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Needs, Inc. hosts second Health Help Day
Cheyenne, WY
Health Help Day 2008 was conceived and organized by a former Needs, Inc. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Given that women usually put the needs of their children and significant other before themselves, the day was dedicated to meeting the needs of female Needs, Inc. clients. The premise of the program is to connect the family gatekeeper of health (generally women) to important health safety net services. The Health Help Day team contends that as these women take care of themselves, they are better equipped to function in the working world as well as take care of the ones they love.
The project was developed in collaboration with several agencies including: Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Laramie County Centralized Pharmacy, Laramie County Community College, Wyoming Department of Family Services, Wyoming Department of Health, and the Wyoming Quit Tobacco Program.
Prior to the event, clients were pre-screened by the client services coordinator in order to determine which programs were the most appropriate for their health needs. Appointments were then scheduled and clients were given an Appointment Reminder Card indicating their appointment times and the appropriate documentation required for certain application processes. The Health Help Day pilot project took place on October 10, 2009 at the Needs, Inc. agency from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
The number of scheduled appointments (19) and actual number of clients that showed up and were served (18) indicates that the event was successful in its recruitment. In a follow up survey of the partner programs, of those reporting there has been a 75% enrollment rate!
Both partner and client feedback was enthusiastic with requests to repeat the event again. With the help of a grant from the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, the next Health Help Day will take place on Friday, May 15th. Several new programs and agencies will partner with returning programs and agencies to create an even larger and more beneficial event. New partners that will be at the May 15th event include the Cheyenne Community Clinic, Cheyenne Health & Wellness Center, and Healthy Families Succeed.
It is anticipated that the event will be even more successful in getting female clients connected to health safety net services.
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