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September 21, 2023

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

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Health Health Portal Lead News News Homepage News News Portal Highlights

Death Rates for People under 40 have Skyrocketed Due to Fentanyl

September 8, 2023 by Maryland Matters
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A new Stateline analysis shows that U.S. residents under 40 were relatively unscathed by COVID-19 in the pandemic but fell victim to another killer: accidental drug overdose deaths.

Death rates in the age group were up by nearly a third in 2021 over 2018, and last year were still 21% higher.

COVID-19 was a small part of the increase, causing about 23,000 deaths total between 2018 and 2022 in the age group, which includes the millennial generation (born starting in the early 1980s), Generation Z (born starting in the late ’90s) and children. Vehicle accidents and suicide (about 96,000 each) and gun homicide (about 65,000) all took a cumulative toll from 2018 to 2022, according to a Stateline analysis of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Overdose deaths, however, took almost 177,000 lives in that time.

Accidental overdose became the No. 1 cause of death in 13 states for people under 40, overtaking suicide in nine states and vehicle accidents in five others; it’s now the top cause in 37 states. The only other change was in Mississippi, where homicide became the main cause of death, overtaking car accidents. In 40 states and the District of Columbia, overdose was the biggest increase in deaths for young people.

In Maryland, homicide remains the leading cause of death for people under 40, but accidental overdose is the fastest-growing cause of death for the age group, increasing by 73% since 2018.

States are responding to the skyrocketing death rates with “harm reduction” strategies that can include warning of the new danger of recreational drugs laced with deadly fentanyl, training and equipping people to counteract overdoses when they see them, and even considering controversial supervised drug use sites to keep addicts safer.

A “fourth great wave” of accidental overdose deaths driven by drugs spiked with powerful fentanyl is now washing over young America, said Daliah Heller, vice president of drug use initiatives at Vital Strategies, an international advocacy group that works on strengthening public health.

Prescription opioids led to one surge in drug dependency from 2000 to 2016, then when supply waned in response to crackdowns, users turned to heroin, synthetic opioids and finally fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin and easier to get in the pandemic, Heller said.

‘Very common’ experience

Jonathan Diehl of Silver Spring, Maryland, died in 2019 at age 28 after using heroin he likely did not know was spiked with fentanyl, said his mother, Cristina Rabadán-Diehl. Jonathan Diehl earned a degree in construction management and was starting a promising new job in home heating and air conditioning four days before he died, his mother said.

“I think Jonathan’s trajectory was very common,” said Rabadán-Diehl, who now works as an adviser on substance use disorders. “He started with opioid pills, and when the government started putting restrictions on prescriptions, he as well as millions and millions of Americans transitioned into the illegal market. And then fentanyl made its appearance.”

Now, a fresh wave of overdose deaths — different from the first three — is fed by fentanyl making its way into all kind of recreational drugs, and by pandemic isolation that led to more solitary drug use, Heller said.

“Somebody might think they’re getting a Xanax [for anxiety], or methamphetamine or cocaine,” Heller said. “They have no experience with opioids, it’s not what they’re expecting and now they have a much higher risk of overdose and death.”

Authorities generally classify overdose deaths as an accident or suicide based on individual investigations of the circumstances surrounding each death.

States struggling the most with deaths of young people, driven mostly by accidental overdoses, include New Mexico, which eclipsed West Virginia and Mississippi since 2018 to have the highest death rate in the nation for people under 40 — about 188 deaths per 100,000, up 43% since 2018.

Other states with high death rates for the age group include West Virginia (170 deaths per 100,000), Louisiana and Mississippi (164), and Alaska (163).

In New Mexico, where accidental overdoses became the main cause of death for people under 40 in 2022, overtaking suicide and rising 90% to 394 deaths since 2018, the overdose problem has generally been concentrated in poverty-plagued rural areas such as Rio Arriba County on the Colorado border.

Democratic state Rep. Tara Lujan, who has relatives in that county, sponsored harm reduction legislation signed into law last year. It is similar to laws in many other states that include wide distribution of naloxone to reverse overdoses, legalized testing equipment for deadly additives like fentanyl, and good Samaritan laws that allow friends to report overdoses without legal consequences for their own drug use.

Lujan hopes to reintroduce a bill that would create so-called overdose prevention centers or harm reduction centers where drugs can be used in a supervised and safe environment. The legislation died in committee this year after Republicans called the idea “state-sponsored drug dens.”

“It’s all issues that were in place before the pandemic, but the pandemic made everything completely off the rails,” Lujan said. “My committee meetings have been packed with family members saying, ‘We know they won’t quit on their own, but we don’t want them to die.’”

Only New York City has two such facilities in operation, run by advocates; the sites claim some success in reversing overdoses. But federal law enforcement authorities are threatening to shut them down without a specific state mandate, since otherwise they fall under a federal law banning operations that allow illegal drug use on-site.

In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year vetoed legislation that would have allowed jurisdictions to open safe injection sites, saying they “could induce a world of unintended consequences” in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland.

“Worsening drug consumption challenges in these areas is not a risk we can take,” Newsom wrote in a veto message.

Rhode Island is the only state so far to pass legislation allowing supervised drug-use sites as a pilot project, in 2021, but has yet to open any centers. New legislation introduced this year would push the expiration of the pilot project from 2024 to 2026.

Bills on the same topic of supervised drug-use sites were under consideration this year in Colorado, Illinois and New York but did not pass.

In a sign of the impact on young people, a Massachusetts bill would have required all state university dorm assistants to have naloxone training to reverse overdoses, but it stalled.

New Hampshire is one of several states experimenting with vans that go to known drug-use locations and offer overdose prevention supplies and advice.

Death rate disparities

The lowest death rates for young people in 2022 were in Hawaii (78), Massachusetts and Rhode Island (79), and Utah and New Jersey (80). Massachusetts and New Jersey were the only states to see decreases in overall deaths for people under 40 since 2018, and also had drops in overdose deaths, although overdose remained the No. 1 cause of death for young people in both states.

Nationally, accidental overdoses dominated the increase in deaths in residents under 40 across racial and urban-rural divides, but many disparities exist. The increase in young overdose death rates was 154% for Black Americans, 122% for Hispanic residents and 37% for white people, yet even for white residents they represented the largest increase.

The largest urban areas saw increases in overdose death rates of 70%, and rural areas 64% — the largest increases in both areas for any cause of death.

Across races and age groups overdose death rates are higher for men and slowed in 2017, but picked up again after 2018 and skyrocketed in the pandemic until 2021, according to a federal National Center for Health Statistics data brief published last year.

By Tim Henderson. Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this report. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Portal Lead, News Homepage, News Portal Highlights

For All Seasons Launches Revolutionary ‘Open Access’ Mental Health Program with No Waitlists

August 2, 2023 by The Spy
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In October 2022, For All Seasons launched an innovative method to eliminate its waitlist and allow individuals and families to begin mental health services in a timely way. For All Seasons’ “Open Access” program allows individuals to select a time window and a location, complete their intake and meet with a therapist on the same day. Open Access is the first mental health delivery model of its kind on the Eastern Shore.

“Open Access was about finding a way to open up more spots to increase the capacity of the agency because there was such a need in the community. We started small initially to make sure that we could handle the capacity of clients who were coming in. We wanted to make sure that we didn’t overpromise and underdeliver. It was really important for us to make sure that when somebody came in through Open Access for their assessment that we could pair them up with their longtime clinician,” comments Lesa Lee, Chief Clinical Officer at For All Seasons.

“We had a wonderful team working together to transition people from the waitlist to Open Access and safely to clinicians. Because we were hiring new clinicians, we could open up more spots to increase that capacity.”

For All Seasons started with 16 Open Access appointments a week and has increased that number to 22 appointments which includes its office locations in Easton and Denton, and its telehealth appointments. In addition, the agency is offering an appointment each week in support of its partnership with Chesapeake College students. In the last eight months, For All Seasons has brought in 509 new clients through Open Access and eliminated its waitlist.

Because the Open Access process allows For All Seasons staff to gather all the client information at once, including insurance, consents, and releases of information, the process is expedited and enables the client to also have a licensed clinician do the initial mental health assessment at the same time. This more streamlined process allows people to come in at their time of need, versus having to wait months on a waitlist to be seen by a clinician for the initial assessment. In addition, staff have found that clients coming in for Open Access are more motivated to begin services and are more likely to continue over time.

In addition to offering Open Access at its Talbot Street office, For All Seasons is also now offering Open Access in its Market Street Office in Denton and through telehealth so that there are no barriers for people living in any of Maryland’s 24 counties to receive mental health services. It has expanded the agency’s reach beyond the Mid-Shore. Because For All Seasons is a trauma expert, this has been another draw for people using its services.

Open Access appointments are available and made in person at For All Seasons’ 300 Talbot Street office in Easton (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays between 8 and 9:30 a.m. and Wednesdays between 12 p.m. and 1:30 pm., at its 322 Market Street office in Denton (Mondays and Thursdays between 8 and 9 a.m.), and through Telehealth (Fridays between 8 and 8:30 a.m. via Zoom). Open Access is a first-come first-serve program. The initial intake can be approximately 25 minutes and the mental health assessment can be up to one hour long. Once the Open Access visit is complete, individuals are scheduled for ongoing therapy appointments within a week at an agreeable date, time, and location at one of For All Seasons’ seven offices or via the telehealth option. Psychiatric appointments are made in two weeks. If For All Seasons reaches its capacity for the number of Open Access slots on a given day, individuals are encouraged to come back at their convenience on another day.

“We encourage individuals to come in as early as possible for Open Access to reserve a spot and to confirm Open Access times on our website before coming. With Open Access through telehealth, individuals do not need to come in person as everything is done virtually, which helps our clients who live a distance or are disabled,” she adds.

“We can help people much more quickly. What’s good for the clients is if you are in crisis, you are not waiting on a waitlist for weeks or months, plus pretty quickly you’re going to see a therapist for your very first session and a mental health assessment,” states George King, Director of Practice Operations.

“If something comes up, our staff can deal with it in real-time and get individuals in for an appointment. We’re excellent with our workflows and our communication. I’ve never worked at a place where everybody helps one another, regardless of your job title, which ultimately benefits our clients.”

According to King, the turnout in For All Seasons’ Denton office has been positively received. There is a high need in Caroline County and the staff is now able to meet that need. In addition, For All Seasons has interpreters who can tackle any language barrier that might exist.

For Client Services Specialist Omar Bolden, being able to reassure clients about getting a timely appointment makes him feel more a part of the client’s healing and recovery from the beginning. He states, “It makes me feel more confident in my job, knowing that this option gives them a guaranteed timeframe of when they can come in and start services. On the frontline, I create a relationship right from the beginning with the client. Having a positive attitude and always remaining calm helps to set the tone for how our agency’s services will be provided. It’s more so of a helping hand – I am taking them by the hand and personally helping them get to where they need to go through Open Access.”

“These clients are coming in from all kinds of backgrounds.  They may be suicidal, have gone through a difficult breakup, or experienced a traumatic event or loss. Being able to see a therapist for the very first time and not having to wait is a huge reassurance to them. I can say that Open Access is having a positive effect on our community,” Bolden adds.

The Spy asked Beth Anne Dorman, CEO – For All Seasons, to stop by our studio on Monday to provide some insights for this unique program.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For further information regarding documentation needed for Open Access or appointment times, call (410) 822-1018 or visit forallseasonsinc.org. Individuals needing financial assistance for Open Access should call For All Seasons billing department at (410) 822-1018 x311.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Portal Lead, Spy Chats, Spy Top Story

Medical Debt Leads to Compounding Troubles for Low-income Marylanders, Particularly for Black Families

July 25, 2023 by Maryland Matters
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In the United States, health concerns that land someone in the hospital or require multiple visits to the doctor can be a taxing experience on emotional, logistical and financial fronts.

But for about 17% of Marylanders facing medical debt, these struggles get compounded, leading to additional stressors that can further impact health outcomes, particularly for Black families and patients, according to economic policy organizations.

“[Medical debt] really does impact everyone on some level. It doesn’t impact folks equally,” according to Berneta Haynes, senior attorney for National Consumer Law Center. “It does have a disparate impact based on race and income.

Haynes participated in a webinar hosted by Economic Action Maryland this month, aiming to shine a light on how medical debt disproportionately impacts communities of color.

Economic Action Maryland conducted a poll in October 2020 surveying Marylanders, and found that 12% of survey participants had a medical debt they could not pay. In addition, 26% of participants stated that they would be unable to pay for an unexpected $500 medical bill out of pocket.

Marceline White, executive director of the organization, said that the average costs of a four-day hospital stay is about $14,200.

“It’s expensive to go to the hospital,” she said during the webinar.

White explained that when people have medical debt hanging over them, problems can compound and result in credit issues and even lead into other health concerns as patients delay medical care.

“We saw this particularly during the COVID pandemic. People did not go to hospitals to get treatment because they were afraid. They already had a medical bill they already medical debt,” she said.

Haynes, with the National Consumer Law Center, echoed White’s concern about people delaying hospital visits during an interview with Maryland Matters.

“People start making risky decisions related to their health,” Haynes said. “They start foregoing necessary health care visits that can then worsen whatever condition they may currently have — and snowball into more medical debt down the road.”

Which is a particular concern when it comes to the higher rate of Black families facing medical debt.

According to data from the Urban Institute, which tracks various forms of debt and how they impact Black communities, about 13% of communities of color in Maryland have medical debt, compared to 9% of white communities.

According to the most recent U.S. Census data from 2020, 48.7% percent of Marylanders are white and 29.5% are Black. About 21.9% of Marylanders are some other race or a mix of two races.

Another factor leading to medical debt can be whether a patient has insurance or not. Haynes explained that Black communities tend to have higher rates of various chronic illnesses but also may not have insurance, which can lead to medical debt

“Even in the states that have expanded Medicaid, like Maryland, we still see that Black folks are more likely to be uninsured, more likely to lack access to hospitals and health care providers nearby, so they have to go to providers that are out of network,” she said. “More likely to see higher maternal fatality rates. All kinds of cancers are highly concentrated in Black families. All of that makes Black people more likely to accrue medical debt than other groups.”

Both Haynes and White said Maryland’s efforts to reduce medical debt should be be a role model for other states.

The Medical Debt Protection Act, which took effect without being signed by former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in 2021, issued a handful of protections for patients facing medical debt.

Under this law, hospitals are not permitted to request arrest warrants on patients if they are trying to collect medical debt.

“I don’t think it ever crosses people’s minds that a medical debt can lead to your arrest,” Haynes noted.

The 2021 law requires hospitals to check a patient’s eligibility for financial assistance before filing a lawsuit. In addition, hospitals are required to refund patients if they are deemed eligible for financial assistance within 240 days of billing.

“Maryland would be seen as one of the states that is doing the most,” White said. “But we still see, despite that effort, thousands and thousands of people falling through the cracks for a variety of reasons. And again, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown communities.”

Part of the issue to how patients get medical debt in the first place is the lack of knowledge that non-profit hospitals are required to provide financial assistance, also referred to as charity care, for low income people under the federal Affordable Care Act.

With charity care, hospitals may provide free or discounted services to eligible low-income patients who cannot afford services,

But hospitals may have different qualifications for who is considered “eligible” for financial assistance.

“That means from hospital to hospital, the threshold for when you qualify for financial assistance will differ. You may qualify for one hospital in the Baltimore area and not in another hospital in the Baltimore area,” according to Haynes.

For example, Lifebridge Health’s financial assistance policy says that it “provides hospice care at a discount to eligible patients of limited means whose household income is between 300% and 375% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the patient’s family size,” according to its website.

But Medstar’s financial assistance policy says that “partial financial assistance for medically necessary care provided to uninsured and underinsured patients with household income between 201% and 400% of the FPL.”

Haynes says that one of the most impactful way to address medical debt would be to set an income floor for all hospitals under the ACA. But she also urges lawmakers in Maryland and across the United States to consider policies that can specifically help with the inequity in medical debt that Black families and patients face.

“I think a little bit of both would be the right approach,” she said.

“But I think it’s also important for lawmakers to figure out how to prioritize relief for Black families…or at least be aware that the legislation that they are introducing may have a specific impact on Black families and Black folks,” she added.

By Danielle J. Brown

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead, Health Portal Lead

One Mission Cambridge Celebrates First Anniversary

July 22, 2023 by Spy Desk
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One Mission Cambridge recently celebrated its first anniversary with a picnic at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge.

One Mission Cambridge recently celebrated its first anniversary with a picnic at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. Over 100 people came to the event which provided food and drink.

According to Krista Pettit, Director of One Mission Cambridge, the organization served a record number of clients in the last two months. In May and June, One Mission Cambridge Center served 710 different individuals, supporting 1673 people, including 533 children, 772 adults, and 368 seniors.

“After one year, the news has spread about our services. Our location has proved ideal to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. One Mission Cambridge is about the Body of Christ working together – combining resources and people. This past year, our churches have come together in supporting our combined missions of loving God and loving our neighbors.  All Christian Churches are invited to participate in what we are doing,” she states.

To date, One Mission Cambridge provides quality programs, including a food pantry, community navigation, community dinners, and counseling services.

Resident Terry of Cambridge, comments about One Mission Cambridge’s food pantry, “It’s so nice to be able to pick out what you want like the grocery store. I hate to throw away food because often somebody else with kids could use it. I also participated in a Bible Study they have during the day and have also met a lot of new friends at the community dinner. One Mission Cambridge is helping a lot of people.”

Another client of the nonprofit, Brenda of Cambridge, shares, “I am getting less from the grocery store at the end of the month because of inflation and my food stamps don’t get me through anymore. One Mission Cambridge is located in the right spot for the people who need it.”

For other clients, some who own their own homes, using the resources of One Mission Cambridge means being able to make ends meet to be able to stay in their homes. Married couple Ray and Pat of Cambridge are living on limited income due to disabilities. The couple even thought of selling their house to be able to pay their bills.

“This place has been such a blessing to us. We attend the community dinner once a month and shop at the food pantry beforehand where we can shop for our own food items. We even try to give back by giving other clients rides home,” states Ray.

“The older you get, there are not as many resources to help you. We are forever grateful,” adds his wife Pat.

One Mission Cambridge is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. for services. For additional information visit onemissioncambridge.org, Facebook, and Instagram, or call 410-901-3959. For further information about donating to One Mission Cambridge, contact Krista Pettit at 443-521-6825. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Homepage, Health Lead, Health Portal Lead

How a Three-digit Phone Number has Changed Mental Health Services in MD

July 20, 2023 by Maryland Matters
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A year ago, a new three-digit phone line launched nationwide, making it easier for people facing a mental health crisis and other issues to find resources and support.

Since then, national data show that more people are reaching out to what’s called the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Yet call counselors and call center managers in Maryland want more people to be aware of the line and how it can help.

The 988 Lifeline — previously called the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — had been ten-digits long. But in 2020, a new federal law required the phone number to be changed to 988 and that it be designated as the national suicide and mental health crisis hotline.

Chris Niles, senior hotline counselor with the Baltimore Crisis Response, said that the three-digit number is easier to remember, especially when people are in crisis and may not be in the clearest mindset.

“When your house is on fire, you’re in a car accident, someone steals your purse, it’s real easy to remember ‘I call 911,’” Niles said. “But when you’re experiencing extreme depression or suicidal thoughts, grieving the loss of a loved one, memorizing an 800-number when you’re in that type of emotional distress is probably not the easiest thing.”

“So, when they established 988, they made it so much easier for people reach out and get the help that they need,” he said.

The 988 line has been active nationwide for a year as of July 16, and 26 states have passed laws and appropriated funds to support the line, according the National Academy for State Health Policy.

That includes Maryland. In the 2022 session, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) approved Senate Bill 241/House Bill 293, which established a fund for the program. In 2023, Gov. Wes Moore (D) approved Senate Bill 3/ House Bill 271, which carved out $12 million for the 988 fund in the 2025 budget.

In addition, the 988 line has a new LGBTQ+ pilot program that focuses on connecting that population to resources and counseling specific to their struggles.

The original number, 1-800-273-8255, “will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis,” according to the 988 Lifeline website.

In the year since the 988 line’s launch, Niles with the Baltimore Crisis Response has noticed an increase in callers who are looking for support while facing housing instability, as COVID-era federal support comes to an end even when many are still struggling to make ends meet.

Just last week, he spoke with an elderly woman who was recently evicted.

“Her story is pretty commonplace here. When the eviction restriction moratorium from the White House was lifted … she was one of many in Baltimore City that wasn’t able to pay. And the landlord ended up evicting once they were allowed to,” he said.

“And now she’s living, alternating between the street and a hotel. And so she was calling and asking for information on different shelter programs, different programs to help her get into an apartment and also local resources for food and whatnot,” he added.

Niles noted that people will call the 988 lines when they are in less dire situations as well.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he noticed an increase in people calling to talk about their interpersonal relationships, with family members or with partners, as the pandemic led people to spend more time at home.

He also noted that some people will call if they have stress at work.

“They’ll ask ‘Is it okay that I’m calling? I’m not suicidal – I just had a really crap day at work and want someone to talk to.’ And we tell them ‘of course.’” Niles said.

Niles explained that the types of calls will determine what resources will be most helpful for the person in crisis. Many calls are just looking for information on resources that are available.

Others may need community intervention, he said, which is typically addressed by a mental health team sent out from a crisis center. Law enforcement is not usually involved unless it’s absolutely necessary.

According to national data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, answered calls to the 988 line increased by 45% in May 2023 compared to May 2022, before the 988 Lifeline launched. Online chats for the crisis line saw an increase of 52% from May 2022 to May 2023.

But the largest percentage increase in people reaching out to the crisis line came in the form of text messages. From May 2022 through May 2023, the percentage of texts answered increased by 938%, according to SAMHSA data.

Dan Rabbit, policy director at Behavioral Health System Baltimore, which oversees the 988 and crisis services for the Central Maryland region, has seen similar increases locally.

“That explosion in text messages — not many people texted it before, so [it’s] starting from a lower number, but still — that little increase is astounding,” he said. “And that way of contacting 988 is more popular with younger people. So, it’s a sign that young people are hearing about this and are using our services to get the support they need.”

Rabbitt said that the 988 line has made a lot of progress in the year since it launched and he is excited to see how it will continue to “transform how Marylanders receive care for their mental health challenges.”

“988 counselors are here to help anyone, regardless of the intensity or the acuity of whatever is concerning them,” he said. “So there’s no wrong reason to call.”

By Danielle J. Brown

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead, Health Portal Lead

Note to Self: Send Advance Directive to Shore Regional Health

February 7, 2023 by The Spy
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Increasingly, the advance directive, that important document that tells your family and your doctor who you would like to manage your end-of-life experience, are filled out every year by millions of more and more Americans. As a result of a significant public education campaign, as well as greater awareness of how things can go terribly wrong without this kind of documentation, men and women have completed this simple form to ensure their wishes are respected.

But then what happens? Only a few years ago, it was suggested that one’s directive should be kept in one’s freezer so that EMS staff could quickly refer to it during an emergency. In other cases, those medical instructions are put on thumbnail drives only to wind up in the back of a desk or a closet, never to see the light of day again.

UM-Regional Shore Health now has a serious option for those in its health network to have a safer, more accessible home for one’s directive. Using their massive EPIC database, which is the foundation of the My Portfolio website, and available to every major health database system in the country, Shore Health has begun a community campaign to encourage their patients to submit their directive to its Population Health division so that it can be uploaded into EPIC.

The Spy sat down with SRH’s Population Health’s Terry Satchell & Kathy Sellers to learn more.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about how to submit a advanced directive please contact Kathy Sellers at 410-822-1000 #5080. Or please use their website here.

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Filed Under: Health Portal Lead, Spy Highlights

Qlarant Foundation Profiles: Bay Hundred Community Volunteers

December 15, 2022 by Val Cavalheri
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Editor Note: This is the first of three articles that focus on the recipients of the Qlarant Foundation grant awards over the last year. We began with the Bay Hundred Community Volunteers based in Talbot County.

Yes, this group is unique. They’re a nonprofit community service organization with no paid staff. But their work is priceless; ask any of those they helped. They are known as the Bay Hundred Community Volunteers (BHCV), but their scope of work far exceeds the Bay Hundred area.

Started in 1999 by Bill Shrieve and his wife Jean, their mission is to help improve the living conditions of Talbot County residents and raise public awareness of the need for adequate, safe, and affordable housing. Initially, though, it was created to address a specific need for a small community in Sherwood, Maryland. At that time, the fledgling yet motivated group took out 150 tons of trash, redid the roads, cleared brush, and did some minor home repair services. To fund what needed to be done, they held chicken barbecues and solicited donations from individuals and groups

After a couple of years, the group became a nonprofit and began serving low-income Bay Hundred residents. They expanded again in 2009 to provide home repairs to all of Talbot County. Repairs which included replacing windows, installing storm doors, etc.

PHOTO OF BERT’S RAMP

Over time, what BHCV discovered was an ever-growing need for mobility home additions and modifications. Grab bars, handrails, and handicap ramps became another and important part of their mission. But it was the work they did building wheelchair ramps from scratch that gained them notoriety as the only nonprofit organization providing this service to Talbot County’s vulnerable residents who had income limitations. But the group also had constraints. Despite an estimated need for approximately 25 ramps, BHCV only had the resources to build 3-4 ramps per year. The process of using wood in their construction was not only labor-intensive and time-consuming, but the permit procedure was challenging. Additionally, once installed, the ramps were not reusable.

 

That’s when Easton-based Qlarant Foundation (the charitable arm of Qlarant) stepped in and, in 2020, awarded the group a $15,000 grant. With the money, BHCV were able to purchase and install modular aluminum ramps that were easy to assemble, ADA compliant, and, since they are temporary, usually do not require a permit. “Since we started doing them in March of 2020,” said Shrieves, “we’ve installed 44 ramps to neighbors at no charge for as long as needed. Once they no longer have a need, we recover them and use the parts for other ramps.”

Referrals usually come from the Talbot County Health Department or the Department of Social Services, and BHCV follows HUD guidelines for income limitations. “$34,200 for a single person living alone Is what we look at and the people we’re working with,” says Shrieves.

Qlarant has continued to be their primary contributor, but other grants and support from the community, private foundations, and businesses have allowed this unique program to continue and thrive. These have included Mid-Shore Foundation, Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation, etc.

There are many stories about how lives have been changed by the efforts of BHCV’s installations of ramps. They range from reducing social isolation to helping people to get to their medical appointments. All important to the health of a community.

Shrieves shared an example.

Bert was a retired radiology technician and Neavitt resident, who loved dogs, photography, the outdoors, and music. in October of last year, he suffered a stroke and spent time in a rehab facility. But he wanted to be home with his dogs. BHCV fulfilled that wish by installing a ramp in May 2022. However, he had another stroke in late August and sadly passed away. BHCV disassembled the ramp.

At about the same time, the Talbot County Health Department contacted BHCV about Tina, a single parent of four who had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and whose condition had quickly declined. She started using a wheelchair and moved in with a friend to get the support she needed. Using part of the materials from Bert’s ramp, and with no additional cost to BHCV, a ramp was built and installed for her in September. Tina can now leave home or just sit outside enjoying the sun. Additionally, BHCV will soon install other parts of Bert’s ramp for another client.

Besides the success they’ve experienced with their ramp program, BHCV continues to do their home repair work as well. Although volunteers do most repairs, licensed contractors are sometimes hired for the more complex projects. Said Shrieves, “We did a bathroom that was just the worst; the toilet was being held up with a 2×4. It required complete gutting and rebuilding of the floor joists and turned out to be a $13,000 project–way more than what we could afford. So Choptank Electric Trust came in with $2,500, a family raised about $4,000, and we paid for the rest. We combine these kinds of coalitions to get a big project done.”

What they have accomplished with these impromptu coalitions has been nothing short of amazing. A typical year for the group was an investment of $15-20,000 in home repairs. Shrieves estimates that this year they will have invested around $60,000 and will finish 30-35 projects. But also remarkable is how many volunteers are involved in these tasks.

“We probably have around 20 people on our roll,” said Shrieves. “About 15 do the physical volunteer work, and the rest are involved in other activities.” Surprisingly none of them have had professional careers in home building or repair. They’re just people who are ‘handy,’ mostly neighbors interested in helping their neighbors.”

Enthusiasm and pride are not lacking when speaking to anyone in the group. Still, as they continue to grow, BHCV is experiencing the same challenges as other nonprofits—the need for more volunteers. “We’re looking for people who, when I send out an email to everybody and say, ‘Hey, we got a ramp to install next Tuesday, who’s available?’ can pipe up and help. We also need folks willing to get involved in the administration and leadership of the organization. People who, in the future, would be in a position to succeed me and some of the other folks,” said Shrieves.

Until that time come, and for now, the group will continue to do what they do best, bring hope to those in need.

For more information and see how you can help about Bay Hundred Community Volunteers please go here. For more information about the Qlarant Foundation please go here.

Val Cavalheri is a writer and photographer. She has written for various publications, including The Washington Post.  Previously she served as the editor of several magazines, including Bliss and Virginia Woman. Although her camera is never far from her reach, Val retired her photography studio when she moved from Northern Virginia to the Eastern Shore a few years ago.. She and her husband, Wayne Gaiteri, have two children and one grandchild.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Homepage, Health Portal Lead

The Mental Health Crisis on the Mid-Shore: A Chat with For All Season’s Beth Anne Dorman

December 12, 2022 by Dave Wheelan
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One of the most damaging aspects of the COVID pandemic, which is still very much in evidence on the Mid-Shore, has been the unprecedented toll on the mental health of children and their parents. While America had seen a significant rise in the number of families impacted by psychological and emotional trauma well before the coronavirus hit our shores, the combination of school closings, financial hardship, and social isolation created an unprecedented uptick in those seeking help.

In fact, American Psychological Association recently reported that six out of 10 psychologists say they don’t have openings for new patients. And locally, For All Seasons, the Mid-Shore’s largest mental health provider, has shown a 27% increase in therapy requests since the COVID years began.

For Beth Anne Dorman, the CEO of For All Seasons, there is a silver lining in this grim new reality. While this rise in both children and adults is indeed troubling, Dorman notes that these numbers also reflect a society where one’s mental health s finally being discussed on par with one’s physical health. This increased demand for services indicates that families are now having to have the kind of conversations about depression, anxiety, and trauma to lead individuals to get the help they need finally.

The Spy sat down with Beth Anne last week to discuss this unique challenge and how For All Seasons is using new and creative ways to manage this surge in demand.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead, Health Portal Lead, News Homepage, News Portal Highlights, Spy Top Story

The Choptank Health Update: Chestertown and Kent County

November 16, 2022 by The Spy
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When Sara Rich came on board to lead the Choptank Community Health System in the summer of 2016, she and her board immediately started to work on a plan that would fundamentally change and improve the health care of the entire Mid-Shore. Despite the impact of COVID, Choptank has nonetheless moved forward on the nonprofit organization’s commitment to improve and expand affordable and accessible healthcare in the region.

Over the next few months, the Spy will be talking with Sara about Choptank’s increased support for local health needs and the advances they have made in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties.

We begin with Chestertown the Kent County.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about Choptank Community Health System please go here. 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead, Health Portal Lead

The Danger of Pancreatic Cancer: A Chat with Survivor Bill Shrieves

November 2, 2022 by Dave Wheelan
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It the world of health education related to cancer, nothing can be more powerful and more effective than the testimony of someone who has survived the odds this this horrific disease. And in the case of pancreatic cancer, it’s hard not to be moved and motivated by the experience of Bill Shrieves.

The retired businessman, who heads up the Mid-Shore Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, was diagnosed 12 years ago and faced unbelievable odds.  Back then, and even now, most victims die within just a few months after the tumor has been identified, and the survival rate after four years is 11%. In fact, pancreatic cancer is the third largest cause of death with cancer patients.

Even more sobering is that pancreatic cancer is so hard to detect. As Shrieves points out, there are no standard tests, and the symptoms of the disease remain vague. That being said, abdominal and persistent low back pain are important clues, as is discolored urine, that something isn’t right. And increasingly, medical research is indicating  that adult onset diabetes might be another troubling sign.

With all that in mind, Bill Shrieves is determined to get the word out, particularly during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, for folks to reach out to there doctor if they are noticing these symptoms, especially if pancreatic cancer runs in their family.

The Spy sat down with Bill last week to learn more.

This video is approximately minutes in length. For more information about pancreatic cancer, volunteering or make a donation please visit the Mid-Shore Pancreatic Cancer Foundation here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Health Lead, Health Portal Lead

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