Community Health Collaborative Meets for Year-End Updates

[December 18, 2023] 

Over a dozen organizations and agencies were represented at this month's meeting of the Community Health Collaborative (CHC) at Lincoln Memorial Hospital (LMH) on Thursday, December 14. The vision of the CHC is “to create the healthiest community in the nation.” Each representative gave an update on programs and services that support health and wellness in Logan County.

Molly McCain of LMH led the meeting and began the updates with a report on the LMH Trailblazers October walking challenge. She reported that 222 walkers signed up for the challenge, and participants walked 25,508 miles, averaging 11 miles per participant. Each participant received a T-shirt and the walker with the most laps earned prizes totaling $100. A survey administered to participants after the challenge indicated that 100% said they would keep walking and 75% were more active because of the challenge. The next walking challenge will begin January 3 and continue through March 27 and take place at the YMCA on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

McCain reported that the LMH Farmer’s Market had 12,912 visitors this year with an average of 680 visits per week. SNAP sales totaled $7,528 and $10,170 was matched. Over $43,000 was spent on produce at the market this year.

This fall, area parks hosted a pumpkin smash opportunity after Halloween. Madigan State Park hosted a pumpkin smash with volunteer help from the Boy Scouts. Kickapoo Creek Park recorded 50 people in attendance and 100 pumpkins smashed. Well over 100 pumpkins avoided the landfill and, instead, were provided for wildlife to enjoy. The Logan County Parks Coalition of Madigan Park, Kickapoo Park and the Lincoln Park District meets quarterly. Their next meeting will be to plan Earth Day activities including a scavenger hunt.

The FY24 Community Health Needs Assessment is underway. Surveys are planned for February, Focus Groups for March and April, and the External and Internal Advisory Committees will meet in May and June. A review of the Assessment will take place from July to September, and then in September the Results and Priorities will be compiled. The Assessment will be publicly available in October. The top ten issues to address are student mental wellness, then poverty, child abuse, overweight in adults, low income, homelessness, teen substance use, cancer, school climate, and domestic violence. Identified Gaps in Services include transportation, workforce, housing, healthcare providers, homeless shelters, and safe housing. McCain is collecting sites for the focus groups planned for March and April.

The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) is working on wrapping up a portfolio review of Logan County initiatives and targeted populations. Their next step is environmental scans of resources, advertising, alcohol outlets, and smoke shop density. SUPC partners are planning a bowling party scheduled for February 4 from 12:30-2:30 at Logan Lanes. A new Youth Survey is scheduled for this spring. The next SUPC meeting is January 11 at 9 a.m. at LMH.

The Breastfeeding Promotion Coalition support group is still active though attendance has dropped since Obstetrics closed at LMH.

Collaborative Partner Updates

The Youth Mental Health Coalition/Butterfly Project has initiated a text campaign with a variety of features starting with high school populations first. They plan to talk to high school administration and set up student focus groups. Small work groups are also to be set up. February 5 at 11:30 a.m. is an all-county meeting which will be a training on the Cycles of Risk in Poverty. Their next meeting is March 18 at 9 a.m. The Butterfly Project has a small waitlist, so they are hiring a new therapist and a new caseworker.

Junior Achievement of Central Illinois attended the CHC meeting for the first time. Their mission is to inspire young people to succeed, and their work is supported by metrics. They work with K-12 and partner with teachers. Their programs look at self-efficacy and self-belief and bring in community mentors during school hours, as well as after school and summers. Their programming is free to schools and covers topics such as financial literacy and work and career readiness. In Logan County, they are hoping to reconnect with schools since the pandemic, and are currently working with Chester-East Lincoln.

WIC is taking steps to begin working with Headstart to reach more families and get the families healthier foods.

Heartland Community College has a peer support recovery program. They are also looking for a CNA instructor to be able to continue the program in Lincoln. Heartland currently has 60 students on campus, but 200 countywide.

Gateway Foundation has a new site opening in Bloomington in February and in Peoria in May.

Chestnut Health System representatives provided updates on their Prevention Education programming. They are wrapping up teaching in schools for this semester. The 7th grade at Lincoln Junior High School is scheduled for next year. Alcohol prevention materials have been dropped off at schools. Chestnut has a vaping campaign with tables and handouts and they are printing a banner. The local website for finding all manner of resources is live at www.logancountyresources.org. ROSC members are wanting to increase stakeholders at meetings. They are also working to learn about other resources that they can utilize and partner with.

Logan County Health Department has flu shots available and RSV vaccines for adults. Vaccines are available by walk-in from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. every day. The Health Department also has free Narcan, fentanyl test strips and xylazine test strips available to the public. The boxes are refilled every week.

Senior Life Solutions IS planning an open house.

Fire Chief Bob Donovsky confirmed top concerns of the Community Health Needs Assessment as mental health, drug abuse, and obesity. He also confirmed the list of community gaps in services. He talked about the federal government mapping Overdose and Narcan use, but mentioned that the Overdose map seems to be becoming less useful because of home Narcan use, which is not recorded. Donovsky is retiring after 40 years. Aaron Ty Johnson is taking over as the new fire chief.

The SIU Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program has an educational program that goes to elementary schools. Their 30 minute program covers helmet, booster seat, and seat belt safety. The high school team goes to driver’s education classes and talks about alcohol and drug abuse. They also provide car seat education in hospitals and car seat checks in the community at health departments and at car dealerships. They worked with LCHS and Lincoln Fire Department to present a car crash reenactment before prom this past spring. Lincoln has car seat checks available at the Health Department.

Memorial Behavioral Health is publicizing crisis information and numbers like 988 which can be used for call, text, or chat. 988 now answers calls and texts in 150 languages and added ASL this year. They have also added a veterans-specific line and LGBTQ+ line geared to young adults. The call volume has gone up, but Logan County is a little low in comparison to other counties. There are materials available that are free for publicizing 988.

Memorial Behavioral health has therapy and case management. They have mobile crisis response particularly for emotional crises that can prevent a trip to the ER unless needed. The goal is getting those in crisis into routine services. Engagement calls to talk about services are also available. Memorial Behavioral Health serves Logan and Mason counties through the state.

Starting January 1, every school is required to have Narcan (naloxone) on the premises. The fire chief noted that just because Narcan may be expired does not necessarily mean it will not work. He recommended not throwing away an expired Narcan until a replacement was available. Some schools are placing Narcan in every classroom, although that is not a requirement of the new law.

The Community Health Collaborative meets quarterly on the first Thursday of the month at LMH. The meeting dates for 2024 are March 7, June 6, September 5, and December 5.

[Stephanie Hall]