From: Vinnie Mascarenhas <Vinnie.Mascarenhas@seatpleasantmd.gov>
Date: Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Subject: Mayor Grant Unites Community Leaders to Establish a Federally Qualified Health Center at Prince Georges Hospital Center
To: Vinnie Mascarenhas <Vinnie.Mascarenhas@seatpleasantmd.gov>
Contact: Vinnie Mascarenhas FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. 443-942-3234
August 23, 2012
Mayor Eugene W. Grant Unites Community Leaders to Establish a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) at Prince Georges Hospital Center
On June 27, 2012 Mayor Eugene W. Grant, Founder of the Health Empowerment Network of Maryland, Inc. (HENM, Inc.) convened a Civic Association Meeting for community leaders with the express goal of increasing primary care access to vulnerable residents through the creation of a new safety-net Federally Qualify Health Center (FQHC) access point. A consensus was reached on among the civic leaders with the goal of creating a FQHC in Prince George's County, MD.
To view a copy of this important and historical Civic Association Community Leaders Meeting please click on the link below and share this important information with your community members, contact lists, post online and add to your facebook pages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDGFvtTsgf8&feature=em-share_video_user
"This is not a meeting where we will just talk about change, we will enact a plan to create real change that will affect the lives of our residents who for too long have been underserved when it comes to proper access to health care and knowledge of what health options are available to them." Stated Mayor Eugene W. Grant who continued, "Action will be taken as we are already on the right path by bringing in our partners through HENM, Inc. and our community leaders together to find resolution and work hard to obtain a Federally Qualified Health Center."
During this Civic Association Leaders Meeting Dr. Suzanne Randolph, Community Advisory Board Member at the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD PRC), provided information on the principles of community-based participatory research and the ways in which the UMD PRC is funding academic-community research partnerships to address health disparities. The City of Seat Pleasant has its own Seat Pleasant-University of Maryland Health Partnership which conducts such research.
Dr. Randolph used data from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to show that although Prince George's income level is similar (nearly as high as) regional jurisdictions other than DC, along Metro routes, Prince George's life expectancy (75 years) is more similar to Washington DC's (72 years) than to Montgomery County (80 years) or Fairfax, VA (80-81 years) counties'. After the presentation, attendees participated in a facilitated discussion to obtain their perceptions of the priority health issues for Prince George's county in a new technology of self hand held clickers, where participants could punch in their answers anonymously. In reaction to the prioritizations in the county's recent health improvement plan, participants ranked their highest priorities as "ensure that physical environments are safe and support health, particularly in at-risk communities," followed by "ensure that county residents receive the health care they need, particularly low-income, uninsured/underinsured adults and children", finally "ensure that social environments are safe and support health."
HENM, Inc. is a network of providers in Prince George's County, MD committed to the collaboration for empowering patients to self-manage their chronic conditions and improving the coordination of care across the continuum of services in our community. HENM, Inc. serves as the Community Based Organization (CBO) for advocating to the creation of FQHC in Prince George's County, MD. The purpose is to improve health care access for the most vulnerable and underserved residents of Prince George's County. Additionally, as a result of Mayor Grant's effort to convene these organizations, Civic Association Leaders have committed to work in partnership with HENM, Inc. and other community partners to begin seeking Federal funding and support that is required to establish a new FQHC access point in Prince Georges County, MD.
"As a community activist and leader for many years now I have heard a lot of talk and seen no action in the area of providing quality health care to our residents in Prince Georges County. However, Mayor Eugene Grant and the Health Empowerment Network of Maryland, Inc., through its vast system of statewide partnerships has demonstrated by taking action, and we are now moving forward on establishing a Federally Qualified Health Center in our county. It is great to finally see action being taken instead of just hearing the same rhetoric and talk. Mayor Grant is a community leader committed to action and results, and I believe his efforts will result in a much healthier and health educated Prince Georges County;" Stated Margaret White, President of the Mellwood-Waterford Citizens Association, Inc.
Additionally, HENM is mobilizing communities and taking a "hands-on" approach to tackle chronic diseases in Maryland, and has joined forces with political leaders, health care providers, health care professionals, national, state and local organizations, and existing community-based and faith-based organizations. HENM increases public awareness to support and conduct non-partisan educational and informational health and other activities; sponsors other services to strengthen the stability of the non-profit health industry sector; and educates the public about the funding needs of organizations that provide services or advocacy for disadvantaged people who are currently classified by the State of Maryland and the Federal government as Medicaid beneficiaries, or uninsured persons. HENM is working diligently to improve the health and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries. HENM is committed to improving care transitions from inpatient hospital settings into outpatient community care settings; eliminating healthcare disparities in the community; creating an online eHealth community infrastructure to improve the clinical exchange of medical data; and investing in the future of community healthcare systems, while being aware of the healthcare needs of the citizens and the public health care needs of the community.
HENM, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) designed to serve as a community-based organization (CBO) in the State of Maryland. The mission is to advance and apply technical and scientific knowledge in healthcare quality improvement and system redesign, clinical process changes, and health information technology, to empower individuals and communities to improve healthcare delivery and personal and community health in the State of Maryland. The primary purpose of HENM is to collaborate with the healthcare industry on increasing the rate of electronic health record (EHR) adoption for small physicians' offices and safety net hospitals; improve the experience of care for Medicare and Medicaid dual eligible and persons without health insurance; improve the health of all populations with a special emphasis on priority population, and reduce per capita costs of health care.
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Eugene W. Grant is currently serving his 8th year as mayor of Seat Pleasant: A City of Excellence. During his 8 years as mayor, he has successfully tripled the size of the Police Department, reduced crime by 33%, improved the infrastructure of the city, ended each year with a surplus and raised thousands of dollars for the local elementary school. Mayor Grant serves as the Chairman of the Board for Health Empowerment Network of Maryland, Inc., President of the Maryland Black Mayor's Community Development Corporation, Inc., Chief Executive Officer for Global Development Services for Youth, Inc., and a member of numerous other organizations both domestically and internationally. You can follow Mayor Grant on Twitter and Facebook.
Vinicia M. Mascarenhas
Special Assistant to the Mayor
City of Seat Pleasant
6301 Addison Rd.
Seat Pleasant, MD 20743
301.336.2600o 301.336.0029f
443.942.3234c
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Sincerely,
Sheri Betts
Acting Executive Director
Mission of Love Charities, Inc.
6180 Old Central Avenue
Capitol Heights MD 20743
Wk: 301-333-4440
Fax: 301-333-4317
Website: www.MOLCinc.org
MOLC is a nonprofit health and human services organization dedicated to meeting the immediate basic human needs of underprivileged and impoverished citizens throughout the Washington region. MOLC provides programs and services designed for short-term stability and equips individuals with skills necessary for long-term stability and growth. Mission of Love Charities, Inc. 6180 Old Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743 • 301-333-4440 www.molcinc.org  #8002  #79375 |
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