Monday, January 29, 2024
MHP Foundation Expands Mission, Impact
Major Health Partners (MHP) Foundation, headed by LaTisha Idlewine, above, is experiencing a “mission addition” to include social determinants of health. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Scholarships for YMCA memberships and for preschool children at the incoming Early Learning Center, a new rear-loading wheelchair van and providing behavioral health services at the Shelbyville Boys and Girls Club are just a few examples of a recent “mission addition” for Major Health Partners (MHP) Foundation. The Foundation has long supported the hospital, but the future focus will also be on what are deemed social determinants of health. It’s part of a nationwide trend for hospitals to address the health of communities at large.
“Part of the movement is being driven by the way Medicare, Medicaid and some private payers reimburse healthcare organizations for services they provide,” a recent Foundation newsletter said. “If a hospital system improves the health of their community, they receive bonuses. If they do not, they can be penalized.”
Studies show that outside factors, such as environment, health behaviors and social and economic factors, affect length and quality of life four times more than clinical care.
“In other words, the things that happen outside of MHP's walls have a much greater effect on a person’s health than the clinical care they receive inside,” the newsletter noted. “Plus, it’s just the right thing to do.”
LaTisha Idlewine, the Foundation’s executive director, previously worked as executive director of the Shelby County YMCA. The move down Intelliplex Dr. a year ago has kept her connected to her former employer.
“What we do benefits the Y,” Idlewine said in an interview last week.
MHP Foundation gives $200,000 a year for YMCA member scholarships, swim lessons, sports programs, Summer of Growth programs and other means of addressing one of the selected social determinants of health: obesity. In 2017, 37 percent of Shelby County adults were obese, trending upward from 31 percent in 2011, showing the need for early intervention.
The non-profit organization is also partnering with Blue River Community Foundation on the Shelbyville bike share program, obtaining a blood pressure cuff at Shelby Senior Services, an upcoming CPR program partnership with Shelbyville Central Schools and other initiatives.
“What we’re doing is so important in the community,” Idlewine said.
In addition to supporting the Early Learning Center, a facility currently under construction that will provide national standardized curriculum to 200 children up to age three, MHP Foundation is also focusing on transportation, through support of ShelbyGo and a new hospital service. An accessible van was recently purchased with help from a planned gift made by Jacqueline “Jackie” Joseph, who passed away in 2017.
“We have several people in our community who may not have vehicles, or who get brought in by ambulance, and they can’t get back for appointments or pick up their prescriptions,” Idlewine said.
The wheelchair van started Jan. 1, and offers inpatient patients transportation home, with a stop at MedWorks for needed prescriptions, and outpatient visits for two weeks post-discharge.
Consideration is also underway for improving local behavioral health. While some areas of the country have one behavioral health provider for every 270 residents, Indiana is at a 1:590 ratio, which is still better than Shelby County’s 1:1,040. In addition to sponsoring providers at the Boys and Girls Club, the organization is also intertwined with Healthy Shelby County and efforts, recently reported, to establish a local Non-Profit Center.
The MHP Foundation’s efforts are supported not only by planned gifts, such as Joseph’s, but by MHP’s own employees. Over 60 percent of MHP employees donate to the cause, totaling over $250,000 since 2006.
“It’s amazing what our employees want to do for the patients,” Idlewine said.
The community gets involved too. Patients often donate in honor of an outstanding employee, part of the Major Angel Program.
There’s also the self-supporting Major Women’s Alliance, a 120-plus member group that makes a difference for MHP patients. Some of their programs include sewing cheerful pillowcases for pediatric patients, making support bags for adult patients, sewing Christmas stockings for babies born in December and even hosting an annual style show fundraiser that features fashions from the MHP gift shop. And a new Major Wish program, announced last week by the Major Women’s Alliance, is a local version of “Make-A-Wish,” providing small gifts, such as house cleaning or maybe music lessons, to oncology patients.
“Shelbyville really is so generous,” Idlewine said. “I feel like every day we are doing more and more for the community.”
NOTEBOOK:
BOOK REVIEW: Shelbyville native George Young has expanded his “Confessions of a 1950s Free-Range Child” to a revised “George, Stop That!” The republication includes nearly twice the tales, and this review from me: “Given George Young’s lifetime ban from the local fire station and childhood ‘broken cookies’ scam at Linne’s Bakery, among others, it’s a wonder he didn’t need to write this book O. Henry-style from jail. Young thankfully survived unscathed and spent his career in the Pacific Northwest, where he can share these hilarious recollections a safe distance from Shelbyville. This book’s perfect blend of nostalgia and humor is for anyone who grew up in the Midwest or who never grew up at all.” Several excerpts of Young’s works have been published in The Addison Times, including a tale about the Charles Davis house.
HOOSIER NEWS: U.S. Senator Todd Young is pleased to see Indiana embracing more tech manufacturing, like a new semiconductor plant in southwest Indiana. That’s why Todd Young is championing bringing more versatile manufacturing to Indiana with a federal investment act he co-sponsored. Like a microchip “packaging” facility in Daviess County. “Packaging will allow the stacking of these microchips on top of one another,” he said while speaking at Ball State University’s annual economic outlook. “Very few people can do it, and even fewer can do it well. We’re going to do it well here in the state of Indiana.” Ball State economist Michael Hicks says goods like microchips and semiconductors that can be used in many more applications than, for example, cars or RVs, will help Indiana’s economy become more productive and more stable. “The other thing is they pay a lot better. They anticipate you had a bachelor’s degree or near a bachelor’s degree. But they pay $100,00 – $130,000 a year for line jobs, and that’s a very different type of manufacturing than I think most Hoosiers have in their heads.” Hicks says Indiana won’t see manufacturing job growth, though. It will see these new jobs replace more of Indiana’s historic factory positions. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: In the late 1990s, the NSA briefly banned Furbies from the office over concerns that they could be used to spy on the agency. The NSA has finally released the 60-plus documents around the Furby panic. (Morning Brew)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: The Major Hospital Board of Directors met to discuss the new budget, which included provisions to pay an architect for a new hospital design for the Intelliplex. Hospital CEO Jack Horner said the design of the building would focus on the creation of a facility enabling a more efficient and integrated care delivery model to meet the demands of healthcare reform.
Shelbyville’s Emily Parker and Roger New Jr. were honored with championship jackets and trophies by Lucas Oil Raceway for winning their respective 2013 class championships at the Indianapolis facility.
2004: The Hamilton House, 132 W. Washington St., went Italian with the opening of Italian Gardens Restaurante. B.J. Fairchild-Newman had operated the Hamilton House from 1995 to 2000, then leased the building to Larry Weiland, owner of Golden Corral, for a year. The restaurant had changed hands again in 2002 and became Lady Victoria’s Hamilton House under owners Gene and Helen Ellis. It closed in 2003.
1994: A deputy prosecutor worked one week before he was dismissed. “It just didn’t work out,” Prosecutor James Lisher said. “Lack of experience was a factor.”
1984: A convicted murderer and arsonist was under guard at W.S. Major Hospital after being transported by ambulance from the Shelby County Jail. The convict had complained of chest pains. She was later released. She had been found guilty of both arson and murder in a 1982 incident that involved a fire at her home on U.S. 52 west and Morristown that led to the death of her sixth husband. (He had escaped the home, but returned to retrieve his wallet, and died.)
1974: Jack Knoll stepped down after 18 years as Waldron Volunteer Fire Department chief. Lloyd Mohr presented him a plaque for his service. Dick McKey had been elected unanimously by members of the department as the new chief. Four assistant chiefs were also voted in: Knoll, Mohr, Tom Fischer and Bud Dale.
Although Tokheim Corporation officials had announced a plan to close their Shelbyville plant on St. Joe St., the union continued to work feverishly on a deal. Tokheim, which employed 200, had not indicted any change of direction, though. The corporation produced, among other items, gasoline service island pumps, and orders had dropped 75 percent during the energy crisis.
1964: Paul Elliott was announced new manager of the F.W. Woolworth Co. store in Shelbyville. He succeeded Harvey Purman.
Officers of the Shelby County Young Democrats Club were elected at St. Joseph school. They were Lynn Dellekamp, Ron Hardwick, Sharon Murphy and Tom Boyle.
1954: Shelbyville Police Lt. Russell “Dick” Clapp retired after 20 years of service. He had held every position on the department except chief. He and his wife and daughter were set to leave Sunday for Fort Myers, Fla., where they intended to life. He received presents and a card signed by Lloyd Mellis, Malcolm Beck, Floyd Wagoner, Earl Trees, Donald Fancher, Walter Wintin, Carolyn Ray, Chester Moore, Naretta Shepherd, Joe Banta, Garrell Richey, Howard Kuhn, Paul Barnard, Paul Ross, John Banawitz, Philip Banawitz, John Towners, Roy Anderson, Gene Junken, Dallas Phillips, Norman Dagley, Charlie Miner, Maurice Moberly, Pete Myers, Robert Nolley, Donald Brunner, Leroy Kelley, James Matchett and Fred Jones.
1944: Creed Larkey and James Williams, graduates of Fairland High School who were in the military, spoke at a school convocation at their alma mater about their experiences and to thank students for the letters they received while in service.
1934: The temperature dropped from 52 degrees to 0 within 18 hours. Bricks at the base of a chimney on the Teal building on the south side of Public Square were blown out by the wind, causing smoke to appear to be coming from the roof and leading to a fire call. A falling tree disrupted the Gamewell fire alarm system on South Miller St. Several repair shops stayed open all night as “numerous automobiles with radiators steaming were driven in, for anti-freeze solutions,” The Republican said.
Shelbyville officials discussed reviewing a parking plan adopted in Bloomington. Merchants on Bloomington’s Public Square had agreed to park their cars at least one block from the courthouse, allowing more space for customers. Shelbyville’s parking problem was the worst on Saturdays, officials said. “However, at other times during the week it is sufficiently annoying to persons trying to thread the downtown streets between double - and triple-parked cars,” The Republican said. “And who knows (?) (the plan) might encourage a few more farmers to seek out Shelbyville as a trading center due to the additional parking area thus gained,” the paper said.
1924: Pride of the Jonathan Lodge, Shelbyville’s “colored Odd Fellows” lodge, went above and beyond to keep their home. “Recently, when the Lockwood house on South Harrison St. was sold to be moved from the premises, this lodge bought the entire south side of the building,” The Republican reported. They “sawed off their portion of the building and moved it to a lot on South Pike Street, south of the Wiley M.E. church building.” Members then raised $1,500 to enclose the structure.
1914: The temperature reached 67 degrees, the hottest on record of the local weather bureau station. The previous high for the date in local history was 57 degrees in 1876.
Will Michelson, owner of the local Michelson Bros. Photo Slide Co., closed a contract with Henry Ford for 50,000 advertising slides for the Ford Automobile Co. of Detroit.
OBITUARIES
None today