AMPHS Announced as Complete Count Fund Awardee Joining Citywide Effort to Ensure a Fair and Complete Count

New York, NY— Academy of Medical & Public Health Services is pleased to announce it has received a $75,000 award from the NYC Complete Count Fund — a partnership between CUNY, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council. The NYC Complete Count Fund is a first-of-its-kind Census-related community organizing program that will support and resource community-based organizations to help NYC reach a full and accurate count in the 2020 Census. These funds will support Census outreach through AMPHS health and education programs.

The Complete Count Fund was built with the understanding that local community-based organizations — which serve New Yorkers in the communities where they live and in the languages that they speak — are the most trusted messengers of important and sensitive information.

AMPHS is proud to join this coordinated citywide effort to build awareness about the census, convey its importance, fight the spread of mis- and disinformation, and help bridge the digital divide that might prevent many New Yorkers from participating in next year’s first online census.

A complete count is important to ensuring that the communities AMPHS serves receive funding for community resources to maintain healthy communities. In 2010, Sunset Park and Borough Park were designated two of the country’s hardest-to-count neighborhoods, housing ten of the tracts with the lowest response rates, with the lowest at 56.6%. In one tract, 24.9% of households had limited internet access and only 1% had a cellular data plan, indicating low projected response rates to the digital Census 2020 survey. Sunset Park alone houses nearly 130,000 residents — nearly half who are immigrants lacking English proficiency and are uninsured or underinsured; about a third who live in poverty. It is also home to one of NYC’s highest concentration of undocumented and newly arrived immigrants.

AMPHS recognizes the importance of increased outreach in hard-to-count communities in ensuring proper Congressional and electoral representation, funding allocations, and redistricting. Bolstered with our long history in Sunset Park, we will approach Census outreach by building Census awareness into our various existing and forthcoming health and education programs. We will center its Census outreach activities on immigrant communities in Sunset Park and neighboring South Brooklyn areas of Bay Ridge, Besonhurst, New Utrecht and Borough Park, concentrating primarily on Latino, Chinese, and Muslim populations. Specific strategies include: 

• Integrating Census education into AMPHS’ education and social services
• Conducting “civics” workshops and Census completion sessions as a part of our Adult Literacy ESOL course curriculum
• Conducting community workshops and disseminating information at partner sites throughout the community
• Working with local Councilmembers to integrate Census education into participatory budgeting outreach initiatives
• Holding Census Days of Action to conduct active grassroots street outreach and business canvassing
• Holding specialized events such as pop-up clinics, health fairs and career resource days that include Census outreach
• Implementing social media and texting campaigns for Census outreach

“As the number of immigrants continue to grow, we cannot allow issues like housing, healthcare, employment, and school overcrowding — which already plague our community — to continue to affect its socioeconomic vitality, health and wellness,” said Mon Yuck Yu, AMPHS’ Executive Vice President.

In 2015, New York received $53 billion in federal funding for programs like Medicaid, Medicare Part B, Section 8, Title 1 grants and SNAP — making up a third of state funding. Brooklyn was one of the most undercounted counties across the country.

“That’s why we have schools with 30 students crammed into one classroom; why community members wait hours in the emergency room before being seen; why we still have families of five or six living together in one small living room,” Yu states. “Only with a fair and accurate Census count can we ensure that adequate funding is allocated to reverse this situation and ensure that our communities remain healthy and safe.”

A complete and accurate count is critical to the future of New York City. The census will determine how more than $650 billion in federal funds for public education, public housing, roads and bridges, and more, gets distributed annually throughout the country. It will also determine the number of seats each state is allocated in the House of Representatives (and thus, the Electoral College). Based on current estimates, an undercount could cost the State of New York up to two congressional seats.

In such a complex city, enriched by such linguistic and cultural diversity, New York City’s full participation in the first online census faces a unique set of challenges. As New Yorkers, we have embraced these challenges as an opportunity. Together, these citywide efforts will lay the groundwork for a civic engagement apparatus that will continue well beyond the 2020 census. 

According to Yu, “there are incessant barriers to help us achieve an accurate count. The digital divide, the fear of ICE being at the door, the fear of repercussions for completing the Census — all of these issues are real. Community groups like ours become one of their few trusted sources of information, providing the cultural and linguistic competence to educate our communities. With this funding, we be part of a movement to ensure that our communities will not be undercounted again in 2020.”

The Complete Count Fund will launch in early January with an all-day kick-off event and training.

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About your organization

AMPHS aims to make care more accessible to immigrant New Yorkers through grassroots, culturally-sensitive intervention methods and de-institutionalized healthcare environments. AMPHS’ mission is to identify and address barriers to health and wellness; coordinate needed primary care with social assistance; and deliver care with dignity and empathy to marginalized immigrant communities. Through its public health interventions, AMPHS lends to the empowerment of individuals and communities to create their own local and culturally-sensitive health and wellness paradigms, making healthcare more personable, accessible and holistic.

AMPHS provides coordinated and integrated interventions in three program areas—clinical services, social services, and education—addressing the root causes contributing to the health disparities and poor outcomes facing immigrant populations. Programs include: free health screenings and medical/dietary consultations; mental health therapy; social assistance counseling; health literacy, health access, and immigrant rights workshops; English Adult Literacy classes; Mental Health First Aid workshops; and emergency preparedness training. It also publishes health and immigrant resource guides for community education and coordinate monthly pop-up health events, as well as an annual resource fair serving over 1,250 people per year, where it provides free testing and community resources.        

About NYC Census 2020
NYC Census 2020 was established as a first-of-its-kind organizing initiative by Mayor de Blasio to ensure a complete and accurate count of all New Yorkers in the 2020 Census. The program is built on four pillars: (1) a community-based awards program, The New York City Complete Count Fund; (2) an in-house “Get Out the Count” field campaign; (3) an innovative, multi-lingual, tailored messaging and marketing; as well as (4) an in-depth Agency and Partnerships engagement plan that seeks to leverage the power of the City’s 350,000-strong workforce and the city’s major institutions, including libraries, hospitals, faith-based, cultural institutions, and higher educational institutions, and more, to communicate with New Yorkers about the critical importance of census participation.

AMPHS Selected as 2019 CRE Rising Fund Recipient!

AMPHS is proud to have been selected as one of six CRE Rising Fund recipients this year. The CRE Rising Fund, now in its fifth year, assists small, dynamic nonprofit organizations that are working to improve the lives of the diverse people and communities of New York City. Through the Rising Fund, expert CRE consultants partner with small nonprofits to complete no-cost, three-month long consulting engagements.

“We are proud to be partnering with these incredible nonprofits,” said Katie Leonberger, President and Chief Executive Officer of CRE. “These groups are working across New York City to support historically underrepresented communities, promote equity, and expand opportunity. We are honored and excited to partner with them to build their capacity for the future.”

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with CRE to build our capacity and think strategically about how to make our programs stronger and more impactful for the communities we serve,” said Hewett Chiu, President & CEO. “This will mean better and more effective services, particularly in light of the increasing needs within immigrant communities now.”

The 2019 awardee nonprofits were selected from 28 applications. The six organizations will each receive customized, no cost consulting services to better serve their communities and achieve their missions.

AMPHS has been selected among the following six nonprofit awardees that will receive pro bono consulting services:

• Academy of Medical & Public Health Services (AMPHS) is a not-for-profit health service organization with a triple aim to identify barriers to health and wellness in underserved immigrant communities; coordinate truly needed primary care with social assistance; and deliver care with dignity and empathy to marginalized New Yorkers.
• Center for Law & Social Justice (CLSJ) provides quality advocacy, training, and expert services in a personal manner to people of African descent and the disenfranchised. CLSJ conducts research and initiates advocacy projects and litigation on behalf of community organizations and groups that promote human, national, and international understanding.
• Custom Collaborative trains and supports women from low-income and immigrant communities to launch fashion careers and businesses. By learning the standard techniques and ethical business practices of the fashion industry, participants can achieve secure livelihoods in the fashion industry as designers, entrepreneurs, pattern makers, and seamstresses who create and sell high-quality clothing and accessories.
• The Feminist Press publishes books that ignite movements and social transformation, lifting up insurgent and marginalized voices from around the world to build a more just future.
• Friends of WHEELS (Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School)’s goal is to make sure that every student at WHEELS has the information, counseling, and extracurricular experiences they need to get into and succeed in college and beyond.
• Made in Brownsville is a youth creative agency and innovation hub providing a gateway for young people to learn marketable hard skills in STEAM, access postsecondary education, achieve economic mobility, and engage in placed-based community revitalization.

CRE will partner with AMPHS on a capacity building project that includes strategic planning, board development, and teambuilding. For more information, please visit https://www.crenyc.org/.

Join us for our May events!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMPHS In-House Health Screening

When: Saturday, May 10th  |  11PM – 5PM

Where: 5306 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220

Screening Services: Blood Pressure, Mammograms, Vision Testing, Dementia Screening, BMI Screening, Prescription Assistance, Health Insurance Assistance, Free/Low-cost Corrective Lenses, Health Education Material, Lifestyle Counseling, and More!

For appointments: call (212) 256-9036

 

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz Sunset Park Annual Health Fair

When: Saturday, 5/17/2014  |  12pm – 3pm

Where: Sunset Park Recreation Center, 43rd Street and 7th Avenue

Screening Services: Memory Screenings, CPR Demonstrations  

Walk-ins welcome; no appointment needed

 

Cholesterol Nutrition Workshop

When:Friday, 5/30/2014  |  10:30am – 11:30am

Where: United Sunset Senior Center, 475 53rd Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220

Join us for our April In-House Screening Event!

Clinical Volunteer Alice Bonner, RN provides BMI assessment

When: Saturday, April 19 from 1pm – 5pm

Where: AMPHS Headquarters, 5306 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (between 53rd and 54th Streets)

Who: Walk-ins welcome; appointments preferred for priority service. Appointments can be scheduled by calling: (212) 256-9036

What: AMPHS will be offering free health screenings for BMI, blood pressure, vision, and memory along with healthy lifestyle counseling and information about health insurance, prescription assistance, and vision assistance. HIV and Hep C screenings will be provided by the Latino AIDS Society. Resources related to a healthy lifestyle will be distributed.

AMPHS is 4 years old!

Four years ago, on March 25, a few volunteers started teaching emergency preparedness classes to students from Brooklyn – and so AMPHS was born. A year later, we started free, monthly health screenings for basic tests such as blood pressure and vision problems. And now AMPHS has 40 volunteers – from doctors and nurses to translators and data scientists – and offers not only comprehensive health screenings, counseling and social assistance, but also health coaching, education workshops, and public health research.

Through these efforts, AMPHS has improved the lives of almost 2,000 people from our local communities. We thank all of our generous donors and volunteers for helping us get to this point, and we promise – with your support – to continue leading the fight to provide health services to vulnerable communities in New York City.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tess Aldrich, Clinical Volunteer

“By reaching out to communities and individuals who are otherwise marginalized from ‘mainstream’ medical care..it feels great to be able to spend time really talking with people.”

As a public service organization serving a diverse ethnic community, AMPHS has a similarly diverse volunteer team operating its programs behind the scenes. This month, we had the opportunity to sit down with one of our clinical volunteers, Tess Aldrich to take a look at the work that she does both inside and outside of AMPHS.

Tess is an Adult and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner with a background in public health research.  Prior to becoming an NP, she worked at the Population Council in Mexico City and later at Gynuity Health Projects on studies relating to cervical cancer screening and management, family planning, and maternal mortality prevention.  After earning her MSN at the Yale School of Nursing, she worked for two years in adult primary care at a federally-qualified community health center based in Harlem. She currently works at the NYU Student Health Center in Women’s Health Services.

What do you do outside of AMPHS?

I work as a Nurse Practitioner at the NYU Student Health Center, primarily in women’s health, managing a variety of gynecologic and primarily care conditions. Because the patient population is, for the most part, comprised of young, healthy individuals, we do a lot of preventive care and education, which I greatly enjoy. There are also opportunities for teaching and mentorship; I precept a Nurse Practitioner (NP) student each semester and recently gave a talk to nursing students on heart disease in women.

Why did you choose to volunteer at AMPHS?

My fist job as an NP was at a community health center in Harlem, where I worked in adult primary care. In this setting, patients presented with a range of chronic health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and mental illness. We also saw a number of uninsured individuals, many of whom had not accessed medical care in years. While it was very challenging, I greatly enjoyed this work and wanted to maintain a connection with community health — specifically related to New York’s immigrant population. When I learned about AMPHS and its mission, it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to stay involved.

What has your experience been your experience as a clinical volunteer thus far?

I’ve had a great experience with AMPHS so far. I’ve particularly enjoyed the community events I participated in this past summer, and was also really impressed with the energy and expertise of the summer interns I met during these activities. The in-house screenings have also been a wonderful opportunity to meet community members I otherwise probably wouldn’t have contact with and to hear about their health concerns. People who attend these screenings range from those who have not seen a health care provider in years (and perhaps don’t know about many resources available to them) to those who are well-informed and very much linked in with health care services — but perhaps want to learn more about a specific health topic.

From a public health perspective, I think one of the biggest challenges that AMPHS has highlighted is that of accessing healthy food options (e.g. fresh, affordable produce) and safe spaces to exercise. At one community event last summer, it was really motivating to see the many participants — young and old alike (including some AMPHS volunteers) — participating in Tai Chi and Zumba classes together. One community group had also set up a cooking station to demonstrate healthy, easy recipes.

How has AMPHS impacted you?

By reaching out to communities and individuals who are otherwise marginalized from “mainstream” medical care, I’m constantly reminded of both how resourceful people are in managing their own health and that of their families, as well as how stressful it can be to live in a city like New York when English is not your first language, and you perhaps don’t feel entirely connected to the myriad communities and services around you. Additionally, while the in-house screenings can get quite busy depending on the number of community members who show up, it’s great to be able to spend time really talking with people and answering questions. As an NP, as much as we strive to give patients adequate time in busy medical practices, the reality is that the visit often ends up feeling quite rushed – which is a constant challenge for both patients and providers.

Do you have any suggestions for someone interested in a career in the healthcare field?

I do think being exposed early on to as many clinical settings and populations as possible can be critical; not only does this exposure build your skill set and teach the importance of adaptability, but I think it also impresses upon providers the importance of listening to patients and learning from them. I also think for someone just starting out, the importance of good mentorship cannot be stressed enough. As health care providers, we also learn so much from each other. This learning process is important throughout a career but especially valuable in the beginning.

Where do you see yourself in AMPHS in the future?

I think one of the most important aspects of AMPHS’ work is that of directing community members to medical and public health resources available to them. With the Affordable Care Act, hopefully many people who otherwise did not access medical and preventive health care will to do so now; AMPHS is well-situated to act as a liaison between individuals and these services. I also think the counseling/education piece that AMPHS provides (which sometimes falls through the cracks in busy health care settings) is incredibly important.

AMPHS Works with Amida Care for December 2013 HIV/AIDS Awareness Month Screening

In recognition of December 2013 HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, AMPHS partnered with AmidaCare to provide health care access information to individuals who have been tested as HIV-positive.

As a Medicaid health plan, Amida Care provides services to individuals with HIV/AIDS living in Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan, with sites in Downstate SUNY and Brownville, NY.  By working with a special team of people such as social workers, health navigators, behavioral health specialists and a designated medical home, Amida Care is committed to serving people with chronic health conditions.

Individuals who participate in the plan do not have any out-of-pocket costs for treatment and care, and are given a $40 stipend per month for pursuing continuous follow-up care with their physicians. They will first be invited to a new members orientation and moving forward, are also invited to participate in regular town hall meetings and live-your-life events.

Unfortunately, undocumented individuals are not covered through this program, but can refer to CAMBA for additional resources and treatment information.

Learn more about Amida Care and its programs by visiting http://www.amidacareny.org

(Re)Vision Magazine Films at AMPHS

This November and December, (Re)Vision Video Magazine will be filming at the Academy of Medical and Public Health Services for a featured piece on social entrepreneurship. (Re)Vision Video Magazine is a story platform seeking to inspire others to follow their visions and  their passions. Mon Yuck, our Chief of Staff, was chosen as one of the first four mini-documentaries to be featured in its upcoming release. Her story highlights her pioneering work with AMPHS and her devoted vision to its cause.

Throughout the month, (Re)Vision documentarists Alexander Stockton and Natalia Rodriguez will be interviewing Mon Yuck as well as other AMPHS volunteers on their experiences and their motivations for volunteering at the organization. They will be following the work of volunteers at screening events, trainings, and outreach activities, and interviewing community members about the impact the organization is making on their lives. Stockton and Rodriguez hope that that these inspirational stories will motivate other young people to pursue their visions and become recognized leaders in their communities.

Following AMPHS’ recent selection for its top-rated nonprofit status, (Re)Vision will also be putting together a video to help support the AMPHS cause. The video will feature AMPHS’ everyday work in the community and incorporate the touching stories of community members whose lives have been adversely affected by the gaping holes in health care. AMPHS hopes that the video will encourage viewers to recognize that even those who have lost their voice in society — the low-income, underprivileged, and many times, undocumented population — still deserve health care as a basic human right.

Video Sneak Peeks:

AMPHS Honored as a GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Charity

We are extremely excited to announce today that AMPHS has been honored with a prestigious 2013 Top-Rated  Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of reviews on not-for-profit organizations across the United States. AMPHS was part of the inaugural group to qualify for this year. As a Top-Rated Nonprofit, AMPHS has not only demonstrated excellence and commitment to public service, transparency and accountability to our communities, but is also a disruptive innovator breaking down traditional beliefs of not-for-profit and healthcare organizations alike, making healthcare service more accessible, personable, and a true humanitarian effort. This honor follows AMPHS being named as one of the top 5 NYC charities with Nonprofiteer of the Year Finalists by the Young Non-Profit Professionals Network in both 2012 and 2013.

Before a qualified not-for-profit organization is eligible to be considered for the Top-Rated Award, the organization must commit to a long-term review process in which clients, volunteers, board members, community members, and industry experts openly rate and review the organization and its on-the-ground results. GreatNonprofit collects and audits reviews and ratings, and AMPHS has been found to be one of the “most impactful” and “life-changing” organizations, where “everyone rolled up their sleeves” to “redefine the healthcare landscape of the underserved communities.”  

We encourage everyone who hasn’t yet had the chance to review AMPHS to do so here: http://greatnonprofits.org/org/academy-of-medical-public-health-services.

AMPHS thanks all its supporters for their commitment and dedication to the AMPHS mission of bringing healthcare access and coordination to immigrant underserved communities. Without each of your support, we really could not have received this prestigious award. This award truly is a form of recognition by the community. We thank everyone for being such an integral part of one of the most effective and impactful charities in this country.

AMPHS Builds Hope Among Volunteers and the Community

One of the ways AMPHS strives to make an impact on the community is through regular health screenings. AMPHS believes that access to healthcare should be a right to everyone irrespective of their insurance and economic status, and not a privilege. AMPHS has organized and hosted a number of health screening services since August in the Brooklyn area – in addition to routine health screenings, AMPHS has organized breast cancer screenings and screenings for Alzheimer’s disease. In the past few months alone, AMPHS was able to impact the lives of over 90 community members.

AMPHS touches the life of community members on a regular basis. One regular community member, Gail Rivers, says that she found out about AMPHS when she came to the headquarters and was pleasantly surprised to find out that all the health services we offered were free. “AMPHS provides a warm and welcoming feeling to its clients. It is very unlike going to a regular doctor for a checkup. I do not have health insurance, and it is good to know that there is someone for you when you need them.”

A resident of the Sunset Park area, Gail is certain that she will recommend AMPHS to her friends and family members. “The clinical volunteers and especially Mon Yuck, the Chief of Staff at AMPHS – go the extra mile to make sure community members understand their options and get the help needed.”

Our health screenings have touched the lives of our volunteers as well.

Workshop on Breast Self-Exams and Mammograms at Turning Point Staff Health Day with Alice Bonner, RN

Coordinator of Community Health Research Pensri Ho served as an event volunteer for the Turning Point Outreach Center Staff Health Day that was held on October 25^th. The event was held in collaboration with Turning Point to encourage health awareness among their community. To Pensri, this event was unusual because this was the first time community members scheduled an appointment and completed the AMPHS health survey online. This enabled AMPHS to screen more community members than we usually would have. Pensri recalls that one middle-aged community member was so touched by the clinical volunteer’s bedside manner that she wanted him to be her primary care physician. All the community members mentioned that they were extremely impressed with the thoroughness of how medical history was taken, the time that was devoted to them on a personal level and the advice they received from the clinical volunteers.

President & CEO Hewett Chiu served as the clinical volunteer for the Breast Cancer Awareness Screening Event on October 19^th, AMPHS’ monthly in-house health screening. This event was focused on community members learning more about breast cancer, as well as the fact that despite popular belief, men can be affected by breast cancer too. There was an equal mix of community members returning for follow up care and regular check-ins and new community members coming to access healthcare for the first time. Community members were also given personalized coaching sessions, resources, and educational materials for breast cancer susceptibility and prevention, and were urged to made follow up appointments for future mammogram screenings in December.  According to Hewett, it is heartwarming to hear the community members share their stories and learn more about the incredible suffering they have to live through every day.

Screening at Pentecostal Church El Camino with Hewett Chiu

Talking about one particular incident, Hewett recalls: “an elderly gentlemen, who is a regular AMPHS member, came in and complained of terrible pain in his limbs and minor respiratory distress. Upon further inspection, his left foot was greatly swollen, a condition which was suggestive of a dire heart condition. We immediately performed a focused screening, then created a plan and gave him directions for seeking follow up care and treatment. Throughout the whole process, we educated him on what might be happening, what he should do, and what everything we’re doing means. He saw how much we cared for him and really took our advice to heart. Because of our quick intervention, when we called to check out how he was doing a few days later, he reported that he was feeling much better than he had in many weeks, and we may have possibly prevented a terrible medical emergency from occurring.”

Chief of Staff Mon Yuck Yu also served as a clinical volunteer for United Sunset Senior Health Center Alzheimer’s Screening on Friday, Sept 13^th. AMPHS first provided a 45-minute workshop to the seniors at United Sunset on dementia and its origins, effects, methods of prevention, and the importance of getting tested.  District 51 Assemblyman Felix Ortiz also made a presence at the event. Ortiz expressed how grateful he was that AMPHS was able to provide memory screening services, telling the story of his grandmother’s affliction with the disease in the past and encouraging the seniors to get screened. For Mon Yuck, it is evident that AMPHS fills an important gap in the lives of numerous community members. “Many community members who were at risk for dementia would be living their everyday lives without knowing or without understanding how to prevent the condition. Many think that it is only important to either eat well or stay active, but they are not aware that there are other health measures they should be taking such as constantly engaging in social and cognitively-stimulating activities.”

AMPHS’ services continue to impact the lives of both its community members and its volunteers. AMPHS is grateful that is has had the opportunity to engage in over 10 screening events in the past 3 months and change the lives of so many individuals. We would like to thank our partners New York City Housing Authority, Affinity Health Plan, Interfaith Medical Center, Turning Point Outreach Center, Pentecostal Church El Camino, United Sunset Senior Center, SUNY Brooklyn Educational Opportunity Center, Millennium Development Senior Center, and Latino Commission on AIDS for making these events possible. We look forward to bring additional health events to community members in the coming year.