IMPACT | John Hyatt, President & CEO | 414-256-4808 | www.impactinc.org
Coordinated Response to Community Crisis
February's "Polar Vortex" spurred planning for improved communication now being utilized during July's extreme heat
Soon after last winter's Polar Vortex, IMPACT convened professionals from emergency management, social service organizations and other community stakeholders to discuss ways in which we could improve the coordination of efforts during future community crises. Although attendees identified three areas of focus, the primary emphasis of planning turned to communication across entities and systems.
 
For many years, IMPACT 2-1-1 has participated in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Heat Task Force which coordinates preparedness and response to excessive heat-related events. The task force takes a collaborative approach to communications, including how to address the hard-to-reach vulnerable populations with alert messaging, social media and public awareness campaigns.  
 
IMPACT approached Nick Tomaro, Public Health Emergency Response Planning Coordinator for the City of Milwaukee Health Department who leads the Heat Task Force. At a meeting of partners in June, the Heat Task Force agreed to broaden the scope beyond excessive heat-related events and work collaboratively with IMPACT, Milwaukee Health Department, Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, National Weather Service of Milwaukee, and other key community partners to create system improvement for a more coordinated response during all weather-related events. Ideally, the group's plan and strategies will be expanded to enhance a coordinated response to other community crises throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.   
An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect!
 
Extreme Heat Cooling Centers such as libraries and community centers provide an air-conditioned space for vulnerable populations and are searchable by zip code in the 2-1-1 Resource Database.  Milwaukee County "deep well" pools, aquatic centers, wading pools and splash pads will be open during the heat advisory. The 30+ wading pools and splash pads are free to the public. Standard fees apply at all aquatic centers and deep well pools.

Excessive heat is the #1 weather-related killer in southeast Wisconsin. Those at higher risk of heat-related illness include young children and elderly adults, as well as those with physical disabilities, compromised health, or taking certain medications. 

It is advised to regularly check on individuals who lack air conditioning or cannot access air conditioning (such as those who work outdoors or are experiencing homelessness) as well as people who are socially isolated or cognitively impaired with limited awareness of how or when to cool off.  
IMPACT celebrates launch of new phone system
 
If serving clients is the heart of our work, our telephone system is the backbone. We recently celebrated the launch of our brand new, state-of-the-art telephony platform thanks to a $100,000 grant from Impact100 Greater Milwaukee. "Women giving as one" collectively award transformative grants and IMPACT was a 2018 recipient. The new phone system ensures our ability to continue serving as a lifeline during times of personal crisis and community dis aster.  

Consider the following projection: based on a 15-year life expectancy, and accounting for our average annual increase in calls, a new system will allow us to assist over five million people. That's five million lives, changed for good!

Thanks to the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation for an additional $20,000 in support of the new phone system, which was installed by PCS Professional Communication Systems.

The IMPACT organization is immensely grateful to all of you for making our work possible!

 
Watch what happened at the Impact100 Greater Milwaukee awards celebration! Click here.
Dear Impact100 Greater Milwaukee members,  
As part of an ongoing program evaluation, my team has been conducting in-depth interviews with parents about services their family received from Penfield's Behavioral Health Clinic. The first set of interviews were conducted using the "old" phone system. Now that we have transitioned over to the new phone system for interviews, the benefits are clear: greatly improved sound quality, seamless interface with our InContact system for call recording, and the wider availability of headset for hands-free work. We are deeply appreciative of the new phone system's role in successfully accomplishing data collection that will ultimately inform the future work of Penfield's services.   
Sincerely,
Lisa Larson, PhD
IMPACT Director of Research and Evaluation
For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here 

IMPACT in the News:

IMPACT's stop drinking [SO MUCH] wisconsin campaign targets people of legal drinking age who drink in ways or at times that pose significant risk to their health, employment and safety; and have other personal and social consequences. It is mentioned in Wisconsin Public Radio's series " High Tolerance" which examines Wisconsin's complicated relationship with alcohol.  HIGH TOLERANCE: Alcohol-related crashes have killed, injured thousands in Wisconsin
 
Access the entire series: Wisconsin & Alcohol - High Tolerance

IMPACT changes lives, for good. We help people take the first step to resolve a crisis and create a path toward stabilization; as well as collaborate with our partners to foster system improvement.

 

Visit IMPACT's newsletter archive here.
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