Doctors For Change

DOCTORS FOR CHANGE (DFC), BELIEVES HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL, AFFORDABLE, COMPREHENSIVE AND JUST. DFC WORKS TO EFFECT CHANGES IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN HOUSTON/HARRIS COUNTY AND TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR GOALS.

EDUCATIONAL FORUM EVENTS: DFC HOSTED 8 LARGE EDUCATIONAL FORUMS IN 2017, EACH FOCUSING ON A DIFFERENT ISSUE AREA RELATED TO THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THESE FORUMS BRING TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF DFC MEMBERS, STUDENTS, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT AND DISCUSS RELEVANT OR PRESSING TOPICS WITHIN EACH ISSUE AREA. TOPICS INCLUDED: HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING, ACCESS TO CARE, MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN HOUSTON.

COMMITTEE PROJECTS: DFC'S ACCESS TO CARE COMMITTEE AND ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMITTEE WERE EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN 2017. THE ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMITTEE CONDUCTED TRAININGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO TEACH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO IDENTIFY VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND HOW TO SAFELY INTERVENE. THE ACCESS TO CARE COMMITTEE WORKED ON SEVERAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING A TEXAS COUNTY JUDGE SURVEY TO ASSESS THE STATE OF INDIGENT HEALTH IN THEIR COUNTY, AND DOC DAYS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT BRINGS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS INTO THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND CONNECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH RESOURCES.TWO ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES WERE ACTIVE DURING 2017: MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALTHY EATING ACTIVE LIVING EACH WORK ON COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND EVENTS. FOR INSTANCE, THE 'HEAL' COMMITTEE HOSTS AN ANNUAL YOUTH ART AND CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST FOCUSED ON HEALTHY LIVING, AND ALSO SUPPORTS DOC DAYS EVENTS BY OFFERING HEALTHY COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS TO THE PUBLIC. THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN TRAININGS TO TEACHERS IN AREA SCHOOLS ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH MENTAL DISORDERS, SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND ADHD.

DOCTORS FOR CHANGE ACCESS TO CARE AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE: THIS GUIDE, DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED THROUGH OUT THE YEAR, IS AN ONLINE RESOURCE FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS TO DIRECTLY ACCESS INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL AND STATE-WIDE RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY FOR LOW-INCOME OR UNDER INSURED PATIENTS. IT PROVIDES INFORMATION ON HOW TO TALK ABOUT PATIENT NEEDS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS SUCH AS HOUSING AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, FOOD PANTRIES, PRESCRIPTIONS, AND OTHER DAY TO DAY NEEDS. WE ALSO SPENT TIME AND EFFORTS GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OFFICES TO TEACH PROVIDERS ABOUT THE GUIDE SO THAT PROVIDERS OF THE HOUSTON AREA CAN USE THE GUIDE TO HELP THEIR PATIENTS WITH SOCIAL NEEDS. OUR ONLINE GUIDE IS USED ~ 300 TIMES PER WEEK. IT IS UPDATED REGULARLY.