Health Access Meeting Minutes: | March 14, 2007 | February 14, 2007 | January 10, 2007 | November 8, 2006 | October 11, 2006 | September 11, 2006 | June 5, 2006 | March 8, 2004 | January 12, 2004 | August 11, 2003 |
Health Access Committee March 8, 2004
Present: Robin Cleveland, Ron O’Connor (via phone), Ana Silva, Martha Gonzalez, Donalda Silva, Elizabeth Connelly-Sylva, Bob Heskett, Stephen Lopes, Carrie Blankenburg, Alice Melo, and Jean DeCoffe.
Topics Discussed:
Attendance – Robin thanked the new faces at the table for attending, and hoped that this was a start to increasing Health Access membership.
Panel Development – This meeting was to be the start of looking at developing a panel to present promotion of healthier lifestyle issues through the life span (birth – elderly), which at the last meeting was tentatively to be held in April. With a broader spectrum of people at the table, the discussion led to more thought on a possible series of panels to cover each age group after first looking at the health issues that encompass all the age groups as the first session. A consideration was also made to have some of our consumers talk about what it is like for them to access health care, programs, and boundaries they may be experiencing for Health Access to address in the panel discussions. The group is looking to cover our Health and Human Services Coalition service area, which includes Dartmouth to Wareham.
Some ideas that were mentioned are:
Early Prenatal Care
Teen Pregnancy (Wareham’s rate)
Adolescent Health
Nutrition (eating healthy on a limited income)
Next Meeting:
April 5 at 8:30 am at New Bedford Family Planning, 651 Orchard St. #100
Topics: Attendees are asked to bring with them a topic they would like to see presented in the forum and a possible presenter of the topic.
Health Access Committee January 12, 2004
Present: Robin Cleveland, Ron O’Connor, and Jean DeCoffe.
Topics Discussed:
2003 – The Year in Review:
1) It was noted that we started to see a small increase in the attendance at our meetings in the earlier part of the year, but for the mid to late meetings attendance again dropped off. In part it may have been related to the severe budget cuts that many programs had this past year, in others it may be lack of interest.
2) The one project that was attempted – compiling a list of providers who would see clients on a sliding fee scale, or fee for service basis due to people losing health insurance coverage was not completed due to lack of response as to known service providers. The providers that were noted were New Bedford Family Planning, Women’s Health Network, and the changes of MassHealth and recently since the first of the year Children’s Medical Security Plan. It was noted that this was still something the group would be willing to compile if we became aware of other providers.
2004 – New Year/New Goals
1) It was again noted that we needed to increase and retain membership to the Health Access Subcommittee. Ideas to rejuvenate the group was to have a workshop or roundtable discussion of what focus oriented issue people feel may need to be looked at by the subcommittee. And also to have the GNBHHS staff person, make calls to the agencies that were previously active in the meetings, find a contact person and personally invite them to the next meeting.
2) Some ideas that were mentioned to get the subcommittee more focus oriented were: Access to Reproductive Health, Drug Problems, Nutrition – Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Insurance Issues, Local Health Access Issues due to Language and Transportation Barriers and America’s Promise.
3) Lastly, it was noted that the Subcommittee chair would further discuss 2004 ideas with Bethany Toure, Chairperson of GNBHHS Coalition for input and support.
Next Meeting: February 9,2004 at 9:15 am at New Bedford Family Planning, 651 Orchard St. #100
Topics: Revitalization of the committee and development of 2004 focus.
Present: Robin Cleveland, Peter DeGroof, Kerri Mello
Southcoast has an outreach program that
includes a phone number to
call for health program information. They promote this and numbers for
various public programs in a media campaign each fall. It includes
billboards, bookmarks and pamphlets. Billboards are the most effective.
Southcoast will also distribute these items through the schools.
The members of the committee were supposed to bring that kind of information
to this meeting but many are on vacation.
They will be contacted by Email and asked for contributions to a resource
"sheet". This will list the minimum criteria for a given program, the
benefits in a brief description and a phone number or web side or address
that can be contacted to apply for that program. The resource "sheet" can be
distributed to any and all agencies/providers that could benefit from it.
Southcoast is anticipating the campaign to occur at the end of September
Southcoast could post the "sheet" on their website. They will be meeting
with the New Bedford school dept. nurses and would pass it on to them.
The Attorney General's office has a google type search engine that is a
health issue resource.
At Thursday's meeting regarding the funding to the New Bedford and Fall
River CHNA, a joint meeting between the committees was suggested. Peter will
be attending the Fall River health access meeting when it occurs in
September. A meeting of the Fall River and New Bedford CHNAs and committees
should take place at the legislative breakfast in October.