Community Health Workers help the elderly in Cincinnati, Ohio.
|

Cognitive decline in elderly people: Early warning signs

No one wants to lose their memory. It’s a terrifying prospect.  And cognitive decline isn’t just about losing your memory; it’s about not being able to think like you used to. For example, you might be confused by abstract concepts, have trouble with decision-making, or not understand friends’ and families’ conversations. Cognitive decline can make…

PRESS RELEASE: HCAN granted $50 thousand from The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Foundation

The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Foundation, distributed by The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, granted Health Care Access Now (HCAN) $50 thousand for its Maternal and Child Health Care Coordination program. HCAN will use the grant’s funds to meet the needs of its clients and community. CHWs will focus on helping Black mothers to birth…

How to help reduce poverty in Cincinnati, Ohio

Poverty affects all of us: How to help

Poverty profoundly affects those in its grips. Experiencing poverty means lack of access to basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, health care, education). It increases toxic stress. It erodes mental and physical health. It intrudes on each and every aspect of life. It keeps people from reaching their potential.   But poverty also affects those who are…

Action items to reduce poverty in Cincinnati, OH

Action items to reduce poverty

Many people are aware that a disproportionate number of Cincinnati citizens are living in poverty. Many people understand that the current poverty rate is a legacy of a system steeped in racism. Many people get involved in their communities to help those living in poverty by volunteering or donating.  But many of those same people…

Poverty and children's mental health in Cincinnati, OH
|

Poverty and children’s mental health

An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) can take many forms, ranging from “abuse or neglect” to “significant surgery,” according to Victoria Ackman, LISW-S, Service Area Vice President for Lighthouse Youth & Family Services. These ACEs add up and “play a huge part into how your brain processes experiences, impacting everything you do and how you see…

PRESS RELEASE: HCAN receives $100 thousand from ODH for workforce development

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) received $100 thousand from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to further develop its Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce. CHWs are critical in the fight against systemic racism in public policy and health. HCAN acts as the Certified Pathways Community Hub in Southwest Ohio (Hub). CHWs use the Hub as…

Children living in poverty in Cincinnati, Ohio
|

Children living in poverty: It’s not just the children

It’s common to see articles, reports, news segments all about children living in poverty. How do we help children experiencing homelessness? Food insecurity? Lack of adequate health care?  It’s a very important issue to address. These children need help immediately—and they need help for their future so they can break the cycle of poverty. However,…

The myth of the bootstraps.
|

You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps

The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” currently means being able to do something by yourself. No matter your circumstances, this phrase implies, you should be able to achieve wealth and success. Often, the phrase is wielded at people who live in poverty. The blame game The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”…

|

PRESS RELEASE: Health Care Access Now adds three new Care Coordination Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Care Coordination is central to Health Care Access Now (HCAN)’s mission. HCAN works with Care Coordination partners in the region to help serve vulnerable clients in the Cincinnati region. The All-In Cincinnati Coalition, the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition, and the Great Miami Valley YMCA have just recently joined the team. The…