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 Capital Campaign Update |
With a recent gra nt from the Stuart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, Rural Health Network is currently at eighty-five percent of our Capital Campaign and has raised or received commitments of $448,326 towards our goal of $525,000.
Campaign support previously announced includes grants from the Dr. G. Clifford and Florence B. Decker Foundation, George A. and Margaret Mee Charitable Foundation, United Way of Broome County, Roger W. Follett Foundation, Inc., Robert C. Smith Foundation, and Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation. With these gifts from the philanthropic sector along with the individual and corporate support received to date, we are positioned to meet our campaign goal by the end of 2020.
One significant change has occurred in our scope of work for renovating the facility. As a result of higher than projected (and budgeted) renovation expenses, a decision was made to focus on the interior facility renovations. The updated cost of completing both the planned interior and exterior renovations was not possible with our current renovation budget and resources. The interior renovation will include installation of a handicapped accessible restroom, creation of additional storage and private office space and, creation of a training/conference room. A component of the renovation includes installation of a new HVAC system that will meet current safety standards to ensure worker and visitor safety. We are projecting the renovation work to be initiated in the third quarter of this year and are hoping for completion late this year or in early 2021.
If you are able to help us reach the last 15% of our goal, visit our donor page.
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Real Time Collaboration During COVID-19 |
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Jack Salo, Executive Director
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During an emergency or crisis, knowing how you as an individual, organization or business can make a difference is not as easy as it may seem. When the pandemic hit and New York State was mostly locked down, there was a rush to provide essential goods and services to vulnerable populations. In some cases it took time before a service delivery system emerged that reduced duplication and directed assistance where it was most needed.
Recognizing the need to have timely and accurate information and an understanding of both the needs that were emerging and the response by service providers, Rural Health Network assigned Mary Maruscak as our COVID 19 Services Coordinator. Mary could not continue with most of her pre-COVID health education duties due to the prohibitions on holding in person gatherings, hence she was available to take on this important role. Mary was tasked with representing Rural Health Network in county level COVID 19 planning meetings, sharing information across the organization, sharing information on Rural Health Network services to other organizations, and coordinating Rural Health Network services both within and outside the organization.
Rural Health Network's COVID 19 response was based on the best information available at the time and built on existing relationships and collaborations. There were many ways we altered our services to respond to the crisis ranging from relaxing criteria for transportation assistance to implementing doorstep welfare checks to ensure the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable we serve.
Re-purposing staff whose pre-COVID responsibilities were put on hold resulted in a significant deployment to support food security needs. Rural Health Network directly supported both the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and CHOW with significant staff, AmeriCorps and VISTA Member support. Support included preparing food for distribution, food delivery, and assisting with registration for food distribution.
Recognizing that individuals who needed food assistance were also likely to need other basic goods and services, Rural Health Network prepared and distributed 4,200 information packets at 9 food distribution events. The packets included a screening tool to better determine other essential needs. Contact information and an envelope was provided so the completed screening information could be returned to Rural Health Network for follow up by a Community Health Worker or other appropriate staff member based on the need(s) of those responding.
This is an example of how by working together, multiple organizations can create a more comprehensive response to human need during a crisis. In moving beyond COVID 19 we would do well to remember and build upon the collaboration that made it possible to serve those in need with a more holistic level of support.
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Community Health Worker Susan Boldman is Retiring
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Susan Boldman
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Community Health Workers are the heart and soul of Rural Health Network's Community Health Services Department. We hire them to work in their own communities to promote the health and well-being of their neighbors. The dedication to our agency mission and the people we serve is immeasurable. Pamela Guth, Director of Community Health Services, announced the retirement of Susan Boldman who has been instrumental in engaging Medicaid and Medicare Members in becoming their own health advocates over the last two and a half years. We wish her well in the next chapter of her life as she plans to continue giving to her community and grandchildren.
Parting words from Susan:
I thought I had a solid understanding of the effects poverty has on our rural population when I began working at Rural Health Network. I have lived most of my life in rural New York, and though I was never personally impoverished I have seen first- hand the difficulties lack of transportation, access to medical care and low wages have on families. Studying American history opened my eyes to the systemic causes of inequality in social status, but until I was introduced to the concepts of social determinants of health I didn't see how an individual's health is compromised or improved by factors other than genetics and lifestyle choices. Access to nourishing and affordable food is especially crucial for people with chronic health conditions. Food deserts exist in rural Broome, Delaware and Tioga counties in the midst of agricultural plenty.
Personally navigating the process of enrolling in Medicare has been eye opening. Our focus on Health Literacy meets a crucial need for all consumers of healthcare. The Chronic Disease Self Management Program is very beneficial and switching to remote classes is an important step in meeting client's needs. Rural Health Network deftly addresses social determinants of health for our rural population every day across all our programs.
Helping care for my grandchildren will be my priority in the coming months. I am committing time to volunteer for local organizations that address some of the same needs that Rural Health Network focuses on: Meals on Wheels, Food Bank of the Southern Tier. I plan to split my time between my home in Tioga County and North Carolina and am confident I can find similar programs in North Carolina. Head Start, Meals on Wheels and likely political work to make "Good Trouble" in the words of Rep. John Lewis, are in my future.
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Community Health Education Offers Virtual Sessions
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Live Healthy Today, a chronic disease self-management program, will be offered every Thursday for six-weeks beginning on September 3rd.
Whole Health Action Managementis designed to promote whole health with a focus on stress management. The series of six sessions will begin Tuesday, September 8th.
For more information about either program or to register, contact Mary Maruscak by email or at 607-692-7669, ext. 209.
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Rural Health Service Corps
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2020 - 2021 AmeriCorps Positions Are Now Available!
We are now accepting applications for the 2020 - 2021 term! Please visit our website to learn about full- and part-time positions at various sites, including CHOW, United Way of Broome County, Cortland Area Communities That Care, GetThere, and more! AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance for everyday expenses, and an education award, which can be used to pay off any student loans or future education expenses.
Our work is more important than ever as the areas we serve face new challenges due to COVID. We look forward to bringing on a new cohort of members that will make a difference in their communities through national service! For more information, visit our website or contact Haley Desilet.
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Thoughts from 2019-2020 AmeriCorps
and VISTA Members
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Jamie Henry
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Jamie Henry is the Program Assistant VISTA AmeriCorps member with the Food and Health Network, serving from August 2019 to August 2020. She is most proud of collaborating with other members of the team to present the first ever Food as Medicine Summit in November, an event which brought together professionals to brainstorm how best to ensure that all people, whether they be clients, community members, or patients, have access to healthy and nourishing food. This day also included a locally sourced meal, which she helped to procure from local farms and businesses. In the future, Jamie hopes to shift her focus from community health to healthcare as she pursues higher education and training in the nursing profession.
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Nicole Kaczmarczyk, Farm to School Americorps: The past ten months I have spent with Rural Health Network and FaHN have given me the opportunity to meet people and experience things I may not have had the chance to. I will be attending Nursing school this fall and will carry my widened knowledge on what makes an individual healthy as I pursue a career in health care. I would like to thank everyone here for giving me the opportunity to be an AmeriCorps member and learning the power nonprofits and community organizations can have to make a difference.
Tristan Mace, Marketing & Communications Associate VISTA: There were a lot
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Tristan Mace
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of skills I learned during my service. Learning more about how social media works in the background, such as the amount of effort it takes to create and schedule content and keeping up a regular appearance, was quite the eye opener for me. I gained so much knowledge on what it takes to maintain a professional social media presence for organizations, I hope that I can continue using those skills for other agencies down the road. I hope to continue working in the fields of Communications or Graphic Design. I still intend to continue my education at SUNY Oswego sometime in the near future.
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Jabari Randolph
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Jabari Randolph: I am a Farm to School AmeriCorps member. I'm proud of the cooking, gardening, and organizational skills I've gained from my term at the Rural Health Network of South Central NY. I'm most proud of bringing together the coalition of community organizations, nutritionists, and local farms that came together at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary for the nutrition and wellness expo, a full day of learning that every student got to experience in March. I hope to continue learning about sustainable food systems and combine what I've learned with my education at Binghamton University and my first term to help more families and communities in a second term with the Food and Health Network Team. It was a pleasure working with everyone and I hope to continue the experience.
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Downtown Binghamton Courtyard Market
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The Downtown Binghamton Courtyard Market opened for the season on July 7th. The market is a collaboration between the City of Binghamton, Rural Health Network, VINES, and several local businesses. Thomas Lewis, Community Food Coordinator with the Rural Health Network, worked with the city to establish the market as a nonprofit, as well as by providing assistance with outreach, marketing, and other technical assistance.
The market will be open every Tuesday from 4 pm - 7 pm until the first week of October at the Metrocenter Courtyard in Downtown Binghamton. Farmers' markets provide rural and urban community development opportunities by creating market access and encouraging the use of public space. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the outdoor market provides a socially distanced space for community members to support local farms, florists, artists, caterers, herbalists, and other businesses.
The market expanded this year from five to fifteen vendors and has seen a significant increase in customer traffic. The market also offers opportunities to promote food access and vendors selling produce are currently accepting FVRx vouchers. SNAP will be available to use at the market within the next few weeks. To learn more about the Downtown Binghamton Courtyard Market visit its Facebook page. We also encourage everyone to read this fantastic WSKG profile on Triple J Farm, a new addition to the market this year!
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Welcoming New Interns
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The Social Determinants of Health Measurement Project is bringing on two interns to work specifically on updating and identifying new rural viability indicators for rural Broome County. Please join us in welcoming Max Goldfarb and Cindy Courtney.
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Max Goldfarb
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Max Goldfarb: I am a 2nd year MPH student at Binghamton University.
I am very excited to start my position as a Social Determinants of Health Intern at the Rural Health Network. Through my experiences as an EMS provider within Broome County, I have seen firsthand the disparity between urban and rural areas. I am excited to work with many passionate individuals to help address these disparities and improve the community health of South Central New York.
Cindy Courtney: I am also a second year Master of Public Health student at Binghamton University. |
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Cindy Courtney
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I am very excited to be joining the Rural Health Network team as an intern. Being from a small and rural town in Marathon, NY, I look forward to helping the rural community by working on the Social Determinants Measurement Project. After graduating, I hope to continue my passion for addressing social determinants of health as well as researching health disparities. I have a Bachelor of Science in both Biology and Psychology from Le Moyne College. This past spring, I researched the barriers to HPV Vaccination here in Broome County and I will continue this project as my capstone in the fall.
For more information about the Social Determinants Measurement Project, contact Emma Nalin, Project Coordinator. |
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Story by Stephanie Button, Mobility & Transportation Advocate
When it comes to solving transportation barriers, it pays to have a partner or two. This is especially true when the transportation is needed by an individual on Medicaid that is traveling to another county for medical care. MAS provides non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for Medicaid enrollees. If the enrollee needs to see a doctor more than 30 miles away from their residence, they will have to have their physician submit a 2020 form (Outside Common Medical Area Form). The 2020 form is used to verify a medical need for transportation outside of the medical providers near their residency. Recently we have found the form can be back-logged and can take much longer than previously needed. This causes a big problem for Medicaid enrollees, especially those residing in rural areas who need to see specialists or have procedures in neighboring counties.
This was the situation that Jeff, a Community Health Navigator from Bassett, was recently dealing with. Jeff had complied with MAS and assisted a patient with having the 2020 form submitted so they would have transportation to a much needed medical procedure. The day before the patient's surgery, the form was still not processed. With each unsuccessful call to MAS, Jeff became concerned the patient would not be able to go to their surgery due to a lack of transportation. Since Jeff had worked with us before, he decided to make the call to see if there may have been something he missed.
When I spoke with Jeff, I explained that we have seen similar issues arising lately and this may be due to staff layoffs at MAS as a result of Covid-19. I made several calls and emailed my contacts at MAS, but was unable to receive a response in the short amount of time we had to solve the issue. I called MAS and was able to speak to a supervisor who informed me there was nothing else MAS could do to get the patient transportation to their procedure without the approved 2020 form on file. Luckily, the Rural Health Network of South Central New York collaborates with Leatherstocking Collaborative Health Partners, an initiative to improve healthcare delivery in New York State. Thanks to this partnership and the work done by Jeff and myself, we were able to ensure the patient would get to their procedure.
Later, I was informed that the patient had spent the last several months in pain and was depending on this surgery to be a big step towards a better quality of life. For this, I am truly thankful for our partnership with Leatherstocking and having the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life.
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In the News
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Greater Binghamton Chamber Business of the Week
Rural Health Network was honored to be named the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce Business of the Week for the week of July 27th. You can view the Chamber interview with Executive Director Jack Salo here and watch the WIVT Newschannel 34 interview here. |
News You Can Use
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Mary Maruscak, Director of Community Health Education, will be presenting at this webinar next Wednesday. Register by contacting Kristin Beylo.
 Tioga Tells Project enters second phase
We're so excited that the Tioga Tells project is up and running again in Tioga County, under the leadership of Tioga Opportunities, Inc. and AmeriCorps VISTA member Catherine Faruolo. Tioga County Residents are invited to
Save the Dates - Connecting to the New Rural Landscape
This year's New York State Association of Rural Health Conference, Connecting to the New Rural Landscape, will be a virtual event held in a series of sessions September 14-17. Save the dates and visit the conference page for evolving details.
Separate, but Together
This blog post from David Sandman, Executive Director of the New York State Health Foundation, resonated with us. Take a moment to read his thoughts on the pandemic and social isolation, especially as it impacts older adults. |
To support our work at Rural Health Network, please visit our donation page.
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Advancing the health and well-being of rural people and communities.
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