|
Next BHCC Meeting
WHAT: Agency Networking and Suicide Survivors Panel Discussion
WHEN: Thursday, February 19, 2004, 3:30 PM
WHERE: Head Start Building, 615 North 19th Street
MAP Expands
The Medication Assistance Program (MAP) is an initiative sponsored
by the Billings Healthy Community Coalition. For the uninsured
and underinsured, it is an everyday decision whether or not to take
necessary medications or buy food, clothing or pay rent. Those
with mental health disorders become an even greater threat to
themselves and to others when their medication regimes are not
followed. Those affected by mental illness are extremely
vulnerable and dependent upon programs such as MAP to assist them in
obtaining their medications. MAP provides not only the
medications, but offers education on the purpose, action and side
effects of each medication. Obtaining the necessary
medications from MAP helps individuals lead more productive lives by
preventing more serious illness, allowing them to maintain jobs and
keeping their families intact. Over the past 7 years, the
Medication Assistance Program has expanded its capabilities and
services. Client encounters have increased from 1566 in
1996/1997 to 7300 in 2003. Funding from Community Development
Block Grant and the United Way of Yellowstone County has allowed for
expanded hours for MAP staff. The Yellowstone City County
health Department provides the in-kind donation of Pharmacist time.
In March of 2003, money from the Community Access Program grant was
received to implement Medication Assistance Programs at Deaconess
Billings Clinic and Saint Vincent Healthcare. A shared
information system was implemented in September 2003 that allows for
documentation of each MAP enrollee and tracking of that medication
from ordering through pickup. For more information regarding
MAP contact Judy Stewart (406) 247-3290.
Great Strides Walk
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is gearing up to form Corporate
Teams for their Great Strides Walk. The walk is on June 19th.
Join Teams from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Deaconess Billings Clinic,
St. Vincent Healthcare, and Pepsi in a benefit to help find a cure
for Cystic Fibrosis. American Airlines is sponsoring the Walk
nationally and more than 100,000 people across the country will be
participating. To register for the Great Strides Walk visit the
website <http://www.cff.org/great strides, or contact Gina Young at
the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 406-259-0628.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Set to Roll
The Saint Vincent Healthcare Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is set to
start their new year in February. The Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile is only one of twelve Care Mobiles that were launched
nationwide in 2001. the mobile delivers pediatric care;
involving free medical and dental care for uninsured children
ranging from 1-18 years of age in the region. Children with no
insurance are a priority but services are not limited to just those
children. The Care Mobile will visit sites in and around the
Yellowstone County starting with schools, neighborhoods in need of
medical care. For more information, call (406) 238-6766.
Council
on Aging to Open Center
The Yellowstone County Council on Aging has received one of twelve
national pilot grants to create a one-stop information and
assistance center. Here people can turn for information on long-term
support options as well as assistance in accessing those options.
The Resource Center was created to provide easy access to
information available for seniors, individuals with physical
disabilities, as well as families and caregivers of those groups.
The staff will be available to assist in filling out applications,
answering questions on billing and benefits, and help clients
contact and receive the services that will help them remain
independent. The Resource Center will be located in West Park Plaza
near the Osco Drug entrance. Opening mid-January, hours will expand
to meet clients’ needs and will include evenings and weekends.
Initial hours will be 8am to 6pm. Please stop by and see the
wonderful new resource available to our community. For more
information, please call Sue Bailey at (406) 259-5212.
This project is funded (in part) under a contract with the Area II
Agency on Aging under grants CFDA # AoA 93.048 and CMS 93.779 from
the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the U.S.
Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging and
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. |
|
|
Randolfi Travels to Cyprus
Dr. Ernie Randolfi, professor at Montana State University-Billings and
BHCC drug use prevention specialist has been awarded a Fulbright
Scholarship to lecture and do research in Cyprus during the 2003-2004
academic year, according to the United States Department of State and
the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. From January to
June 2004, Dr. Randofi will work on the project “Maximizing the
Effectiveness of Health Promotion and Drug Abuse Prevention Programs:
What Works in Research Based Interventions." In addition to working
with local university faculty and students, his duties will be split
with KENTHEA, the Center for Education about Drugs and Treatment of
Drug Addicted Persons in Cyprus. Dr. Randofi is one of approximately
800 U.S faculty and professionals who will travel abroad. Established
in 1946, the program’s purpose is to build mutual understanding
between the people of the United States and other countries.
Tumbleweed
Tumbleweed Runaway Program is located in Billings at 3311 4th Ave. N.
Tumbleweed is a no charge organization that offers a variety of
programs. Some of the upcoming programs are the Love and Logic group for
parents of teens which started January 15th. This group will meet in
Saint Vincent Hospital and lasts for six weeks. The Life Skill Classes
began January 5th and is held at the 1st step house. This group teaches
teens life skills for adulthood, individual development plans, and also
helps with checkbooks and apartments. For more information on these
programs you can call Sally Leep at (406) 259-2558.
February Family Fun for Parents
Parents Lets’ Unite for Kids (PLUK) has two exciting community events
coming up in February. The first is the annual “Kids at Heart
Banquet” which will be held at the Sheridan Billings Hotel on February
7th. This is a night of entertainment, with a fabulous
dinner and silent auction. PLUK has booked The Reflections, a
musical couple all the way from Las Vegas. On February 21st,
PLUK will sponsor a fun family event, the sports and recreation
festival. The festival will be taking place at the Shrine Auditorium
from 10am-4pm. A variety of games, activities, and workshops will be
available for participation, so make sure to mark your calendars and
go check out all the fun. Also, little league baseball will be having
their sign ups there during this time. See you there!
Think First!
“The Think First and Think First for Kids” is a comprehensive brain and
spinal cord injury prevention program designed for teens and children.
St. Vincent Healthcare supports this statewide program, started in 1990 in
Billings. State program director Jerri Gearhart, RN will present the
program by invitation to schools, individual grades, home schools,
churches, or clubs that cater to teens or children. Providing helmet
education is part of the program and groups that are interested may call
her to schedule a program time and the participants can receive a discount
coupon for a helmet and fitting. For more information on Think First call
Jerri Gearhart, RN at 237-7078.
Nutrition Grant
Opportunity for Schools
The
Montana Team Nutrition Program is sponsoring mini-grants for student
organizations (or classes) to work with school food service to develop and
implement a public relations campaign for a school nutrition program.
This grant has two purposes; to encourage student participation in the
school nutrition programs and educate students about the foodservice
industry. Please share this information with interested teachers,
administrators and student organization advisors. Student organizations
may include but are not limited to student council/government, DECA, FCCLA,
FFA or a high school marketing class. There is a total of $4,000 in
mini-grant dollars available, and schools may apply for up to a $1,000
grant. The funds may support the food service and student
organization needs in relation to meeting the goals of the public
relations project. Schools may design a public relations project to meet
specific needs of their food service program. The project may be directed
to enhance the overall image of the entire food service program or
specifically focus on one food service program option, such as a grab and
go breakfast or lunch service for students. The grant application must
be received by February 27, 2004 and funds must be spent by September 30,
2004.
Grant applications are also available at the, Office of
Public Instruction School Nutrition Program website:
http://www.opi.state.mt.us/schoolfood/index.html
For more information, contact:
Katie Bark: 994-5641 # 1 voice mail or
kbark@state.mt.us
Anne Schumacher: 994-5397 or
adschumacher@montana.edu
Contributing editors for this issue were: Ashley
Hallock, Chelsea Lynnes, Lori Rumph, Andrea Johnson, Catherine Grams,
Candace Bateson, Pamela Crosmer, and Jennifer Arnold.
PARTNERS
is published once a month and distributed to members of the Billings
Healthy Community Coalition (BHCC) and others interested in the health of
our community. The mission of BHCC is: to develop,
maintain and strengthen collaborative community networks committed to
improving overall community health status and quality of life.
If you have
information you would like to see included in the newsletter, please
contact Carl Hanson at
chanson@msubillings.edu
Billings
Healthy Community Coalition Homepage
Click Here!
|
