Miller Dwan Foundation

TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO HISTORIC MILLER-DWAN MEDICAL CENTER AND POLINSKY MEDICAL REHABILITATION SPECIALTY HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS MEANINGFUL HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS ON THE MEDICAL CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY. GRANTS ARE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE IN OUR REGION AND ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON ADULT AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH, HOSPICE, PHYSICAL REHABILITATION, CANCER CARE, BURN CARE, SURGICAL SERVICES, AND END-OF-LIFE.

AMBERWING - CENTER FOR YOUTH & FAMILY WELL-BEING IS OWNED BY THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION, WHO HAS CONTINUED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE HOME AND THE TREATMENT PROGRAM. AMBERWING CARES FOR PATIENTS FROM BIRTH TO 25 AND ENGAGES THE FAMILY THROUGHOUT THE TREATMENT PROCESS. APPROXIMATELY 1,200 KIDS ANNUALLY PRESENT AT AMBERWING SEEKING CARE. AFTER AN ASSESSMENT, THE MAJORITY OF THE KIDS ENTER THE AMBERWING PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION PROGRAM. IF NEEDED, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE REFERRED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING THE TYPE OR LEVEL OF CARE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL. THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION AND AMBERWING CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT WAYS TO OFFER SKILLS AND EDUCATION TO CHILDREN BEYOND THOSE ADMITTED TO THE AMBERWING PROGRAM. IN 2021, COVID REQUIRED THE CONTINUED VIRTUAL PROVISION OF DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT) TRAINING. TRAINING WAS PROVIDED TO REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COLLEGES. SINCE THE TIME THAT COVID-RELATED LOCKDOWNS BEGAN, KIDS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION HAVE STRUGGLED WITH INCREASING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND SUBSTANCE USE. ALL AMBERWING PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON TO ALLOW MORE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN FROM A BROADER GEOGRAPHIC REGION TO ACCESS CARE. IN ADDITION, A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED AT AMBERWING. IN CONJUNCTION, A NEW AMBERWING MASTER'S LEVEL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY WAS LAUNCHED TO HELP TRAIN PSYCHOTHERAPISTS SPECIALIZING IN DBT AND SUD FOR CHILDREN.AMBERWING ALSO HOUSES A FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THE RESOURCE CENTER IS OFTEN FILLED WITH FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE SEEKING INFORMATION TO DETERMINE IF THEIR CHILD MAY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OR WHOSE CHILD IS IN THE AMBERWING PROGRAM. DUE TO COVID, WALK-IN ACTIVITY IN THE RESOURCE CENTER WAS SUSPENDED FOR A PORTION OF 2021. STILL RESOURCE CENTER ACTIVITY IN 2021 INCLUDED 1,362 PHONE CALLS REQUESTING SERVICES OR MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION AND 520 MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS. IN ADDITION, 45 FAMILIES ATTENDED THE "COMMUNITY AND CAREGIVERS" DBT EDUCATION CLASSES. AMBERWING ALSO HOSTED FOUR INTERNS IN 2021 IN ADDITION TO THE SUD INTERN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. INTERNS SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME LEARNING THE DBT SKILLS THAT ARE TAUGHT AT AMBERWING. THESE SKILLS, ALONG WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN A MENTAL HEALTH CARE SETTING WITH KIDS, BENEFIT THE STUDENTS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THEY FIND THEMSELVES WORKING WITH AFTER THEIR INTERNSHIP.AMBERWING IS OWNED BY THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION, AND CONTRACTS WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH TO PROVIDE THE MEDICAL CARE. MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION DOES NOT CHARGE RENT TO ESSENTIA HEALTH FOR USE OF THE FACILITY.

THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO RAISING AWARENESS OF IMPORTANT HEALTH CARE ISSUES BY PROVIDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO MOVE TOWARDS GREATER WELLNESS, TO MANAGE THEIR ILLNESS, AND TO UNDERSTAND OPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THEIR ILLNESS. IN 2021, THIS EDUCATION WAS DONE VIRTUALLY AND RELATED TO GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS. EACH YEAR THE FOUNDATION CREATES PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES WHICH ARE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED, HAS AN ONLINE PRESENCE AND ENGAGES THE MEDIA IN SHARING OUR MESSAGE. TOPIC AREAS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, HOSPICE AND END-OF-LIFE, MENTAL HEALTH, CANCER CARE AND SURVIVORSHIP, PHYSICAL REHABILITATION, AND BURN TREATMENT. THE FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANTS WITHIN THE MEDICAL MILIEU AND TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION. EDUCATION GRANTS ARE FOCUSED ON PATIENT CARE, AS WELL AS PREVENTION AND SUPPORT.

1) SOLVAY HOSPICE HOUSE (EXPENSES: $212,073)IN 2003, THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION TOOK ON THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, FUNDRAISER, AND DEVELOPER TO COMPLETE A $4 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO CREATE SOLVAY HOSPICE HOUSE, WHICH OPENED IN 2007. SOLVAY WAS DESIGNED TO BE A COMFORTABLE HOME FOR THOSE FACING THE END OF LIFE AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN FY 2021, 227 (UP FROM 175 PATIENTS IN 2020), WERE ADMITTED AND CARED FOR AT SOLVAY. SOLVAY STAFF CARED FOR PATIENTS WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY, AIR FORCE, MARINE, NAVY, OR NATIONAL GUARD SERVING IN THE WWII, KOREAN, VIETNAM, AND COLD WARS. ON AVERAGE, PATIENTS ARE AT SOLVAY 7.9 DAYS BEFORE PASSING AWAY OR DISCHARGED TO HOME OR ANOTHER FACILITY. MOST PATIENTS ADMITTED TO SOLVAY QUALIFIED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION'S COMPASSIONATE CARE FUND-A-FUND DEVELOPED TO ENSURE PATIENTS WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM CARE AT SOLVAY WOULD BE ABLE TO, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. SOLVAY IS OWNED BY THE MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION AND CONTRACTS WITH ESSENTIA HEALTH TO PROVIDE THE MEDICAL CARE. MILLER-DWAN FOUNDATION DOES NOT CHARGE RENT TO ESSENTIA HEALTH FOR USE OF THE FACILITY.2) NEW PROGRAMS (EXPENSES: $105,504)WHEN A NEW HEALTH CARE NEED IS IDENTIFIED IN THE REGION OR ON THE MEDICAL CAMPUS, THE FOUNDATION WILL FOCUS ATTENTION AND RESOURCES TO HELP MEET THAT NEED. SOME OF THESE NEEDS CAN BE MET IN THE SHORT TERM AND CAN CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. RESPONSE TO THESE NEEDS CAN TAKE A VARIETY OF FORMS. IN 2021, THE PANDEMIC REQUIRED ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING SUPPORT ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF INPATIENT PHYSICAL REHABILITATION AND 527 PATIENTS WERE SERVED, THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PATIENTS EVER. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS TO SUPPORT DIALYSIS CARE AND CREATED A DOUGLAS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH PLANNING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, SUPERIOR. SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED FOR NEW PEDIATRIC SWALLOWING AND PEDIATRIC INCONTINENCE PROGRAMMING IN ADDITION TO THE FOUNDATION'S SUPPORT FOR A VARIETY OF CRITICAL CARE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS IN AND AROUND THE REGION. 3) DEVELOPMENT (EXPENSES: $107,515)BUILDING AND SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPORTERS IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO OUR ORGANIZATION, AS THEY ARE TRULY THE CATALYST IN IMPROVING HEALTH CARE. STAFF KEEP IN FREQUENT CONTACT WITH SUPPORTERS AND USE SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE TO ENSURE SUPPORTERS' GIFTS ARE RECORDED, DIRECTED AND RECOGNIZED CORRECTLY AND APPROPRIATELY.