Eric Beck’s Post

#AnchoringEquity: How are community health workers helping advance health justice and equity?   Read the blog from MHA and the MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, which includes an upcoming webinar opportunity ⤵️

🗣️ Call to Action: Share Your Voice on CHW Recommendations! 🗣️ We need your input! The Joint Commission on Health Care has released key recommendations for Community Health Workers (CHWs), and your feedback is essential in shaping the future of our workforce. 📜 Why It Matters: These recommendations aim to strengthen the role of CHWs and improve healthcare access for the communities we serve. Your insights can help ensure that these strategies are effective and inclusive. 💬 How You Can Help: Review the recommendations from the Joint Commission. Share your thoughts on what you agree or disagree with and why. Highlight any additional strategies you believe should be considered. 📅 Deadline for Comments: Monday, November 25, 2024 ✉️ Submit your comments to the Joint Commission Members through this action page/link https://lnkd.in/emBTxjYp Let’s unite our voices to advocate for sustainable practices and better support for our Community Health Workers. Your perspective makes a difference! #CHWs #HealthEquity #PublicComment #JointCommission #CommunityHealth

Advocates for Community Health (ACH), a nonpartisan membership organization for federally qualified health centers working to advance forward-thinking health policies, sent a letter to Congress on Friday urging Congressional leadership to include community health center funding and legislation in any end-of-year legislation package. ACH is asking for the following: 1. Reauthorization of the Community Health Center Fund for two years at $5.8 billion per year. This funding expires on December 31, 2024. 2. Passage of a disaster supplemental funding bill that provides dedicated funding for community health centers to recover from recent natural disasters. 3. Reauthorization of the National Health Service Corps mandatory funding stream (NHSC) at $950 million per year for two years and an increase in funding for the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program to $300 million per year for five years. Read the press release: https://hubs.li/Q02-YMM30 #ValueCHCs #CHCpatients #CommunityHealth #HealthCenters #FQHCs #HealthPolicy #Healthcare #Advocacy #Congress #Health

#Gratitude to our former City of Laredo Public Health Department #HealthAuthority and our current #Mayor, Dr. Victor D. Treviño, for his advocacy to invest into additional funding for #PublicHealth initiatives in Laredo. Dr. Treviño's longstanding #commitment to public health makes him a true #champion in our community. I stand in solidarity with him and echo the importance of prioritizing investment in local public health #systems and #personal #wellness. Exploring six key #lifestyle elements can lead to significant #health #benefits and #enhance #longevity. Check out the article for more insights!

Holly Mathias wants to change the conversation about the realities of rural life for loved ones of people who use drugs. "One of the challenges with this issue, and with public health in general, is that very little research has been done in the rural context." - Holly Mathias Read Investigating the reality of caregiving in a small town to learn more about Holly's research: https://bit.ly/4a4XUGo

The Commonwealth Fund released important findings during National Health Center Week highlighting the challenges Community Health Centers face as they continue to provide high-quality care to a record 32.5 million people. The survey of 737 heath center leaders described persistent workforce shortages, lack of financial resources, and Medicaid redeterminations. Yet, health centers are doing more than ever – increasing the use of telehealth services, providing more substance use treatment, and screening for social needs. Highlights include: . Nearly all Community Health Centers offer timely appointments (88%) and expanded hours for patients to receive care (93%). . Two out of three (65%) of health centers report that lack of financial resources to address unmet needs was a major challenge. . Three out four health centers (77%) are experiencing a shortage of mental health providers. . Health centers report growing workforce challenges with over 70 percent experiencing shortages of primary care physicians (70%), nurses (70%) or enabling services providers (69%). This important narrative demonstrates the resilience of health centers after working on the frontlines of a devastating global pandemic and the critical importance of investing in primary care. Primary care is the foundation of a high-performing healthcare system. It saves lives and reduces healthcare costs. #Valuechcs #NHCW24

Last Thursday, the DHSV Board along with some members of the exec and senior leadership teams visited the dental clinics at Ozanam House and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS).   Ozanam House provides flexible accommodation as well as health and wellbeing services for people experiencing homelessness. VAHS was established in 1973 to address the specific medical needs of Victorian Aboriginal communities.   We talk a lot about the importance of creating welcoming, safe and culturally affirming spaces in healthcare. It was clear from the minute we entered these buildings that they are far more than service providers, they are communities. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. There was no wrong door or silly question. Everyone greeted you and smiled. And every person who walked through the doors needing care, information or support was accepted and welcomed for who they are without judgement or bias.     I’ve visited a lot of health services during my 40-year career and too often I’ve witnessed the huge divide between staff and patients. When we act as gatekeepers, we create unnecessary barriers to care, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised populations. If we are serious about providing person-centred care to improve health outcomes, it’s vital that our people match the environment we are striving to create.   Ozanam House and VAHS are perfect examples of what can happen when we promote a culture of open access and compassionate support, where services are wrapped around the specific needs of people and communities. They demonstrate the profound impact that tailored, accessible, and compassionate healthcare can have in transforming lives and fostering healthier communities.

🩺Can the 'Front Door' of the NHS be fixed? We were thrilled to read about Health Secretary, Wes Streeting’s announcement of the ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’, a transformative initiative that aims to improve GP services and community health. This aligns perfectly with our mission within Community Health, to better understand & develop solutions to reduce health inequalities & to focus on preventative measures at a local level. 👩🏻⚕️Labour’s shift of focus from hospital to primary care is a promising start, however, sufficient resources and funding needs to also be available within community health to help prevent some people needing to get to the ‘front door’ to see their GP. The role of the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCFSE) is vital to recognise in this solution. They offer a vast amount of alternative options for people to support their own health and wellbeing and must work with primary care and community health teams as equal partners. ❤️🩹We’ve seen this delivered in practice when working with locality partnerships and the VCFSE sector to create co-designed community-based health and wellbeing interventions with their local residents. By focusing on bringing health teams closer to the communities they serve and addressing health inequalities through preventive approaches and social connection, we can create a healthier, more connected society. 📁Click below for a free download with information on our preventative projects within Community Health. #NHS #PreventativeMeasures #CommunityEngagement #VCSFE #HealthInequalities #SocialConnection #Labour https://lnkd.in/e9Pdmu35

Well being of the community is the key for development of any Human Development Index. Teams at Jeevan Stambh Foundation have adopted 5 Communities (1000 Families, 5000+family members). Want to know what we are building, Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gXEbX9pS

Working together saves lives! That's the power of collaborative care in public health. Collaborative care brings together doctors, nurses, community groups, and policymakers to tackle big health challenges. When we join forces, amazing things happen: • Chronic diseases are better managed • Health gaps between groups shrink • More people can get the care they need • Communities become healthier overall But teamwork isn't always easy. Common roadblocks include poor communication, limited resources, and resistance to change. The good news? There are proven ways to overcome these hurdles: Build trust through open communication Develop strong leaders who champion collaboration Use technology to connect and share information Create policies that support working together By focusing on these strategies, we can create lasting positive change in community health. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gzuBSpfy What collaborative healthcare efforts have you seen make a difference? Share your experiences in the comments! #PublicHealth #Collaboration #HealthcareInnovation #CollaborativeCare #CommunityHealth #HealthcareInnovation #PopulationHealth #IntegratedCare #HealthEquity #ChronicDiseaseManagement #PreventiveHealth #HealthcareLeadership #PatientCenteredCare