Healthvisions Midwest Inc

FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE UNDERSERVED, DEVELOP AND FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND ADDRESS SYSTEMIC COMMUNITY HEALTH DISPARITIES.

FAITH IN ACTION TO SERVE AND TRANSFORM (FAST) PROMOTES HEALTHY LIVING AND INDEPENDENCE BY PROVIDING VOLUNTEER-BASED NON-MEDICAL SUPPORT AND CAREGIVER SERVICES TO SENIORS 60 YEARS AND OLDER AND OTHERS WHO ARE HOMEBOUND, FRAIL, DISABLED, OR AFFLICTED WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES IN THE GREATER EAST ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY. FAST PROVIDED 5,134 TRIPS TO SENIORS DURING THE YEAR. ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE TRANSPORTATION TO SENIORS 60 YEARS AND OLDER. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO MEDICAL TRIPS, BUT VOLUNTEERS ALSO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR BUSINESS, SHOPPING, NUTRITION, AND OTHER EVENTS. VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND COMPREHENSIVE SCREENING, INCLUDING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS. VOLUNTEERS DROVE 103,243 MILES AND PROVIDED 6,800 VOLUNTEER HOURS. INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE (I&A) ASSISTED 1,544 SENIORS WITH ACCESSING SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ENABLE THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. I&A PROVIDED 9,056 CONTACTS WITH SENIORS TO MAKE HEALTH LIFESTYLE CHOICES AND ACT AS ADVOCATES FOR MEDICARE, MEDICAID, BENEFIT ACCESS, LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ETC. TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS (COF) REDUCES SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS FOR SENIORS BY PROVIDING INTERACTIVE GROUP ACTIVITIES, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND OUTINGS. SENIORS DEVELOP A CLOSE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AS THEY SHARE EXPERIENCES TOGETHER. TELEPHONE REASSURANCE CALLS (TRC) ENABLE SENIORS TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT AND LIVE IN THEIR HOMES. THE CALLS HELP SENIORS IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE BY CONNECTING THEM TO VOLUNTEERS WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING. VOLUNTEERS MADE 1,785 CALLS TO ENCOURAGE, COMFORT, AND EDUCATE SENIORS AND EMPOWER THEM TO ACCESS MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES. THE PROGRAMS PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE, SAFETY, HEALTHY LIVING, ACCESS TO NEEDED SERVICES, AND REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION. ST. CLAIR COUNTY, IL

FORT WAYNE, IN ALLEN COUNTY HEALTH EQUITY COALITION THE COALITION IS A VITAL PART OF OUR LOCAL SERVICE COMMUNITY. TODAY, THE COALITION INVOLVES ABOUT 44 ACTIVE MEMBERS. THE GROUP MET MONTHLY FOR NETWORKING AND SHARING IDEAS THROUGH VIRTUAL ZOOM MEETINGS DURING 2022. HEALTH EDUCATION SESSIONS HEALTHVISIONS MIDWEST SPECIALIZES IN HEALTH EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES THAT HELP RESIDENTS MANAGE OR PREVENT CHRONIC CONDITIONS, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT PEOPLE OF COLOR. SESSIONS WERE OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND COVERED MENTAL HEALTH AND VARIOUS CHRONIC CONDITIONS. ALSO, MORE INTENSE SIX-SESSION COURSES WERE OFFERED TO REDUCE COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO DIABETES AND MENTAL HEALTH. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS MADE 1,191 CONTACTS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS DURING THE YEAR. LATINO OUTREACH PROGRAM HEALTHVISIONS PROVIDED OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN 2022, INCLUDING PROVIDING HEALTH EDUCATION TO SPANISH-SPEAKING RESIDENTS. WE ALSO PROVIDED INTERPRETATION 340 TIMES FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER PRACTICAL SITUATIONS WHERE RESIDENTS NEEDED ASSISTANCE TO NAVIGATE LIFE IN A PREDOMINANTLY ENGLISH-SPEAKING SOCIETY, SUCH AS COVID-19 TESTING, VACCINE REGISTRATION, ETC. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND ACCESS PROGRAM (NEAP) HEALTHVISIONS OFFERED INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO OPTED TO TAKE ONGOING HEALTH EDUCATION SESSIONS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS AND FOOD VOUCHERS . HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING (HEAL) FARM MARKETS HEALTHVISIONS MANAGED THREE MAIN FARM MARKETS IN 2022 WHERE RESIDENTS COULD BUY AFFORDABLE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. THE MARKETS WERE LOCATED IN FOOD DESERT AREAS, AND GRANT DOLLARS MATCHED PURCHASES FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE ON WIC AND/OR SNAP, DOUBLING THEIR BUYING POWER. HEAL MARKETS LOGGED MORE THAN 1,600 TRANSACTIONS FROM JULY THROUGH OCTOBER 2022 ALLEN COUNTY, IN

THE CHW TRAINING PROGRAM IS A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT PREPARES THE PARTICIPANT TO TAKE THE CERTIFICATION EXAM. THE TRAINING CONSISTS OF A 45 HOUR INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM CURRICULUM THAT FOCUSES ON ROLES, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES OF A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (CHW). PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO ASSESS INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE NEEDS, MAKE REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, A CHW IS A FRONTLINE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKER WHO IS A TRUSTED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY SERVED THAT ENABLES THE WORKER TO SERVE AS A LIAISON/LINK/INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN HEALTH/SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE OF SERVICE DELIVERY. TRUSTED NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSPORTATION (TNT) PROMOTES QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN LAKE COUNTY, IN BY PROVIDING MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR CLIENTS TO GET TO OUR PROGRAM CLASSES, MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, VA SERVICES, PICK UP NUTRITIONAL GROCERIES, AND THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS. IN 2022, TNT PROVIDED 119 TRIPS TO SENIORS, VETERANS, AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. HEART PROVIDES SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME MINORITIES WITH HEALTH SCREENINGS, EDUCATION, MEDICAL SERVICES, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES. SERVICES TARGET CVD RISK FACTORS, LIFESTYLE CHANGES, AND SUPPORT FROM HEALTH COACHES WHO ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (C.H.W.S). DURING THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF THE GRANT PERIOD, HEART SCREENS CLIENTS ENGAGE IN OUTREACH THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AT CHURCHES, SENIOR CENTERS, ETC. HEART PROVIDES FREE EATING SMART BEING ACTIVE (E.S.B.A.) 90-MINUTE CLASSES FOR SEX WEEKS. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE PRE-TESTS TO ASSESS KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIORS BEFORE CLASSES AND RECEIVE BASELINE TESTS FOR B.M.I., B.P., CHOLESTEROL, WEIGHT, ACTIVITY LEVEL, KNOWLEDGE OF CVD, AND HEALTH EATING. HEART REACHED & EDUCATED 777; SCREENED 318, AND TRACKED 241 IN 2022. 30% OF PARTICIPANTS WITH A BMI>25 DECREASED THEIR BMI BY 2 POINTS. 70% OF PARTICIPANTS INCREASED THEIR CVD KNOWLEDGE TO AT LEAST 85%.