Community

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTERVENTION

What started out as an effort to place nurses in Cincinnati Public Schools quickly snowballed into a prevention-focused behavioral health program that continues, with donor support, to place clinicians in schools. Today, the program serves inner-city youth in three schools with full-time behavioral health specialists.

On a daily basis, Foundation-funded behavioral health clinicians identify problems and issues so that children receive intervention when intervention is needed most. Sometimes, this extra help can mean the difference between success and failure in the classroom and potentially, success in life. The case for school-based mental health intervention is compelling. Up to 20 percent of youth display emotional/behavioral disorders, yet less than one-third receive mental health services, according to program Clinical Supervisor Stephen Fritsch Psy.D., TriHealth Behavioral Health Services.

LIFELINE

The Lifeline Emergency Response System links subscribers to immediate help - 24 hours a day. If a subscriber needs help at home but cannot get to a telephone, a simple push of the button worn on the body automatically alerts the trained monitoring staff at Bethesda who will send help immediately. Security, independence and peace of mind all result from knowing that help is just a push of a button away. Bethesda Foundation has helped fund Lifeline for indigent patients since 2002.

SANE

Women treated at Bethesda North Hospital for suspected sexual assault are fortunate they can receive care from a team of specially trained nurses. A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) goes through specific classroom and hands-on training to provide professional, comprehensive and complete evidence collection for victims of sexual assault. The SANE approach helps avoid re-victimization of the survivor, by offering a safe environment, advocacy, education and appropriate follow up services and referral. Bethesda North is the only suburban Hamilton County hospital to offer SANE, making Bethesda a trusted place for assault victims to seek care and for law enforcement and EMS personnel to refer victims for appropriate care. Bethesda Foundation provided startup funds for the SANE program in 1999 and continues to provide financial support.

SENIORLINK

TriHealth SeniorLink offers comprehensive health care services to address the medical, rehabilitative, social and personal care needs of frail seniors through one program. SeniorLink's Comprehensive Falls Prevention program includes osteoporosis screenings, treatment and education, falls risk assessment by a multi-disciplinary team, and use of hip protectors. Since 2003, over 300 elderly patients have been screened for osteoporosis; follow-up medical treatment, education and safety modifications are provided to all patients diagnosed with osteoporosis. Bethesda Foundation has provided funding to this program since 2003.

URBAN HEALTH PROJECT

Since 1992, Bethesda Foundation has supported the University of Cincinnati Medical School's Urban Health Project (UHP). Started 19 years ago, the UHP connects future physicians with underserved people in the community during an eight-week summer internship. Medical students who have completed their first year of medical school can apply for an internship working for area social service agencies. The physicians-in-training are assigned responsibilities including direct patient care to education or counseling duties at various community agencies.