Foundation board members have
concluded that the time is right to raise its profile in order to better
identify community needs that will allow the non-profit organization to better impact
the health, education, recreation, and related needs of area communities
That higher profile means a new proactive name and approach, a new board member, a potential leadership role in a new community health needs assessment, future collaborations with the Clinton County Family YMCA and other organizations, and awarding thousands of dollars in local grants in 2015, according to Dana Dunn, president of the foundation.
At a recent board meeting, members agreed to change the name of the organization to HealthFirst for Clinton County, HealthFirst for short. “We think the timing is right to have a new brand that serves to emphasize where our priorities are while at the same time serving to distinguish us from other important local foundations and health care groups such as the Health Alliance of Clinton County,” Dunn said. “It gets a little confusing sometimes since our funds were formerly held by the CMH Foundation and are now held in the Clinton County Foundation.
“And that is not to mention the fact that the Health Alliance is the former CMH Auxiliary whose funds were also formerly held by the CMH Foundation and are now also held in the Clinton County Foundation.”
Board members also recently added Clinton County health commissioner Pam Bauer as a new board member, replacing Chris Chaney, who resigned earlier in the year.
Other HealthFirst board members are treasurer Scott Holmer, secretary Pat King and members Andrew McCoy, Sandy Pidgeon and Jason Walt. Earlier this year, HealthFirst board members were added to the board of the Clinton County Foundation. The Clinton County Foundation’s assets of $8+ million include HealthFirst’s $3.8 million, along with more than 100 other local charitable entities.
HealthFirst converted to an independent foundation on December 1, 2010 when its affiliated governmental hospital, Clinton Memorial Hospital, was sold to an investor-owned entity.
It supports the social service, pharmaceutical and transportation needs of area residents with documented need for assistance identified and screened by the social workers and case managers at CMH. Funds are distributed directly to area pharmacies, transportation companies, durable medical equipment suppliers and other agencies on behalf of these uninsured and underinsured individuals.
HealthFirst has also supported other community initiatives such as the Guard Care health fair at Southern State Community College last summer and has made a conditional pledge of $500,000 to the Clinton County Family YMCA for building improvements and programming. It is pursuing other collaborations with the Y, including a possible diabetes education program.
Early in 2014, HealthFirst took over the Patient Medication Assistance Program (PMAP), formerly operated by CMH, in a collaboration with the Clinton County Commissioners and the Clinton County Health Department. PMAP’s one employee and volunteers help area residents apply for free and/or reduced cost medications from major drug-makers.
The program, which is coordinated with a referring physician, is located in the Clinton County Annex, 111 S. Nelson Ave. Suite 10, Wilmington. It is open from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Wednesday. The phone number is 937.481.2138.
“This is an excellent program and the kind that we want to be associated with because our mission is to support programs and organizations that favorably impact the health and well-being of Clinton County residents,” Dunn said.
There is much room for improvement. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Clinton County is 78th (out of 88 Ohio counties) in health outcomes, 74th in length of life and 64th in quality of life. The encouraging and possibly conflicting stat from the study shows the county at 22 for health behaviors.
Collaborations and funding are still being worked on for the community health needs assessment along with the application process for the grants. “We are hoping that we can disburse thousands of dollars annually to needs identified by the assessment, other worthwhile projects and those we proactively identify as a board,” Dunn said.
-HealthFirst-
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