Transcript Sharing the Wealth: Collaboration to Increase Utilization

Big Wheels Keep on Turnin’:
Expanding Mobile Services
throughout Downstate Illinois
Julie A. Pryde, MSW, LSW
Director, Division Infectious Disease
Prevention & Management
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
Our Community
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Population of over 180,000
Diversity: 77% White; 11.2 % Black; 6.5% Asian;
and 2.9% Hispanic.
Home of the University of Illinois (world-renowned
Natl. Center for Supercomputing Applications).
Excellent medical facility: (Level I Trauma Center,
Level III Perinatal Center, teaching hospital)
A vibrant business community
An assortment of cultural resources and facilities
Nationally and internationally recognized city and
county park systems
More than 100 churches/religious facilities reflecting
a variety of religious beliefs
Our Community through Public Health’s eyes:
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16.1% of the population living in poverty.
2 emergency homeless shelters for men, none for
women
Limited mental health services for low-income
persons
Paucity of substance abuse treatment resources: no
pay-methadone treatment facility in all of downstate
IL (yet)
Champaign is a high incidence county for Gonorrhea
and Chlamydia.
Syphilis outbreak in 2002-03 and again in 2005-06.
Third highest HIV/AIDS rate in the State of Illinois.
Only one, small, federally-funded community health
center (seriously overburdened)
No Title III Clinic for persons with HIV
The Problem facing the Health
Department:
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Needed to increase outreach services to
targeted populations (MSM, IDU, HRH)
Public Health offered only limited hours
(M-F: 8-4 with an hour for lunch).
STD clinic hours only total 5 hours a week
Needed an outreach site where we could
provide exams for STDs
Needed a way for clients to receive
HIV/STD/TB/Hepatitis services which was
confidential (avoid stigma)
The Problem facing the Mobile
Program:
The mobile unit was used almost
exclusively in rural areas
 The mobile unit provided very limited
services
 The services offered were very
underutilized
 Carle had an undeserved reputation in
community as being unconcerned about
needs of poor
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The Solution for both:
A
collaboration between the
health department and the
existing mobile program at the
hospital
The solution:
Wellness on Wheels
How does WOW work?
PH conducted key informant interviews
to help us pick locations
 The Mobile provides a nurse driver ($20
hr.) who provides services
 PH pays mileage of $2 a mile (cheap as
we are in town)
 PH sends a nurse and or a counselor
(flex schedule)
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What we provide (FREE services):
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Blood pressure screening
Blood sugar screening
Cholesterol checks
Anonymous HIV testing
STD screening
Immunizations
Risk reduction counseling
Health education
Facilitated referrals to community resources
Risk reduction supplies
Linkage to syringe exchange
TB testing
Acute care
“Mobile” allows us maximum
flexibility
We choose locations based on:
 STD map
 Participant input
 Shifting population
 Need (outbreaks)
 Community input (special events)
WOW Special Event Locations
Special Events:
Special Events:
The Results:
WOW Clients
August 2002-2003
(n=615)
Non-Min
16%
Minority
84%
Specifically…
WOW Clients by Sex & Race
August 2002-August 2003
(n=615)
HM
5%
AM
1%
HF
5%
WF
7%
WM
9%
BLK F
26%
AF
1%
Other
1%
Blk M
45%
Another problem emerges!
We noticed high STD rates among
youth
 There were barriers to youth using our
clinics: hours of operation & stigma.
 Youth had less access to transportation
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What to do?!?!?!?!
Collaborate with another
Mobile Program
TEEN WELLNESS on WHEELS!
Teen Wellness on Wheels
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Started in 2002
Operates outside of local High Schools when
school is in session
Operates outside of local pool and water park
during summer months
Collaborates with Planned Parenthood’s Teen
Peer Educators to provide information on
birth control
Reached nearly 500 youth during the first
year of operation
Requests from other schools to bring the
Mobile to events
How does Public Health Benefit
from these collaborations?
Increased trust with target populations
 Increased case finding
 Increased attendance in STD clinic
 Much free publicity
 Benefits of being associated with Carle
 Increased collaboration and cooperation
from sites (public housing, soup
kitchen, homeless shelters, and others)
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How Do Mobile Unit Owners
Benefit from these collaborations?
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Giving back to the community (not-for-profit
Foundation)
Good public relations (much publicity)
WOW has sparked interest within Carle & Christie
about the Mobile Health Program
Have since created a linkage with overburdened
community health center (provide 2 extra exam
rooms 4 days wk)
Increased cooperation with other community
agencies (Planned Parenthood, American Lung
Assoc., UI Community Health, and others)
2004: Yet another problem
emerges!
Lack of flexibility with shared mobile units.
 Inability to use mobiles during late night and
early morning hours
 Inability to change the schedule without a
great deal of advance notice
 The Mobiles were too large for some locations
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SOLUTION?!?!
WOWee!!!
2 Room Mobile Counseling & Testing Unit
WOWee:
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Works weekends & evenings
Parks outside of Labor Ready from 5:30-8:30
AM
Parks outside of gay bars from 11PM-2AM
Allows us to attend special events
Parks in Public Housing
Allows maximum flexibility to target specific
areas (GIS/Chlamydia Project)
Graphics Matter!
How can we expand even
further?
IL Children’s Health Care Foundation
grants
 Collaborated with the IDPH Office of
Minority Health to expand WOW
throughout IL (received federal grant)
 Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich made
WOW a part of BASUAH statewide
initiative
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What can you do to keep the
Big Wheels Turnin’?
Collaborate with local health departments and
CBOs
 Use your mobile & their expertise of the
target populations to expand services (you
use it during the day, they use it at night)
 Partner with Health Departments & CBOs to
apply for funding opportunities that you may
not qualify for on your own
 Consider selling or donating your used mobile
to a health department or CBO. They have
the advantage of your experience & can call
with questions or advise
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Join the Downstate IL Mobile
Health Alliance
Modeled after the Chicago Mobile
Health Alliance
 Will provide opportunities for:
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Networking
 Resource sharing
 Technical assistance
 Group projects
 Future conferences and trainings
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THANK YOU!
Julie A. Pryde
[email protected]
217-239-7827
Keep those Big Wheels
Turnin’!!!