 | September 2023 | Issue No. 18 |
| The Care We Achieve Together The annual Montgomery Cares Clinical Performance Measures Report is out for FY22, and it points to continued improvement in the quality of care provided by the Montgomery Cares (MCares) network. The report, which includes 8 measures of chronic care and prevention tracked by MCares and partner clinics, includes those related to diabetes, hypertension, and cancer and depression screening. The report reflects positively on the steps taken by the patient population to manage their health as well as the diligent and innovative work the clinics undertake every day.
“There can be significant improvements in health care when there is a system of clinics that can work together in a network,” said Leslie Graham, the Primary Care Coalition’s (PCC) President and Chief Executive Officer. “The system allows these clinics to learn from each other, deliver care in multiple ways, and implement what produces the best results for their patient populations. That is what the Primary Care Coalition does best – we collect and monitor data and facilitate the conversations that bring about improvements and results." |
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|  |  | Get Your Tickets For PCC’s 2023 Storytelling Show Tickets for the Primary Care Coalition’s 2023 Storytelling Show are now available. Purchase soon so you don’t miss the opportunity to be entertained, inspired, and help a good cause on November 15. The show gets better every year, and the unique stories, as told by PCC employees and partners, are always heartwarming, sometimes irreverent, and often funny. The event will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at AMP by Strathmore. The venue is located at Pike & Rose, 11810 Grand Park Avenue (4th Floor), North Bethesda, MD 20852. This year’s fundraising event celebrates the culmination of the nonprofit organization’s 30th anniversary. The annual Storytelling show highlights stories like you’ve never heard before. This year’s “Stronger Together” theme brings attention to the ways our community gains strength through our work together. This year’s storytellers will entertain you with true tales about serious, important work that also involves an insatiable curiosity for classic American snacks, deadly snipers turned lifesavers, and the power of bad customer service to prompt career change. Get your tickets before they sell out. The $50 per ticket price includes entrance to the live storytelling event, drinks, hors d-oeuvres, and a chance to mingle with people who are committed to making health happen for everyone in the community, including our most vulnerable residents. We hope to see you there! |
|  | County Childhood Hunger Plan Outlines Policy Solutions, Including Assistance for Care for Kids Participants On September 6 Montgomery County released its Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger, describing the dynamics and demographics of childhood hunger and exploring a range of policy fixes to address it. In its overview of policy options, the plan focuses on quantifying the investment and benefit choices under consideration, including both the low-hanging fruit (pun intended) of hunger interventions and creative solutions that require a longer proving period. Why focus on children specifically? For starters, the plan notes that “the rate of food insecurity among children is consistently near double that of overall food insecurity.” It also points to a relationship between childhood food insecurity and poorer health across the lifespan. The Care for Kids (CFK) participants the Primary Care Coalition (PCC) serves qualify for the program based on their household income being below 250% of the federal poverty level ($69,375 for a family of four in 2022). The plan notes that the actual minimum amount needed to purchase essential goods and services, including food, in our expensive county—the “Self-Sufficiency Standard”—is far higher than any food assistance benefit cutoffs, coming in at roughly 400% of the federal poverty level and more than $100,000 “for the most common family compositions.” |
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 | September 30, 8:00 a.m. – 12 noon, Free Blood Draw for October 7 Health Fair Assessment, Shri Mangal Mandir Temple, 17110 New Hampshire Avenue, Ashton, MD 20861, 301-421-0985, www.mangalmandir.org . September 30, 8:30 a.m., Run Baby Run 5K. Run, jog, walk, roll, or stroll in support of healthier moms and babies as part of this fundraiser for CCI Health Services at Wheaton Regional Park in Silver Spring, MD, 20902. Register here. October 1, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Pony Rides for Kids, ages 3-7 years old, $10/ride/child, Wheaton Park Stables, 1101 Glenallan Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20902, 301-622-2424, wheatonparkstables@gmail.com . October 7, 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon, Health Fair, Shri Mangal Mandir Temple, 17110 New Hampshire Avenue, Ashton, MD 20861, 301-421-0985, www.mangalmandir.org . Register here. |
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| | Welcoming Newcomer Children with the Point of Entry Project With the beginning of the school year, staff for the Primary Care Coalition’s Point of Entry Project (PEP) prepared for a new influx of students who need their help. Since late 2020, PEP has been a nonprofit welcome wagon for children and families that identifies their needs and connects them with services. It does that by integrating program services into the process of public school enrollment. “PEP is one of the most effective safety nets we have to make sure children receive the appropriate care they deserve,” said Marisol Ortiz, Director of Client Services. “Their parents and guardians know they must find adequate care for their children, and in many cases, they don’t know where to turn. So, we are one of the ways they can assure it.” |
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