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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 

October is domestic violence awareness month. This month was first instated as domestic violence awareness month in 1989. It is important to spread awareness of domestic violence and educate everyone on this topic in hopes to aid in its eventual elimination. 

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as "...the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, economic, and emotional/psychological abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence varies dramatically."

Here is a domestic violence awareness month toolkit from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence  for 2021.

OACHC hosted "Project Catalyst Domestic Violence Health Center Training" in July of this year. Be sure to check out our blog post covering the event as well as the additional handouts included in the training blog. In addition, be sure to check out OACHC's webpage on Project Catalyst here. 

Here are some key points that our staff at OACHC would like to highlight:

• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men have experienced severe intimate partner violence in their lifetime, including physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking.
• The CUES Intervention (Confidentiality, Universal Education and Empowerment, and Support) helps to educate all patients on the health risks of intimate partner violence. OACHC has developed an example workflow for health centers to model and standardize universal education outreach to patients.
• Survivors of domestic violence are eligible for Special Enrollment of Medicaid
• Be sure to use this toolkit to implement confidentiality policies protecting patients and staff who have survived violence, to provide universal education on the health risks of DV, and to refer patients who need support to DV advocates.

It is important this month as well as every month to help spread awareness about domestic violence. Please see the additional attachments below for more resources on this topic.

Additional Attachments

• Ohio Statistics on Domestic Violence
• How the U.S. Department of Justice Commemorated DVAM
• Fundraising for DVAM during COVID-19
• A Proclamation on National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, 2021

October is Mental Health Awareness Month

Every October is Mental Health Awareness Month. An important part of Mental Health Awareness is workplace mental health. According to Mental Health America, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of mental illness among adults was on the rise. In 2017-2018, 19% of adults experienced a mental illness, an increase of 1.5 million people over last year’s dataset. According to Harvard Business Review, almost 60% of employees have never spoken to anyone at work about their mental health status. Mental Health conversations are becoming more normalized in the workplace and spreading awareness will help eliminate the mental health stigma. 

According to this CDC Mental Health and Stress in the Workplace Information Toolkit, Poor mental health and stress can negatively affect employee:

• Job performance and productivity.

• Engagement with one’s work.

• Communication with coworkers.

• Physical capability and daily functioning

Here is a link filled with resources for employees that help normalizes the mental health conversation in the workplace. If you would like spread awareness via social media, here is a link to graphics to post on your platform!

See below for the mental health information we put in our 2021 October ENews:

Mental Health Awareness Week (First week of October)- Started in 1990 by The United States Congress and observed the first week of every October, this week is dedicated to spreading awareness and education on mental illness. Mental health is a huge part of overall health and should be a priority for everyone, whether you have a mental health condition or not. 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year. 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. With numbers like these, it is imperative that we continue to spread awareness & to let each person know of the help available.  

World Mental Health Day (October 10)- Since 1992, World Mental Health Day is a day celebrated in over 150 countries worldwide to educate, advocate against stigma, and bring awareness of mental health education and available resources for help in communities. Many online events and resources are available, including the This Is My Brave Virtual Live Stream with poetry, music, storytelling, and more from people living with mental health conditions or who have been affected by a loved one’s mental health condition.  

Please be sure to check out the additional information listed below to continue your awareness on mental health. 

Additional Information

• Mental Illness Awareness Week Information by NAMI
• World Mental Health Day Information by WOH
• It’s a New Era for Mental Health at Work
• Free Mental Health Awareness Summit 
• Free Webinar: Creating a Mental Health Strategy
• Working Adults: Care for yourself one small way each day
• Clinicians: Care for yourself one small way each day 
• Warning signs of Mental Illness 

Health Literacy Needs to be Heard

 October is Health Literacy month. According to HRSA, Health Literacy is "...the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions." Communication from anyone working in the healthcare sector to the patient is a critical part to patients overall health. Therefore, it is important to take the time when communicating to a patient that your words are not only heard, but understood. 

Health Literacy is an important topic for all levels of healthcare workers. This guide was created to aid in the development of health websites to make the content listed easily accessible to anyone reading.  

The CDC Clear Communication Index (Index) is a research-based tool to help those in healthcare develop and assess public communication materials.

Health Literacy is an important issue nation wide. Here is an interactive Health Literacy Data map that allows you to view health literacy scores all over the United States. 

It is important that everyone in healthcare works to improve their health literacy not only in the month of October but every month of the year!

Looking to be engaged in health literacy work beyond its celebratory month? Check out Ohio Health Literacy Partners (OHLP). Ohio Health Literacy Partners is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Ohioans to make informed health choices through improved health literacy. OACHC is a proud member of OHLP and sees great value in joining other like-minded organizations that have a desire to make an impact for a healthier Ohio through enhanced health literacy.

Be sure to head over to the OACHC Twitter page for a twitter chat dedicated to building awareness of health literacy in Ohio. More details are listed below!

Additional Links

• Ohio Health Literacy Partners 

• CDC Health Literacy Page

• Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, 2nd Edition

• Measures to Assess a Health Literate Organization Vanderbilt Center for Effective Health Communication

Healthy Aging Month

 September is recognized as healthy aging month. This is meant to encourage seniors to continue to age in a healthy and safe way while still engaging in activities for their mental and physical well being. 

1. Spend time with those who make you feel good! Find the time to surround yourself with those who lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face. 

2. Practice or continue practicing meditation. Meditation can bring a sense of peace and calm to seniors. It can also be done in time spent with yourself, when lack of mobility is common in older adults. Watch this video for more information on the benefits of meditation in older adults. 

3. Keep your mind sharp with mental exercises! These can include puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, and more! Find some free online crosswords here!

4. Interact with the younger generation! Find those who could benefit from wise advice and reminisce on memories with others. Story telling has been around since the beginning of man kind and can serve as entertainment, education, cultural preservation, or instilling morals. 

Additional Resources:

Fun with Seniors: 100 ways to play 

Enjoyable Activities for older adults

Simulating Activities for seniors

2021 *Virtual* Fall Conference Preparation!

OACHC has made the decision to switch to a virtual conference for our 2021 Fall Conference. This virtual switch does not impact our excitement for everything we have in store!

 
Attendees will still be able to choose between many different sessions, interact with state-wide counterparts, play an in app engaging scavenger hunt, and learn from some innovative companies! The conference will feature two keynote sessions and breakout session covering FQHC topics including; finance, clinical, behavioral health, finance, workforce, operations and more!

If you are not already registered for our conference, you should consider coming if you are:
•Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHC) and Look-A-Likes.
•Those interesting in becoming a FQHC or FQHC Look-A-like.
•Anyone who wants to learn more about, and get ahead in, the world of FQHC care

Registered attendees can find the agenda for the conference here.

If you are already registered for our conference, you will be able to access our OACHC app here.

You can find all of the details of our event here. We cannot wait to *see* you there! Please reach out to events@ohiochc.org with any questions!

September is National Recovery Month

September is a time where we recognize national recovery month for the past 32 years. Recovery is for everyone, every person, and every family. An individual can recover from many different addictions. September is a month that we celebrate recovery of all kinds. 

Those suffering with addiction need support. This guide from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can be used to talk to a loved one who you believe has a drinking problem.

Check out our Substance Use Disorder page on Ohiochc.org for more information from OACHC on this subject. 

At times, choosing the right provider can seem overwhelming. Substance Abuses and Mental Heath Services Administration has released this guide to aid in this search. You can also find web banner and logos on this page to display on your own social media accounts to help spread the word this month. If you are unsure of stigmatizing words and imageries to avoid, visit this page for guidance. 

One way to prevent addition is to openly talk with your children about the implications of addiction. You can use this guide to find great ways to go about discussing this with your family and to be sure you are prepared.