Healthy Community Coalition

COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTREACH SERVICES AND EDUCATION.

COMMUNITY WELLNESS: COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND PREVENTIONHCC OUTREACH PROVIDED THROUGH 26 MOBILE HEALTH UNIT AND OTHER OUTREACH EVENTS INCLUDED OVER 79 CLINICAL SCREENINGS AND EDUCATIONAL ENCOUNTERS. STAFF PROVIDED EDUCATION AND HEALTH SCREENINGS INCLUDING CHOLESTEROL, GLUCOSE AND BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS, BREAST HEALTH AND BREAST CANCER PREVENTION SCREENING EDUCATION, BONE DENSITY SCREENINGS, CLINICAL BREAST EXAMS, COVID- 19, CANCER PREVENTION, INTERACTIVE NUTRITION EVENTS, CARDIOVASCULAR, TOBACCO, SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND DIABETES (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)PREVENTION EDUCATION, MEDICATION SAFETY, LEAD PREVENTION, AND WELL-WATER SAFETY. STAFF COUNSELED INDIVIDUALS ON A VARIETY OF WELLNESS TOPICS INCLUDING HEALTHY EATING, EXERCISE, DISEASE PREVENTION, AND CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT. INDIVIDUALS WERE ASSISTED WITH THE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PROVIDER REFERRALS WERE MADE. HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND PROVIDED FREE SCREENINGS AND ACUTE CARE FOR UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED INDIVIDUALS. WELLNESS EVENTS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY WITH AND WITHOUT THE MOBILE HEALTH UNIT, REACHING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE MOBILE HEALTH UNIT, STAFFED WITH RNS, HEALTH EDUCATORS, HEALTH & WELLNESS COACHES, NUTRITION SPECIALISTS, INSURANCE NAVIGATORS AND MEDICAL PROVIDERS, TRAVELED TO THE TOWNS OF FARMINGTON, RANGELEY, STRATTON/EUSTIS, PHILLIPS, LIVERMORE FALLS, WILTON, AND CHESTERVILLE, PROVIDING EDUCATION, FREE MEDICAL SCREENINGS AND 1:1 AND SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION.WORKSITE WELLNESSHCC WORKED WITH NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHCARE, CARE AND SHARE FOOD CLOSET, DAGGET'S GARAGE, ROBIN'S FLOWERS, THE TOWN OF WILTON AND RE-ENERGY TO PROVIDE HEALTH SCREENINGS, FLU SHOT VACCINATIONS, CPR/FIRST AID TRAINING, HEALTH COUNSELING REGARDING CHRONIC DISEASE AND CANCER PREVENTION EDUCATION, AND/OR TOBACCO/NICOTINE RECOVERY SUPPORT REACHING APPROXIMATELY 300 EMPLOYEES.PARTNERED WITH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO PROVIDE COVID VACCINATIONS TO 5-12 YEAR OLDS. PROVIDED 300 PEDIATRIC COVID-19 VACCINES IN 9 SCHOOLS ACROSS GREATER FRANKLIN COUNTY AND 2 COMMUNITY-BASED CLINICS.RURAL COMMUNITY NETWORK DEVELOPMENTWITH FEDERAL FUNDING, HCC CREATED A RURAL COMMUNITIES STAKEHOLDERS GROUP, THE RURAL HEALTH ACTION NETWORK (RHAN), TO ASSESS THE COMMUNITY FOR GREATEST NEEDS AND FACILITATE A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION. THIS MULTIFACETED GROUP, REPRESENTING ALL GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS AND ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED THE COMMUNITY CARE TRANSITION PROGRAM (CCTP). THIS GROUP OUTLINED STRATEGIES OF COLLABORATION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES, IN COORDINATION WITH PRIMARY CARE.THE CCTP IS A 3 PRONGED APPROACH TO PROVIDING PATIENT-CENTERED CARE. THE THREE PRONGS ARE CLINICAL, SOCIAL, AND RESOURCE CONNECTION. THE CLINICAL ASPECT UTILIZES TRAINED COMMUNITY PARAMEDICS. RESOURCE NEEDS ARE SUPPORTED BY HELPING PATIENTS IN IDENTIFYING AND CONNECTING TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES. SOCIAL NEEDS ARE MET BY CONNECTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT RISK OF ISOLATION TO SENIOR BUDDY VOLUNTEERS, FOR TELEPHONIC SOCIAL SUPPORT AND CONNECTION. THE SENIOR BUDDIES PILOT TRAINED 19 VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE TELEPHONIC SOCIAL SUPPORT AND 18 COMMUNITY MEMBERS RECEIVED SERVICES. THIRTY-THREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE CONNECTED TO RESOURCES TO HELP MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS. COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE SERVICES WERE EXPANDED AND INCLUDE GENERAL ASSESSMENT, VITAL SIGNS, WEIGHTS, WOUND ASSESSMENTS, EKG, 12 LEAD, BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTING, MEDICATION EVALUATION, HOME SAFETY/FALL ASSESSMENT, TELEMEDICINE EQUIPMENT AND HOT SPOT, A1C POINT OF CARE TESTING, VACCINE ADMINISTRATION AND LAB DRAWS, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION AND MEDICATION SUPPORT. THE CCTP HAS DECREASED THE RATE OF ED VISITS FOR THEIR PATIENTS BY 39.7%. UNPLANNED HOSPITAL READMISSIONS WERE DECREASED BY 73.3%.FOOD INSECURITYAFTER RISING CONCERNS OVER FOOD INSECURITY, POOR NUTRITION AND THEIR CONNECTION TO CHRONIC DISEASE, MAINEHEALTH OPENED THE FIRST HOSPITAL-BASED FOOD PANTRY AT FRANKLIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE HEALTHY COMMUNITY COALITION (HCC) ON JULY 7, 2021. THE GOAL OF THE PANTRY IS TO HELP MORE PEOPLE ACCESS HEALTHY FOOD AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THOSE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH GOOD SHEPARD FOOD BANK'S HEALTH AND HUNGER PROGRAM, WE HAVE SERVED 150 PLUS FAMILIES, DISTRIBUTING ROUGHLY 7,000 MEALS INVOLVING 8,000 POUNDS OF FOOD. CARE TEAM MEMBERS CONTINUE TO SCREEN FOR FOOD INSECURITY AND HAVE SCREENED OVER 15,327 PATIENTS. WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE NUTRITION PANTRY PROGRAM (NPP), PROVIDING HEALTHY FRESH, FROZEN, AND SHELF STABLE FOODS TO PATIENTS, EMPLOYEES AND THE COMMUNITY. THE MAINERS FEEDING MAINERS PROGRAM ALLOWS THE PANTRY TO INCORPORATE LOCAL PRODUCE. LEGISLATORS HAVE TOURED THE FOOD PANTRY INTERESTED IN THE SERVICE IT DELIVERS AS PART OF A HEALTH CAREORGANIZATION AND THE NATURAL CONTINUUM OF CARE. WE HOPE TO ADD A TEACHING KITCHEN WHERE INSTRUCTION ON HEALTHY EATING AND LIVING COULD TAKE PLACE.RESOURCE TEAM/BASIC NEEDSSTAFF WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SALVATION ARMY TO ASSIST LOCAL RESIDENTS IN CRISIS TO MEET BASIC NEEDS. 34 FAMILIES WERE ASSISTED WITH MEETING BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, EMERGENCY LODGING, SHELTER, CLOTHING, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, UTILITIES, FUEL, CLOTHING, AND CONNECTIONS TOSERVICES. THROUGH ADDITIONAL BASIC NEEDS FUNDING, 200 PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT BAGS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO LOCAL PARTNERS. WITH A RISING HOMELESS POPULATION LIVING IN LOCAL HOTELS, THE BASIC NEEDS FUNDS WILL ALLOW HCC TO PROVIDE COOKING EQUIPMENT (I.E. CROCKPOTS) TO BE ABLE TO COOK NUTRITIOUS MEALS WHILE HAVING LIMITED RESOURCES WITHIN THE HOTEL SPACES. THE NEW MAINEHEALTH FOOD PANTRY HAS BEEN A VITAL RESOURCE IN CONNECTING AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY URGENT NEEDS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY/NUTRITION/SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION:LET'S GO! LET'S GO! FRANKLIN STAFF WORKED WITH 72 YOUTH SERVING SITES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING. THESE SITES INCLUDE 26 CHILD CARE FACILITIES, 15 SCHOOLS, 7 OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, 17 SCHOOL CAFETERIAS, AND 7 PEDIATRICS PRACTICES THROUGHOUT FRANKLIN COUNTY. LET'S GO! FRANKLIN ALSO WORKED WITH ONE ADULT HEALTHCARE PRACTICE USING THE SMALL STEPS PROGRAM. THE LET'S GO! FRANKLIN SCHOOL NUTRITION WORKGROUP MET QUARTERLY AND INCLUDED NUTRITION DIRECTORS FROM ALL 5 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN THE COUNTY. WORKGROUP MEMBERS WORKED TO PROMOTE HEALTHY CHOICES IN THEIR 3 SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AS THEY NAVIGATED THE TASK OF FEEDING REMOTE STUDENTS DURING COVID-19. EACH LET'S GO! SITE WORKED WITH A COORDINATOR TO SET GOALS FOR THE YEAR TO FOSTER HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS AND HABITS FOR THE YOUTH THAT THEY SERVE. LET'S GO! FRANKLIN AND THE LET'S GO! HOME OFFICE WORKED TOGETHER TO PROVIDE TRAININGS AND RESOURCES FOR CHAMPIONS IN ALL SETTINGS.

COMMUNITY BUILDING: HCC HOSTED BI-MONTHLY VIRTUAL MEETINGS OF THE FRANKLIN RESOURCE COLLABORATIVE, A GROUP OF OVER 50 COMMUNITY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SERVING GREATER FRANKLIN COMMUNITY THAT MET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY COMMUNITY NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS.HCC STAFF PROVIDED EDUCATION AND FREE SCREENINGS AT THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND LOCATIONS:- FRANKLIN COUNTY CHILDREN'S TASK FORCE FESTIVAL(CONTINUED AT SCHEDULE O)- LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES AND GOOD SHEPHERD FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITE - FRANKLIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - HOPE HARVEST COMMUNITY GARDEN - KINEOWATHA PARK- FOOD CITY, LIVERMORE FALLS - HOME VISITS- LOCAL CHURCHES AND CHURCH GROUPS- FARMINGTON WAL-MART- FOOD CITY, WILTON- EUSTIS TOWN OFFICE- LEAP, INC.- RSU #9 SCHOOLS- SPRUCE MOUTAIN SCHOOLS- SAD #58 SCHOOLS- RANGELEY IGA- FOTTER'S MARKET, EUSTIS- EDMUND'S MARKET, PHILLIPS- TRANTEN'S MARKET, KINGFIELD- WILTON TOWN OFFICE- LOCAL WARMING CENTERS