CHP is trying to attract nurse practitioners to the Berkshires by offering them residencies

A workforce development initiative, PowerCorpsPHL, pays participants to learn skills and gain hands-on experience for jobs that offer long-term career opportunity in the field of environmental sustainability. Participants generally have criminal records or have been in the foster care system. In addition to job training and education, PowerCorpsPHL also provides services such as mental health counseling, securing childcare, navigating SNAP and AmeriCorps tuition benefits and helping with paperwork. The program helps 92 percent of participants secure either a job or post-secondary education.

Emergency Response Africa connects patients with first responders, ambulances and emergency-ready hospitals so they can get the care they need as quickly as possible. A 24-hour command center that can be reached by phone or mobile app dispatches the emergency response team of trained paramedics, which then brings the patient to one of the 82 verified emergency hospitals. Since it was established in 2021, Emergency Response Africa has received 1,243 emergency calls.

To address maternal mortality, drapes with volume markings are being used to manage life-threatening bleeding after birth. The drapes collect the blood and are marked with measurements so healthcare workers can monitor blood loss and interfere and provide care before it’s too late. The drapes were tested in 78 hospitals throughout the country between August 2021 and the end of 2022 and allowed healthcare workers to interfere with excessive bleeding in time for 90% of patients.

The Arizona Health Department delivers COVID-19 tests, vaccinations and other medical services to underserved, low-income communities via mobile vans, pop-up clinics and in-home services for those who struggle to access health care. Since the mobile program started in 2021, more than 140,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

The Advanced Illness Care Program was founded within local Black churches and offers free, individualized support for people with advanced illnesses and their caregivers, helping them navigate various life and health issues and plan for end-of-life care. Since starting in 2015, the AICP has helped more than 1,600 patients, the majority of which are Black, and 55% of them have gone on to complete advance directives for end-of-life care.

Our Lady’s Health Center — which is managed by Sisters of the Holy Cross — works to address the stigma and provide care to those with HIV/AIDS, specifically antiretroviral therapy services. The Center has established three community posts within local markets where those in need of care can easily access it in a discreet way.

In a complex effort to increase morale among bus drivers and address worker shortages, the Kansas City Area Transit Authority has negotiated a new union contract with drivers and maintenance crews to increase their hourly wage. Through the new contract and intensified recruitment efforts, the KCATA has hired an additional 55 drivers, exceeding its goal of 45 more drivers by the end of this year.

In response to the severe lack of physicians, Shasta Community Health Center has increased telehealth services through its telemedicine center, which provides real-time video calls with physician specialists. This short-term solution helps patients get the care they need while lawmakers and work on long-term, financially viable solutions.

The Youth Orphans and Widows Empowerment organization works to help young people experiencing addiction through various projects including psychosocial support and connections to organizations that help them develop skills and find housing. Over the years the group has linked dozens of people to different treatments, as well as vocational training to help them find jobs.

Public health officials and resettlement groups are using community strategies to encourage refugees and other vulnerable people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. CDC toolkits allow local health departments and organizations to provide COVID-related messaging about the virus and the available vaccine in more than 30 languages.