to capture the attention of students in this critical area. Included in the Tooth Fairy Island curriculum are lessons on Preventing Germ Transmission, Tooth-friendly Snacks, and Tooth brushing Demonstration. Using a magnetic tooth board, large toothbrush, worksheets, and a little music, elementary students are educated on the importance of proper dental care. Dental hygiene student, Leslie Griffith sings to the tune of, “row, row, row your boat…brush, brush, brush your teeth, morning and at night, everywhere and all around so they’ll be clean and white!”
 
Another student reflects, “I love that the children get excited with visitors and are excited to see me teach them how to brush on my dinosaur with large teeth.”
 
To learn more about MHM’s SBHC, visit: www.mhm.org/sbhc.

Guest Blogger: Rev. Dr. Kristina Carter
Pastor, Parker Lane United Methodist Church

We are so thankful to MHM for helping us acquire the Children of Children multimedia exhibit. With help from Selene Garza, Parenting Programs Coordinator – Parents Helping Parents, we were able to display the exhibition at Parker Lane UMC for our congregation and Austin community members from the end of November through mid December.
 
We were so grateful to have it here. During the time Children of Children was at Parker Lane, 67 people signed in as they viewed the exhibit and we heard comments like:

• Amazing — the photos match the stories and the stories are so powerful.
• These are life changing stories.
• Loved the presentation — when we learn to value and life then maybe we will learn to value the creation of life more.
• It was enlightening.
• Thank you for very human stories of people who care, and photos that reveal so much of them.
• Outstanding.
• This was an awesome experience.
• Stories are incredible.
• Rico is a real man.

While ‘Children of Children’ was here one congregation of about 20 teenagers and young adults went through the exhibit and then did the traveling Las Posadas that I developed to go along with the exhibit. Our church had 12 individuals go through the exhibit and participate in the traveling Las Posadas tour.

Additionally, our youth group viewed the multimedia exhibit along with a Young Life Bible study group from Travis High School (known for their high teen pregnancy rate).
 
This was a powerful way of hearing the stories of those impacted by teen pregnancy. It was a fabulous mechanism to get teens talking about this important topic. We have so many people in our church who are being raised by people other than their biological parents, and so the stories were especially resonated with its viewers.
 
We are a multi-cultural congregation, and we are also multi-economical (many from generational poverty). For us, this exhibit was such a blessing for our church and for our community. We are very grateful that you entrusted us with this very valuable art!
 
About Children of Children

Children of Children, Portraits and Stories of Teenage Parents, is a multimedia traveling exhibition by photographer Michael Nye. The exhibit is a collection of stories of men and women ranging in age from 12 to 100 whose lives have been crucially affected by teenage pregnancy. This powerful exhibition features 50 black and white photographs, each accompanied by audio stories told by the individuals in the portraits. Each narrative offers clarifying insights. This multimedia exhibit is a catalyst for family, student and community discussions as it explores teen pregnancy and parenting in its full context – without criticism or approval – in a non-threatening setting. These voices will enlarge awareness and understanding.

In July MHM joined forces with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as an official Team Red Sponsor for the 2012 Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. In addition to our corporate sponsorship MHM created the MHM Challengers – a team of MHM team members, clients and community members dedicated to raising funds and walking in support of the ADA.

There are nearly 26 million people who have diabetes. In San Antonio, our rate of incident is double the national average! This annual walk was the MHM Challengers’ opportunity to raise funds for diabetes research and education as well as to heighten awareness about diabetes right here in San Antonio.

As an expert in the field, Juan Martinez, Health Education Manager, joined the effort as Team Captain of the MHM Challengers. “I know all too well the impact diabetes has on the individual, their loved ones and the community at large. That is why when MHM agreed to become a Team Red Sponsor for Step Out I was ecstatic!” confides Juan.

With his guidance, multiple information and registration sessions were held throughout the San Antonio area to recruit team members to the MHM Challengers. A couple of added incentives and promotions helped to boost the team’s fundraising total. As the event approached, an official pre-event celebration was held at our Wesley Health & Center for recruits to pick up team t-shirts, meet with follow walkers, and speak directly with representatives from the ADA.

On Saturday, November 3^rd, the MHM Challengers joined the movement by stepping out at the AT&T Center.

Monday, December 3^rd marked the final call for donations. With 117 team members – one of the largest corporate teams – the MHM Challengers raised a total of $3,285. Factoring in MHM’s promise to match all team contributions, the final total contributed to the ADA on behalf of MHM and the MHM Challengers came out to $6,570!

Congratulations to the Challengers, and all those who supported the cause! It is because of your support and dedication that we are that much closer to stopping diabetes.