Tag: Blog

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.

Planting the Seed
by Anna Garces

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!

by Anne Connor
aconnor@mhm.org

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.

by Anne Connor
aconnor@mhm.org

San Antonio, like many cities in the United States, faces key gaps in mental health care: A fragmented “system,” with little coordination or collaboration among providers; few resources where the uninsured can receive mental health care in a timely manner; and a serious shortage of mental health providers. The $9.4 million funding initiative announced by Methodist Healthcare Ministries on October 12 was a coordinated response to those needs. The grants made by MHM will change the landscape of care in San Antonio, addressing system issues in a way that will benefit thousands of underserved mental health consumers. 

Here’s why it matters:

1. Hospital discharge is no longer abandonment. Previously, the fragmented mental health system of care in Bexar County did not have a way to care for mental health patients discharged from hospitals. This had gotten so bad that in 2009, bills were drafted trying to address “patient dumping.” In one high-profile case a woman, left at a bus station after being discharged from a mental hospital, died as a result. MHM’s grant to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) includes funding for a Transitional Care Clinic. This clinic will link patients with care when referred from local ERs and inpatient programs. It will provide next day mental health appointments (almost unheard of in San Antonio) and 60-90 days of transitional care until the patient can be enrolled in existing community programs. The clinic will open in 2012 with a projected capacity of 550 psychiatric patient visits a month. An innovative feature is that care management and therapy will be delivered in the home or community, with patients coming to the clinic for medication management only. By providing 60-90 days of intensive coordinated care, the clinic will (a) decrease emergency visits and re-hospitalizations and (b) provide an inter-professional training venue.
2. San Antonio will have more mental health providers. San Antonio has a lower mental health provider-to-population ratio than the national average, exacerbating other conditions to create a serious care shortage. Through MHM’s grant, UTHSCA will establish a multidisciplinary training and clinical care program, addressing the shortage of mental health professionals, with four new behavioral health training and practice programs. MHM’s total grant to UTHSCSA (for both the Transitional Care Clinic and the behavioral health training and practice programs) is $5.3 million.
3. The mentally ill homeless will receive centrally located care. Prospects Courtyard, the “encampment” at Haven for Hope, is a temporary home for those homeless persons who are not ready to enter the Transformational Program at Haven, largely because of mental health issues. Haven for Hope is not currently equipped to deal with this situation. MHM’s million dollar grant to The Center for Health Care Services will fund a new Mental Health Clinic. This walk-in psychiatric outpatient clinic will serve homeless individuals: (a) living at the Courtyard, (b) living in a new dormitory residence (not funded by MHM), and/or (c) referred by community agencies. Services will include psychiatric assessments and follow-up, medication stabilization and monitoring, case management and rehabilitation, benefit procurement, and nursing assessments.
4. Providers will work together to serve the whole client. Life is not simple, and mental illnesses do not occur in isolation. More often than not, they are accompanied by physical ailments and substance abuse issues. MHM’s $2.8 million grant to The Center for Health Care Services will fund the creation of two new integrated care clinics, in partnership with CentroMed. The program will launch at an existing location, the University Family Health Center Northwest, providing 24/7 access to care and wraparound services. The focus will be on those patients most in need of integrated care (especially high utilizers of emergency and hospitalization services). The second phase of the program will be a brand new clinic in the downtown corridor in Year two of the grant. 
5. Mental health rehabilitation will be more available. Not all mentally ill persons need hospitalization or crisis services. Many are stabilized through medication, and need a place where they can move from the feeling of being disabled (as a patient) to being able. Our House San Antonio is an important part of the mental health continuum of care in Bexar County. At a very low cost per client, it provides outpatient rehabilitation and prevention services for those with severe and persistent mental illness.  The central model is prevention- rather than treatment-oriented, emphasizing healing and stabilization through a work-centered day and a return to a productive role in society. Services include “active reach out” to identify and address possible crisis situations when members do not show up to the Clubhouse. This program has been demonstrated to significantly reduce mental health hospitalizations.  MHM is providing a $300K grant to Our House for capital renovations to a new building that will triple their ultimate capacity to serve clients.

The mental health strategic initiative, mandated by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries Board, was implemented through a year-long effort by a mental health work group convened by MHM.  The work group identified key gaps in the system of mental health care and produced a report on the system of care in July 2011. The grants responded directly to that report.

The San Antonio Express-News also provided coverage on this announcement, to view the article click here.

About the Author:

Anne Connor has 14 years of experience in development and nonprofit management. She is a champion for collaborative work in philanthropy and among nonprofits, and for the use of outcome measurement to demonstrate how programs make a difference. She has been with Methodist Healthcare Ministries for nine years. Her team administers the grants made by MHM, and provides technical assistance to other organizations in seeking grants from foundations and government agencies. She coordinates the Texas Health Funders’ Consortium, organizing educational presentations on health topics (including mental health) and facilitating the co-funding of health grant projects.  

Our 2011 United Way Campaign came to a close last Friday and it has been an AWESOME week!

MHM has exceeded its goal by over $4,700 and we are still counting! Thank you to each team member for your generousity and support.

A campaign meeting was hosted again on Friday, October 14 at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center. Thank you to everyone that was able to attend.

These meetings provided us with an opportunity to hear from several United Way agencies, including: Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA), Crosspoint, Inc., United Way 2-1-1 and Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP). They are all doing great things in our community with the support of the United Way.

Remember that everyone who attended a meeting will be entered into a door prize drawing for United Way goodies, gift cards and lunch with our President & CEO! We’ll announce our winners next week.

We will also raffle prizes for donors in each MHM Leadership Giving Level – Steward ($26-249), Mission Partner ($250-499), Caring Servant ($500-999) and John Wesley Society ($1000 and above).

For more information, contact your Pledge Coordinator or Maggie Vasquez at mvasquez@mhm.org.

by Chivariak Khus
vkhus@mhm.org

On Friday September 30^th, MHM presented another free Logic Model Workshop for partner agencies and other local area nonprofits.  A few years ago, the Technical Assistance & Grants Team noticed that nonprofits and funders were often not “on the same page” about how to describe programs.  The most common error was confusing program activities with client outcomes.  We launched an initiative to create a common language based on logic models, changing the paradigm for how nonprofits went about planning and describing their programs.  We stepped outside our usual box of only providing training to a narrow range of affiliated agencies, reasoning that we needed to build a “critical mass” in order for logic model usage and terminology to become commonplace in the community.

The three hour course reviewed ways to use logic models, as well as the four parts of a logic model:

• inputs;
• activities;
• outputs; and
• outcomes.

Participants closely reviewed the definition and examples of program outcomes and divided into groups to develop and present a working logic model.

MHM provided this workshop to help local area nonprofits better plan for future grant dollars as well as to maximize program impact. The reality is that nonprofits will always be expected to do a lot with limited resources, and the logic model will not only help to prepare a stronger grant proposal, but it will help create a more strategic and focused program.   

The logic model workshop will be periodically delivered throughout the year at MHM. If you are interested in attending a class, please feel free to contact Chivariak Khus at Vkhus@mhm.org. 

The workshop can also be seen online at mmlearn.org (you must register for free to view it).  It is available in four segments; Part 1 is located at: http://msm.mediasite.com/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=238f5fe152bc4e5fb4b2aa15593456031d.

About the Author:

Chivariak Khus has over 15 years of professional work experience in the public sector covering local, national and international initiatives. Upon graduating from the University of North Texas in 1995, he went with the United Nations into Cambodia, where he first started working with logic models. His use of logic models is integrated into organizational, program, and monitoring and evaluation planning. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from UTSA, and he is currently a Grants and Research Specialist with Methodist Healthcare Ministries.  

As MHM sets forth on the 3^rd Annual United Way Pledge Campaign, we have determined a team goal of raising $30,000 in donations.

With Day 4 coming to a close, we are happy to report that MHM is inching closer and closer to our goal with over $27,980 raised; 93% of our goal!!

GREAT TEAMWORK MHM!!!

We have one day left in the campaign so there is still time to submit your pledge to United Way. With a collaborative effort from our team, we are hopeful of reaching our goal of $30,000.

Since embarking upon the 2011 United Way Pledge Campaign, campaign meetings have been scheduled at the Bishop Ernest T. Dixon Jr. Clinic, Wesley Health & Wellness Center and MHM Corporate Office.

We are asking every team member to please consider making a donation of any amount, however it is NOT mandatory to give. All team members are asked to log onto the e-Way system and select an option (make a pledge, decline, etc.).

Thank you to every team member for your consideration and for your donations!

For more information, contact your Pledge Coordinator or Maggie Vasquez at mvasquez@mhm.org.

It's that time of year again! As families geared up for Back-to-School, many set health needs as a top priority.

Health services are provided through MHM School Based Health Centers that provide primary medical and dental care to school-age children and their younger siblings who live in the Schertz-Cibolo Universal City Independent School District (SCUCISD). The School Based Health Center at Schertz Elementary recently held a two-day Immunization Clinic for students and parents in the SCUISD, which was designed to correspond with school registration being held that same week.

At the conclusion of the two-day Immunization Clinic, a total of 56 children were immunized. As dreadful as vaccine shots may sound to the ears of a child, the children walked away with smiles on their faces doting takeaway pencils, toothbrushes and colorful Band-Aids. Parents left with enthusiasm knowing they could confidently tend to their remaining Back-to-School list as their child's health needs had been addressed.

Diana Piña,
Front Office Supervisor,
Wesley Health & Wellness Center

Diana was presented with the Excellence in Action button for strongly demonstrating the MHM Core Value of Team Work.

Diana is a blessing to numerous departments. She demonstrates this daily by providing support, guidance and training to every department that reaches out to her. Diana always does this in a professional, caring and courteous manner.

We are proud of Diana and applaud her for personifying our core values. Please join us in congratulating her on earning this recognition!

Congratulations Diana!

Have you seen Excellence in Action?

Tell your collegues you appreciate them by passing along this gift and sharing their story. Photos and stories can be submitted via email, the MHM Blog or Facebook page!

The second in the four-part Lunch & Learn series continued yesterday with the "Facebook: Network Navigation & Protecting Your Privacy," presentation. This learning series, developed by the MHM Public Relations department, is aimed at providing team members the opportunity to further explore and gain knowledge in the area of social media and social networking.

As MHM expands its reach into the new media realm with the creation of a Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Blog in combination with a newly designed, social-friendly website, the Public Relations department found ensuring team members are equipped with the knowledge necessary to comfortably navigate through these channels to be a top priority.

This second installation took a look the Facebook network in particular. The presentation was broken up into four major topic areas including:

• Terms & Terminology
• Network Navigation
• Personal Security & Privacy Measures
• What's on the Horizon

First, attendees took a look at the unique language that makes up Facebook like what it means to "check-in" or to write on someone's "wall." Participants were then introduced to the most recent changes Facebook has activated in the Network Navigation segment of the presentation. Next, personal security and privacy measures were addressed to include topics such as how to enable secure browsing while on Facebook and configuring your Privacy Settings to fit your personal needs. Lastly, attendees were given a glimpse into what's on Facebook's horizon like the network's new profile called, "Timeline," and the expanding "Instant Personalization," feature.

As the session closed, one thing was clear: as Facebook continues to grow and change we must do our part, as subscribers to the network, to remain conscious and informed users.

Were you able to attend this session? Please share your insights. Still have questions? Share them here (by adding a comment) or contact Dominica Garza at dgarza@mhm.org or 210-253-3220.