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The HMNT Update

Hurricane Relief

 
 

 

 

Many are asking how Health Ministries of Texas, can support those dealing with the hurricane and hurricane relief.

There are a lot of organizations to choose from, however I speak from personal experience that not all of them or doing what we think. I have personally lived through 3 deadly hurricanes, FEMA and Red Cross are very limited services and tons of red tape that often dead end.

 

Health Ministries Network of Texas would like to ask you to consider supporting Convoy of Hope; donating to them for their work.

They are first on the ground. Food, shelter, water, supplies. They are last to leave and work hard to help with cleanup and rebuilding.

 

They serve daily in homeless communities across the USA, Support Agricultural training and local farming,  Rural initiatives to support small towns, they are a resource for anyone with needs and so much more. Disaster response is just a section of what they do however they do more than many who are in the public eye. They partner with local congregations to serve directly in the community.

 

If you are feeling the need to give for disaster relieve, please consider them as your first choice.

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Thank you,

Saundra Denise Brown RN, MSN-ED, NPD-BC

 

State of Texas, Health Ministry Network President

Inspiring others to be extraordinary, by equipping them to serve at their full potential!

Resources in Response to Hurricane Beryl
 

In response to Hurricane Beryl, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help children, families, and communities navigate what they are seeing and hearing, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together. These resources include:

  • Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Hurricane
     

  • After the Hurricane: Helping Young Children Heal
     

  • Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event
     

  • Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents
     

  • Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day—e-book for young children
     

  • College Students Coping After a Hurricane
     

  • Teacher Guidelines Helping Students After a Hurricane
     

  • Talking to Children: When Scary Things Happen
     

  • Tips for Parents on Media Coverage of Traumatic Events
     

  • Once I Was Very Very Scared —e-book for young children
     

  • After the Injury—website for families with injured children
     

  • Health Care Toolbox—website for pediatric health providers working with injured children
     

  • Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN) to Promote Wellbeing —for responders
     

  • Here for Each Other: Family Guide [sesameworkshop.org](from Sesame Street)

Resources on Traumatic Grief
 

  • Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers

  • Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers

  • Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers

  • The Power of Parenting: How to Help Your Child After a Parent or Caregiver Dies

 

Resources on Tornadoes

 

  • Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Tornado

  • Tips for Parents on Media Coverage of the Tornado

  • Questions to Ask Your Children About the Tornado

  • After the Tornado: Helping Young Children Heal

  • Teacher Guidelines for Helping Students after a Tornado

  • Trinka and Sam and the Swirling Twirling Wind—e-book for young children

  • Tornado Response for Kids: Right After a Tornado [nctsn.org]

  • Tornado Response for Teens: Right After a Tornado [nctsn.org]

 

Psychological First Aid

The NCTSN also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid (PFA; En Español). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by these types of events. The PFA Wallet Card (En Español) provides a quick reminder of the core actions. PFA Handouts include:

  • Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers

  • Parent Tips for Helping Preschoolers

  • Parent Tips for Helping School-Age Children

  • Parent Tips for Helping Adolescents

  • Tips for Adults

 

For community and mental health providers who plan to continue working with affected communities long-term, review Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR; En Español) and take the SPR Online course (En Español [nctsn.org]).

 

 Mobile Apps

 

  • Help Kids Cope

  • PFA Mobile

  • SAMHSA Behavioral Health Disaster Response App

  • Bounce Back Now

 

Available from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed Services University:

 

  • Sustaining the Psychological Well-Being of Caregivers While Caring for Disaster Victims

  • Safety, Recovery and Hope after Disaster: Helping Communities and Families Recovery

  • Leadership Communication: Anticipating and Responding to Stressful Events

 

Disaster Helpline

SAMHSA has a Disaster Distress Helpline – call or text 1-800-985-5990 (for Spanish, press “2”) to be connected to a trained counselor 24/7/365.

 

Additional Resources

For those that are needing technical assistance or additional resources, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Kristine Louie at klouie@mednet.ucla.edu.

New Date for 3rd Annual Valborg Tollefsrud Education Event

Spiritual Care of the Dying: The art of ministering to emotional and spiritual needs at the end of lie

This even was earlier shared with you as occurring on August 15th, but at the speakers request the event will now take place on August 22nd. If you planned for this event it has changed for August 22nd, 2024, 6-8 CST / 7-9EST

HMNT News views and announcements

9,700 people were treated in ER’s for fireworks injuries in 2023. Don’t be a 2024 statistic. Safety tips for a fun and HEALTH 4th of July celebration:

https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/summer-safety/fireworks

https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks

https://adltexas.org/online-resources/fireworks-safety-for-pets/

Fireworks in at dusk.png
Brain being watered and flowers around it.jpg

Mental Health First Aid teaches the skills needed to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, as well as how to provide someone with initial support until they are connected with appropriate professional help.

https://www.hhs.texas.gov/about/process-improvement/improving-services-texans/behavioral-health-services/mental-health-first-aid-training

https://namitexas.org/resources/about-mental-illness/mental-health-first-aid/

Win a $25 dollar gift card by visiting our website: https://www.healthmntexas.com/ and answer the following clues then send us an email with your answers and we will randomly draw 2 winners. (Winner is based on random selection not based on who is first) This will release soon

Medical and Research Library News               
May 2024

Training opportunities

The webinars and online classes listed here are shared solely as opportunities to learn more information of interest to public health personnel. All times listed are
in Central Time.

 

May 9, 2024; 12–1:30 p.m. Relationship Between Parental Mental Health and Child Development.

This webinar from the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living and presented by Catherine Monk, PhD, will cover: Dr. Monk's extensive research into the relationship between maternal pre & postnatal mental health and early development; the postnatal depression prevention protocol Practical Resources for Effective Postpartum Parenting (PREPP).

 

May 21, 2024; 1–2 p.m. Beyond Borders: Understanding Oldways Heritage Diets and Reducing Health Disparities.

This presentation from the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) will explore the essential components of nutritionally balanced culturally-relevant diets, spotlighting their significance in promoting overall health and well-being. Moreover, the discussion will examine the culinary landscapes of the African Diaspora, Asia, Latin America, and the Mediterranean, unveiling the key characteristics of healthy traditional diets unique to each region. Through this exploration, attendees will better understand the diverse foods and flavors that contribute to these culinary traditions.

 

May 29, 2024; 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Navigating Multidimensional Strain and Identifying Mitigation Strategies in Rapidly Growing 'Hot Cities'.

This webinar is offered by the DSHS Office of Practice and Learning Grand Rounds program. DSHS Grand Rounds explores the science and evidence-based practice of population health and awards continuing education credits/contact hours for various disciplines. Visit the Grand Rounds calendar to see information on upcoming sessions. Held monthly on the fourth Wednesday, sessions last 90 minutes with the final 20 minutes for Q&A.

 

May 30, 2024; 1–2 p.m. Burning Contagion: Organized Arson in Response to Quarantine Facilities and Pest Houses, 1858-1901.

Throughout the 19th century, communities in the United States committed arson against healthcare facilities that housed the diseased. Local and national newspapers often described the resulting damage as the actions of a “lawless mob.” A closer reading of these incidents reveals local communities put at risk by facilities that actively caused them harm while benefitting other parties. This talk sponsored by the National Library of Medicine’s History of Medicine Division suggests that these events were organized acts of self-defense borne of medical knowledge, rather than rash mobs acting through fear or ignorance, and will highlight two such incidents, one in Staten Island, New York and another in Orange, New Jersey.

 

Websites and reports on trending topics

 

AGRICOLA - A bibliographic resource from the National Agricultural Library with millions of citations relating to the field of agriculture for journal articles, book chapters, theses, patents, and technical reports to support agricultural research.

 

Concentration of Healthcare Expenditures and Selected Characteristics of Persons With High Expenses, United States Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 2018-2021 - In this statistical brief from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's MEPS-HC are used to describe the overall concentration of healthcare expenditures across the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population in 2021 compared with 2018, 2019, and 2020. The most commonly treated conditions among persons in the top expenditure groups are identified, and the shares of expenses by age group, race/ethnicity, type of medical service, and source of payment are illustrated for 2021.

 

eCLIPSE Ultimate Access - This MRL resource provides access to The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute’s (CLSI) full library of standards. eCLIPSE Ultimate Access is an enhanced, premium platform with advanced features to help you access standards quickly and easily. Please contact the DSHS library if you need assistance accessing this resource.

 

Portal to Texas History Created and maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries, the Portal of Texas History offers a digital gateway to rich collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections and includes agency produced annual reports, newsletters, and pamphlets.

Journal articles of note

Mayfield H, Davila V, Penedo E. Coccidioidomycosis-related hospital visits, Texas, USA, 2016-2021. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024;30(5):882-889. doi:10.3201/eid3005.231624

Abstract

We analyzed hospital discharge records of patients with coccidioidomycosis-related codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, Clinical Modification, to estimate the prevalence of hospital visits associated with the disease in Texas, USA. Using Texas Health Care Information Collection data for 2016-2021, we investigated the demographic characteristics and geographic distribution of the affected population, assessed prevalence of hospital visits for coccidioidomycosis, and examined how prevalence varied by demographic and geographic factors. In Texas, 709 coccidioidomycosis-related inpatient and outpatient hospital visits occurred in 2021; prevalence was 3.17 cases per 100,000 total hospital visits in 2020. Geographic location, patient sex, and race/ethnicity were associated with increases in coccidioidomycosis-related hospital visits; male, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic patients had the highest prevalence of coccidioidomycosis compared with other groups. Increased surveillance and healthcare provider education and outreach are needed to ensure timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment of coccidioidomycosis in Texas and elsewhere.

 

Sandoval MN, McClellan SP, Pont SJ, et al. Prozone masks elevated SARS-CoV-2 antibody level measurements. PLoS One. 2024;19(3):e0301232. Published 2024 Mar 28.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301232

Abstract

We report a prozone effect in measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody levels from an antibody surveillance program. Briefly, the prozone effect occurs in immunoassays when excessively high antibody concentration disrupts the immune complex formation, resulting in a spuriously low reported result. Following participant inquiries, we observed anomalously low measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody levels using the Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S immunoassay from participants in the Texas Coronavirus Antibody Research survey (Texas CARES), an ongoing prospective, longitudinal antibody surveillance program. In July, 2022, samples were collected from ten participants with anomalously low results for serial dilution studies, and a prozone effect was confirmed. From October, 2022 to March, 2023, serial dilution of samples detected 74 additional cases of prozone out of 1,720 participants' samples. Prozone effect may affect clinical management of at-risk populations repeatedly exposed to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein through multiple immunizations or serial infections, making awareness and mitigation of this issue paramount.

 

Schraw JM, Rudolph KE, Shumate CJ, Gribble MO. Direct potable reuse and birth defects prevalence in Texas: An augmented synthetic control method analysis of data from a population-based birth defects registry. Environ Epidemiol. 2024;8(2):e300. Published 2024 Mar 18. doi:10.1097/EE9.0000000000000300

Abstract

Background: Direct potable reuse (DPR) involves adding purified wastewater that has not passed through an environmental buffer into a water distribution system. DPR may help address water shortages and is approved or is under consideration as a source of drinking water for several water-stressed population centers in the United States, however, there are no studies of health outcomes in populations who receive DPR drinking water. Our objective was to determine whether the introduction of DPR for certain public water systems in Texas was associated with changes in birth defect prevalence.

Methods: We obtained data on maternal characteristics for all live births and birth defects cases regardless of pregnancy outcome in Texas from 2003 to 2017 from the Texas Birth Defects Registry and birth and fetal death records. The ridge augmented synthetic control method was used to model changes in birth defect prevalence (per 10,000 live births) following the adoption of DPR by four Texas counties in mid-2013, with county-level data on maternal age, percent women without a high school diploma, percent who identified as Hispanic/Latina or non-Hispanic/Latina Black, and rural-urban continuum code as covariates.

Results: There were nonstatistically significant increases in prevalence of all birth defects collectively (average treatment effect in the treated = 53.6) and congenital heart disease (average treatment effect in the treated = 287.3) since June 2013. The estimated prevalence of neural tube defects was unchanged.

Conclusions: We estimated nonstatistically significant increases in birth defect prevalence following the implementation of DPR in four West Texas counties. Further research is warranted to inform water policy decisions.

 

Shah M, Dansky Z, Nathavitharana R, et al. NTCA guidelines for respiratory isolation and restrictions to reduce transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis in community settings. Clin Infect Dis. Published online April 18, 2024. doi:10.1093/cid/ciae199

These guidelines are intended to be used by individuals within TB public health programs to make decisions related to community-based RIR for public health purposes and may include but are not limited to clinicians, health officers, or other designated practitioners at state or local health departments. Guidance for the prevention of TB in healthcare settings and high-risk congregate living facilities has been provided elsewhere. TB programs are encouraged to update or develop local guidelines and practices and involve physician and public health consultants with TB expertise, to ensure local practices reflect current scientific evidence and concepts and recommendations outlined in this work.

 

For more information, employees may email the Medical and Research Library at library@dshs.texas.gov to receive research assistance, learn how to access electronic materials, or to obtain the full text of articles mentioned in this month’s news.

 

Fine print section: The Medical and Research Library News is sent out once a month
or when important library news or events occur. Recent issues of the MRL News are online. If any of the links do not open for you, please email library@dshs.texas.gov and we will send you what you need. Thank you!

April 2024

The April 8th Eclipse

Texas cities could see 500,000 additional visitors the weekend of the Solar Eclipse on April 8th. This means state parks & lakes are likely to see a much higher than normal volume of people. Take a look at this handy map for viewing options at some of Texas State Parks with great views.
 

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-information/links/images/total_2024.jpg


If you are planning to head out to view the eclipse, remember to protect those peepers! Prevent Blindness Texas: https://texas.preventblindness.org/solar-eclipse-your-eyes

Hands Only CPR

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the US with only a 7-9% average survival rate. Bystander CPR can double or triple survival from cardiac arrest. Currently, only about 30 percent of victims of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest receive any type of CPR.

 

Experts agree that if more people knew how to provide effective, simple-to-apply Hands Only CPR, more victims could be helped instantly, doubling, or even tripling their chances of survival.Hands only CPR. (n.d.).


You're the Cure.

https://www.yourethecure.org/hands-only-cpr

If you haven’t already looked into options for training and or teaching Hands Only CPR please do.  It is quick and easy to teach, and many lay people are eager to learn. 

https://www.heart.org/en/search#q=hands%20only%20cpr&sort=relevancy

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Registration is now open for the next educational event sponsored by LFCNA.  See information about the event below and in the attachment. I hope some of you can join us for this important topic. Please feel free to share this with your networks and other colleagues who may be interested. Blessings. Carol
 

 

 


Laurie Theeke, PhD, FNP-BC, GCNS-BC, FNAP, FAAN -
Professor and Associate Dean for PhD Education at The George Washington University School of Nursing



Program description: This presentation will include information about loneliness as a unique health stressor. We will delve into the relationship between belonging and loneliness, with information on how unmet need to belong and experience of loneliness can lead to poor psychological, behavioral, physical and social health outcomes. A Description of LISTEN as an intervention for loneliness along with other potential interventions will be provided and discussed.

Objectives:
1. Enhance knowledge on loneliness and how it elicits biopsychosocial stress responses that lead to poor health.
2. Describe the concept of belonging and how it relates to the experience of loneliness.
3. Discuss risks for loneliness for special populations including children, women in the perinatal period, older adults, and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
4. Learn about how interventions for loneliness could potentially be implemented in faith communities.

DATE: March 14, 2024
TIME: 3-5 pm AKT, 4-6 pm PT, 5-7 pm MT, 6-8 pm CT, 7-9 pm ET

Registration fee: $30 for LFCNA members/ $50 for non-members
Nursing Contact hours provided: 2.0 (see below)
To Register use the following link. It is also on the attachment:  
https://lutheranfcna.org/event-5566224

Carol DeSchepper, RN MSN MHA FCN
LFCNA Executive Director

"Befriending the life in others is sometimes a complex matter. There are times when we offer our strength and protection, but these are usually only temporary measures. The greatest blessing we offer others may be the belief we have in their struggle for freedom, the courage to support and accompany them as they determine for themselves the strength that will become their refuge and the foundation for their lives." ~ Rachel Naomi Remen

Understanding How Loneliness Influences Health and What Nurses Can Do to Help Lonely People

Medical and Research Library News 
February 2024

 

Training opportunities

Websites and reports on trending topics

Journal articles of note

Training opportunities

The webinars and online classes listed here are shared solely as opportunities to learn more information of interest to public health personnel. All times listed are in Central Time.

 

 

Websites and reports on trending topics

 

ClinicalTrials.gov [clinicaltrials.gov] – This resource from the National Library of Medicine [nlm.nih.gov] is a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world. Learn more about clinical studies and about this site, including relevant history, policies, and laws.

 

LactMed [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] - This database from the National Library of Medicine [nlm.nih.gov] contains information on drugs and other chemicals to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. It includes information on levels of substances in breast milk and infant blood, and the possible adverse effects in the nursing infant. Suggested therapeutic alternatives to those drugs are provided, where appropriate. All data are derived from the scientific literature and fully referenced.

 

PrePubMed [prepubmed.org] - In academic publishing, a preprint is a version of a scholarly or scientific paper that precedes formal peer review and publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly or scientific journal. The preprint may be available, often as a non-typeset version available free, before and/or after a paper is published in a journal. PrePubMed indexes preprints from arXiv q-bio, PeerJ Preprints, bioRxiv, F1000Research, preprints.org [preprints.org], The Winnower, Nature Precedings, and Wellcome Open Research. Articles are not stored on PrePubMed, but you will be linked to the article at the respective site.

Journal articles of note

Ryon MG, Langan LM, Brennan C, et al. Influences of 23 different equations used to calculate gene copies of SARS-CoV-2 during wastewater-based epidemiology. Sci Total Environ. Published online January 23, 2024. 

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170345 [doi.org]

Abstract

Following the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in late 2019, the use of wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has increased dramatically along with associated infrastructure globally. However, due to the global nature of its application, and various workflow adaptations (e.g., sample collection, water concentration, RNA extraction kits), numerous methods for back-calculation of gene copies per volume (gc/L) of sewage have also emerged. Many studies have considered the comparability of processing methods (e.g., water concentration, RNA extraction); however, for equations used to calculate gene copies in a wastewater sample and subsequent influences on monitoring viral trends in a community and its association with epidemiological data, less is known. Due to limited information on how many formulas exist for the calculation of SARS-CoV-2 gene copies in wastewater, we initially attempted to quantify how many equations existed in the referred literature. We identified 23 unique equations, which were subsequently applied to an existing wastewater dataset. We observed a range of gene copies based on use of different equations, along with variability of AUC curve values, and results from correlation and regression analyses. Though a number of individual laboratories appear to have independently converged on a similar formula for back-calculation of viral load in wastewater, and share similar relationships with epidemiological data, differential influences of various equations were observed for variation in PCR volumes, RNA extraction volumes, or PCR assay parameters. Such observations highlight challenges when performing comparisons among WBS studies when numerous methodologies and back-calculation methods exist. To facilitate reproducibility among studies, the different gc/L equations were packaged as an R Shiny app, which provides end users the ability to investigate variability within their datasets and support comparisons among studies.

 

Sabour S, Bantle K, Bhatnagar A, et al. Descriptive analysis of targeted carbapenemase genes and antibiotic susceptibility profiles among carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii tested in the Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network-United States, 2017-2020. Microbiol Spectr. Published online January 4, 2024.

doi:10.1128/spectrum.02828-23 [doi.org]

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified CRAB as an urgent public health threat. In this paper, we used a collection of >6,000 contemporary clinical isolates to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic properties of CRAB detected in the United States. We describe the frequency of specific carbapenemase genes detected, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and the distribution of CRAB isolates categorized as multidrug resistant, extensively drug-resistant, or difficult to treat. We further discuss the proportion of isolates showing susceptibility to Food and Drug Administration-approved agents. Of note, 84% of CRAB tested harbored at least one class A, B, or D carbapenemase genes targeted for detection and 83% of these carbapenemase gene-positive CRAB were categorized as extensively drug resistant. Fifty-four percent of CRAB isolates without any of these carbapenemase genes detected were still extensively drug-resistant, indicating that infections caused by CRAB are highly resistant and pose a significant risk to patient safety regardless of the presence of one of these carbapenemase genes.

 

Wortham JM, Haddad MB, Stewart RJ, et al. Second nationwide tuberculosis outbreak caused by bone allografts containing live cells - United States, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;72(5253):1385-1389. Published 2024 Jan 5.

doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm725253a1 [doi.org]

Abstract

During July 7-11, 2023, CDC received reports of two patients in different states with a tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis following spinal surgical procedures that used bone allografts containing live cells from the same deceased donor. An outbreak associated with a similar product manufactured by the same tissue establishment (i.e., manufacturer) occurred in 2021. Because of concern that these cases represented a second outbreak, CDC and the Food and Drug Administration worked with the tissue establishment to determine that this product was obtained from a donor different from the one implicated in the 2021 outbreak and learned that the bone allograft product was distributed to 13 health care facilities in seven states. Notifications to all seven states occurred on July 12. As of December 20, 2023, five of 36 surgical bone allograft recipients received laboratory-confirmed TB disease diagnoses; two patients died of TB. Whole-genome sequencing demonstrated close genetic relatedness between positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures from surgical recipients and unused product. Although the bone product had tested negative by nucleic acid amplification testing before distribution, M. tuberculosis culture of unused product was not performed until after the outbreak was recognized. The public health response prevented up to 53 additional surgical procedures using allografts from that donor; additional measures to protect patients from tissue-transmitted M. tuberculosis are urgently needed.

 

For more information, employees may email the Medical and Research Library at library@dshs.texas.gov to receive research assistance, learn how to access electronic materials, or to obtain the full text of articles mentioned in this month’s news.

 

Fine print section: The Medical and Research Library News is sent out once a month
or when important library news or events occur. Recent issues of the MRL News [dshs.texas.gov] are online. If any of the links do not open for you, please email library@dshs.texas.gov and we will send you what you need. Thank you!

2024 Virtual CFHS Logo - New Dates _April 15-17_.png

The Annual International Westberg Symposium is a gathering place for education, fellowship, and information sharing for faith community nurses and others interested in spiritual care.

 

The 2024 Conference & Symposium is Virtual!

April 15-17, 2024

 

Registration is Now Open!

Participants will receive:

  • Access to Conference Platform with all the Content

  • 40+ Recorded Sessions

  • Certificate of Attendance

  • Up to 13.5 Nursing Contact Hours or 16 General CEUs

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Arif Kamal.jpg

Dr. Arif Kamal, MD, MBA, MHS, FACP, FAAHPM

Chief Patient Officer,

American Cancer Society



Dr. Kamal, Chief Patient Officer of the American Cancer Society, will deliver the 2024 Keynote Address at the 11th Annual Caring for the Human Spirit Conference and Westberg Symposium. In his role at ACS, Dr. Kamal drives coordinated efforts to accelerate progress against cancer through the organization's patient, caregiver and healthcare professional activities.

Click to see more Conference Speakers

Early Bird Pricing Ends Jan 31st, 2024

Inflation Reduction Act and Extra Help


 

Inflation Reduction Act and Extra Help

The Inflation Reduction Act provides meaningful financial relief for millions of people with Medicare by improving access to affordable treatments and strengthening the Medicare Program both now and in the long-run.

 

The new drug law makes improvements to Medicare that will expand benefits, lower drug costs, keep prescription drug premiums stable, and improve the strength of the Medicare program.

 

Medicaid and CHIP Renewals Outreach and Educational Resources

CMS has created different materials and resources to help people with Medicaid or CHIP take steps to renew their health coverage or find other coverage options.

 

Care to Coverage

Coverage to Care (C2C) is an initiative, developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to help you understand your health coverage and connect you to the primary care and the preventive services that are right for you, so you can live a long and healthy life. Whether you’re an individual managing coverage for you and your family or a provider or organization helping those in your community manage their care, we have resources that can help.

 

Roadmap to Better Care PDF

 

New CCM resources

 

Tips for Understanding your Drug Coverage & Prescriptions

 

Partner Toolkit

https://www.cms.gov/files/document/c2c-partner-toolkitenglish.pdf

 

Coverage to Care Contact information

Visit website:

go.cms.gov/c2c

 

Contact:

CoverageToCare@cms.hhs.gov

OMH@cms.hhs.gov

C2C Listserv:

http://bit.ly/CMSOMH

Important Contact Information:

Website: www.westberginstitute.org [r20.rs6.net] and www.spiritualcareassociation.org/nursing [r20.rs6.net]

For course discounts: www.spiritualcareassociation.org/westberg [r20.rs6.net]

For the Knowledge Sharing Platform: community.westberginstitute.org [r20.rs6.net]

For the Westberg Store: https://www.spiritualcareassociation.org/westberg-institute-store [r20.rs6.net]

For information about teaching the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Curriculum: https://westberginstitute.org/for-educators/ [r20.rs6.net]

To find a Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Course:

https://westberginstitute.org/calendar-map-view/ [r20.rs6.net]

To contact Dr. Sharon T. Hinton, Director, Westberg Institute and SCA Nursing Division: sharon@westberginstitute.org or SHinton@spiritualcareassociation.org

For general assistance, contact admin@westberginstitute.org

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