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Meeting Calendar
The health priorities that the Health Council is currently working on are interpersonal violence, diabetes and obesity, and teen pregnancy prevention. In addition, the health Council partners with health councils in Mora and Guadalupe counties to create the MSG Behavioral Collaborative.
The Department of Health has currently developed a hot line for information or questions regarding H1N1. The H1N1 hotline number is 1-877-304-4161. Click below to view the H1N1 hotline info.
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Policy & Advocacy Alerts
Issue: Co-pays for Medicaid beneficiaries
Background: The HB 438 has been passed wich would require those who receive Medicaid to come up with
as much as a $50 co-pay before they could receive treatment in an emergency
room. This would serve as a barrier to getting prompt medical attention for
many low-income New Mexicans. And it's simply the wrong thing to do during
tough economic times when more and more people are struggling to make ends meet.
Issue: Funding for the Violence Against Women Act
Background: As the economy plummets, family violence is skyrocketing. Shelters are full and are turning victims away;
calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline have increased dramatically. Meanwhile, declines in local
and state funding have forced some programs to cut staff and scale back services.
Congress is beginning to make decisions about funding allocations for 2010. They need to hear from you to
know that funding for the programs that keep our families safe must be a priority!
Action Needed: Visit www.stopfamilyviolence.org/get-involved/take-action-now to urge your Representative to support full funding for
the Violence Against Women Act and other victim service legislation.
Issue: Establishing and implimenting regulations for boarding Homes
Background: As many individuals are being released from the NM Behavioral Health Institute some may not have a residential place to stay. Many of these individuals turn to local boarding homes that are in the area in seek of a warm shelter. As a process to help advocate for individuals who need a safe haven please support the House Joint Memorial 46 to establish regulations for boarding homes. Thanks to Sheila Silverman's advocacy skills this Bill has recently been passed this year.
If you would like to see the bill please go to this website and find out more
legis.state.nm.us/LCS/_session.aspx?chamber=H&legtype=JM&legno=%20%2046&year=09
Issue: Behavioral Health Collaborative Imposes Sanctions on Optum Health NM for Provider Payment Problems
Background: The New Mexico Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative has notified OptumHealth New Mexico that it is imposing sanctions against the company for contract violations, stemming from a lack of a fully functioning claims management system. The sanctions imposed include a Directed Corrective Action Plan, Civil Monetary Penalty as well as a penalty for Actual Damages, and the Appointment of a State Monitor...
More info:
Issue:Oil & Gas Drilling Industry in San Miguel and Mora Counties
Background: New Mexico's Land of Enchantment may be a home to all of us, but to some it is a location to drill. As large companies move south into our home and property they are violating our private property and creating contaminations among our natural resources.
Action Needed: Come learn about the actions that these foreign companies November 8th at the UWC. If you would like some more info to work together with the Peace and Juctice Center please contact Pat Leahan @ (505) 425-3840, (505) 617-6794 or lvpeacecenter [at] desertgate.com
www.splitestate.com/
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October Interpersonal Violence Notes
Chair: Therese Melton, 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Victims’ Assistance Unit
Meeting: Every 4th Tuesday of the month right after the Health Council Meeting at 11 AM at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Interpersonal Violence Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on relationship violence, including child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. This incorporates causes and consequences, cost to the county and the affected family. The committee collaborates with schools, agencies and individuals working with these issues, and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- The Interpersonal Violence Committee has completed work on the planning framework. The objectives that needed prioritizing were: Advocating for the reimplementation of a multidisciplinary team to discuss cases/ strategies/etc, working with the 3 school districts to assess what programs are in place, assessing what awareness programs are in place in the community, implementing a program similar to the Safe Haven project in Santa Fe, supporting efforts to establish a shelter for victims of domestic violence and awareness of existing policies & agreements. The Community Health Improvement Plan is available on our Resources and Reports Page.
- The committee began a media campaign so that every agency/organization involved with the committee could pick a month and then create, public service announcements and participate in radio talk shows to raise awareness of interpersonal violence and what the agency/organization is doing to address the problem. We are currently reorganizing this activity and identifying a lead to ensure implementation
- Ordered posters and information from the Family Violence Prevention Fund that were dispersed within the county. The information included signs of violence and who to contact for help.
- Strategies to reduce alcohol harm "...It reviews what is known and not known about the health, social and economic impact of alcohol, education and information campaigns, public support for alcohol policies, supportive infrastructures, the health sector response, community action, workplace policies, drink-driving policies, the availability, marketing and pricing of alcohol, and drinking environments, and the policy implications of this evidence."
Past Accomplishments – Due to the work by this committee, the Tri-County Family Justice Center at 213 S. Grand Ave was opened. The center treats families impacted by domestic violence and currently the center is planning on a new location and has expanded services into More and Guadalupe Counties.
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October Diabetes/Obesity Notes
Chair: Michell Aragon, Las Vegas City Schools Cardinal School-Based Wellness Center
Meeting: Every 2nd Friday of the month at 10 A.M. at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Diabetes Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on diabetes; signs and symptoms, risk factors and consequences, and to collaborate with schools, agencies and individuals working with diabetes and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- Working with El Centro to create a community garden at their Las Vegas clinic
- Collaborating with NM Coalition to End Hunger, Communities for All Ages and Northeastern New Mexico Regional Community Foundation to organize the Las Vegas Coalition to End Hunger
- Partnering with schools and Alliance for a Healthier Generation to assess wellness policies
- Participating in a pilot program with Office of Health Promotion and Community Health Improvement, University of New Mexico Evaluation Team, and NM Diabetes Prevention and Control Program to develop a collaborative model around diabetes.
- Ensuring that diabetes health providers are identified in the Resource Guide, which includes a one-page quiz on determining risk factors for diabetes.
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October Teen Pregnancy Notes
Chair: Erika Derkas, New Mexico Highlands University
Meeting: Every second Friday of the month at 12:00 noon at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on teen pregnancies; Causes and consequences, cost to the county and the teen parent, and to collaborate with schools, agencies and individuals working with teens, and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- The Committee has received a $1,000 mini-grant from Office of Women's Health to conduct a community activity during Women's Health Week, May 11-16, 2009. We are planning a "Teen Town Hall", modeled after the "Believe in Girls" conference we worked on in 2007. We are having weekly phone conferences to plan this event. The calls are held every Thursday at 9am, 1-866-617-3400, access code 836916#. All meetings are open invitation.
- As part of a social work internship in 2006, Tanya Gonzales made classroom presentations to area high and junior high school students about her experiences as a teen mom. She expanded her presentations to include factual information on STDs and HIV, and on healthy relationships. She currently contracts with the San Miguel Health Council to provide about 110 presentations per school year in schools in the county.
- As a result of high rates of risky male behavior, lack of services targeting males, and a desire by the young men for information tailored to them, the Health Council applied for and received a grant to provide awareness to teen males through peer education. The South Valley Male Involvement Project visited Las Vegas and presented at Memorial Middle School and West Las Vegas High School in the first week of April, 2008. The Las Vegas Youth Commission attended training in June of that year to implement a similar project in our Community. In September, 2008, the Health Council began a partnership with Public Health to provide for a social work intern to deliver a male-centered curriculum called "Wise Guys" to junior high aged boys.
- Additionally, the Health Council co-sponsored the Believe in Girls Conference in the summer of 2007.
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October MSG Update
County Leads:
- Mora – Antonio Medina
- Guadalupe – JoAnn Rivera-Velasquez
- San Miguel – Yolanda Cruz
- Consumer Representative – Shela Silverman
- Family Representative – Barbara Gurule
- Provider Representative – Lorraine Esquibel
- Total Community Approach – Coordinator – Marino Rivera
- MSG/TCA Assistant – Kristy Tapia
Meeting: MSG meets bimonthly and locations vary. February and August at Mora, April and October at Las Vegas, and June and December at Santa Rosa. The April meeting will be held at Luna Community College from 10am-Noon, call Kristy Tapia for more information at 617-5571 or email at msg@desertgate.com - visit the MSG/TCA Website
Purpose: The overall purpose of Local Collaborative is to develop strong local voices to help guide Behavioral Health planning in New Mexico.
Goals:
- To have a single Behavioral Health System in New Mexico.
- The creation of a consumer, youth, and family driven system.
- A Behavioral Health System in which available resources are coordinated and managed effectively. At both state and local levels, the challenges of balancing limited services are being addressed by collaborating, sharing strategies, solutions, and resources in the hope of producing a better quality of life for those with Behavioral Health needs in New Mexico.
FREE Training - We currently do not have any trainings available.
Other Trainings - Health Care Partners foundation-Public & Private Partnerships for Chronic Care Clinics Training Programs in Corrections. For more information contact Rita Torres 719-250-3243, Mark Maestas 719-250-0691 or Warden Patrick Snedeker 505-429-4253
Current Activities:
- MSG Housing Task Force/Housing Coalition has been meeting regularly. During the first meeting on January 15, 2009, Tim Gallegos presented on the Veterans Housing Project. The February 5, 2009 meeting was more focused on establishing goals for the coalition. The next meeting is scheduled for April 9, 2009 at 11:30 am at Luna Community College, Humanities Building room 102. This area is one of two, state-wide that has been identified to work on supportive housing in New Mexico
- Two MSG providers participated in a Quality Service Review (QSR) Pilot Project. Only two locations in New Mexico did Adult QSR; Santa Fe and Las Vegas (MSG). This project consisted of Consumers and Providers who reviewed cases of selected agencies The participating individuals from the MSG Group reviewed cases in Santa Fe and vice versa. This Quality Servise Review was completed in July and results of the review are in the PDF below.
- The MSG Group TCA Project has been selected to pilot a project focusing on providing services to National Guardsmen and women. TCA was selected for this because of the Central Intake model being used here. The TCA is requesting training be provided for the Clinical and Recovery Support Service Providers;
- At the beginning of 2008, the MSG received notification that the group was awarded a grant for $700,000 to implement the Total Community Approach (TCA) grant to be started in Las Vegas with training activities in Mora and Guadalupe Counties. To learn more about TCA, go to their website at www.msg-group.info. The project is intended to treat substance abuse and co-occurring disorders in individuals by treating the whole person. It is a consumer driven project with outpatient treatment options from clinical counseling, recovery support services, such as oriental medicine and pastoral guidance, case managers known as promotoras, and various other options. TCA also provides some substance abuse services in the San Miguel County Detention Center. This program is funded by NM Behavioral Health Purchasing COllaborative through June of 2010.
- BHPC Adult Subcommittee Report Oct, 2009
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October Health Council Update
The San Miguel Health Council meets every fourth Tuesday of the month. Meetings are in the Las Vegas Public Health Office at 18 Gallegos Rd. Las Vegas, NM. These meetings are opened to the public and if anyone wishes to make a presentation at a meeting, please contact Yolanda Cruz, Health Council Coordinator at 425-9770 or smhealthcouncil@desertgate.com
After attending the Health Council Planning Retreat members of the Health Council voted on changing the prorities that the Health Council will focus on in the next for years. The newly voted priorities for the next four years are Substance Abuse, Interpersonal Violence, Access to Health Care/Health Disparities and Obesity/Diabetes.
Nutrition labels provide important information about the amount of calories, fat, sugar and protien which is in the food. By analyzing a food label individuals may be able to make healthy choices when purchasing food and also when designing a diet that is right for them. As an act to aid community members in staying healthy here are some websites that may provide information to help individuals read nutrition labels.
- www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm
- www.nutritiondata.com
- www.thedailyplate.com
Visits to healthcare providers for influenza-like illness dropped significantly this week to approximately 11 percent from approximately 20 percent last week. Even with the significant drop, visits to healthcare providers are higher than would be expected for this time of year. The epartment tracks influenza-like illness, which is defined as fever and either cough and/or sore throat, at 27 clinics throughout the state. Influenza-like illness is the best indicator of flu activity in the state. New Mexico H1N1 Information: 1-866-850-5893 or www.nmhealth.org/H1N1.
Health Reform Comparison Tools Now Include New House Leadership Bill...The Foundation has updated its key health reform resources to reflect provisions of the new House bill released Thursday and expected to be brought up before the full House soon.
- www.kaisernetwork.org/emails/weekly/images/spacer.gif
- www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm#
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Planning Framework
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Community Notices & News
Las Vegas Coalition to End Hunger:
Nancy Pope (with the NM Coalition to End Hunger and Communities for All Ages) and Marshall Poole (with Northern New Mexico Regional Community Foundation) have been working on getting a group together to focus on Hunger in Las Vegas. Last year, Nancy’s group worked with the schools on the summer food programs and provided weekend food bags for the youth. There are 2 pools of funding available for Las Vegas: $12,000 ($6,000 for the east side and $6,000 for the west side) - Most, about $5,000 per site, is used for weekend food bags and $1,000 per site for intergenerational community gardens; There was $5,500 through Communities for All Ages for the community to complete a survey and create a plan defining how to change hunger. More funds will be available for subsequent years.
Victoria Sanchez, UNM and Ron Hale, NM Department of Health facilitated a needs analysis. It was expressed by those in attendance that we need to find an effective way to get people to food and food to people. There are many environmental barriers that exist. The poor live day to day, the middle class live month to month and the wealthy live year to year. How do we increase the ability for people to plan? There was also interest by some of the groups for cold food storage and emergency food rations. Kayt Peck facilitated a discussion around values the entire group share (why we were there). The three overarching values were: Everyone has the right not to be hungry, Human dignity, Whole & Healthy Community. Participants worked on a list of who needs to be at the table.
