Ambetter Health’s Post

The first time I experienced the power of COMMUNITY, I was five years old. My mom had a major surgery and for 6 weeks, she was unable to go up and down the stairs of our home. She was ordered to stay in bed and recover. After one day of my dad attempting to braid my hair, Mrs. Dean, my mom's good friend, took her daily walk down the street with a comb and brush in her hand. She gave me a reprieve from my dad's horrendously uneven part down the middle of my head and his clunky hands that struggled to twist the delicate strands of my hair. Mrs. Dean never forgot to tie my two ribbons at the top of my signature style of two braids. Every night, our friends and neighbors would drop off a homemade dinner for the five of us - my parents and three children. The entire community had created a schedule to ensure that my dad's fabulous eggs and bacon, were not the only thing on the calendar three times a day. It was the first time of many, that I saw the importance of COMMUNITY, and more importantly - how women empowered each other when one of their own was not feeling 100%. So it is no wonder that COMMUNITY is a part of every program and session that I create. And here is why: 💛 A community helps you understand that you are not alone in your journey OR in your past. 💛 A community is a built-in network that inspires you to keep going or to know when it is time to recharge. 💛 A community answers questions, provides guidance, and gives you the blueprint to things and people you may not know. And most of all: 💛 A community values empowerment over judgment and competition. If you have benefited from the power of community, feel free to share below.

Celebrating 50 years of services, Children's Services of Roxbury, Inc. (CSR) is one of Massachusetts' largest Black-run nonprofit organizations. Its leadership, staff, and board members are predominantly Black, which is an important representation of black excellence and empowerment in the Greater Boston community. By providing essential services and support to children and families, particularly those from underserved communities, CSR is actively addressing the systemic disparities and challenges. This month, CSR will host the ROXTalks series of community conversations on "Forging One Boston" to transform the social and economic health of communities of color across the Commonwealth and break the cycle of systemic racism for future generations. During this episode, CSR's President & CEO, Sandra McCroom, will lead the conversation with Michael Curry, Esq. and Kevin M. Simon, MD, MPH in a discussion on equitable access to behavioral health care and workforce opportunities for communities of color; breaking through racial stigmas of mental health diagnosis and its generational impact; and current state legislation to advance health equity (Health Equity Compact).  Learn more at www.csrox.org. #CSR50Years #ChildrenServicesofRoxbury #RoxburyPride #CommunityEngagement #ChildAdvocacy #equitablehealthcare #healthequity #healthequitynow #mentalwellnessforall #accessiblehealthcare #mentalhealthmatters #familyhealthcare #childrenandfamilyservices #familymatters #blacklivesmatter #racialequity #racialstigmas

Ahead of today’s release of Embrace Boston's 2024 Harm Report, Boston Globe Media's Tiana W. spoke with our clients - including Embrace Boston's Imari Paris Jeffries, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center's Greg Wilmot, and Children's Services of Roxbury, Inc.'s Sandra McCroom - to learn more. The report, which provides an overview of the city and state policies and practices that have historically disadvantaged Black residents of Boston and Massachusetts, serves as an ever-important reminder that while strides have been made, there is still much work to be done to create a Boston that is full of love and inclusivity. “This report hopefully puts blame not on people, but instead on processes,” Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston, told Tiana Woodard. “If we’ve created these processes, we can uncreate them.” Read more in The Boston Globe: https://lnkd.in/dX-34DEr

Brilliant Divergent Foundation Incorporated recognizes that families with children with disabilities are often marginalized within the broader societal framework, facing unique challenges that are not adequately addressed by existing systems. By incorporating our program planning and advocacy, BDFI ensures that the voices of these families will be heard, and our support will be there. "Neurodiverse Voices, United Choices" Focus: This part of our campaign amplifies the voices of neurodivergent individuals and their families. Your contributions will help create platforms for storytelling, advocacy, and policy change, ensuring that neurodiverse perspectives are heard and valued in every aspect of society. Goal: Raise $50,000 to produce a series of documentaries and podcasts highlighting neurodiverse experiences. https://lnkd.in/ewZxfWJP

May 5th is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+), also known as Red Dress Day. This observance serves as a solemn reminder of the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous communities, particularly women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals. The Red Dress symbolizes those who have been lost to violence or have gone missing, representing stories of loss, trauma, and injustice that demand acknowledgment and action. Raising awareness of MMIWG2S+ is not just about recognizing past wrongs but also about actively working towards a future where Indigenous lives are valued, protected, and respected. By amplifying these voices and stories, we create space for healing, remembrance, and solidarity within Indigenous communities and beyond. Awareness empowers us to challenge injustices, advocate for meaningful change, and strive for justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people.

Happy Juneteenth! Today as I reflect on this holiday of celebration and recognition of our ancestors. I also think about where we are relative to our country being in the midst of an existential crisis about DEI and Equity. There are countless examples in all sectors that point towards a scaling back or a retreat from continuing to address these issues (see WABE article in link below). I've spent my entire career dedicated to addressing health inequities and have witnessed first hand what happens when we ignore disparities. We all experienced the devastation caused by COVID-19 and saw the result of neglecting addressing health disparities. I think it's critical we don't allow the narrative for this holiday to be dictated to us, and likewise we will need courageous leadership to harness our collective power to not allow DEI and Equity to recede into the shadows. Here is my question to those who read this post....How should we authentically celebrate Juneteenth? and What one thing do you think could be done to maintain momentum for DEI and Equity? https://lnkd.in/eMTXeruk

Still buzzing after delivering last week's 'Intro to Community Organising' training to 13 people representing 7 community led initiatives that are part of, or connected to, the Connecting for Good Cov network. What a team Melissa Smith Leonie Schmid and myself make! We shared a whistle-stop tour of the 5 practices of Community Organising: Building Relationships, Creating Shared Story, Shared Structure, Strategy, and Taking Action. We discussed power and leadership, learnt some Greek, and even managed to squeeze in a discussion about our favourite local cheese tasting event... We invited people that we or our wider Grapevine Cov and Warks team are currently working with, who are actively working towards making systemic change in the city. Attendees represented : ⚡ Destination Ball Hill - a group of local people who want to make their area of the city a better, cleaner and more social place. 🌳 Coventry Urban Eden - working to create more community led green spaces in Coventry city centre 🖼 Creative Kindness - on the surface inclusive craft groups in many libraries across the city, below the surface an infrastructure for developing community leadership and breaking down barriers 📣 Coventry Youth Activists (CYA) - a youth led disability campaign group, working to end online discrimination. 💪 Act Up! - Challenging the norms in the mental health system through story and relationship. 🚽 Need the Loo campaign - a group of people campaigning for more public toilets in the city centre 🤝 Experts By Experience - a network of learning disabled and autistic people who influence local decision-making and have a say on new services and strategies that have or will have an impact on disabled people. I love being in the training space - delighted to be able to share our learning and experiences with community leaders and grow capacity to make lasting positive change across #coventry #Connectingforgoodcov #communityorganizing #communityorganising #LeadershipDevelopment #socialaction

This is just to remind you guys (can't tag Mercy tho I followed them) that nobody from HR has called me back about the competency deficit in one of your doctors and the faulty original assignment to that doctor for me... It would be embarrassing to tell everyone what he did and I haven't tagged him yet. But I did talk to one of your HR resources and explain that I have retained a lawyer and I'm going to sue you guys big time as big as I can and I'm going to go find a bunch of people and I'm probably going to look for a class action... I don't want to do that. I would rather you guys understand the cost savings that I bring to the table... there is no need to send me to endless doctor appointments anymore. SoonerCare is a government program and I want to save it as much money as possible, while receiving accurate treatment. I need one PCP appointment per quarter, one medication, and one IV treatment, and braces for sleeping. You also knew that I had neurosurgery but you would not refer me to neuro for follow-up even though my follow-up is overdue because that doctor does not accept my insurance. I have the right to reject treatment. I also have the right to sue you because you did not refer me to any doctor that can actually help me and then you kicked me out of your care. I still have not filled out the negative feedback for that doctor at all because I didn't want him to get in trouble because it's not his fault.... he is restricted by his own training to have confidence in himself. If that doctor's office called me and expressed the misunderstanding by the doctor and their ability to trust their own competency.... I would even go back to that doctor. Y'all can skip the shame of apology. I also realize that I have the right to make a big o sign and to sit my ass in front of your hospital.... and my temperature intolerance issues are remediated by the springtime. My direct line is 817-344-9125. As of 5/6/24 there will be no voicemail... y'all somehow service people with no phone. If I don't get your call, please indicate here what the reply number is. I formally release you of any efforts that you are making to ensure my right to privacy. You can release all of my PII as necessary. In fact you can also release all of my health records out here in the public or anywhere you want. https://lnkd.in/g2Xm9iUA

📢TOMORROW’S THE DAY!! 🗞️ You won’t want to miss our upcoming workshop tomorrow. To learn more and register, head to the link below. https://lnkd.in/eRvmWadH #MCS #Multiplechemicalsensitivity #awarenessiskey #healthawareness #misdiagnosis #sharetheknowledge