FAITH COMMUNITY: KEY PARTNERS FOR AND IN PUBLIC HEALTH

FAITH COMMUNITY:KEY PARTNERS FOR AND IN PUBLIC HEALTH STEPHANIE BAILEY, MD, MS DECEMBER 2005, APHA

OBJECTIVES • WHY PARTNER • THE POWER OF PARTNERING • ISSUES ENCOUNTERED

…IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD….

Renaldo, age 11, 6th grade • Mother killed at age 6 • Father lives in East Tennessee • 3 cousins in household

Amanda, age 8 • Mother on disability • Old brother, age 17, in jail • Older sister, age 15, pregnant • All three children have separate dad

Keisha, age 6, 1st grade • Dad incarcerated • 5 siblings, older teenage sister has a baby

Raphael, age 10, 4th Grade • Mother incarcerated • “waited all day to talk to mentor, wanting only to tell her about seeing his sister being shot the night before” • Expelled at end of school year (someone said something about his mother)

Thomas, kindergarten • Crack baby • Kicked out of school for attacking teacher

Courtney, age 5, kindergarten • Mother incarcerated • Aunt raising 7 children, none are hers

Jackie, age 12, 4th grade • Family has been put out of MDHA • Was in room when uncle was shot • Has been raped • WHEN SHE GROWS UP…. ……………she wants to be a doctor

Incarceration • Handicaps • Violence, truancy, suspensions • Mixed families • Failure (academic) • Needing and/or wanting attention • Lack of tools • Adult indifference • Low self-esteem

END POINT • TO ELIMINATE DISPARITIES • TO IMPROVE HEALTH STATUS • TO HAVE HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES • ______________________________ • REQUIRES: THIS PARTNERSHIP

THE POWER OF PARTNERING • Bridges to Care: • More than 26,000 uninsured persons enrolled and linked to medical homes • Filled >83,000 prescriptions = > $1m • Assisted > 2000 to enroll in TennCare • Referred > 500 to mental health; >200 for A&D services • Provided >2000 transports to the doctor

….partnering • All ten Davidson County Hospitals have agreed to provide diagnostic, outpatient and inpatient hospital services free of charge to BTC Plus patients • >300 specialists and primary care physicians have agreed to treat >3500 BTC patients over the next year for $10 per visit

…..partnering • TWO CLINICS, AS MEMBERS OF THE CONSORTIUM, ARE FAITH-BASED • THE SISTERS OF ASCENSION HEALTH SYTEMS THROUGH ST. THOMAS HOSPITAL – started two additional clinics in areas of need • AS TENNCARE DISENROLLED TENNESSEANS……..TYING NASHVILLE TOGETHER (TNT)

…..partnering • CREATING A NEEDLE EXCHANGE/HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM IN NASHVILLE, TN, 1994 • BIBLE BELT • CHURCH ON EVERY CORNER • SAVED BY METROPOLITAN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH

….partnering • DEVELOPING REGIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINE PUBLIC HEALTH TEAMS, 1998 • BUDGET CUTS TO DEPARTMENT EACH YEAR BY THE THEN MAYOR • BUDGET SAVED BY COMMUNITY • “MOTHER OF HEALTH”

….partnering • NASHVILLE, 1999, NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION IN RATES OF SYPHILIS • STIGMA IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY • “STDFREE” • FEBRUARY 14, 2000, “LOVE SERMON”

Nashville’s Current Syphilis Epidemic Control Efforts

WHY PARTNER WITH THE RELIGION AND CHURCHES?

WHETHER FOR…… • INFANT MORTALITY • SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES • TO DECREASE THE BURDEN OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE/STROKE • DIABETES • A PRAYER

THE THINGS LISTED ON THE CHURCH BROCHURE • WHEN TO CALL YOUR PASTOR: • SOMEONE SERIOUSLY ILL • PERSONAL PROBLEMS • DEPRESSED OR DESPONDENT • FAMILY PROBLEMS • A BABY IS BORN • WORRY OR ANXIETY • THINKING OF GETTING MARRIED • ETC…

#1 – IT MAKES SENSE, INTUITIVELY, AND ECONOMICALLY! #2 – IT APPEALS TO OUR SENSE OF FAIRNESS! #3 – IT GIVES US A WIDER LENS #4 – IT FUELS OPTIMISM

ISSUES THAT GET IN THE WAY……. • MISTRUST OF THE GOVERNMENT • SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE • FAILURE TO THINK SYSTEMICALLY • THE TOPIC • “THERE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH MONEY” • POLITICAL POSTURING

…..continue • THE SCIENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DOLLARS • FAILURE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE COMMON GOAL

“He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.” Nietzsche

IN CONCLUSION • WHAT DO I WANT YOU TO THINK? • WHAT DO I WANT YOU TO FEEL? • WHAT DO I WANT YOU TO DO?

FAITH COMMUNITY: KEY PARTNERS FOR AND IN PUBLIC HEALTH