Suicide and Voices of Hope

Today’s Great Falls Tribune features a heartfelt story by Kristen Cates highlighting the loss felt by suicide.  The three family survivors’ stories are profoundly touching, as are the quotes from Voices of Hope’s  Angela Hansen.

Suicide rates continue to be exceptionally high in Montana, and this is one of the things our Allocations Committee toys with every year.  How do we know if United Way dollars are making a positive impact within this organization if Montana continues to have the 1st, 2nd or 3rd highest suicide rates in the nation?  Kristen’s article hints that, due to the ambiguity of mental illnesses, its hard to say.  What is easy to see is the breadth of people that Voices of Hope touches in their daily interactions.

Please weigh in on this topic–it always seems to spark some lively discussions with both our Board of Directors and Allocations Committee!

Investing in Education

Reading a friend’s blog today, I couldn’t help but reflect on how President Obama’s goal to make the US the worldwide leader in college degrees by the year 2020 seems to perfectly align with what United Ways across the country are doing in terms of Education. By ensuring that kids are ready to achieve in school by time they enroll, focusing on and celebrating academic achievement, and encouraging them in their transition to higher education or work upon graduation, we’re essentially all working towards the same thing, which is a better-educated workforce and greater quality of life for all (which, in turn, leads to more stable incomes for local working families, who then can afford things like healthcare and healthy food options…).  Education, Income & Health, the building blocks for a good life!

MSU Great Falls College of Technology is such an asset to our community, a true “beacon of hope” to many that may not have the option or the ability to go elsewhere for their education, and in turn pours back a talented, educated pool of workers into Cascade County.  And if that doesn’t epitomize LIVE UNITED, then I don’t really know what does.

What do you think?

Smoke Free Montana

Driving back to the office from a meeting today, I saw a sign on a local business that said “CELEBRATE Smoke Free Montana!”  Now, our transition to a smoke-free state hasn’t been in the news much lately, so I kind of tend to forget about it, but its only about 100 days until the 10/1/09 deadline for establishments to go smoke free is here. Smoke Free Montana has a very informative website that explains the initiative, partner agencies advocating on behalf of the change, and more.  Of interest is a listing of smoke free establishments by county…now, this list appears to be a bit outdated (there hasn’t been a Tony Roma’s in Great Falls for awhile now), but its still interesting to see the businesses supporting this and also nice to see that Cascade County has a bunch of smoke free establishments (more than most Montana counties, in fact). So way to be smoke free, Cascade County!

Volunteer Challenge

For all you Facebook junkies out there! United Way of America just rolled out a very cool Facebook application called the United Way Volunteer Challenge. It’s a place where you can declare your intentions to accomplish tasks realated to Education, Income, and Health. Later, you can go back and report on what you actually accomplished, while letting your friends know of the great work you do to advance the common good. It’s like having your own social resumé on Facebook. Plus, its a fun way to get involved and your friends can do it too!

Health

In today’s Tribune there’s a fantastic article highlighting some of the new additions and updates to Great Falls’ River’s Edge Trail.  As advocates for healthy youth and adults, we’re excited to see something so easily accessible that allows people to safely get out, be active and enjoy Great Falls.  So grab your bike, Roller Blades or running shoes and get out there! Just think, its cooler down by the river!

Early Childhood Literacy

Just read an article in today’s Tribune about local students receiving new bikes for demonstrated reading results during the school year–how great is that?!  Elementary school kids had to read 30 books during the year in order to be eligible for the bikes…which, in turn, promote an active lifestyle, just in time for summer break.  Somebody’s right on the mark with this one.  Now if only there were such a program for us “big kids.”

Check out the article here.

No Takers

I went to check out the prescription bus today, which stopped for an hour this morning up at RSVP and would you believe that in the 20 minutes I was there, there was absolutely NOBODY there to meet with these folks and explore benefits they may qualify for.  Not sure if this was due to little or no marketing, but this seems to me like something people could get on board with. At least I got a nice tour of RSVP’s new location (thanks Audrey!).

A few years ago, UWCC’s board of directors had a series of guest speakers at board meetings, and one of the speakers talked about senior citizens and addiction–whether it be related to alcohol, drugs, and even prescription drugs. But this speaker also said that when seniors can’t afford their medications, they look for other options to self-medicate (like a glass or several of wine to ease arthritis pain or something like that…I’m sure this isn’t isolated to just senior citizens). So there must be a need for monetary help with prescriptions…I just find it hard to believe and a little disappointing that “the bus” didn’t get a turnout. Maybe next year…

RSVP Director Audrey Finlayson With "The Bus"

Prescription Help

With the cost of prescription drugs in these difficult times, many people are probably making the decision to forego buying their medications in order to make ends meet or get by. However, this morning we received an exciting press release from RSVP announcing the arrival of the Help is Here prescription bus! The bus will be at RSVP’s new office location, 1801 Benefis Court, on Wednesday, May 27, from 10am-11am.

This effort is a collaboration between America’s pharmaceutical research companies, and brings help to people who are uninsured or financially struggling. The bus is heading all across America to help people access their medications. What a fantastic resource for our community!

Teen Pregnancy

Today we received an email from Voices of Hope advertising a workshop addressing teen pregnancy in Cascade County and while this isn’t all that noteworthy, one of the statements in the press release stated that Cascade County has had one of the largest increase of teen pregnancies in the state of Montana. And according to a report released by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, Cascade County ranks in the top ten of counties in Montana in terms of teen pregnancies over a five year period. Yikes!

There are lots of local agencies working to combat teen pregnancy, both in the public and private sector. However, it seems like the media can almost put us two steps back to their one step forward by publicizing and glorifying teen pregnancy (think Jamie Lynn Spears). So it was interesting to see this week’s People magazine cover story, featuring teen mom Bristol Palin lamenting the consequences of her decisions. Maybe this is the best angle to teach teens.

Community Conversations

Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to do a community conversation with a couple other board members and after having done quite a few now, I have to say that I learn so much with each and every one I do. Last night’s group consisted of a few parents and staff at our local Head Start school in Great Falls.  It seems that whenever we ask groups what’s working and what’s not working locally in terms of Education, Income and Health, the responses run the gamut from the known and practical to the strange and incomprehensible (we’re sorry, but even though nutrition for inmates at the county jail is poor, we can’t help ya much there right now…).

One thing of note that particularly sticks out to me has come up twice in conversations I’ve participated in, and that is that many local dentists in Cascade County do not accept Medicaid. A quick Google search lists two providers in Great Falls that currently accept Medicaid, and participants last night mentioned there might be a new third provider. Additionally, of those dentists that accept Medicaid, the waiting list for Medicaid patients is weeks, if not months. Many locals apparently make the drive to Helena to see providers there, but that isn’t oftentimes financially feasible for those already struggling to make ends meet.

I don’t pretend to know the in’s and out’s of Medicaid, but I do know that when you have a toothache, it hurts regardless of your income. There are several emergency service providers, such as Opportunities, Inc and the Great Falls Rescue Mission that can help with such dental or medical emergencies, but I’m curious as to the lack of providers accepting Medicaid (and disappointed that my dentist is not on the list). Anyone with insight on this, I’d be interested to hear it.