Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Category: Health Care

  • Prism Health North Texas acquires Community Dental Care of Texas

    Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX) announced it will acquire the assets of Community Dental Care of Texas. The move will help expand the mission of both entities to create access to affordable healthcare for people living in the greater Dallas area.

    Community Dental Care is a non-profit dentistry practice that works to close the gap in access to affordable dental care for North Texans of all ages.

    According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, more people are unable to afford dental care than any other type of healthcare. In 2015, the percentage of people in the United States with no dental insurance was 29 percent and 62 percent for older adults. Over 40 percent of low-income and non-Hispanic Black adults have untreated tooth decay. Among PHNTX’s current patients receiving medical care at one of its health centers, only 16 percent have evidence of at least an annual dental examination in the past year.

    By integrating dental and medical care under a single community health organization, both important needs can be better resourced and managed. The organization will operate under the Prism Health North Texas brand, and the PHNTX Board of Directors will become the single managing board. The change will build PHNTX’s strategic vision towards improving health for more people throughout North Texas.

    All services, locations, and staff currently operating with CDC will migrate to PHNTX.

    Both organizations receive major funding from Ryan White grants. Both also receive unique funding which the organizations say will synergistically will form even greater support and resources for a wider variety of individuals in the greater Dallas area.  

    “CDC has an incredible legacy of providing critical dental care for so many people here in Dallas,” says Dr. John Carlo, CEO of PHNTX. “We look forward to continuing this important work and build together an even bigger safety net of healthcare services.”

    Prism Health North Texas opened services in 1986 during the HIV/AIDS crisis in North Texas, through an initial grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Formed as AIDS Arms Network out of the Communities Foundation of Texas, PHNTX for the past 35 years has served the critical role of connecting people living with HIV to care and services in the area.

    PHNTX evolved to be a nationally recognized leader in delivering high-quality HIV and sexual health services, most recently expanding services to address the alarming rise in sexually transmitted infections in Dallas County and North Texas. Roughly 30% of people living with HIV in North Texas receive medical care and support at one of the four health centers.

  • AWARE announces honorees and grant recipients

    AWARE, a charitable entity dedicated to fighting Alzheimer’s disease in Dallas and the greater North Texas area, recognized two community leaders with awards at a fundraising gala on April 8. 

    Dr. Cindy Marshall received the Amy Osler Spirit of Education Leadership Award and Myrna Schlegel was honored with the Founder’s Spirit Award at the 2022 Soaring to New Heights Fighting Alzheimer’s event.

    Dr. Marshall is the founder and medical director of the Baylor AT&T Memory Center and has a special interest in treatment of the memory, mood and behavioral problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease. She is the co-author of The Common Sense Guide to Dementia for Clinicians and Caregivers, and has an additional book chapter in press.  

    Myrna Schlegel, R.N., L.L.D., is a registered nurse, past president of AWARE and past board member of the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Dallas Chapter, National Alzheimer’s Association, and the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute. Recognizing Myrna’s passion for nursing and elder care, AWARE established the Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Award Fund in 1999 in her honor. These scholarships have enabled students specializing in dementia care to pursue their studies with financial support from the Schlegel Fund. 

    The fund has grown to close a half a million dollars.  Schlegel’s dream is to keep growing this fund to an endowment so more students throughout North Texas can benefit.  AWARE Dallas partners with Myrna Schlegel on the fund. The Myrna D. Schlegel Scholarship Award is given to nursing students from Baylor, Texas Woman’s University and Texas Christian University to further their studies in the field of gerontology, especially dementia.

    Mari Epperson and Sharon Ballew chaired the Soaring to New Heights Fighting Alzheimer’s gala, and William C. Seanor served as presenting sponsor. The event was held at Star Skyline Hangar at the Braniff Centre and included a cocktail reception, live and silent auctions, a seated three course-dinner and entertainment.         

    Honorary chairs were Lee Roy and Biddie Jordan. Honorary chairs emeriti were Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Kim and David McDavid, Jr., Ellen Terry with her daughter, Amy Terry Kriegel and son, Todd Terry. Media sponsors were Modern Luxury Dallas and Senior Resource Guide.

    AWARE provides funding and support to programs, projects, and research provided by nonprofit organizations that actively helps individuals affected by Alzheimer’s. It is a component fund of The Dallas Foundation. In partnership with the Foundation, AWARE conducts an annual grant review process. 

    The 2021-2022 Grant Recipients are: 

    Baylor Scott & White Foundation, CASA DE VIDA, Center for Brain Health at UT Dallas, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society, Dallas Museum of Art, Educare, For Love and Art, Jewish Family Service, Juliette Fowler Communities, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Stomping Ground Comedy, The Senior Source, Texas Health Resources, Texas Winds Musical Outreach, The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University, The University of Texas Foundation for the Callier Center, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Visiting Nurses Association of Texas, Wilshire Baptist Church, and the Myrna D. Schlegel AWARE Scholarship Fund.

  • Mommies In Need launches podcast

    Mommies in Need has announced the debut of a podcast that will address issues in the childcare, healthcare and nonprofit spaces. 

    Culture of Caring with Natalie Boyle will premiere May 2. Hosted by Mommies in Need Founder and CEO Natalie Boyle, the podcast will tie-in elements of fun and education to every episode. Among the initial episodes, topics will include authenticity, compassion, innovation, collaboration and being extraordinary.

    The only nonprofit of its type in the nation, Mommies in Need seeks to improve access to healthcare by removing lack of childcare as a reason to miss preventative, general, and emergency appointments. The organization, which was founded in 2014, cares for kids so their families can access healthcare, primarily servicing patients of Parkland Hospital in Dallas while they receive medical treatment. 

    Children are welcomed to Annie’s Place, a childcare facility at 2131 Butler Street that opened in November of 2020. Care is also offered for children of emergency room patients, the siblings of children receiving medical care, and in-home care for families in need. 

    Culture of Caring with Natalie Boyle will be available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or anywhere podcasts are available. The first episode is now available online.

  • Gender-affirming clothing swap and Trans community support services headline April event

    It’s no secret that the Trans community in Texas continues to face challenges and discrimination even as the LGBT community has made significant strides towards public acceptance. Many Trans people face financial, emotional, and social hurdles on their transition journey, usually including access to healthcare and gender-affirming clothing.

    In honor of National Transgender HIV Testing Day on April 18, Prism Health North Texas is working to meet two of those challenges with TRANSform Your Closet, an event held at the organization’s Worth Street Health Center on the Baylor University Medical Center Campus on Saturday, April 23.

    Local Transgender individuals are invited to join the PHNTX Project Connect team for a free clothing swap, HIV testing and information about Prism’s healthcare services, and refreshments from 2 to 6 PM on April 23. 

    Those interested in attending may RSVP and share information about their clothing needs and preferences here. The Worth Street Health Center is located at 4004 Worth Street in Dallas, the event will be held on the second floor. 

    According to research by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is estimated that approximately 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender. Of those 1.4 million individuals, transgender women are at high risk of exposure to HIV, especially transgender women of color. PHNTX healthcare providers will be facilitating free HIV tests, as well as providing information about access to PrEP and other healthcare during the April 23rd event. 

    “Preventative HIV care is important for the Trans community not only because Trans women are at a higher risk of acquiring HIV, but because there is so much stigma around both HIV and the Trans community,” PHNTX Behavioral Intervention Services Team Lead Feliz Ruiz said. “Everyone, no matter how or who they identify as, needs to have access to all forms of healthcare no matter what. In addition to access, the healthcare setting needs to be a space where they feel comfortable, safe, and confident to access the services they need, including hormone therapy, HIV/STI testing, or PrEP. I am excited for this event in hopes that it gives individuals of Trans experience a chance to see what options they have for preventative services, ask all the questions they want to ask, and connect with their community and its allies!” 

    Held at the PHNTX Worth Street Health Center on the Baylor University Medical Center Campus at 4004 Worth Street in Dallas, the organization invites attendees to bring their own new or gently used clothing items to exchange with others, while also making use of the donated supply of clothing provided by PHNTX.

    “For individuals of trans experience, having nice, gender affirming clothing is a part of you stepping into a new season of you. As you are embracing who you are even more, an item of clothing can change everything, it can make you feel better and it can make your life be uplifted,” PHNTX Policy, Advocacy, & Community Engagement Coordinator Sattie Nyachwaya said. “As a community accomplice, PHNTX needs to always be there waiting with resources like for this community as they have been stepped on and overlooked so many times.”

    “Trans individuals exist, and they thrive,” Nyachwaya added.

    About Prism Health North Texas:

    Prism Health North Texas opened services in 1986 during the HIV/AIDS crisis in North Texas, through an initial grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Formed as AIDS Arms Network out of the Communities Foundation of Texas, PHNTX for the past 35 years has served the critical role of connecting people living with HIV to care and services in the area. PHNTX evolved to be a nationally recognized leader in delivering high-quality HIV and sexual health services, most recently expanding services to address the alarming rise in sexually transmitted infections in Dallas County and North Texas. Roughly 30% of people living with HIV in North Texas receive medical care and support at one of the four health centers. 

    PHNTX is committed to providing healthcare for all North Texans in a non-judgmental and affirming environment. The organization strives to remove the barriers that prevent any individual from accessing quality healthcare. PHNTX stands for health equity, especially for marginalized populations including people living with HIV, LGBTQIA+, and ethnic minorities. Every individual has the right to affordable, accessible health care and the opportunity to attain their highest level of health.

  • New short-term residential treatment program opens for youth with disabilities

    Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Texas recently launched a new short -term residential treatment program at its League City campus for autistic youth.

    The program, which also serves youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), is based on Devereux’s Short-Term Autism Intensive Residential Services (STAIRS) model. It provides intensive treatment for youth with severe behavioral challenges and skills deficits who have not responded to treatment in traditional community-based or residential settings.

    The STAIRS model was developed at Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Intellectual and Development Disabilities Services Center.

    “We are incredibly proud of the positive outcomes achieved through STAIRS with a majority of our youth showing a decrease in the frequency of challenging behaviors and an improvement in functional communication skills, and we look forward to achieving similar outcomes in Texas,” said Devereux Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical/Medical Officer Yolanda Graham, M.D.

    Devereux Texas’ new residential program serves youth, ages 8 to 17, with:

    • Autism spectrum disorder
    • Moderate to severe intellectual disability
    • Moderate to severe communication and adaptive behavior skills deficits
    • Behavioral challenges that require intensive supervision and support
    • Other disorders are considered case-by-case, based on adaptive, communication, behavioral, and educational needs.

    Devereux Executive Director of Autism Services Todd Harris, Ph.D., who helped develop the STAIRS model and has been providing training and support to Devereux Texas team members throughout the implementation of the new program to ensure fidelity, says there is a significant demand for these types of services.

    “Many children and adolescents with autism and psychiatric and behavioral health concerns are served successfully in their homes with community supports,” said Devereux Executive Director of Autism Services Todd Harris, Ph.D., who helped develop the STAIRS model. “However, about 10 to 15 percent of these individuals demonstrate serious behavioral disorders that require expert and intensive treatment. Traditional residential treatment facilities frequently struggle to support the treatment needs of this challenging population. Our STAIRS model addresses those needs to help individuals thrive.”

    Individuals enrolled in Devereux Texas’ new residential program receive comprehensive clinical services and support. The goal of the program is to help youth achieve:

    • Maximized self-sufficiency
    • Improved ability to complete everyday tasks independently
    • Opportunities to build social connections with support in an environment based on inclusion and respect for individual variability
    • Behavior change built on individual strengths with treatment oversight from a Board Certified Behavior Analyst

    Devereux is one of the largest and most advanced behavioral healthcare nonprofit organizations in the country.

  • NAMI North Texas now offers dedicated help for first responders

    NAMI North Texas (National Alliance on Mental Health) announces it has launched the Overwatch Peer Support Program (OPS Program), which provides no-cost support services for first responders and frontline healthcare workers outside their work environment.

    The new initiative was created in response to the Frontline Wellness Initiative being implemented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It was developed in cooperation with Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and One Tribe Foundation. The program, which is the first of its kind in North Texas, is led by fellow peers who have gone through support training with NAMI North Texas. It will be offered at locations throughout the DFW metroplex and surrounding areas.

    “When you look at the numbers, it is undeniable that first responders and frontline healthcare workers need support,” said Christopher Payne, LCSW, Program Director at NAMI North Texas. “The OPS Program was created to mitigate the pressure and trauma so that first responders and frontline healthcare workers can stabilize their lives and regain a sense of normalcy.”

    Suicide rates among first responders are higher than line-of-duty deaths. Prior to COVID, various research studies show a 50% to 150% greater risk of suicidal behavior in first responders and frontline healthcare workers than in the general public. With the impact of COVID, these numbers are believed certain to rise.

    Founded in 1982, NAMI North Texas is a chartered affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Serving Dallas, Collin, Denton, and Rockwall counties, NAMI North Texas provides at-no-cost advocacy, education, support, and public awareness for individuals with mental illness, as well as for their families.

    Participants can register for the OPS Program online.

  • School officials receive after- suicide training

    The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation (JEHF) hosted What to Do After a Suicide Postvention conference on March 25. The event was specifically designed for Texas school administrators, counselors, psychologists, school resource officers, mental health partners, and other school or district staff members involved in suicide postvention.

    JEHF is a nonprofit providing suicide prevention training and education services in North Texas. It was created after the 2012 suicide of Jordan Harris, a young woman from North Richland Hills who was in her senior year at the University of Michigan. Harris was high school valedictorian, a National Merit Scholarship winner, a tireless volunteer, and a compassionate champion of those less fortunate. She suffered from a brief bout of depression and ended her life without warning, leaving her family and friends to wonder if they could have done more to save her life.

    At the conference, Dr. Gregory Hudnall, Founder of Hope Squad, discussed the latest research and information on youth suicide and provided suggestions on how to best respond to a school crisis. Dr. Hudnall has trained over 60,000 individuals in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. He has been the “Team Leader” of a state-wide crisis team for over fifteen years.

    Conference attendees received guidance on topics such as home visits to victim families, steps to handle the school-day after a suicide, dealing with social media, how to handle the funeral and on-going survivor grief. Small group role plays helped participants learn and apply many postvention techniques. CEU’s were provided.

  • Foodie fundraiser dishes out $300K for KidLinks

    The 12th annual Symphony of Chefs event benefiting KidLinks was held on Feb. 28 at the Armstrong Fieldhouse at Southern Methodist University. The annual fundraiser generated $300,000 to support the organization’s mission of linking kids to healing, hope and happiness through music and media.

    An Hors d’oeuvres reception was held in the Miller Ballroom featuring Executive Chef Salvador Ordaz from Savor by Samir Catering. The Booker T. Strings Trio added musical ambiance to the room, as a nod to the heart of the KidLinks mission. 

    TV personality, chef, award-winning host, and creator of Dinner Reinvented, Roni Proter served as emcee. Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse Executive Chef John Kleifgen and Monarch Restaurants Executive Chef Eric Dreyer served as Honorary Chef Chairs for the event. Event co-chairs were Christina and Chase Sanders and Lisa and Stuart Sides. 

    Award winning, Auctioneer Morgan Hopson conducted a live auction of private dining experience packages from Chef Gorgi of Gorji Restaurant, private chef Rami Rassas and Monarch Restaurants Executive Chef Eric Dreyer. A paddle raise was also conducted to procure donations for KidLinks programs. Guests enjoyed a 5-course culinary experience with a personal table chefs and received a thank you gift of the 2022 Symphony of Chefs cookbook, which included a recipe from each participating chef.

    KidLinks has developed Therapeutic Music Entertainment, giving patients and families in hospitals, classrooms, and homes everywhere digital access to healthy and entertaining musical content. Funds raised from the event go to the development of this digital content as well as KidLinks’ music therapy programs. The organization has served more than 400,000 kids and caregivers over 40 years by providing healthy, positive and therapeutic music through a library of songs, in-hospital performances and professional music therapy services. 

  • Major funding available from The Hearst Foundations

    First time grants of $75,000 for general operating support are available from The Hearst Foundations.

    Nonprofits with audited expenses more than $1 million are eligible to seek grants in the fields of culture, education, health and social services. There are no deadlines and proposals are accepted year-round.

    The Foundations have a preference for program grants. Endowment grants are considered in cases where organizations have existing endowments with the Hearst Foundations and a track record of strong performance and consistent stewardship.

    Requests go through an evaluation process that generally spans four to six weeks. The process includes proposal review, financial analysis and team discussions. For those organizations being considered for board approval, a site visit (virtual or in-person) and further due diligence will be conducted. The board meets to approve grants in March, June, September and December. The average time from proposal submission to grant award is six months.

    Funding limitations include seeking support for festivals, tours, conferences, workshops or seminars, as well as seeking support for advocacy or public policy research. The Foundations do not fund special events or seed money for startup projects.

    All applications must be submitted via the Hearst Foundations’ online application portal.

  • New program aims to address Hispanic suicide

    The ramifications of the pandemic have been widespread, but it has had a disproportionate negative impact on mental health within the Hispanic community. The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, a nonprofit providing suicide prevention training and education services in North Texas, is working to change that trend by offering evidence-based suicide prevention training in Spanish.

    In the past few years, while there has been a slight decrease in suicide rates nationally, suicide rates in the Hispanic community have continued to rise. The highest rates of suicide among this group are college and career-aged Hispanic young adults.

    The Foundation’s Spanish-language training addresses the three steps needed to save a life from suicide: Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR). It also discusses suicide data, myths and facts, and suicide warning signs.

    The training is designed to help individuals learn how to begin the conversation and help someone who is at risk of suicide. It will be provided in a virtual format and free of charge to the community thanks to underwriting from businesses and donors.

    Training dates and times are available online.