Dallas Morning News reports that Paul Quinn College if now offering free walk-up testing for Covid19
Category: Health Care
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Baylor Scott & White to furlough 12,000 employees across Texas
The Austin American Statesman reports Baylor Scott & White continues to reduce pay and furlough employees as demand for non-essential procedures continues to decline.
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North Texas Area Community Health Centers Receive Emergency Grant
FORT WORTH, Texas, May 21, 2020 – North Texas Area Community Health Centers (NTACHC) today announced an infusion of $49,400 in emergency grant funding from the medical aid organization Direct Relief, in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers.
NTACHC was among 518 federally qualified health centers to receive funding this week through Direct Relief’s $25 million Covid-19 Fund for Community Health, which recognizes the profound effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the finances, services, staff and patients of community health centers.
North Texas Area Community Health Centers will use the funds to take care of its patients who are experiencing symptoms related to Covid-19 at its Southeast Community Health Center. This strategy allows NTACHC to keep its other two locations open. Gerrie Whitaker, NTACHC chief executive officer, said, “Separating the location for the testing and care of these patients has allowed us to care for all of our patients, no matter what their needs.”
“Access to primary care is what keeps people healthy and out of the hospital, and the frontline work of North Texas Area Community Health Centers and other nonprofit community health centers across the U.S. is more critical than ever with the onset of Covid-19,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “Direct Relief is doing everything possible to bolster the work and support the staffs at the safety-net health facilities on which so many patients and their families rely for excellent care and trust for advice in this public health emergency.”
Nearly 30 million (1 in 12) of the country’s most vulnerable residents – including 1 in 3 individuals living in poverty, 1 in 5 Medicaid beneficiaries, and 1 in 9 children — rely on federally qualified health centers like North Texas Area Community Health Centers for their health care. That number is expected to rise as more people lose employer-sponsored insurance.
“We are grateful for this critical and immediate support as Community Health Centers work hard to keep communities safe during an unprecedented pandemic,” said Tom Van Coverden, President & CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). “We are also deeply appreciative of our longstanding partnership with Direct Relief in these uncertain times and their efforts to ensure that health centers confronting multiple challenges in underserved communities have the resources when and where they need them. We know that many donors and contributors have helped to make this fund possible, and we further extend our appreciation to all of them.”
Ms. Whitaker added, “We are appreciative to Direct Relief for this generous grant that will help us continue to provide accessible, compassionate and quality health care to those who need it, especially cases related to Covid-19. Our doors are open, and we are here for our patients and any new ones to get them the medical treatment that they need.”
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Southwest Transplant Alliance partners with First Baptist Medical Center to expedite organ donations
Dallas News reports a 50% drop in organ donations during April, greatly increasing those on the wait list for a life-saving organ. Nonprofit Southwest Transplant Alliance found a way to cut through the red tape without disrupting hospitals across North Texas.
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Susan G. Komen Dallas & Fort Worth affiliates likely to be downsized
An interview with CEO Paula Schneider on NBC DFW, reveals a major consolidation by the Susan G. Komen breast cancer organization, that includes absorbing affiliates like the ones that serve North Texas. This decision was underway prior to Covid-19 but accelerated due to the impact of the pandemic.
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Grant Halliburton Foundation Offers Mental Health Resources for Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic
(DALLAS) With the country rolling out social distancing measures due the coronavirus (COVID-19), North Texans are facing a new reality that may prove to be stressful for some people. Fear and anxiety about the pandemic can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in children, teens and adults.
Cami Fields, LMSW, director of outreach and education at Dallas-based nonprofit Grant Halliburton Foundation, offers tips and resources for children, adolescents and adults coping with this challenging time during the shelter-in-place orders:
Tips for Coping (children and teenagers):
· Take a break. Our society is inundated by information overload – the COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated that. Find time in your day to put your phone down and stop consuming news and information about the virus. You need some time away from it to breathe.
· Connect. It can be hard to nurture your relationships when you aren’t seeing your peers anymore. This is where the beauty of social media and the internet can be so wonderful! Check on your friends, have a virtual dinner date, chat about what shows you’ve been watching – don’t put your friendships on the backburner; you need each other now more than ever.
· Find joy. During a time of so much uncertainty and stress, find small things that bring you joy. This could be going for a jog, painting, drawing, writing, singing, playing music, doing yoga, making videos, or anything else that you enjoy. These positive outlets cannot be underestimated; sometimes when you least “feel like” doing them, is when you need them the most!
· Speak up. If you are overwhelmed and unsure of how to feel better or stop worrying, talk to a trusted adult about how you’re feeling. Oftentimes, expressing your emotions and talking about how you feel makes you feel better even when the situation or problem hasn’t changed. You don’t have to feel what you feel alone.
· Sleep. It can be hard to make your sleep a priority. There are countless distractions and barriers to getting good sleep, but it can be a huge factor in your mood, emotional stability, and positive thinking. Start a nighttime routine that you do every night to alert your body that you are about to go to sleep; this can include things like washing your face, drinking a glass of water, doing a 5-minute meditation, putting your phone away, or lowering the lights.
Tips for Coping (adults):
· Create routines. So much is out of control and unpredictable right now. Strive for consistency and predictability where you can in your home.
· Validate feelings. It is easy to try to make someone feel better by saying, “at least…” comments or trying to put a silver lining on things. Sometimes our kids need to be able to express themselves and be validated that what is going on is hard and it is okay to feel what they feel.
· Model healthy stress relief. Show your kids that even when times are hard, you can use positive activities to relieve your stress. Don’t try to hide your worry – be honest with them about how you are feeling but show them positive ways to manage it. More is caught than taught.
· Connect. During a time of social distancing and quarantine, it is more important than ever to nurture your connections and have a support system. Don’t underestimate the power of checking in on someone and letting them know you care.
· Self-care. We all know that you must put on your own oxygen mask first before you can help someone else. Don’t expect yourself to do everything for everyone and neglect yourself. Take some “me time,” do something you enjoy, replenish your energy.
Additional North Texas Resources:
Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line
972-525-8181
granthalliburton.org/navlineCreated by Grant Halliburton Foundation, the free Navigation Line is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The helpline assists individuals of all ages in finding the appropriate mental health and addiction resources, including Telehealth options. The Navigation Line will remain open during the pandemic. Spanish language assistance is also available.
Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Pandemic Resources Page
granthalliburton.org/pandemicresources
This page includes other mental health websites, helplines, information about the virus and articles on how to cope. It will be updated as the pandemic continues.
Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Resources for Teens Page
This page includes websites, podcasts, apps, and crisis lines that are all relevant and safe for teens.
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UNT Health Science Center lends volunteers to help community response to Covid-19
UNT Health Science Center’s reports that 168 UNTSHC students and faculty are expanding the capacity of Tarrant County Public Health Information Line to respond to community concerns regarding Covid – 19.
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UNT Health Science Center researching Covid-19 treatments
WFAA reports UNTHSC is working with others in the stem cell field in hopes for a treatment to covid-19.
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James L. West Center for Dementia quickly issues toolkit to offer covid-19 guidance for patients and caregivers.
Through their Facebook page, James L. West quickly packaged relevant toolkit to assist dementia patients and their caregivers during this Corona Virus pandemic.