Join Us: Hispanic Heritage Month Special Event

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Swope Health will host a free public webinar on “Race and Ethnicity in the LatinX Community” at noon, Wednesday, Oct. 6. 

The event features Erica Andrade, Chief Program Officer at El Centro Inc.

To participate, join by Zoom: https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/95970403008?pwd=dDZwL2orZS9iMkVaamVzVXFyTWRMdz09

Passcode: 653420

Erica Andrade is the proud daughter of an immigrant mother and has called Kansas City, Kansas, her home for more than 27 years.

Ms. Andrade joined El Centro, a nonprofit that serves the Latino community in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in 2001. El Centro’s mission is to improve the lives of Latinos and others through educational, social and economic opportunities.

As Chief Program Officer, she supports El Centro’s community programs and implements strategies related to community education, health, economic empowerment, advocacy & engagement.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas and an Executive Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

The event is part of Swope Health’s recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2021. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

 

Details:
Noon, Wednesday Oct. 6

Erica Andrade on Race and Ethnicity in the LatinX community
https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/95970403008?pwd=dDZwL2orZS9iMkVaamVzVXFyTWRMdz09

Passcode: 653420

 

 

Free COVID-19 Vaccinations Saturday, Sept. 4

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Swope Health provides COVID-19 vaccinations at labor event

Swope Health will provide free COVID-19 vaccinations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4 at the Laborers Local 663, 7820 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, MO 64132.

The Pfizer vaccine will be available to individuals age 12 and up. Individuals age 18 and under must have a parent or guardian present to receive the vaccination.  While receiving your vaccination, you can make arrangements for your second dose.

This event is sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council, the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, and the A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI).

The event will feature food boxes, provided by Harvesters, and gift cards for individuals who receive the vaccination, provided by the labor organizations and APRI. Information on labor apprenticeships will also be available at the event.

Walk-ups welcome!

New precautions to protect patients: CALL BEFORE YOU COME

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With the rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the Kansas City metro area, Swope Health is implementing additional changes to create a safer environment for patients and associates.

Effective immediately, if you are seeking a walk-in appointment, YOU SHOULD CALL FIRST! Before you come, call: 816-923-5800.

We will ask to conduct a telehealth appointment rather than have you come to our facilities. You will be able to meet with a clinician from the safety and comfort of your home – especially important if you are not feeling well.

We have implemented a new telehealth platform that is even easier than our previous methods. Now, when you are scheduled for a telehealth appointment, you will receive a text with a link to start your appointment.

Once you click on the link, you enter your date of birth and the telehealth application verifies your camera and sound are on, and then you’re ready for your visit. Learn more about the telehealth visit in this downloadable summary (Also available in Spanish.)

Remember: if you are seeking a same-day walk-in appointment CALL 816-923-5800 FIRST.  

We will also be scheduling as many appointments as possible using telehealth same-day or within the next business day, an effort to reduce contact between patients and with associates. It’s a way to demonstrate our commitment to creating a safe, healthy environment and protecting our community from the spread of COVID-19.

As another example of our commitment to public safety and protecting our community, Swope Health has implemented a policy requiring all associates to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. This policy applies to all associates, including contractors, temporary help, students and volunteers. It applies at all locations, including for associates working remotely.

If you come to any Swope Health facility, remember that you must wear a mask at all times. Before you enter, you’ll be asked a series of screening questions and your temperature will be scanned. If you have an elevated temperature and any positive answers to the screening questions, you will be directed to a separate clinic – a way to further limit your contact with others.

While at Swope Health, we will also encourage you to receive a COVID-19 vaccination if you have not already done so. We are happy to answer your questions about the vaccine.

Finally, we encourage you to join us leading the fight against the spread of COVID-19: Get vaccinated. Wear a facemask indoors. Maintain physical distance from others, especially indoors. Wash your hands often with soap and water.

Learn the facts:

CDC: COVID-19 Variants
CDC: Delta Variant Science

From the CDC:
Level of Community Transmission in Jackson County, Missouri, is HIGH

Join us for COVID-19 Town Hall — 6 pm Tuesday, Aug. 10

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Dr. Naiomi Jamal, Swope Health’s Chief Quality Officer, will participate in a special online Town Hall on COVID-19 starting at 6 pm Tuesday Aug. 10.

Dr. Naiomi Jamal

Dr. Naiomi Jamal

The town hall, sponsored by 107.3 FM, will be broadcast live on Facebook. Watch on the 107-3 FACEBOOK PAGE

The Town Hall, “The Real Deal on the COVID-19 Vaccine,” features other Kansas City healthcare experts with Dr. Jamal in questions and discussion led by Darron Story of 107.3FM.

Topics will include guidance on the COVID-19 delta variant and information about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Dr. Jamal heads the Department of Quality and Population Health at Swope Health. She is responsible for organization wide clinical quality, performance and process improvement, along with Population Health initiatives geared toward meeting the quadruple aim of improving provider and patient experience, improving population health outcomes and resource stewardship.

She also practices as a primary care physician through the Independence clinic and sees a variety of complex medical diagnoses.

Dr. Jamal is on faculty at University of Missouri/Kansas City where she is responsible for developing and delivering a preventive medicine and public health curriculum for family medicine residents. She is also responsible for the didactic lecture series Social and Structural Determinants of Health at the UMKC School of Medicine for Medical Students.

 

Swope Health Supports Operation Backpack

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Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw is inviting KCMO residents to celebrate students going back to school by joining her and a host of community sponsors, including Swope Health, for Operation Backpack on Saturday, Aug. 7, at Swope Park.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer backpacks, school supplies, tablets and food. The event also include free Wi-Fi hotspot giveaways.

Parks-Shaw, who represents the 5th District, said she believes this will really help meet the needs of many residents who have been hit hard financially by the pandemic.

“I’m so thankful for all of our sponsors and volunteers who have really stepped up to make sure this giveaway is going to be successful this year,’’ Parks-Shaw said. “I know we’re all dealing with our own issues, but we must remember parents and students who need our help and we simply can’t let them down.”

We look forward to seeing you at Swope Park on Saturday!

Looking Forward to National Health Center Week

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National Health Center Week, which takes place each year to spotlight the valuable work and accomplishments of America’s health centers, is set for Aug. 9-13. Swope Health will celebrate with its own events and special days of focus.

Swope Health will mark the week by honoring the people we serve and showing appreciation for the numerous individuals and groups who are so instrumental in helping us carry out our mission:

  • Monday, Aug. 9: Healthcare for the Homeless Day
  • Tuesday, Aug. 10: Community Partner Appreciation Day
  • Wednesday, Aug. 11: Patient Appreciation Day
  • Thursday, Aug. 12: Stakeholder Appreciation Day
  • Friday, Aug. 13: Staff Appreciation Day

National Health Center Week has been observed for more than 30 years in acknowledgement of health centers as a beacon of strength, service and care in their communities. Swope Health is proud to fill that role in Kansas City with the assistance of many supporters. The events of the week shine a light on our stake in community health, paving the way to meeting our patients’ needs and driving a more equitable healthcare system for all.

“This week is always a special one at Swope Health because it accentuates our critical role in caring for the people in our community who need it most,” said Jeron Ravin, JD, Swope Health President and CEO. “As part of our mission to provide accessible, quality healthcare in Greater Kansas City, we will build upon these opportunities to share our story so we can encourage greater collaboration and take meaningful steps toward lasting change.”

Ravin added: “National Health Center Week also prompts us to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributes to the work we do – our staff members who make Swope Health so indispensable; our donors, stakeholders and partners who have joined our commitment to making care visible; and all our patients, who are such a joy to serve. We look forward to a week of well-deserved celebration and recognition, while maintaining our focus on a brighter future for health in Kansas City.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swope Health offers COVID-19 Vaccinations at KCK Police Athletic League

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On Wednesday, Aug. 4, Swope Health will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Kansas.

The event, sponsored by Swope Health with El Centro Inc. and KCK PAL, runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the PAL center, 800 N 5th St. No appointments are necessary, and the event is open to the community.

The Pfizer vaccine will be offered to individuals age 12 and up. Anyone under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present. Participants will be offered giveaways and the chance to enter a raffle for grocery gift cards.

The Police Athletic League of KCK offers youth the opportunity to interact with police officers in a positive setting while participating in academic, cultural, mentoring and sports programs. The program provides a safe, caring, and supportive environment, where members of the Kansas City Kansas Police Department and citizens work together to facilitate a community free from fear and violence.

 

Swope Health President & CEO Supports Action-Centered Conversation

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Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health, will participate in the first of a 10-month series of conversations sponsored by the African American Artists Collective.

This event occurs in two parts on Friday, July 30: first, from 1-2:30 pm with a conversation at the 21c Museum Hotel in Kansas City, and then from 7-9 pm, an evening social for action-centered connections and networking. Events are free and open to the public; registration is required at https://www.aaackc.org/testimony

The topic of the conversation is Testimony: The Misrepresentation of Black Men and Boys. From varying points of view, Black men will provide insight on what it takes to navigate the real world, maneuver through negative situations, and maintain a healthy mental, physical and spiritual existence. Questions will be posed by the moderator, Renee Blanche, host of the Night Tides radio program on KCUR-FM in Kansas City.

In addition to Ravin, participants are:

The July 30 evening social will include a live performance by Bobby Watson and art from the members of the African American Artists Collective. The collective invites local business, community, and educational organizations to register groups to attend. Seating is limited and available at no cost.

This independently organized event is associated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Testimony Exhibition. The 10-month long series will feature local voices and resources under the theme of Relationships and Supportive Networks.

To register to attend and for more information about AAAC’s Testimony: The Misrepresentation of Black Men and Boys, visit http://www.aaackc.org.

Free Vaccination & Food Event at Swope Health West

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On Saturday, July 31, Swope Health West will host a free drive-through and walk-up COVID-19 vaccination event, which also features free food giveaways.

The event runs from 9 am to noon, Saturday, July 31 at 4835 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan. No appointments are necessary.

Swope Health will provide the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to individuals age 12 and up. Individuals under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present.

Conducted with support from El Centro, Harvesters, KanCare and Aetna Better Health of Kansas, the event will also offer fresh foods and protein. In addition, households that can demonstrate at least an 80% vaccination rate will be eligible for a $100 gift card. (El Centro will require vaccination records and other information to receive the gift card after the event.)

Making Inclusion Second Nature

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Swope Health strives to create a culture that demonstrates our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

To further encourage social awareness behaviors of diversity, equity and inclusion, Swope Health is sponsoring a free lunchtime lecture for associates and the community. The event will be a webinar at noon, Wednesday, July 21, featuring Cherrie L. Davis, president of ShiftForward Consulting, of Atlanta, Ga.

Her program will provide insights on how everyone – individuals, workers, leaders – can be transparent and accountable in all interactions with others in a diverse community.

Register here for the webinar details.

As part of the event, Swope Health is offering a copy of Davis’s book, SHIFTFORWARD NOW! A Strategy That Makes Inclusion Second Nature, to the first 25 participants in the event.

Davis has 30 years’ experience in human resources and is a coach, facilitator and change management leader. Her military career includes key global assignments to lead and influence change in Hungary, Bosnia, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, and the Pentagon.

She culminated her military career at the Pentagon, by leading the Army Chief of Staff’s transitional strategy in three pivotal roles: Chief of Operations for Transition Strategic Outreach, Deputy Director for Transition Strategic Outreach and as the Employment Director for the Soldier for Life Program.

After her military service, Davis served as the Human Resources Director for Our Lady of the Lake, Quality Trainer and Organizational Developer for GE Financial Services (Six Sigma Team), Marketing and Sales for GE Lighting.

Davis received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Black Hills State University, in Spearfish, SD, where she was recognized as the Distinguished Military Graduate. She earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources with an emphasis in International Management, from Webster University, in St. Louis, MO. She holds professional certifications for Senior Professional Human Resources, Executive & Organizational Coaching and Quality Management.

To join the program, register here.