III. ST. XAVIER'S ACADEMY HEALTH CAREER CO-OP PLAN For the past year, Sister Lucretia of St. Xavier's Academy has been exploring the possibility of establishing a co-op plan for all students within the academy who are interested or involved in the health curriculum. She contacted the Community Liaison for Health Services and Programs for support and guidance in developing her ideas. She initially contacted Mr. Jack Fecteau, Director of Roger Williams General Hospital, who encouraged her to develop her plans and offered the services of his hospital in such a plan. Our tentative plan of action is as follows. A. Enroll approximately 15-20 students from grades 10, 11, and 12 into the Health Career Co-op Plan initially. B. The selected students will participate in an intensive 16-week program that will provide an orientation to the many different health fields available using consultants from many health agencies and technical services; provide each student, through on-going classroom instruction, with a foundation for entering the health field, i.e. anatomy, biology, math, first aid, basic chemistry, and various laboratory techniques, including rudimentary nursing skills. C. After the 16-week program, students will be placed into the co-op plan in which they will participate in classroom studies for half of the school day, and in hospital programs or health centers the remainder of the day; or alternate each day from classroom to health institutions. (These tentative plans are very flexible.) IV. PROGRAM ON ALCOHOLISM In the past few months, the Community Liaison for Health Services and Programs attended two conferences sponsored by the "Hope" Council on Alcoholism. The council invited approximately 75 Providence organizations to participate in the seminars. The purpose of the seminars was to fully acquaint all agencies with the problem drinker, available resources for treatment, the structure and operation of the State's Division on Alcoholism and to provide statistics concerning the incidence of alcoholism in the state. The attending agencies' representatives will be asked very soon to serve on working committees. These working committees will be involved in the planning of new and improved programs for the alcoholic and the development of educational programs for the citizens of Rhode Island concerning alcoholism. V. The Health Task Force of the Urban Coalition of Rhode Island realizes that it cannot continue to talk about "comprehensive family health care" unless such care includes components of mental health and nutrition. Consequently, a representative from the Mental Health Association has been invited to serve on the task force's working committee. A subcommittee on nutrition is now in the process of being organized. Representatives from the State Department of Health, Nutrition Division, the University of Rhode Island, and several other agencies dealing with nutrition will be serving on this committee. To: Freeman Pollard-The National Urban Coalition; Elwood E. Leonard, Jr., President, The Urban Coalition of Rhode Island; Anthony J. Agostinelli, Executive Director, The Urban Coalition of R.I.; William B. Baptista, Sr., Associate Director, The Urban Coalition of R.I.; Dr. Charles J. McDonald, Chairman, Health Task Force, UCRI. From: Charlotte J. Montiero, Community Liaison of the UCRI. THE PROVIDENCE HEALTH CENTER CORPORATION-HEALTH NETWORK PROPOSAL The Providence Health Center Corporation submitted its second draft to the Health Affairs Office of the Office of Economic Opportunity in April, 1971. At that time, several changes had been made at the request of the funding agency. The major change resulted in a more centralized system of health care delivery. Initially, the Corporation requested ten (10) de-centralized health centers in eight (8) poverty areas. The funding agency was not amiable to such a plan. After several lengthy discussions it was decided to operate eight (8) comprehensive health centers in six (6) poverty areas in the City of Providence. Such an operation will be the result of combining two (2) health centers into one central location in each area with the exception of two (2) large health centers which presently serve two (2) different communities. For example: The two health centers in South Providence will combine to form one (1) large Comprehensive Health Center. The funding agency was most excited about the Providence Plan and by June 30, 1971 the Health Affairs Office of OEO will notify us of their decision. A copy of the plan is available at both the local coalition and the national coalition offices. PROPOSED "NEWPORT COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY CARE CENTER" For some time, consumers and providers of health services in Newport County have been concerned about the availability and utilization of ambulatory health services. The Visiting Nurse Service of Newport hosted a number of discussions during the past few months about the possibility of developing an ambulatory health program by utilizing existing resources. One of two prime planners for this project has been the Community Liaison for Health Services and Programs of the Urban Coalition of Rhode Island. There was general agreement that the idea of expanding the use of existing. resources was feasible. However, the group also agreed that the orderly expansion of these services to meet the needs of Newport County would require careful planning based on hard data and directed to specific objectives. That this planning would be more effective if it were done in conjunction with a pilot demonstration of the services assumed to be needed, was also agreed upon. Funds have been made available through a one-year contract with the TriState Regional Medical Program to provide a part-time medical director for the demonstration program of ambulatory services, and personnel with planning expertise to assist the providers and consumers of health services in Newport County to: 1. Plan for the development of regional ambulatory health services; 2. Develop a means of ongoing financial support for these services, and 3. Develop an evaluative mechanism for these services which provides for periodic review of costs and utilization. Project Title.-Planning a Regional Family-Centered Ambulatory Health System for Newport County. Sources for Financial Support: 1. Tri-State Regional Medical Program_. 2. New Visions for Newport County, Inc--. 3. Newport Visiting Nurse Service----. Total Sponsoring Agency.-Newport Visiting Nurse Service. $15, 250 15.090 7,920 $38, 170 Project Emphases.-1. Planning for the future; 2. Simultaneous demonstration program of services for evaluation. Planning.-1. Analysis of data from patients using the services of the demonstration program; 2. Determination of the needs of those people who do not use these services. ANTICIPATED SERVICES IN DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM 1. Pediatric clinics. 2. Venereal disease clinics. 3. Family planning clinics. 4. Community outreach (note: training of clinic aide and clerical aide has already begun). ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Board of Directors of the Newport Visiting Nurse Service is the applicant for this contract with Tri-State Regional Medical Program. The Visiting Nurse Service will therefore be responsible for operating the pilot demonstration project, and for coordinating the planning activities for one year. The Board does not necessarily envision the permanent operation of an ambulatory health center as a continuing function of the Visiting Nurse Service. It is intended that a thorough exploration of all possible plans will be made with the assistance of an advisory committee. The Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurse Service will appoint the Advisory Committee for the planning project to provide them with sound alternatives and suggestions for implementation of a workable ambulatory care plan. Representation will include, but is not limited to: 1. Newport Hospital. 2. Newport County Medical Society. 3. Newport County Dental Society. 4. Consumers (equal in number to professional representatives). Division of Maternal and Child Care. 11. Rhode Island Department of Community Affairs Services to the Aging. 13. Newport Visiting Nurse Service. 14. Family Planning of Rhode Island, Inc. CAREER MOBILITY STUDY As you are aware, a proposal for Health Career Mobility in Rhode Island was submitted to the National Urban Coalition's Health Manpower and Development Program in November of 1970 .The Community Liaison for Health Services and Programs has continued to communicate with the Health Manpower and Development Program and was successful in hosting two meetings concerning the plan. Dr. Sumner Rosen of the HMDP Advisory Board and Mr. Robert Sneed, HMDP staff person, joined the CLHSP in an onsite visit to test the commitment and support levels of hospital administrators and statewide educators. Both meetings, May 7 and June 24, 1971, were very productive. It was recommended that the CLHSP alter the design and plan to carry out specific small scale demonstrations in cooperating institutions. The institutions involved in the demonstration program will be asked to convert their contribution from a cash basis to a commitment to work jointly to carry out the design. In this way the basis for implementation of the design is built into the study itself. Same for the cooperating educational institutions. It is hoped that they will permit innovative approaches to accredited professional education for participants of the pilot project, to assure a workable educational design and to build a basis for confidence and commitment to carry through after the design phase. The CLHSP is now in the midst of re-writing Phase I and II of the proposal in order that it might include the recommendations of the HMDP. From all concerned, the funding outlook appears optimistic. WASHINGTON COUNTY HEALTH PLANNING BOARD The Citizens for the Advancement of Negro Education (CANE) of Washington County were awarded a grant in December of 1970 to employ eight (8) VISTA workers to develop health and educational programs in connection with projects sponsored by CANE. As the VISTA workers became involved in both the health and educational aspects of various on-going projects, it became apparent that further research was necessary in order to ascertain the health needs of the community and its available services. After the several months of collecting various kinds of data, the discussion centered around the need of providing health services to the rural poor of Washington County. The VISTA workers solicited the help of CLHSP in order to evaluate the collected data and to advise them on designing a comprehensive health care plan. At the preliminary planning meeting, the CLHSP made several suggestions as to resource persons in and around the state who could be of service in designing a plan and method of organizing collected data. Since one of the prime funding sources in this area for demonstration projects is Tri-State Regional Medical Program the CLHSP invited Miss Lyn Cowger of that program to share in the planning experience. Formal planning will begin the first day of July 1971. Appendix 5 STATEMENTS SUBMITTED BY THE HEARING AUDIENCE During the course of the hearing a form was made available by the chairman to those attending who wished to make suggestions and recommendations but were unable to testify because of time limitations. The form read as follows: DEAR SENATOR PELL: If there had been time for everyone to speak at the hearing on "Problems of Medicare and Medicaid," in Providence, Rhode Island, on September 20, 1971, I would have said: The following replies were received: Ms. LOUISE HELTZEN, PROVIDENCE, R.I. DEAR SENATOR PELL: Medicare should cover: dental work, eyeglasses, feet work. Mr. EUGENE TERRIER, WOON SOCKET, R.I. SENATOR PELL: Our raise in Social Security is evaporated already. Blue Cross is higher now; the cost of living is higher. You raise 5 percent of Social Security next year; it is not enough. It should be at least 15 percent-at least-and that would still not be much. Mr. DANIEL J. MCCULLOUGH, PROVIDENCE, R.I. That the money Rhode Island senior citizens are receiving from the Federal Government amounts to less than $1 a year per person if we all needed it. We need a 25 percent increase in Social Security to live a normal life. Thank you for all you have done. Mr. WILLIAM E. DAVIS, PROVIDENCE, R.I. I have listened to the panel's recommendations and proposals, but they overlooked an important issue that is important to the elderly. I propose that Medicare pay for prescribed medicines. The majority of elderly who are above the so-called poverty level have been knocked off State Medicaid due to raises in Social Security. They are the victims of circumstances beyond their control. Prescriptions cost, my own and wife, an average of $200 per year. They could -cost more in the future. The majority of the elderly keep alive on pills. It is not asking for too much to convince the Congress that benefits under Medicare should be broadened to include this proposal. Thank you and the best of luck. (374) Miss ELLEN CULLEN, PROVIDENCE, R.I. I am in favor of bill S. 1588 because being deaf, I am concerned about the deaf elderly people here. There is no deaf centre for them, and many may have to go to the Medical Centre to spend their last days because of lack of communication and understanding with the public. There is a deaf single girl living all alone on the top floor-16th-in Bradford House and nothing to keep her occupied or any community social affairs for her. How sad. I am in favor of increased allowance for outside earnings because many of us senior citizens are able to keep working and yet are forbidden to earn more money except to a certain limit. I was forced to retire at 65 as a teacher for the deaf, and being a childless widow of twenty-five years, I find it hard to live decently and keep up my appearance with this high cost of living. I am so ambitious, and yet I cannot work more than 20 hours a week. I am not ready for the rocking chair, so please do your best to pass these bills-S. 1768 and S. 1307. Mr. JAMES A. GOODE, PROVIDENCE, R.I. My DEAR SENATOR PELL: I was present at the Golden Agers Conclave this morning and I certainly admire your cool. I am in my Seventieth Year and still have a zest for living. Yet this morning I couldn't help but think some of the requests (nay demands!) were far fetched. The colored Lady in the audience who sneered at "a measly $100 a week" was out of order. I think. Senator, as they tell you in A.A.-money is not the answer. You have correctly stated, so often, for the Elderly. Inflation is the cruelest tax of all. Wouldn't further benefits aggravate the Budget, Mr. Mills, etc. It's hell to grow old-But I'm going to hang on. We can't be selfish even in our days of adversity. I still owe you another vote. Kindest regards. MARSHALL L. HOOD, PROVIDENCE, R.I. Cut the $50 deductible from Medicare and raise the S S benefit for monthly allottment to a living wage. To me the scale is far too low for the real worker. Of course I realize it is a sharing of wealth, hence some one must lose, it is the big pay fellow, it seemsvery small after drawing large pays. The meeting was good, it was necessary, but too much relative to holdups and the like, any aged person must guard themselves against this type of kids joy. It is the dollar we live by, and the dollar that makes the world go round. I know you will do what you can, but it is always the question, How much? PAUL COFFEY, PROVIDENCE, R.I. The meeting was good, it was necessary, but too much relative to holdups and good time to draw attention to the problem of epilepsy and what is being done about it-AND THAT IS VERY LITTLE. Almost a year ago I thought I would have to administer first aid to a college professor for shock when I mentioned to him that I doctored for it. Though I hold permanent employment with the Department of Community Affairs and am an everyday associate of Mrs. Eleanor Slater. Education for the ignorance that surrounds it I consider first and foremost. о |