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SubscribeFour local nonprofit organizations have received Mayor’s Healthy Hometown mini grants totaling $33,000.
The recipients are the Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED); Girls on the Run of Louisville; the Metropolitan Housing Corp.; and 2NOT1 Fatherhood and Families Inc.
“Each of these grass-roots organizations are providing compassionate care and services to improve the health and quality of life of the people they serve,” said Mayor Greg Fischer.
Dr. Joann Schulte, director of Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness, said 19 applications were received.
“A panel of representatives from the community reviewed the grants and based awards on the organizations’ abilities to impact the city’s Healthy Louisville 2020 focus areas of Healthy Homes and Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies, Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, Mental and Behavioral Health, Obesity Prevention, Social Determinants of Health and Substance Abuse Prevention,” she said.
Since 2005, the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement has awarded more than a half million dollars in grants to more than 100 community groups. To learn more about Healthy Louisville 2020, our shared community plan for improving health in Louisville, go to www.healthylouisvillemetro.org.
Organizations receiving the grants are:
Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED)
$10,000
AMPED is a free youth program that provides a safe and productive environment for youth to explore their creativity through music. AMPED will use its grant for “MENAISSANCE,” a program that reintroduces high school males to reading and the power that it holds for their future success. They are assigned challenging novels to read, and then taught to break it down, analyze it, and draw themes that relate to their lives. After completing the novel, they began the creative process of writing spoken word, poetry, song, or rap. They parallel and contrast the novel characters’ lives with their own and develop creative pieces. Next they document their work using audio, video and photography. In AMPED’s on-site recording studio, the students learn about audio engineering, photography and video documenting.
$6,650
Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running. It is a 10-week program for 50 girls from Title 1 elementary and middle schools during the 2016-2017 school year. The girls engage in twice-weekly lessons, for a total of 30 hours of programming, following the professionally developed Girls on the Run curriculum. They will discuss topics such as peer pressure, bullying, positive body image, nutrition/hydration, and stress management. The girls will also engage in running and other physical activities, and by the end of the program they will be physically and emotionally prepared to complete the Girls on the Run Louisville 5K run. This provides the girls with a framework for goal setting and achievement in the future. Additionally, the girls will learn the importance of regular physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices, which are crucial to their future health and wellness.
Metropolitan Housing Coalition
$6,350
For many families living in older homes, lead is an invisible danger. Children who are exposed to chronic low-level lead poisoning may show no single sign or symptom, but lead poisoning in children is often linked to poor school performance, lower IQ, greater incidence of ADHD and other behavioral issues. Yet, children living in these older homes could be protected if these hazards were identified or eliminated. The Metropolitan Housing Coalition’s “Get the Lead Out” program enlists community groups in low-income neighborhoods to teach parents how to detect lead hazards in their homes. By helping fund this project, we can help provide parents the tools and information they need to identify lead hazards in their home and correct them.
2NOT1 Fatherhood and Families, Inc.
$10,000
2NOT1 Parent advocates are those who have successfully worked through the child protection system and have taken on the task of providing support to birth families currently working with Child Protective Services. The goal is to assist the families in meeting CPS determined goals to either prevent removal of their children or successfully return them to the home from foster care. Advocates provide extended support and resources to birth parents in courts, schools, and various institutions and systems of care. By bridging the gap between CPS case worker, birth parents and foster families, Advocates help achieve case closure in less time. These mentors, formerly engaged in the child welfare system themselves, assist and encourage birth parents in maintaining a connection with their children. Advocates participate in team decision making processes, assist with development of family action plans, and encourage parent participation. Advocates become engaged within the first 90 days of an active CPS case and work with the family until case closure or at the request of the parents. Mentors help parents reduce stress by helping them to understand their rights and the CPS system in terms parents can understand. Advocates help case workers in identifying the family’s strengths and needs and support the family in times of crisis.
Currently, about 84,000 Kentuckians have a current QHP purchased on the exchange.
Here are “five things to know” about the move from kynect to healthcare.gov.
Transition facts:
We expect a smooth transition to healthcare.gov. People should be aware that kynect is not health insurance, it is a website. This transition changes the web portal people use to enroll. Healthcare.gov is used now in nearly 4 out of 5 states. Kentucky will save at least $10 million each year in operating costs by making the switch.
People should also be aware that there is less competition/choice for plans this year and premiums are increasing on the exchange by more than 20 percent. Regarding plan choice, people should know that this transition to healthcare.gov did not affect plan choice. All insurers made the same offerings regardless of the enrollment website selected, which are the same as in prior years. However, the instability created in the exchange markets by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has caused insurers to pull out of the exchange markets across the country, and we saw that here in Kentucky. If they did not pull out, they adjusted for the risk with substantial rate increases. Cost increases were not driven by the transition to healthcare.gov.
Here are some key points for Kentuckians to know:
- Nothing changes with 2016 coverage. Plans are still valid through Dec. 31, 2016.
- Beginning Nov. 1, 2016, Kentuckians who qualify for a Qualified Health Plan need to apply and enroll at HealthCare.gov for 2017 coverage.
- Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for 2017 Qualified Health Plan coverage is from Nov. 1, 2016 to Jan. 31, 2017. You must enroll by Dec. 15, 2016 for coverage to begin Jan. 1, 2017.
- If a person is enrolled in 2016 with an issuer that will not be offering plans in 2017 on HealthCare.gov, the enrollee will have more time to choose a plan for 2017 due to a Special Enrollment Period for Loss of Minimum Essential Coverage.
- Kentuckians can only get the tax credit, called APTC or Advanced Premium Tax Credit or a Cost Sharing Reduction that helps cover out-of-pocket costs by enrolling through HealthCare.gov.
- The Medicaid program and application process have not changed. If a person is enrolled in Medicaid, they do not need to do anything until their renewal/recertification date. If someone is Medicaid eligible, he/she can apply anytime during the year.
- The kynect call center (855-459-6328) is still here to help direct Kentuckians where to go for coverage. The call center will help prescreen for program eligibility and can assist with Medicaid applications. The call center can also help with questions and information.
- HealthCare.gov customer service call center can be reached at 800-318-2596 and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Where to apply
Kentuckians who have applied for or enrolled in coverage through kynect are receiving notices in the mail about the transition. These notices explain the transition and directs them where to go and what to do for 2017 coverage. Postcard reminders with relevant dates and helpful information are sent every three weeks to remind them to enroll and guide them through enrollment.
Beginning Nov. 1, the kynect website will serve as a landing page and offer detailed messaging and direction on when and where to apply. The kynect customer service contact center can assist with questions, prescreening eligibility, and Medicaid applications. When consumers call kynect they will hear a special message with information about changes for 2017. Their number is 855-459-6328.
Media advertising and events are planned to begin throughout the state to inform the public of where to go to apply and enroll.
The HealthCare.gov website has messaging in place for Kentucky residents as well as messages through their phone system. The HealthCare.gov customer service call center can be reached at 800-318-2596 and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The kynect Customer Service call center can assist with questions, prescreening eligibility, and Medicaid application at 855-459-6328.
There are specially trained groups that can offer in person assistance in every county. Kentuckians can search for an insurance agent or application assister (formerly called kynectors) who can work with them in person or over the phone to answer questions or get assistance with the application and enrollment process.
Kentuckians can use the “search” function on the kynect website or they can call Customer Service to help them find someone in the consumer’s area who can help them.
HealthCare.gov customer service call center can be reached at 800-318-2596 and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
HealthCare.gov targets:
While there has been plenty of media around the transition throughout the year, the most focused use of our resources has been a targeted campaign to contact people who have used kynect to purchase QHPs in the past. Only about 2 percent of Kentucky’s population purchases a QHP in a given year, so targeting resources to this group and doing it in the final month leading up to open enrollment and continuing through open enrollment is the most effective use of resources. These are strategies the state used effectively to re-enroll people after the Kentucky Co-Op collapsed and left 51,000 without insurance. Here are some of the targeted outreach activities:
- Targeted notices to Kentuckians explain the transition and steps enrollees or applicants need to take for 2017 coverage.
- Postcards will be mailed every three weeks during open enrollment to remind Kentuckians to complete the enrollment process on healthcare.gov.
- Issuers are also sending notices to their enrollees to notify them of changes and next steps.
- Insurance agents and application assisters have advertising tool kits for education and outreach efforts.
- Agents and assisters were provided a list of all their QHP enrollees for outreach.
- Social media messages will offer direction and information.
- Targeted advertisements will be placed on social media platforms.
- Text messaging and email campaigns will be sent to enrollees.
- Display advertising will be placed around the state.
- Radio spots will run in various markets.
You can also expect to see press releases with details for the general public leading up to open enrollment and continuing throughout with key dates.
Also, from an internal standpoint, additional training and technical assistance has been given to assistors or kynectors and agents so they can navigate consumers through the process. KOHBIE conducted eight forums throughout the state for stakeholders. Locations and dates were Sept. 20, Northern KY; Sept. 22, Frankfort; Oct. 3, Owensboro; Oct. 4, Paducah; Oct. 7, Louisville; Oct. 10, Morehead; Oct. 11, Prestonsburg; Oct. 13, Somerset.
Agents, navigators, advocacy groups, and other interested stakeholders attended these forums which were designed to inform and educate participants about the transition, the FFM processes, available trainings and resources (both federal and state level) and allowed for a question and answer period with KOHBIE staff. Again, we think this will help these groups to work with the public through open enrollment.
KOHBIE is hosting two webinars a week on different subjects to prepare agents and all assister types for the transition. Additional webinars will continue to be held on various topics as needed.
kynectors are application assisters:
Kentucky has a contract with the same organizations for assistance as in previous years and we expect similar levels of assisters as in previous years. Some volunteers and workers for these organizations are still in the process of completing training for HealthCare.gov and state training; therefore, we do not yet have the firm number of participating assisters for 2017. We are confident our assister agencies will have the ability to provide the same exceptional service.
kynectors are now called application assisters. Every county in Kentucky is served by a contracted organization for in-person assistance. kynectors have a very active outreach program that includes sign up events, advertising, and education opportunities. They will continue to be very active in the communities they serve. To contact an application assister, Kentuckians can use the search function on the kynect website or call the kynect customer service contact center.
All notices that were mailed to applicants and enrollees explaining the transition included contact information for the Application Assister or Insurance Agent of record.
It is worth noting that consumers cannot apply in the wrong way or place. For example, if an application is started in benefind but is QHP eligible, it will transfer to the federal marketplace. If a consumer submits an application to HealthCare.gov, it will be entered and if found potentially Medicaid eligible, it will be transferred to the state for eligibility determination. Same customer service number and websites are still here to help answer questions and direct people to the right place.
The rate of fatalities on Kentucky’s roadways is increasing in 2016, according to preliminary numbers from the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS). As of Oct. 24, there were 640 fatalities – 29 more than at the same time last year.
“With only two months left in the year, we are encouraging drivers to take responsibility for their driving behaviors,” said KOHS Executive Director Dr. Noelle Hunter. “More people are traveling our roadways, which might explain the fatality increase; however, it does not explain why people are not making safe decisions behind the wheel.”
Of the 640 people killed on Kentucky roadways so far this year, 238 were not wearing seat belts, 110 died in crashes involving alcohol, 90 occurred due to speeding, 154 were a result of driver inattention and 59 were pedestrians. Motorcyclists accounted for 81 fatalities, 50 of which involved a rider not wearing a helmet.
Roadway fatality numbers are increasing nationwide as well. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2015 marked the largest increase in traffic deaths since 1966. Preliminary estimates for the first half of 2016 show an increase of approximately 10.4 percent, compared with the number of fatalities in the first half of 2015.
“Recent roadway tragedies have put highway fatalities and injuries back in the headlines, but it is what we deal with on a daily basis,” said Hunter. “It is our goal to bring highway safety awareness to all Kentucky motorists and support law enforcement in their effort to remove anyone from the roadway who is endangering the lives of others.”
The KOHS distributes federal grant money to state and local law enforcement agencies for enforcement and awareness campaigns throughout the year. The “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign occurs yearly through the Memorial Day weekend, and the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign occurs through the Labor Day weekend and again during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday.
“Contrary to popular belief, officers are not required to write a specific number of tickets,” said Hunter. “It’s not about a quota – it’s about saving lives.”
According to NHTSA, more than 90 percent of crashes are due to driver error. Also according to NHTSA, one of the most effective countermeasures in reducing highway traffic fatalities is creating general deterrence through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public awareness. When the perceived risk of getting caught by law enforcement goes up, the likelihood that people will engage in unsafe driving behaviors goes down.
For more information, visit http://highwaysafety.ky.gov.
By: Jill Scoggins, UofL Academic Communications
A University of Louisville faculty member has been tapped for leadership roles with the world’s largest organization of professionals who provide psychosocial services to people with cancer and their families and caregivers.
Tara Schapmire, Ph.D., has been elected president-elect of the Association of Oncology Social Work. Her three-year term begins in January 2017 with one year as president-elect, followed by one year as president and the final year as past president.
Also elected as Director-at-Large are Jane Dabney, a certified oncology social worker in the Blood & Marrow Transplant program at The Cleveland Clinic; and as Education Director, Chelsea Kroll, an outpatient social worker with the East Alabama Medical Center.
“AOSW is honored to welcome such well respected and experienced oncology social workers to its Board of Directors,” AOSW President Alison Mayer Sachs said. “We are grateful for the participation of our members in the election process, which reinforces AOSW as a recognized leader in support of oncology social work professionals.”
About Tara Schapmire, Ph.D.:
Schapmire is an assistant professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Palliative Care and Medical Education of the Department of Medicine. She also is on the faculty of the Kent School of Social Work.
As a long-time oncology and palliative care social worker, Schapmire’s research interests include psychosocial care of cancer survivors and their families, gerontology, health disparities, communication and cancer, caregiver issues, palliative care, survivorship, end of life care and interprofessional education.
She is co-investigator on a Health Resources and Services Administration grant aimed at development of an interdisciplinary gerontology curriculum for learners in medicine, nursing, social work, dentistry and pharmacy. As a co-investigator on the $7.5 million Kentucky LEADS Collaborative, she and her team are dedicated to reducing the burden of lung cancer in Kentucky and beyond through development, evaluation, and dissemination of novel, community-based interventions to promote provider education, survivorship care prevention and early detection regarding lung cancer. Her past research includes a National Institutes of Health grant focused on development of an interdisciplinary oncology palliative care curriculum for schools of medicine, social work and nursing and chaplaincy residency programs and an American Cancer Society-funded study of emotional distress in older adults with cancer.
Schapmire has been involved in the interprofessional education, research and service efforts of the School of Medicine. She also has taught classes in the Kent School since 2008, most notably in the master’s degree program and the psychosocial oncology specialization, in addition to other master’s level practice and research classes.
Schapmire is a past national board member of the Association of Oncology Social Work and vice president of the American Clinical Social Work Association. She is a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the Social Work Academy of the National Academies of Practice and has received the AOSW/American Cancer Society Leadership in Oncology Social Work Award. She also is a past recipient of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine’s Research Scholar Award and the American Cancer Society’s C.A.R.E. Award for service to people with cancer and their families.
Citing a suicide rate that is higher than the national average, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods and several community partners announced a suicide prevention summit on Nov. 9-10 that aims to champion “Zero Suicide” as a community goal, while educating citizens and community leaders, and arming them with the tools and resources necessary to reach that goal.
“The number of suicides in our community is tragic and unacceptable,” Mayor Fischer said. “Our Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods is working closely with the Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness and other members of the Louisville Health Advisory Board to get at root causes and find solutions to avoid such senseless losses.”
The first day of the summit includes keynote conversations with suicide survivor Kevin Hines, and activist Becky Stoll. Hines will share his compelling story and talk how community transformation can truly be the difference between life and death (http://www.kevinhinesstory.com ). Stoll, part of the national Zero Suicide initiative (http://zerosuicide.sprc.org/), will engage attendees in a conversation about achieving this bold goal in Louisville.
The summit’s second day includes Mental Health First Aid Training for 250 adults to create an army of people able to intervene on behalf of adults and youth in our community. This nationally recognized eight-hour course helps those trained to identify, understand and respond to signs of addiction, mental illness and suicidal ideation.
Organizers hope to engage 250 community leaders in the discussion, including clinicians, educators, social service providers, non-profits, faith-based organizations and anyone concerned with the health and well-being of our residents.
“One suicide is too many. Embracing the goal of Zero Suicide is another visible step in continuing to make Louisville the most compassionate city,” said Kelley Gannon, COO of Seven Counties Services and co-chair of the Suicide Summit steering committee.
Organizers are seeking donations and sponsorships for the Summit so attendance can remain free. Various investment opportunities are available; please contact Kelley Gannon at (502) 589-8615 ext1305 or via email kgannon@sevencounties.org for sponsorship information.
The Bold Moves Against Suicide Summit will take place at Spalding University November 9 and 10. To register: Click Here
Beginning one week from today Kentuckians will use healthcare.gov, instead of kynect, to purchase a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) during the 2017 open enrollment period. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) expects a smooth transition to healthcare.gov. The move to the federal exchange simply changes the web portal Kentuckians will use to enroll and is projected to save more than $10 million per year in operating cost once transitioned.
“Health insurance is a vital piece of maintaining health and wellbeing,” said Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson. “We want to make sure Kentuckians interested in purchasing a qualified health plan know where to shop. Anyone with questions or who encounters difficulty with enrollment is encouraged to contact a call center for assistance.”
The call center for the state exchange is available at 855-459-6328 to assist Kentuckians with questions about where to go for coverage. The call center can help prescreen for program eligibility and help with questions and information. The HealthCare.gov customer service center is also available. It can be reached by calling 800-318-2596. The healthcare.gov call center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Glisson and CHFS officials noted that nearly four out of five states now use the federal exchange for QHP enrollment. Like the old state-based exchange, the federal site requires the creation of a user account and a completed online application. Insurance can start as soon as Jan. 1, 2017, but Kentuckians will not be able to register or shop for plans until Nov. 1.
While the process for enrollment will not differ greatly, consumers will notice some changes to the amount and types of plans available for purchase in 2017 due to the decision by some insurers not to participate in the marketplace.
“People should be aware that there are fewer choices for plans this year and premiums are increasing on the exchange more than 20 percent,” said Sec. Glisson. “Cost increases were not driven by the transition from kynect to healthcare.gov. They are merely the reality of the current volatility in insurance markets as insurers react to the burdensome requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Many Kentuckians enrolling through healthcare.gov will qualify for Advanced Premium Tax Credits, which should greatly offset some of the cost of the plans.”
Kentuckians who have previously enrolled in health insurance through the state’s exchange will receive a notice by mail and/or email with details about changing to healthcare.gov. Postcard reminders with relevant dates and helpful information will be sent at regular intervals with guidance about the enrollment process.
“Only about two percent of Kentucky’s population purchases a QHP in a given year, so targeting resources to this group and doing it in the final month leading up to open enrollment and continuing through open enrollment is the most effective use of resources,” continued Secretary Glisson.
In recent months, CHFS staff has been engaged in numerous efforts to prepare for the transition from kynect to healthcare.gov. A series of eight forums were held in cities throughout the Commonwealth. The forums provided information about the transition from kynect to healthcare.gov for various stakeholders. More training and technical assistance is also being offered to assistors – previously known as kynectors – who contract with the state to provide information and help Kentuckians with enrollment assistance.
During the open enrollment period, CHFS has planned targeted outreach to QHP enrollees, including digital and radio advertising, social media messaging, text and email messaging campaigns and outreach to news media. Agents and assistors will also receive a toolkit prepared with information to assist with the transition to the federal site.
Meanwhile, the Medicaid program application process has not changed. Medicaid members may enroll throughout the year and re-enroll in accordance with their own specific re-certification schedule. Medicaid-eligible residents can apply anything by using benefind which has a pre-screening tool to help determine if a person is eligible for Medicaid or a QHP.
If a consumer submits an application to healthcare.gov and the applicant is determined to be eligible for Medicaid then the application is transferred to the state’s benefind system for eligibility determination. If the resident is determined to be eligible then benefind, the integrated system for all entitlement programs, will notify the participant and communicate next steps that need to be taken.
“It’s important to remember that kynect was not insurance. It was a website used for enrollment. Consumers should know that they cannot apply for coverage in the wrong place,” concluded Sec. Glisson. “During enrollment, the kynect website will be maintained as a landing page that will provide consumers with detailed information on how to apply and redirect appropriately, whether that is purchasing insurance at healthcare.gov or enrolling in Medicaid with benefind.”
Consumers still in need of coverage for the remainder of 2016 can enroll through the state exchange, kynect.ky.gov. Certain life changes, such as having a baby or losing coverage, have to occur to be eligible to enroll now. All 2016 plans end Dec. 31 regardless of when enrollment occurred.
Proposals to build or enhance excellence in the areas of big data, metagenomics and social justice will receive up to $2.25 million in funding over the next three years as part of the University of Louisville’s 21st Century University Initiative.
The proposals, which include nearly every school and college at UofL, were selected after an intense, months-long process that included internal and external review.
The chosen proposals are:
- Big Data Analysis in Medicine – developing new models and learning approaches to analyze and integrate multiple data types to aid clinicians in early diagnosis and identification of high-risk patients for human diseases and disorders
- Program in Metagenomics and Health – identifying potential links between social determinants, microbiome and the prevalence and prognosis of select diseases
- Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research – establishing a niche area of excellence in social justice transdisciplinary research while better coordinating the university’s existing research and creative activity in this area
As part of the 21st Century University Initiative, UofL sought to enhance programs that show potential to address critical or emerging issues of national significance and that will help define the university as a national leader in these fields. Proposals also had to be interdisciplinary; be innovative and socially significant; provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate research; and include financial support from the departments in which the proposal originated.
“We were pleased with the quality and quantity of proposals,” Acting President Neville Pinto said. “These three proposals clearly stood out as emerging areas in which we can play a lead role on a national level. Also important, faculty and students from every corner of the university will have the opportunity to play a role in their success.”
Each proposal will receive up to $250,000 per year for up to three years. Principal investigators will submit annual reports on the programs, which will be used to assess their development and determine future funding.
The full reports are available at http://louisville.edu/graduate/news/winning-proposals-from-our-internal-rfp.
