Our Legacy Today Spring 2021
Legacy Community Health Operating Board Alex Jessett Chairperson
Legacy Responds to COVID: A Year of Challenges and Triumphs
Naveen Pinglay Vice-Chairperson Richard “Ricky” Davidson Treasurer Ryan Martin Secretary Abigail Caudle, M.D. At-Large / Executive Committee George Burch LaMetrice Denise Dopson Taryn Hargrove Gore Gary Hammett Bryan Hlavinka Ronnie Kurtin Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D. Amanda Goodie-Roberts Johnson Olatunji Neftali Partida Marissa Taler Devin Vasquez Allison Floyd Wells, M.D.
Legacy Community Health Endowment Brent Whiteley Chairperson Tripp Carter Vice-Chairperson Mike Holloman Treasurer Bryan Hlavinka Secretary Linda Cantu George Hawkins Sharon Land Mark McMasters, M.D. Ray Purser
Board Member Emeriti Melanie Gray Melissa Mithoff James A. Reeder, Jr. Monsour Taghdisi Claire Cormier Thielke
Legacy CMO Dr. Vian Nguyen receiving her first COVID vaccination. We are proud of our Health Care Heroes!
We all remember the confusion, stress, and heartache of March 2020. No one seemed to know what to do when it came to sending children to school, going into the office, or even bringing home a load of groceries. Could virtual learning really work? Can business really be conducted over Zoom? Do I need to wash my groceries before putting them away? With so much uncertainty in the air, the public turned to health officials, experts, and agencies they knew they could trust to keep them safe and healthy organizations like Legacy Community Health. We were the first in Houston to provide widespread, publiclyavailable COVID testing to anyone who needed it. Thus far, we have administered more than 11,000 COVID tests, and we continue to provide this free service to this day. Now, more than a year later, Legacy has turned its focus from testing to treatment by being one of only 25 Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States to be named a vaccine hub. Thanks to our ability to reach people in underserved communities, those who were hardest hit by COVID, we have administered 20,000 vaccinations — just over 13,000 initial doses and approximately 7,000 second doses. Our goal is to administer between 4,000 and 6,000 vaccines each week over the next several months, helping to ensure members across our communities have every
opportunity to get vaccinated. “Thanks to our recent growth and expanded reach, Legacy is uniquely positioned to get vaccines to the most vulnerable populations,” says Katy Caldwell, Legacy’s CEO. “We have a strong relationship with the federal health agencies in charge of distributing the vaccine, like the CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration, and we are exceedingly thankful for the continued trust they place in us to get ‘shots in arms’ so to speak.” Dr. Vian Nguyen, Legacy’s Chief Medical Officer, is thankful for Legacy’s hard working staff who have made all of this possible. “Every single Legacy employee played a vital role, allowing us to be where we are today – providing quality care to those who need it,” she says. “The outstanding efforts of our clinical and operational teams have been nothing short of amazing.” Our staff can’t do this alone, so we’ve collaborated with community organizations to host vaccine clinics in at-risk communities. Legacy coordinated with the Mario Gutierrez, Legacy Pharmacy intern Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation and DeShara Goss to establish two such clinics in that underserved neighborhood, and with Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia’s office to host a clinic in the East End. Legacy had to restructure our operations at the beginning of the pandemic, and we’ve kept some of these changes despite being fully open to the public. We continue to offer telehealth visits for easier access and increased safety, and nearly all behavioral health appointments are now conducted online. Since March 2020, Legacy’s Pharmacy has shipped tens of thousands of medications direct to patients to help them stay safe and on their regimens, and this practice continues today at no cost to our patients.
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“We now mail about 70% of prescription refills to our patients, allowing them to stay home and receive their care,” says Karen Gurwitch, Senior Vice President of Clinical Integration. “In order to stay in touch with these folks, we developed our specialty pharmacy program, where the pharmacist calls patients on certain medications to ensure they are doing well. More than 1,000 patients are enrolled in this outreach program.” While it will be a while until everything is back to “normal,” Legacy’s patient volume has mostly returned to pre-COVID levels. The exception is pediatric visits, which we’re almost happy to report are still below previous years’ levels because kids are staying healthy. “Schools have been following the science and listening to public health officials, and therefore have been cautious with mask-wearing and social distancing when children returned to class,” says Laura Hardy, Senior Vice President of Operations. “Because of this, children aren’t getting sick with the same sort of frequency.” Legacy is likewise following the advice of public health experts, and therefore we still require masks or facial coverings for those visiting our clinics. We’ve reconfigured waiting rooms to allow for social distancing, and are screening patients at the door for possible COVID exposure. We care about the health and safety of our patients and staff, so we will continue to follow these guidelines for as long as is necessary.
Masks are still required for all who enter Legacy clinics
of Legacy Dr. Vandana Shrikanth, Infection Control Officer Dr. Vandana Shrikanth, Legacy Community Health’s Infection Control Officer, is more than an adult primary care provider. She’s also a disease detective. “Someone comes in with a strange rash or unknown infection, so I’ll dig deeper into the patient’s activities,” says Dr. Shrikanth. “Maybe they’ve traveled abroad, ate or drank contaminated food or water, or have been in contact with a sick person. That helps me make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.” In addition to treating complicated conditions like HIV, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis, Dr. Shrikanth also provides adult primary care. Originally from India, she completed her medical schooling and residency in Texas before joining team Legacy six years ago. “I love my work and my patients. It’s so gratifying to provide care and make a difference for patients who don’t have any place else to go,” says Dr. Shrikanth. “There are very few places like Legacy providing non-judgmental, excellent care, regardless of where our patients come from.” The arrival of COVID brought widespread changes to the way Legacy continues to provide that care. “We had to design new workflows and processes: how to set up testing tents, how to communicate with each other in the clinic and
Legacy welcomes Chief Human Resources Officer Vince Goodwine Legacy is pleased to announce the newest addition to our leadership team, Chief Human Resources Officer Vince Goodwine. Vince joins us with over 20 years of experience leading HR teams and initiatives and a wealth of knowledge and expertise. In his most recent role as Vice President of Human Resources at HCA Healthcare Houston, Vince led HR operations for 3,300 employees across multiple sites. He successfully managed more than 100 private physician practices, 20 Urgent Care Centers, and 11 Surgery Centers in Houston, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, and McAllen.
working from home, how to answer questions from our patients, how to get the right protective equipment for our staff,” Dr. Shrikanth remembers. “And, every few days we’d get new updates from the CDC about testing and quarantine guidance. Keeping up with that kept us busy, but everyone was up to the challenge.” The doctor is also grateful for the kindness of her patients. “They would Dr. Vandana Shrikanth ask me, ‘How are you doing? I hope you and your family are staying safe.’ When you’re down and you hear the patients say this, that’s fuel to keep you going. It validates what we are trained to do.” And, although Dr. Shrikanth anticipates several more months of maskwearing and social distancing, she is optimistic about a return to normalcy. “The pandemic has shown me that human beings are very resilient. Nothing will get us down.”
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Vince currently serves on the Board of Directors for Texas Workforce Solutions-Coastal Bend and HR Tech Connect. When we asked what he is most looking forward to about joining the Legacy team, he replied, “My philosophy of HR management goes hand in hand with our Legacy mission. I look forward to being 100% committed to driving healthy change in our communities through the lens of providing a great employment experience for our employees.” When Vince is not working, he enjoys coaching little league baseball and softball, which he has done for over 20 years. He also loves volunteering at community events with his four children and date night with his wife Carmen. Please help us extend a warm Legacy welcome to Chief Human Resources Officer, Vince Goodwine!
Moving FORWARD in 2021 Legacy Community Health continues to move forward with its important work. In the midst of all that is going on, many of our friends and supporters are looking forward to the future when they can enjoy spending time in the community with friends and resume their regular activities. In response to the current situation, Congress extended some of the COVID relief tax changes to 2021. We are offering these resources to help you with your tax planning and to offer some ideas to consider if you are thinking about making a gift this year in support of our mission.
2021 Giving Incentives
Donor Advised Funds
Charitable Bequests
The CARES Act passed in 2020 included several charitable tax provisions to encourage giving.
If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and wish to help us this year, you can make a gift from your DAF to support our work without affecting your personal financial security.
Many of our friends are updating their estate plans. If you would like to support our cause with a charitable bequest, we can help.
Congress has extended these provisions for 2021, including: • A deduction for charitable donors who do not itemize when filing their tax returns. If you do not itemize but make a cash gift to charity, you will be allowed to take a special tax deduction, up to $300 ($600 for joint filers), to reduce your tax liability. • An increase in the deduction limit up to 100% of a donor’s annual income for cash gifts (previously the deduction was capped at 60% of annual income). If you make a gift you will be able to deduct more this year.
Legacy’s Development Department will provide information through online education sessions about IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), Wills & Estate Planning, and designating beneficiaries at 5:30 p.m. on April 29 and June 10. For more information or to register for the sessions, contact Tim Martinez at 713.203.7221 or email tjmartinez@ legacycommunityhealth.org. Sign up for our Planned Giving newsletter at http://lchplannedgiving.org Follow us online for weekly postings about planned giving, at Our Legacy Today on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Please contact us for a copy of our free estate planning guide. We can provide you with a copy of our bequest language and an estate planning attorney referral list. Please contact us for assistance with creating and updating your plans.
If you are interested in learning more about any of these ideas, please contact us. Please also let us know how we can help you during this time.
This information is not intended as tax, legal or financial advice. Gift results may vary. Consult your personal financial advisor for information specific to your situation. The names and images shown here are representative of typical donors and may or may not be actual donors to the organization. Under federal rules your benefits may be different from this example. Please contact us for your specific benefits.
Copyright © 2021 Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Used by permission.
DonateStock has made the process of gifting your stock fast, safe and easy.
In time for Tax Day, Legacy Community Health is partnering with DonateStock to highlight why giving stock is a smart way to donate in 2021! When you donate stock, your pre-tax dollars go further toward helping Legacy than your post-tax dollars. Gifting stock also helps you avoid capital gains tax while deducting the full value of the contribution. And, Legacy receives the money that would otherwise have gone to the IRS. DonateStock has made the process of gifting your stock fast, safe and easy. In less than 10 minutes, you can register as a donor and make your first stock donation by visiting https://donatestock.com/lch.
2021 Federal Tax Filing Deadlines:
Source: irs.gov
June 15 - victims of the February winter storms in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana May 17 - all others
Wellness Bar by Legacy Offers Preventative Care in a Boutique-Style Setting What do you think of when you think about preventative health care? Stuffy exam rooms, bland waiting rooms, and long wait times? You won’t see any of those things at the new Wellness Bar by Legacy. The spa-like facility offers rapid HIV testing and STI screening services, same-day access to PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention, and immediate linkage to care for other health care needs, all within a space that is convenient, welcoming, and comfortable. Guests are greeted at the door by a Wellness Host and can enjoy a complimentary coffee at the coffee bar. Free WiFi is also provided. Appointments take place in exam rooms with comfortable reclining chairs instead of the typical bulky exam chairs you might see in other physician offices. “We want to make it easier and more convenient for patients who may be uncomfortable in crowded waiting rooms,” says Jennifer Hadayia, Legacy’s Senior Director of Public Health. “Talking about HIV and sexual health can be a difficult conversation. Our Wellness Bar visitors have one person – their Wellness Host – with them to offer personal, focused, and affirming care.”
Pictured left to right are Wellness Hosts Sandra Arreola and John Augbon, and Nurse Practitioner Allie Enoch
Learn more about Wellness Bar by Legacy at https://www.wellnessbarbylegacy.org/
The Beaumont Advisory Board meeting via teleconference in March
Community Leaders Join Legacy to Improve Health Care in Beaumont Legacy has established a new Beaumont Advisory Board to provide insight on community needs so we can customize and expand health care services at our two Beaumont clinics. The group will also advise on opportunities for community outreach and funding. The team of local leaders represents a diverse cross-section of the community: ■ Dr. Belinda George, Principal of Homer Drive Elementary ■ Daniel Ford, Regional Vice President – Mission Administration, CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System ■ Jennifer Burch, CEO, BEST Hospice Care of Texas ■ Regina Rogers, Founder, Gift of Life ■ Tania Castelan, Realtor, TJ Castelan Real Estate Team ■ Dr. Praphul Joshi, Associate Professor / MPH Program Director, Lamar University ■ Aimee Lieby, Product Integrity Advisor, ExxonMobil
“Our members come from different industries and have different interests, but one thing they have in common is a passion for the community and an interest in how Legacy can help meet critical needs,” says Joshua Davis, Legacy’s Senior Director of Major Gifts in the East Region. Board member Jennifer Birch at first wasn’t aware of the extensive services Legacy provides. “Southeast Texas is a hardworking community, but so many of our neighbors can’t afford health care or don’t know where to find it,” says Birch. “All of us work with the underserved in the community, and we’re excited be a part of Legacy to shine a light on this great organization.” The Advisory Board has discussed ways Legacy may better serve Beaumont’s homeless population. Future plans include inperson fundraising and educational events to promote Legacy’s health care services and potential partnerships.
Toy Drives Provide Holiday Cheer for Legacy’s Pediatric Patients Thank you to the many generous individuals and organizations who hosted toy drives for Legacy’s pediatric patients. Although our patient holiday parties looked a little different than years past, with face masks and COVID safety precautions, the gifts brought holiday cheer to children and their families. We appreciate the support of IBC Bank, PetSmart, Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, Executive & Professional Association of Houston (EPAH), Vibe Events and Marketing, Beaumont ISD Annex Building Staff, Stephanie Crites & Brody Bears, and BEST Hospice Care of Texas.
Ken Mingus of EPAH
Donations from Exclusive Furniture’s Toy Drive
Donations from Pet Smart
Thank you, Fifth Ward Redevelopment Corporation
Toys for our Beaumont Clinics
IBC Bank at Legacy Southwest
Health Health here. Legacy’s Little Readers Giving Day here.
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At Legacy, we believe children At Legacy, we believe children should be healthy in body and should be healthy in body and mind, and our pediatric providers mind, andwhen our our pediatric providers treat both youngest patients come when our youngest patients come intreat for both well-child visits. To encourage both in for well-child visits. To encourage both mental and physical growth, we created mental and physical growth, we created Legacy’s Little Readers, which provides an Legacy’s Little Readers, which provides an age-appropriate book to our pediatric patients age-appropriate book to our pediatric patients (ages 6 months – 12 years old) at each well(ages 6 months – 12 years old) at each wellchild visit. Books are available in English and child visit. Books are available in English and Spanish. Parents listen when Legacy providers Spanish. Parents listen when Legacy providers talk about the importance of reading aloud talk about the importance of reading aloud with youngsters so, in effect, we send every with youngsters so, in effect, we send every family home with a prescription to read. family home with a prescription to read.
Make a difference in a child’s life now – and in years to come. Save the date! May 20, 2021 is Legacy’s Little Readers Giving Day, a social media fundraising and awareness event to share the love of reading with children and rally support for Legacy’s Little Readers. In the six years since we launched the program, Legacy providers have given away more than 157,000 age-appropriate books to children (6 months – 12 years old) at well-child visits, along with a “prescription to read” for the entire family. Our goal on this special day is to raise $50,000 to purchase books that will help expand the home
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libraries in some of Southeast Texas’ most underserved communities. Sixty-one percent of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children. In Houston, well-child for offer well-child visits for ages ages 6 6 three in five children offer don’t have12visits readingmonths months to to 12 years years old. readiness skills when they enter kindergarten. Make a difference in a child’s life now – and in years to come – by joining us for Legacy’s Little Readers Day.
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Visit https://www.legacycommunityhealth.org/development/little-readers/ for event updates and more information about the program.
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Clinics offer well-child visits for ages 6 months to 12 years old.
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Houston, TX Permit No. 1886
P.O. Box 66308 Houston, TX 77266-6308
11th Annual
Frank Billingsley
Upcoming Education Sessions
Golf Classic
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Thursday, April 29, 2021 -
Save The Date for the 11th Annual Frank Billingsley Golf Classic, presented by Hawkins Laakso Wealth Management & Equitable. Proceeds benefit Legacy’s School Based Health Care. Visit www.legacycommunityhealth.org/ golfclassic or scan the code for more information.
IRAs and Accounts Payable or Transferable upon Death
Thursday, June 10, 2021 – Bequests, Wills, and Estate Planning Tim Martinez, tjmartinez@legacycommunityhealth.org, 713-203-7221
Mint Julep Sunday, July 18, 2021 Don’t miss Legacy’s 19th annual signature Mint Julep show featuring fabulous entertainers in a virtual variety show like no other! Benefiting Legacy’s HIV services and programs. Chloe Rushing, events@legacycommunityhealth.org, 281-841-4702. facebook.com/OurLegacyToday instagram.com/ourlegacytoday twitter.com/ourlegacytoday linkedin.com/company/legacy-community-health-services/ legacy.community/youtube
For more information, email us at events@legacycommunityhealth.org