OurLegacyToday Fall 2017
Legacy Community Health Board of Directors Beth Bruce Chairperson Amanda Goodie Vice-Chairperson Beryl Basham Secretary Alex Jessett Treasurer Glenna Pierpont At-Large / Executive Committee Sehba Ali Glenn Bauguss Tony Bravo George Burch Abigail Caudle, M.D. Victor Cordova, Jr. Bryan Hlavinka Bethsheba Johnson Alton LaDay Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D. Johnson Olatunji Naveen Pinglay Cyndy Garza Roberts Lauren Soliz Marissa Taler
After Hurricane Harvey: Healing and Hope Katy Caldwell, CEO, Legacy Community Health Once I’d made sure my friends and family were OK, my first thought was: How soon can we open? We knew people were going to need our services, and all of us at Legacy felt the responsibility to be there for our communities. As a result of this shared sense of urgency, Legacy opened five of its clinics two days after the rain subsided. Our clinics across Houston, Baytown, and Beaumont escaped catastrophic damage, so our biggest concern was staffing our locations. Approximately 100 Legacy employees lost their homes, and many weren’t able to get to their assigned clinics, so our wonderful Operations team had to perform a staffing juggling act. They came through beautifully, sending staff to the clinics they could access and flexing work hours to deal with increased road traffic. Our Development team set up free child care for employees during our first week back, and also initiated an Employee Assistance Fund to financially support staff impacted by the storm. I was then and remain today extremely proud of the Legacy family.
Staff at Legacy’s East End worked around drywall and carpet repairs
Ceiling damage at Legacy Central Beaumont
Legacy Community Health Endowment Board of Directors James A. Reeder, Jr. Chairperson Tripp Carter Vice-Chairperson Bryan Hlavinka Secretary
Day care drop-off at St. Luke’s and St. Paul’s United Methodist Churches
Mike Holloman Treasurer Michael Alexander Joshua L. Espinedo Brent N. Whiteley Melanie Gray Board Member Emeritus Melissa Mithoff Board Member Emeritus Monsour Taghdisi Board Member Emeritus Claire Cormier Thielke Board Member Emeritus
The lack of running water in Beaumont meant delaying the re-opening of those clinics, but all other Legacy clinics were open on September 4th. We responded to community needs in the short term, offering free tetanus shots and opening more slots for walk-in patients. Legacy plans to be here for the long haul as well, to treat first responders and volunteers who got sick from the floodwaters or mold from mucking houses, helping evacuees cope with posttraumatic stress, and supporting our employees as they reclaim their lives. We don’t know what the long-term impact of this disaster will be, so we’re being mindful of how best to proceed. Our Contact Center has seen an increase in calls since Harvey passed through the area, so while we know the need is great, the future remains unclear. It’s hard to even consider, but if neighborhoods along the reservoirs are bought out by the government, we could see even more trauma as people lose
homes they’ve lived in for decades, or homes their parents first purchased many years ago. Legacy is well known for identifying problems and tackling them head on. Give us a problem, and we’ll solve it; that’s what we’ve been doing for nearly 40 years. Luckily, we don’t have to do it alone. Broadway Cares, a nonprofit HIV/ AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization, has already stepped up with a financial contribution. (Read more about our partnership with Broadway Cares on page 2). Donations to our Harvey relief fund have come from individual donors as far away as Vancouver and Hawaii. As a lifelong Houstonian, I’m proud of Mayor Sylvester Turner, County Judge Ed Emmett, the entire disaster management team, and the thousands of people who volunteered at the George R. Brown Convention Center and NRG Park. This dark hour in our history brought out the best in Houston in the worst of times.
Weathering the Storm with Resilience
Dr. Chad Lemaire, Medical Director of Behavioral Health We know all too well the physical destruction Harvey wrought in Houston and southeast Texas. What we don’t yet know is the mental health toll on those directly and indirectly impacted by what FEMA’s chief says is probably the worst disaster to ever hit the state. As you can imagine, many of the victims - those who experienced severe loss and trauma - are experiencing acute anxiety, fear, hypervigilance, sleeplessness, and grief. Even those who were more fortunate but had loved ones and neighbors lose everything are at risk for acute stress. Behavioral health providers across the city are on the lookout for symptoms, which could take a while to manifest. But the good news is that most of those impacted have a tendency to be resilient. At NRG Park after the storm, I met a woman with significant mental health conditions who lost what little she had. She had only the donated wheelchair she was sitting in and the clothes on her back. After recounting her harrowing story, the woman said, “I guess I just needed someone to listen.” On her face, I could see her resilience kick in. Bearing witness to this level of strength in someone who has recently been through so much was, to say the least, encouraging. Actually, it was inspiring.
Legacy therapist Brenda Moreno talks with a KIPP student
Resilience can come from many places: connecting with others (rather than withdrawing); being hopeful; actively problem-solving; accepting help; maintaining healthy behaviors like exercise, good nutrition and avoiding drugs and alcohol; and focusing on one’s spirituality, including but not limited to religion. The understanding that comes from talking to our support networks, the normalization of our reactions to a disaster, and the realization of it as a shared experience can help. In fact, after disasters, something called post-traumatic growth can happen. People not only bounce back to their prior level of functioning, but they may have one or more areas where they experience growth. These areas include having a new appreciation for life, experiencing deeper and more meaningful relationships, living with more gratitude, finding a new purpose in life, and having an increased focus on being present in the moment with loved ones. Behavioral health providers across the region are monitoring patients for depression, PTSD, and increased or new substance use, among other things. But let’s also focus on our individual and collective strengths. #HoustonStrong is not just a meme on social media. It’s reality.
Legacy’s School-Based Behavioral Health team worked with KIPP and Yes PREP to recognize post-storm stress when children came back to school. The convenience of clinics on campus meant accessible counseling for students; teachers were referred to nearby Legacy locations.
Many thanks to our providers who volunteered their medical services at NRG and GRB: Drs. Chad Lemaire, Scott Sawyer, Zishan Samiuddin, Ash Atri, Liliana Lopez-Moreno, and therapists Christine Farley, Tierra Ortiz-Rodriguez, Maria Lemus, Judith Alvarado, and Jose Romero.
Partners in Recovery: Broadway Cares Harvey’s floodwaters had just started to recede when we got the call from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The New York-based theater industry nonprofit was sending us a generous, unsolicited donation to help Legacy patients impacted by the storm. “Broadway Cares is a longtime friend of Legacy and, dating back to Hurricane Katrina, is always one of the first organizations to offer assistance,” says Legacy CEO Katy Caldwell. “Everyone in the Legacy family is grateful for their steadfast support.” Broadway Cares made its first $500 gift to Legacy (known then as the Montrose Clinic) in 1991. Since then, the group has contributed $245,000. Most has funded Legacy’s HIV/AIDS advocacy and targeted education efforts, but of that, $35,000 benefited Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, and now, Harvey relief. “Together, Broadway Cares/EFA and Legacy have expanded our core missions beyond HIV/AIDS services to broader community health,” says Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola. “Legacy not only provides critical health and social services to thousands of people each year. It also has the courage to advocate for social justice, and speak up for those who might otherwise not be heard. Broadway Cares/EFA is proud to support Legacy’s ongoing commitment to driving healthy change in the community.”
CIRCLE OF CARING A New Way to Give to Legacy
Legacy’s Circle of Caring recognizes a person’s need to do more. Adding Legacy to your will is an easy way for you to leave the world a better place, and ensure that future generations inherit a community that cares about its people.
A planned gift can help Legacy plan for the future with the secure knowledge that funding for vital health and social services will be in place for many years to come.
To learn more contact (832) 548 5126 or email giving@legacycommunityhealth.org
LegacyCommunityHealth.org / plannedgiving
Back To School Events
AUGUST –
LEGACY PEDIATRIC LOCATIONS 1,500 children and their families attended our annual Back-to-School events. Sponsors donated $17,000 (including more than $3,500 from Legacy employees) to purchase backpacks and school supplies. Among our community partners: ExxonMobil, Comcast, BASF, Community Health Choice, Visible Changes, Kids Meals Houston, and Deer Park/Hennington Libraries.
Legacy Deer Park Grand Opening
JULY 15
National Partnership Award
Legacy Deer Park held its grand opening celebration on Saturday, July 15, 2017.
Deer Park Chamber of Commerce President Tim Culp (L) and State Representative Briscoe Cain (R) joined Legacy staff for the grand opening.
Mint Julep 2017
JULY 16 - RICH’S HOUSTON
Presented by: Lymphedema Institute, Inc. & White Rhino Financial Honoring: The Diana Foundation, Bryan Hlavinka, and Jani Lopez Co-chairs: Tony Bravo, Linda Cantu, and Ben Dillon
The American Cancer Society recognized Legacy for dedication to quality care following a three-year partnership to increase colorectal cancer screenings of uninsured patients. Colorectal cancer is curable with an early diagnosis. Last year, we screened 69% of eligible patients compared with just under 6% in 2012.
Pictured left to right: Legacy’s CMO Dr. Ann Barnes, ACS Sr. Director of Primary Care Suncerria Tillis and Health Systems Manager Gloria Robinson, Legacy Director of Programs Keisha Bundage, and VP of Program Development Tina Megdal
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Houston, TX Permit No. 1886
P.O. Box 66308 Houston, TX 77266-6308
DECEMBER 1 World AIDS Day
Join us at Legacy Montrose clinic as we unite in the fight against HIV.
Beginning November –
Season of Giving
Join us for the Season of Giving and make a difference in the lives of Legacy’s clients and patients. We are collecting toys for our pediatric holiday parties and monetary donations to purchase Thanksgiving meals for families. giving@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 730-4433
@OurLegacyToday
DECEMBER 6 Holiday Schmooze Ring in the holidays on the brightest night of the season at this year’s soiree.
To volunteer: Debbie Costello dcostello@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 548-5239
www.facebook.com/OurLegacyToday
Russell Etherton retherton@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 548-3032
Chloe Rushing events@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 730-4433
April 25, 2018 The 8th Annual Frank Billingsley Golf Classic Mark your calendar to make a tee time with us at the Golf Club of Houston. Tim Martinez tjmartinez@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 548-5123