Health Briefs

The organizations receiving the Foundation support are: Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region to create a substance abuse prevention education program for staff and mentors; David’s New Day to help people who are transitioning out of treatment to a safe place where they can continue their recovery; Pathways To Housing PA to enhance community based-based services for people with substance use disorders. The Moyer Foundation to replicate in North Philadelphia the community-based Camp Mariposa prevention model which helps youth who are experiencing addiction in their families and the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia to support a new Opioid Prevention and Treatment Project that will address opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction in North Philadelphia.

Since launching STOP in August 2016, the Foundation has provided more than $600,000 in funding to advance research for hospital-based overdose survivor “warm handoff” programs, and raise public awareness for safe medication disposal, opioid abuse prevention, and treatment programs.

AmeriHealth Caritas (Del.), Nemours CHS sign contract

AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware and Nemours Children’s Health System have signed an agreement that will give AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware members access to Nemours’ internationally recognized hospitals, physicians, and other health care services and facilities. AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware is a managed care health plan serving Delawareans using Medicaid and long-term services and supports.

AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware members will be able to receive care from the following Nemours-affiliated locations, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington; 12 Delaware primary care clinics located throughout the state and Nemours specialty care locations throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, including the Nemours Urgent Care center in Glen Mills, Pa.

PHMC completes acquisition of Wordsworth

Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has successfully completed its plan to acquire Wordsworth Academy (Wordsworth), a nonprofit organization providing education, behavioral health, and child welfare services to children, adolescents, and families. The acquisition was effective on Jan. 1.

PHMC will align Wordsworth’s programs, which include two Community Umbrella Agencies, foster family care programs, behavioral health programs and Wordsworth Academy, into PHMC’s existing business enterprise to ensure the continuation of critical services to populations and communities in need.

On Dec. 18, 2017 the United States Bankruptcy Court entered an order that confirmed Wordsworth’s bankruptcy plan with an effective date of Jan. 1. This action allowed PHMC to complete its acquisition and formally align the Wordsworth organization into PHMC’s family of programs and subsidiaries.

HUD awards $1.3M to renew support to APM

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced $1.3 million has been awarded to Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, Inc., commonly known as APM, to assist low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia. This funding is offered through HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS Program and will be used to continue providing 30 households with Tenant-Based Rental Assistance and supportive services. Additionally, APM will assist 30 households with permanent housing placement services annually. The majority of program participants are low-income/homeless Latino persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Mercy Health recognized as Pioneer in Quality

Mercy Health System was recently recognized as a data contributor by The Joint Commission’s 2017 Pioneers in Quality program. Mercy Health System earned this designation for its contributions to electronic clinical quality measure data for quality improvement in healthcare. All three of the organization’s hospitals—Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital and Nazareth Hospital—were recognized.

The Joint Commission established the Pioneers in Quality program to assist and recognize hospitals that report eCQM data and share best practices in gathering, analyzing and leveraging data. Sharing data allows hospitals to electronically collect and transmit data on the quality of care patients receive. Hospitals use the electronic data to measure and improve care processes, performance and outcomes. Out of 3,200 healthcare organizations, the Pioneers in Quality program recognized 480 for commitment to submitting and sharing data about patient care.

Temple Lung Center program gets designation

The World Association for Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) and the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) have designated the Temple Lung Center’s specialized sarcoidosis program as an official WASOG Sarcoidosis Clinic. Temple is the only institution in Pennsylvania, and one of only 27 in the world to earn this designation. The designation provides formal recognition of Temple’s commitment to meeting the needs of sarcoidosis patients and efforts to keep abreast of the ongoing advances and findings in sarcoidosis treatment and research.

WASOG only recently began designating select programs as “sarcoidosis clinics” and plans to begin designating sarcoidosis “centers of excellence” in the future.

PCA hosts educational workshops

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) will host “Help Yourself to Health,” a free series of chronic disease self-management education workshops, on Wednesdays, now through Feb. 7. The weekly workshops will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at PCA, 642 North Broad St. Based on the nationally renowned Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program and coordinated in Philadelphia by PCA, the program helps older adults with chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, learn how to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Workshops help participants find better ways of dealing with pain and fatigue; discover easy exercises to help improve or maintain strength and energy; learn the importance of healthy eating; communicate more effectively with family, friends, and health professionals; and gain self-confidence and skills to manage their health conditions.

For information and to register call (215) 765-9000, ext. 5119 or email diane.brown@pcacares.org.

— Compiled by Ayana Jones