1) Meet the 2022 Community Health Heroes
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Three local individuals are being recognized at a luncheon today (November 7th) by FDRHPO and North Country Health Compass Partners as the recipients of the 2022 Community Health Hero award. One Health Hero was chosen in each of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. This year’s Community Health Heroes are:
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The Community Health Hero award – given in honor of National Rural Health Day (November 17, 2022) – recognizes North Country residents who have demonstrated outstanding public service and a commitment to improving the health and wellness of their community. Nominations were accepted from the community-at-large, and winners were selected by members of the North Country Health Compass Partners.
Here's some background on each of the recipients:
James "Jay" Moore, RN
Jay is an outstanding individual who continues to be involved in community service, demonstrating a sustained commitment to the St. Lawrence County community. As the Emergency Department Nurse Manager at Gouverneur Hospital, Jay oversees a department that treats approximately 7,500 patients per year. His efforts significantly contributed to Gouverneur Hospital's #1 ranking in New York State, and #43 ranking in the US for social responsibility. Stakeholders and leaders across the St. Lawrence Health System continually benefit from Jay’s “system-ness.” He is a dynamic leader who shares best practices and encourages other leaders across county hospitals to strive for excellence.
As the Fire Chief of Morristown’s Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co., Jay is the Chief Executive Officer of the Fire Department, appointed by and responsible for the effective, efficient, and legal conduct of the fire department and its membership. As a Nurse Manager, Fire Chief, and Community Leader, Jay embodies the three core competencies that speak to the qualifications of this community award: quality, safety, and enhanced quality of life. He does so while consistently promoting a culture of diversity, respect, equity, and inclusion. (From Jay's nomination by Jeremy Slaga, President, Gouverneur Hospital.)
Bob Mackenzie, AEMT-P
After 20+ years in the trucking industry (13 as Safety and Maintenance Director), Bob Mackenzie changed careers to become a paramedic. He gained experience as a volunteer EMT through the fire service, and in 2012, became Lewis County’s EMS Coordinator and then in 2014 became Director of Fire and Emergency Management. Bob is seen at or involved in most every call that comes across the entire county … day or night. He is always available to help in any capacity within his many areas of expertise, including fire chief, fireman, paramedic, or teacher. His calm and resolute demeanor lead the way through many calls. Bob is a CPR instructor, Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Liaison Officer, Amish subject-matter expert, and provides those courses to other volunteer organizations on his own “free time” while continuing to train the fire service and local representatives. Simply put, he is a competent, knowledgeable, generous, kind, and patient individual who is an inspiration to his coworkers and fellow volunteers. (From Bob's nomination by Jessica Skiff, Human Resources Director at Lewis County Health System.)
Anthony Coles, MSW
As a Crisis Outreach Worker, Anthony goes above and beyond his job description for the greater good of our community. In his everyday job, Anthony responds to individual crisis calls made to our 24/7 hotline. He makes himself available and follows up with each individual, post crisis, to ensure their continued well-being and triage into continued services as needed. Anthony works closely with each client to help them address barriers and navigate their path to wellness. He volunteers his time offering transportation services, as requested, to ensure community members have access to needed services. On or off the clock, he assists individuals in their pursuit of housing, food, and other fundamental resources, and spends much of his remaining time volunteering at community events, leading coping skills workshops, participating in the Jefferson County Suicide Prevention Coalition, and the VA Suicide Coalition.
His compassion for others and generous efforts have made a substantial impact on many lives throughout the county. Wherever he is, at any moment, there always seems to be an individual whose life was made better through Anthony’s efforts. He never backs down from a challenge or misses an opportunity to help his community. (From Anthony's nomination by Diane Zikowitz, Manager of Community-Based Services, Children's Home of Jefferson County.)
For more about National Rural Health Day, visit https://nosorh.org/calendar-events/nrhd/.
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2) Primary Care Engagement Roundtable Event
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On September 21st, FDRHPO Deputy Director Pat Fontana and NCI Deputy Director Joanna Loomis presented about two quantitative and qualitative research projects that were designed to help identify and address barriers to healthcare access and patient engagement. This presentation was part of the 2022 North Country Leadership Summit hosted by Adirondack Health Institute and Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization. To watch their presentation, click HERE.
In follow-up to the presentation, FDRHPO and NCI hosted an in-person partner roundtable on October 18th around the theme of “Primary Care Engagement: Social Determinants of Health & Incorporating Patient Perspectives.” Twenty-five regional primary care partner staff were trained in Bridges to Health & Healthcare (which applies Bridges Out of Poverty concepts to healthcare settings), learned what Medicaid- and Medicare-insured individuals from around the region shared in focus groups related to primary care access and experiences, and identified actionable strategies to implement within their practices to enhance their work with low-income and under-resourced populations. This project will culminate in a final report that FDRHPO and NCI look forward to sharing with stakeholders across the region and state later this year—stay tuned!
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3) Job Skills Training for High School Juniors & Seniors
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FDRHPO is pleased to announce an upcoming job skills training for high school juniors and seniors to help prepare them for employment opportunities. Full details are outlined in the flyer below, and registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Deadline to register is November 11th.
Please help us spread the word about this unique opportunity for students preparing to enter the workforce. Share it among your colleagues and friends, especially if they have students in grades 11 & 12. Thank you!
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To improve access to important rehabilitative services, a new service array called Community Oriented Recovery and Empowerment (CORE) Services is now being offered. Local community organizations are providing these services to eligible community members in their homes, community, or wherever is most convenient. For more information about CORE services, service providers, and who is eligible, please see the flyer below. We encourage you to share this flyer in your community, healthcare facility, or through social media.
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1115 WAIVER AMENDMENT WEBINARS
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NCI and FDRHPO hosted three webinars in October to provide clinically-integrated network partners with an overview of New York State’s proposed 1115 Waiver Amendment, which the State submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on September 2, 2022. The content was the same for each webinar. If your organization did not attend but would like to review the slides, please click HERE. The State’s submission triggered a 30-day federal public comment period which ended October 19th. NCI and FDRHPO submitted a joint comment letter and continue to monitor related developments as they unfold. If you have any questions regarding the waiver, please contact NCI Deputy Director Joanna Loomis at (315) 755-2020 x31 or jloomis@northcountryinitiative.org.
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NOVEMBER TELEHEALTH COLLABORATIVE
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The North Country Telehealth Partnership will be hosting the November Telehealth Learning Collaborative as follows:
"Healthcare Staffing Challenges Post COVID"
November 21st
2:00-3:00 pm
Register HERE
The featured presentation is titled "Healthcare Staffing Challenges Post COVID," presented by Mike Maffei, Founding Partner and President of AlediumHR, and Peter Caplan, Founder and Managing Consultant; eHealth Systems & Solutions.
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VIRTUAL CME/CE CONFERENCE
FOR RURAL CLINICAL PROVIDERS
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The Rural Health Clinical Congress is hosting a virtual live CME/CE conference for rural clinical providers. Please click on the link below for more information. Feel free to share this opportunity with your providers!
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LEADERSHIP SUMMIT RECORDINGS
NOW AVAILABLE
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2022 North Country Leadership Summit presentation recordings are now available. To view all conference presentations, please visit https://ahihealth.org/2022-north-country-leadership-summit/
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