July 2005
In this Issue...
Leadership Council & Leadership Project
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Hospitals Make Commitment to Community
Visit the new CHIP website
for more news and information
The
Community Health Improvement
Partnership, or CHIP, was created in 2002 to identify the most critical health needs in South Sarasota County and engage area residents in developing community-based solutions to meet those needs.
The LOVN Community Health Action Team (CHAT), in partnership with the Senior Friendship Centers and Goodwill Industries, has received grants totaling $30,000. The University of South Florida's Center for Research in Healthcare Systems and Policies awarded the CHAT $20,000, which was supplemented with an additional $10,000 from the Sarasota County Health Department. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice has also provided a technical assistance grant of $10,000 to help the LOVN CHAT develop an organizational structure for the implementation of future projects.
These grants will fund a pilot study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated, home-based approach to diabetes management. In this study, CHIP is targeting diabetics over 60 who are isolated or have trouble accessing appropriate health care and who need assistance in improving self-management of the disease. If the approach proves effective, additional funding will be sought to expand the research. Individuals interested in participating in the study should contact Kari Ellingstad at 941.861.2867 or kari_ellingstad@doh.state.fl.us.
The grant money will also be used to open the first CHIP Neighborhood Center at Goodwill in Venice. This Center concept is the result of planning and partnership between Goodwill, Senior Friendship Centers, Inc., South County YMCA, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, the Laurel Civic Association, CHIP and the Sarasota County Health Department. The goal of the CHIP Centers is to improve residents' access to health and wellness information and referral. If successful, the LOVN CHAT plans to expand the CHIP Centers to five additional locations.
The new CHIP Leadership Council, comprised of local hospital and healthcare leaders, CHAT Chairs, and community volunteers, have developed new organizational goals. Focused on the broader healthcare system, and complimenting the CHATs' local work, the group is committed to increasing awareness and promoting dialogue about regional health issues.
In June, CEOs of 6 area hospitals and directors of county Health Departments met at the Venice Yacht Club. This marked the first of a series of Leadership Project meetings to explore opportunities to improve community health. Plans are underway to bring in a national expert in community health to meet with this group and present at a community health forum in September. This project is a collaboration with SCOPE and the University of South Florida.
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New
Leadership: the CHAT just selected Connie Ellis and Amy Gilfert as new co-Chairs. They
take the reigns from Vanessa Carusone, Jack Donoghue and Sue Jodoin. Thank
you to these dedicated community members for their leadership
and hard work! The former CHAT Chairs have pledged to continue
their participation and work with the CHAT subcommittees.
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Dr. Christine Cauffield and staff from Coastal Behavioral Healthcare spoke to the North Port CHAT in April about mental health service needs in the community. In June, Mike Theall, Sarasota County Mental Health Policy Coordinator, met with the CHAT and committed to working with the group on local mental health needs. Residents concerned about the limited availability of mental health services are encouraged to attend the next CHAT meeting, August 10th. |
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Lisa Phillips of Sarasota Coalition on Substance Abuse (SCoSA) led two strategic planning sessions regarding substance abuse prevention with the CHAT. The group developed many creative strategies for engaging parents and agencies in the fight against substance abuse by young people. |
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The North Port Health and Human Services Directory is being finalized for press. Business interested in advertising in the directory should contact Tami Patzer at the North Port Sun. |
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The Englewood CHAT is approaching meetings in an exciting new way by rotating meeting coordination and leadership. This approach gets more members involved in deciding meeting content and direction and is supported by an ad hoc speakers committee and the CHAT Chairs. It's community engagement in action! In June, Mike Norton of the South County YMCA brought SCAT representatives to talk about next steps in Englewood's transportation planning, a topic being addressed in concert with the Lemon Bay League. The CHAT and transportation staff from Charlotte and Sarasota Counties agreed to work together to design and secure funding for a study of transportation needs in Englewood and North Port. |
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Englewood Helping Hand, Inc. spotlighted the CHAT in its recent newsletter, sent to more than 1000 residents in the community. Together, these two groups are working to raise awareness of Englewood residents' health and human service needs. See the CHIP website for a new CHIP summary on community needs and services in Englewood. |
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Dr. Ray James and Sam Sherron of Christian Health Ministries recently met with the CHAT to discuss the free medical care offered twice a month by volunteer providers in Englewood. The CHAT is exploring opportunities for expanding this service and possibly co-locating in the Englewood One-Stop Center. |
LOVN (Laurel/Osprey/Nokomis/Venice) CHAT
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In addition to implementing new grant-funded projects, the CHAT recently created a new subcommittee to address youth and intergenerational issues. Barbara Kochmit will chair the Youth Issues Subcommittee, which will meet for the first time on July 13th at 4:00 p.m. at the South County Young Adult Center in Venice. |
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Call for Volunteers! The LOVN CHAT is looking for individuals to help man the information desk at the new CHIP Center and to assist once a month with delivery of care packages to area residents in need. Call the CHIP office for more details. |
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Get fit! The South County YMCA, together with Goodwill Industries, encourages area residents to have fun while losing inches. The Jump Start Venice program began June 6th. Programs participants receive free fitness assessments at the South County YMCA and a scorecard to track their progress. |
The LOVN CHAT has had great success distributing copies of The LOVN CHAT Health and Human Services Community Resource Directory. Co-sponsored, printed and distributed by the Venice Gondolier Sun, in partnership with Goodwill Industries and the Sarasota County Health and Human Services Business Center, more than 30,000 copies were inserted in two editions of the newspaper. CHAT volunteers distributed another 10,000 to more than 50 area organizations and agencies. The CHAT is already planning to publish a revised edition this fall. If you would like copies of the directory, call the CHIP office.
Venice Regional Medical Center (VRMC), Peace Rive Medical Center (PRMC) and Doctors Hospital of Sarasota all recently committed to be part of the CHIP Leadership Council as well as CHIP funding partners. These organizations join the ranks of our other funding partners, including the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Sarasota County Health and Human Services Business Center, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Englewood Community Hospital and Fawcett Memorial Hospital. All of these organizations are making a significant commitment to improving the health of the community.
We welcome Melody Trimble and David McCormack, the CEOs of VRMC and PRMC, to the CHIP partnership, along with Gwen McKenzie, CEO, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and Wendy Brandon, CEO of Englewood Community Hospital. We are please that that Bob Meade, in his new role as CEO at Doctors Hospital, will continue his involvement with CHIP.
CHIP welcomes the Health Care Volunteers of Venice to the LOVN CHAT and CHIP Partnership. The former Venice Hospital Auxiliary recently contacted CHIP to learn more about key health issues in the community.
Rebecca Elliasen, Leslie Clarke and Judy Egan are representing CHIP on the Community Alliance's subcommittee on uninsured children. CHIP is collaborating with this group to sponsor a forum on the community effects of the uninsured in November.
Leslie Clarke, CHIP Project Director, and Bill Little, Director of the Sarasota County Health Department, will present on July 28th, at the annual meeting of the Florida Public Health Association (FPHA). Leslie and Bill will discuss how to engage communities in community health improvement efforts; the pair will highlight a number of examples from the CHIP project. This year FPHA is meeting in our own back yard, at the Sarasota Hyatt, July 26-29. For more information, and to register, visit the FPHA website at www.fpha.org.
Bill Little has also been invited to make a presentation about the successes of CHIP in Sarasota at the National Association of State and Territorial Health Officials/ASTO meeting in Boston, July 14th.
CHIP has a new home in cyber space! Our new Internet home, www.chip4health.org, should be easier for you to find. Visit the site to read minutes from past meetings, find out what's on the calendar and view CHIP publications and reports.
July 2005
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LOVN CHAT Youth Issues Subcommittee
4:00 pm - Venice Youth Center
August 2005
10
North Port CHAT Meeting
4:30 pm - North Port Health Park
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LOVN CHAT Meeting
8:30 am - St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Venice
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Health Systems Assessment Committee
8:30 am - Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
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Senior Issues Subcommittee (LOVN CHAT)
2:30 pm - Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
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Englewood CHAT Meeting
8:30 am - United Methodist Church, Englewood
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Leadership Council Meeting
3:30 - Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
Keep up-to-date on all CHIP events -- visit the CHIP calendar.
Questions about the Community Health Improvement Partnership?
Click here to email CHIP staff or reach us by phone at
941.861.2987 or 941.861.2582
CHIP
Sarasota County Health and Human Services Business Center
P.O. Box 2658
Sarasota, FL 34230