 | February 2023 | Issue No. 10 |
| 2023 Legislative Agenda – Along with Change Comes Opportunity Hillery Tsumba, Director, Organizational Strategy There is plenty of change in Rockville and Annapolis this year. Nearly half of the County Council has been replaced with new members, and a new Governor is putting his administration's agenda for health care legislation in place. We at PCC have the unique vantage point of being implementers as well as policy advocates. And while the big change in legislative bodies has the potential to move us closer to the solutions we endorse, we don’t want to lose sight of issues we see that need to be addressed. |
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| |  | FY22 Annual Report Focuses on the People PCC Serves and How The Primary Care Coalition’s Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report is now available. This newest report shifts from the traditional focus on highlighting individual PCC programs to a functional framework based on the people we serve and the challenges we address. This annual report documents the 235% increase in children enrolled in Care for Kids for the first time in FY22 (versus renewing enrollment from prior years) and the estimated 84% of them who arrived in our community through desperate circumstances rather than choice. It also delves into the Montgomery Cares patient demographics, indicating that 78% are Hispanic or Latino working-age adults from households with very limited resources. These patients already face substantial challenges. That’s one of the reasons why PCC and its partners constantly work to find new ways of connecting their patients with the services they need in the simplest way possible. To learn more about our most vulnerable neighbors and PCC’s efforts to make health happen for everyone, check out the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report online. |
|  | March 31 Application Deadline Approaches for Sherry Hintz College Scholarship Fund Students who have lost a parent or guardian to breast or ovarian cancer are eligible to apply for the Sherry S. Hintz Scholarship Fund, which offers up to $20,000 per year for as many as four years of undergraduate education. An anonymous Montgomery County resident created the scholarship fund in memory of Sherry Hintz and several women in her family who lost their lives to breast cancer. It is administered through the Greater Washington Community Foundation in partnership with EveryMind. Students are eligible to apply for the scholarship if they are a high school senior, graduating high school junior, or are a high school graduate under the age of 22 and wish to attend college. They must be a resident of Montgomery County, Maryland; demonstrate financial need; have at least a 3.0 GPA; and be involved in a school, community, or athletic activity, ideally in a leadership position. The application form is online and, when completed, must be emailed to Taryol Latimer at tlatimer@every-mind.org or postmarked or delivered to the EveryMind office at 1000 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20851, by March 31, 2023. | |
| | Celebrating Healthcare Trailblazers During Black History Month February is Black History Month, and there’s no better time to celebrate notable Black Americans, including some of the early trailblazers who became doctors and made significant contributions to healthcare. Among them James McCune Smith (1813-1865). He was born into slavery, dreamed of becoming a doctor, and because he was denied admission to American colleges, traveled to Scotland, where he attended the University of Glasgow and earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and medical degrees by the age of 24. In 1837, Dr. Smith returned to this continent and established his medical practice and pharmacy in New York City, making him the first African American doctor with his own practice in the United States. With a keen interest in languages, he mastered Greek, Latin, and French and had a working knowledge of Italian, Hebrew, Spanish, and German, allowing him to communicate effectively with his Black and white patients. |
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 | February is Black History Month, and Montgomery County Public Libraries offer various special programs to celebrate at libraries around the County. To participate, visit the website to find programs for kids and adults. February 25, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Maple Sugaring Walk, Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, Maryland 20902. The fee is $7. Register here. February 28, 4-5 p.m., and every Tuesday at the same time, Adaptive (Seated) Qi Gong and Tai Ji Quan to achieve a centered, relaxed, and mindful state, sponsored by Independence Now and Disability Partnerships via Zoom. Register here. March 19, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m., World Down Syndrome Benefit Magic Show, featuring award-winning magicians The Great Zucchini and Abracadabra Alex at the Clara Barton Recreation Center, 7425 Macarthur Blvd Cabin John, MD 20818. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased here in advance. March 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Unequal Treatment at 20: Accelerating Progress toward Health Care Equity. Participants can attend virtually or in-person. Hosted by the Urban Institute. |
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