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 4,125 TRIPS TO SENIORS DURING THE YEAR. ASSISTED TRANSPORTATION PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE TRANSPORTATION TO SENIORS 60 YEARS AND OLDER. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO MEDICAL TRANSPORT, BUT VOLUNTEERS ALSO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR BUSINESS, SHOPPING, RECREATION, AND OTHER EVENTS. VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND COMPREHENSIVE SCREENING, INCLUDING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS. INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE I&A) HELPED 1,165 SENIORS WITH ACCESSING SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ENABLE THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. I&A PROVIDED 3,427 CONTACTS WITH SENIORS TO MAKE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES AND ACT AS ADVOCATES FOR MEDICARE, MEDICAID, BENEFIT ACCESS, HOMEMAKERS, ETC T0 IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS (COF)HAS REDUCED SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR SENIORS BY PROVIDING GROUP ACTIVITIES, ART PROGRAMMING, AND HEALTH EDUCATION. GROUP SESSIONS WERE DONE IN 12 WEEKS. SENIORS DETERMINE THE TYPE OF ARTS THEY DID AND OUTINGS THEY WENT GO ON. TELEPHONE REASSURANCE CALLS (TRC) HAS ENABLED OLDER ADULTS TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT AND LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOME. TELEPHONE REASSURANCE CALLS HELP IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE BY CONNECTING THEM WITH VOLUNTEERS WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING. THROUGH 2,531 TELEPHONE REASSURANCE CALLS, OLDER ADULTS ARE EMPOWERED TO ACCESS MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND TAKE CARE OF PERSONAL BUSINESS. THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL COMFORT, PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE AND SAFETY, HEALTHIER LIVING, AND ACCESS 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 40 ACTIVE MEMBERS. THE GROUP MET MONTHLY FOR NETWORKING AND SHARING IDEAS THROUGH VIRTUAL ZOOM MEETINGS DURING 2021. 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 1,165 CONTACTS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS DURING THE YEAR. LATINO OUTREACH PROGRAM HEALTHVISIONS PROVIDED OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN 2021, INCLUDING PROVIDING HEALTH EDUCATION TO SPANISH-SPEAKING RESIDENTS. WE ALSO PROVIDED INTERPRETATION 312 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 THREE TYPES OF INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO OPTED TO TAKE ONGOING HEALTH EDUCATION SESSIONS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS, FOOD VOUCHERS, AND FREE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM GROCERY STORES AND TO AND FROM MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. STAFF ALSO DISTRIBUTED FREE FOOD BOXES TO FAMILIES IN NEED, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL FOOD RESCUE US INITIATIVE. HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING (HEAL) FARM MARKETS HEALTHVISIONS MANAGED THREE MAIN FARM MARKETS IN 2021 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 NEARLY 2,000 TRANSACTIONS FROM JULY THROUGH OCTOBER 2021 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.