My name is Katie Kauffman and I am the Social Worker for PACC.

When asked to write this blog post, I was coming out of a tough week (as many of us face in our work) and hopefully can shed some light on the impact not only we as medical providers have, but also the impact our patients have on us.

I have been working as a social worker for over 12 years and have spent at least half of that time here at HealthNet in one capacity or another. I have the privilege now to provide care and support to our most vulnerable population, pediatrics and adolescents at PACC.

In my work we face varying degrees of needs and situations with our patients.  One of the many wonderful things about HealthNet is we often see people from birth, at the start of a new and exciting time in a family’s life, to the toughest of days. Among the increased needs of our patients, the increased caseloads we carry as social workers, the most important part of what I do every day, is stopping and listening.  Coming to this organization every day and checking in with patients, assisting them with referrals to community resources for the most basic of needs, to sharing a laugh or a struggle with a co-worker is a most humbling experience and one I never take for granted.

Often times the term “social worker” leaves many wondering what that title or role involves. Unfortunately, with that role comes the tough part of my job, the part that no one enjoys. My number one priority is to always be an advocate for my patient. My patients are helpless, innocent children and ensuring their safety and that their basic needs are met is always a focus of mine. Providing resources and connecting patients with outside agencies is a big part of what I do. A number of community agencies we have close working relationships with include, Catholic Charities, The YMCA, and Indiana Legal Services, to name just a few. I also work closely with Department of Children Services and have often been called to court to speak on behalf and advocate for our patient’s needs.

At the core of what we do is care. We also strive to understand where our patients are coming from and providing empathy for the road they are traveling, at whatever stage of life they are in.

Our patients face change and unpredictability on a daily basis. We as medical caregivers and providers at HealthNet can be the one stability for them. That is something I strive to be for the people I serve.

Post by Katie Kauffman

Why did you become a social worker?
I chose to become a social worker because I wanted to have a career where I could make a difference in the lives of individuals and families who are socially and/or economically challenged.  As a social worker, I connect clients to the resources and referrals that will best serve their needs, and help them to become self-sufficient. Social work also enables me to give clients the support that they are in need of, which often gives clients a greater sense of empowerment and the motivation they need to make a positive change in their lives. When I look back, I realize that I was destined to be a social worker. It was a part of me all along, and my calling from God. Once I choose to walk into my calling, everything fell in line.

What can you assist families or individuals with?
The social work team assists families, individuals, children and elderly adults with a variety of resources and referral sources that will best serve their needs. Some of these include, but are not limited to the following:

• food pantries
• homeless and domestic violence shelters
• utility assistance, clothing and furniture
• childcare
• elderly resources
• medication assistance
• Marketplace insurance
• High School Equivalency classes

We also refer pregnant women or new moms to HealthNet’s Healthy Families Program who can assist them with car seats, cribs, baby clothes, supplies and support. The social work team also assists clients with transportation for doctor appointments through our cab and bus ticket program. We also utilize and promote other HealthNet programs, such as our Medical-Legal Partnership and Best Father Program.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?
The most satisfying part of my job is when clients follow through and utilize the resources and referrals sources that I provide them with. Another very satisfying part of my job is when I have clients who for no special reason at all ask to see me just so they can talk for a few minutes and thank me for the help and support I have showed them.

To learn more about HealthNet Social Work department, visit www.indyhealthnet.org.

HealthNet, in partnership with the Fathers and Families Center have created a workshop “Best Father” to connect young men with the tools needed to be the “Best Father” in their children lives. Our “Best Father” workshop is filled with information, fun and fellowship among men! Some topics that are discussed include:

I distinctly remember a “game” my grandfather used to play with me that taught me more life values than most childhood games I ever played; I believe he called it “Bug Hunting.” He was a fisherman and taught me that buying bait was a waste of money, since it was more fun (and free) to go and find worms in the dirt. Finding worms became a competition between my brother and I, making the whole game more ‘profitable’ for my grandfather, since we always ended up with more worms that way. The game evolved on a warm Sunday afternoon, however, when I was about 5 years old. As it turned out, my aunt is absolutely petrified of worms, and my grandfather knew it (I did not at the time). The game evolved from finding the bugs, to my grandfather using my devoted obedience to him to scare my aunt. He brought me close to him, saying “Aunt Jenny loves worms, Tori. Why don’t you go give her one? She’d love it! And if she runs away and screams, it’s just part of the game, so you have to chase her until she takes it from you to win!” Being five, I believed every word. I ended up chasing my screeching aunt through a field for about 10 minutes. Needless to say, I never “won”.

But being an adult now, I remember this game and now see it as a life lesson in personal management. Allow me to explain:

While I can go on a personal ‘bug hunt’ to find what it is that “bugs” me (finding my own personal triggers for anger, frustration, etc), there will always be other people who will find them for me. That’s the beauty in human interaction: allowing others to teach you something you did not know about yourself before you met them. There are certainly days I have felt that I could have gone without learning about a certain trigger, particularly if it was one for feeling annoyed, I later appreciated the opportunity and education.

A lot of people find the holiday season to be both a blessing and a curse, which is the perfect recipe for a ‘bug hunt’ to occur. So this holiday season, give yourself some time to go on your own ‘bug hunt’ to proactively find your own triggers and develop ways to overcome them or, better yet, eliminate them. Talk to your friends, family, coworkers, or community professionals such as your Family Support Specialist on stress management techniques, coping skills, and ways to make the holidays inclusive, safe, and fun for the whole family.

Happy Hunting and Happy Holidays!

Did you know that 5.3 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s? In honor of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, HealthNet Behavioral Health Provider, Bhumi Bhavsar, discusses the importance of caregivers as well as dealing with a family member suffering from dementia.

http://www.alz.org/

What is Alzheimer’s? 

Dementia has a group of symptoms:  most prominent is difficulty with memory, along with problems in one of the following areas as well: cognitive functioning, including language, attention, problem solving, spatial skills, judgment, planning, or organization.  There are many causes of dementia, some causes can be irreversible, which means if the cause of dementia is found, than the person can return to normal functioning.  However, most causes of dementia are not reversible and can be progressive over time.  One of the most common causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s, which accounts for about 70-80% of dementia cases.  November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.  But do we all know what that means?  It is a disease related to loss of one’s memory, thinking, and behavior.  Over time it is a disease that gets worse.  There are various stages of Alzheimer’s, which accompanies with it a set of symptoms at each progressive stage.  Click here for more information on symptoms at each stage.

Do you know someone who has Alzheimer’s or are a caregiver?

It is a particularly sad disease to see your loved ones suffering from this.  A young person once told me how it is hard for them to see their loved one in such a manner, as it makes them sad knowing they will never have the same conversations they once used to.  I recall during my undergraduate years, working on a unit with people having dementia and Alzheimer’s – it pulled at my heart strings daily. Every time I saw family coming to visit their loved ones and they didn’t recognize them or would hit them and be mean to them, it was hard.  Family would share how their loved one was once so accomplished or had so many skills.

If you are a caregiver of someone that has Alzheimer’s, it is very important to take some time out to take care of yourself as well in the process.  You may be experiencing a lot of emotions yourself, ranging anywhere from guilt, anger, frustration, and depression.  Make sure you ask your loved one’s doctor, social worker, etc all the questions you need to ask.  There are support groups out there to get the necessary emotional support for yourself as well.

If you’d like to make an appointment to speak with a Behavioral Health Provider, or for more information, please visit www.indyhealthnet.org. 

Yes, it’s that time of year again; the kids are going back to school – which means shopping for clothes, shoes, school supplies- the whole works!!  You’re excited and others are excited, however you notice that your child doesn’t seem excited; rather their behavior seems to have taken a change for the worse.  If so, there are probably some valid reasons for the changes. I think sometimes we as parents tend to misconstrue the behaviors and don’t see that the child is asking for help. There may be something about school or going to school that they don’t like or that makes them scared to go.

With all the technological advances in our world today, I think we tend to miss some of the obvious changes that take place in our children’s’ behaviors or lives, as we are more focused on playing that game on our new iPhone, tweeting someone back, or too focused on our Kindle or iPad.

If you do notice changes in your kids’ behaviors, take a few moments to really sit down and ask them what is going on.  Some of you may be thinking, ‘duh that sounds obvious’, however you can’t imagine the number of parents that are unable to or don’t do that. 

You may discover that your child or children do not want to go to school because they are scared the bullying will start over again – whether on the bus or at school.  Bullying is a huge issue that goes on today and it really does impact kids in a negative way.  They may be scared of being around all those kids again in a small space and feeling like they cannot escape or get out.  Or they may feel like they are not good enough or smart enough and may feel intimidated by their friends or other students.

Whatever the case may be, please take a few minutes to ask your children about what is going on and how they feel about going back to school.  If they are concerned about the above issues, make a plan with them so they know they can come talk to you about what is going on at school.  Let them know that you want them to be successful and you are willing to be there to help them with that.  Sometimes it is hard for kids to openly communicate with their parents/guardians for fear of their parents/guardians’ response or not wanting to disappoint them.  If that is the case, check out the nearest HealthNet Clinic near your area and make an appointment with a therapist, so your child does have someone he or she can talk to and does not feel like he or she has to battle their fears, concerns, stressors, etc alone.

For more information about our behavioral health services, please contact your HealthNet center or call 317-957-2200 x 6009.

Generosity can be seen in many ways:

• Donating last year’s coat to a homeless shelter
• Dropping some spare change into the Salvation Army bell ringer’s red bucket
• Purchasing a toy for the Toys for Tots program

HealthNet has seen seen an outpouring of generosity over the last couple weeks. Groups have come together to donate coats, hats, gloves and blankets to our Homeless Initiative Program, and social workers at our Community Health Centers are getting ready to distribute toys to children in need thanks to organizations like Toys for Tots and Mattel’s Toy Donation Program.

But what happens when the new year begins and people get back to their daily lives?

HealthNet’s social workers work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure that thousands of families and children are having their basic needs met.

These needs include referrals to area programs to help with heating assistance, bus passes to get to their health care appointments, and guidance on where to find job training and educational services. Our social workers also work with families to help provide school uniforms, properly fitting shoes and even a gift for parents to give their child on his or her birthday.

During the holiday season there seems to be an abundance of organizations helping families provide toys to their children for Christmas but what happens when June comes along and a child is without a birthday gift or the basic needs of life?

With your help, HealthNet’s social workers can continue to provide these services year round.

Please consider donating $25 to help purchase a birthday gift and basic care items for a child who would otherwise go without. Give a gift that keeps giving year-round! 

As 2011 draws to a close, we wanted to share a letter from HealthNet President/CEO Booker Thomas that appeared in yesterday’s e-newsletter:

Dear Friends of HealthNet,

Every year, hundreds of individuals make donations that help HealthNet fulfill its mission of caring for the community. We hope you will join them and make a gift to HealthNet this holiday season.

Consider that:

• $50 helps School-based Services provide students with a personal care hygiene kit filled with items they may not have at home.
• $100 provides 2 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy for a patient without insurance through Health Promotions.
• $200 helps a family struggling with a rent or mortgage payment through Social Services.
• $200 provides breast health education and outreach to inner-city neighborhoods in Indianapolis through Mammogram Assistance.
• $500 helps provide services through the Healthy Families Programthat teach and encourage the skills that make a family work. In an area where poverty heightens the normal stresses of parenting and making ends meet, families need a variety of support just to keep it together.
• $1000 provides tuition for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training and certification for someone in the Homeless Initiative Program.

Any gift, large or small, will make a difference in our ability to put our patients’ needs first as we provide the very highest standard of care in a community-based environment. 
Please click here to make a donation online.

 I also invite you to enjoy the online edition of HealthNet’s 2010-2011 Annual Report. In this easy-to-read format, you can learn more about the expansion, innovation and growth HealthNet has experienced in the past year, as well as read some amazing stories from our patients and clients.

 On behalf of the entire HealthNet family, I thank you in advance and wish you the very best for a happy, healthy 2012!

Booker Thomas, MHA

President/CEO

HealthNet, Inc.

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Sign up to stay up-to-date on HealthNet happenings in 2012!

This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is coming to you to help spread awareness.

Did you know?
3 out of 4 children are not as secure in a car as
they should be because of incorrect use of car seats.

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST, you can tune in on Twitter and ask questions to @childseatsafety using the #cpsweek hashtag!  A fun, interactive way to get your questions answered quickly.  You don’t have to sit through an informational video or a huge class. You can get answers in under 140 characters.

After tomorrow’s Twitter Q&A, be sure to catch our Thursday blog about how our Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families program staff are becoming certified to instruct parents and guardians on how to us a car seat properly.

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Want to support a family in need by helping them to receive a car seat?
A $75 donation can go toward the purchase of a car seat for BIBs/HF to distribute while giving instruction on the proper use.
Click here to donate and help keep all of Indianapolis’ children safe.
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One year ago tomorrow, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act.

Community Health Centers now serve 23 million patients and provide care for one-fourth of all primary care visits for low-income citizens in our country.  The Affordable Care Act has been one more step towards health centers throughout the nation caring for 40 million patients by 2015.  The two greatest statistics that show the effectiveness of community health centers are

1. Cost per patient per day is nearly a dollar lower than all physician settings ($1.67 v. $2.64)
2. Medicaid beneficiaries who choose health centers for primary care are 19% less likely to use the ER for unnecessary visits and 11% less likely to be hospitalized.

The expansion of HealthNet’s Southwest Health & Dental Center, People’s Health & Dental Center, and the soon-to-be Barrington Health & Dental Center has benefited the Indianapolis area greatly.  These expansions will allow HealthNet to reach a greater number of underserved areas and provide services to more patients who otherwise would go without primary and preventative health care or unnecessarily use the ER.

However, there are still areas of HealthNet (not supported under ACA) that need expansion.  Areas such as

• Homeless Initiative Program – serving more than 3,200 homeless persons in Indianapolis
• Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families – making more than 14,720 visits to families in at-risk homes in Marion County
• Social Services – providing support to families living below the poverty level which is one in every 16 people in Marion County
• Radiology/Mammography Assistance – helping uninsured women who are less likely to be screened for breast cancer
• School-based Services – assisting more than 3,320 students in receiving health care and health education in 8 public and charter schools in Marion County
• Health Promotions – a free service that includes a dietitian, tobacco cessation counselor, and childbirth specialist

In light of the one-year anniversary of the signing of the ACA into law, we want to highlight the successful expansion of our community health centers throughout Indianapolis, but also ask for our COMMUNITY’S help in expanding our outreach services to reach further and build a healthier neighborhood for everyone.

You can help us reach those in need by making a quick donation online or by mail.  Visit our donation page to learn more about these programs and ways to assist HealthNet