Purpose – Winter/Spring Edition

Winter/Spring 2021

FROM CCI

Hope for where the road will take us.

“Hope” Illustrated by Sarah Cornejo, CCI Marketing Communications Manager. Feb 2021

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FOOD is

Medicine T

We look forward to making food central to our health care model.

hirty years ago, with the launch of the Special

Today, in the aftermath of full bellies and thankful hearts,

Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,

we prepare to take the next step in our food journey — the

Infants and Children (WIC) Program, CCI began

launch of a Food is Medicine Program. In the first phase,

making sure that families had access to foods

CCI will draw upon the expertise of our CCI–Greenbelt WIC

that support health and healthy growth. Last winter,

Manager, Sidelle Haynes. Haynes is a chef and registered

those years of paying it forward brought a bounty of

dietitian who will educate clinicians on nutrition principles

fresh, delicious food to CCI team members, thanks to the

and cooking techniques, supplementing clinicians’

generosity of Glenstone Museum.

training to include nutrition and food science, so they can

Glenstone’s culinary artists prepared box lunches laden with salads, sandwiches, fresh fruit, sides and a small dessert. Their targeted act of kindness paid homage to their core belief that “meaningful encounters begin with direct engagement.” It also gave us a glimpse of what

become co-facilitators for Food is Medicine workshops.

The Food is Medicine Program will also increase our patients’ knowledge of nutrition, its role in their health, and increase their confidence in preparing healthy meals at home.

it feels like to be nurtured through nutrients during

We know that proper nutrition is a powerful tool for

hard times.

reversing the effects of chronic illness. In addition,

CCI’s work against food insecurity has continued to evolve through the years. In 2017, we added nutrition counseling and door delivery of fresh produce and vegetables for

Glenstone reminds us that food serves as a wonderful agent for strengthening bonds, providing comfort and communicating care.

families served by our medical division.

Sonya Bruton, Psy.D., MPA President and CEO CCI Health & Wellness Services

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COVID-19 VACCINATION

CCI selected for Biden-Harris Administration’s Health Center Covid-19 Vaccination Program

CCI Health & Wellness Services has become the first health center in the state of Maryland selected to participate in the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccination Program. The program seeks to ensure equity in COVID-19 vaccine distribution. It is part of

CCI patient receiving her first COVID-19 vaccine dose

the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to ramp up the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to some of the country’s hardest-hit populations.

The vaccination program’s initial phase targeted 250 health centers across the country and complemented existing local efforts to

We fully embrace our responsibility to care

vaccinate against COVID-19 equitably. Health centers selected for

for the households within our service area,

the first phase were selected because they serve a large volume

especially those who face added obstacles

of disproportionately affected populations. The effort targets

to stay healthy. This program empowers us

individuals experiencing homelessness or living in public housing

to continue our efforts to end healthcare

and migrant or seasonal agricultural workers, or patients with

disparities and bolster health equity.

limited English proficiency.

“We fully embrace our responsibility to care for the households within our service area, especially those who face added obstacles to stay healthy. This program empowers us to continue our efforts to end healthcare disparities and bolster health equity,” said Sonya Bruton, Psy.D., MPA, Chief Executive Officer and President. “Our greatest weapon in primary care is prevention, and it has helped us limit the devastation experienced by the populations we serve most. The Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program supports our efforts to protect and prevent negative outcomes and provide much-needed peace of mind for our patients.”

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Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

Dr. Sonya Bruton CEO of CCI Health & Wellness Services

CCI Health & Wellness Services began 2021 by encouraging

grateful. She’s been a patient for nearly three decades

its staff to lead the way on the COVID-19 vaccine front.

and reminisced about her favorite CCI providers while she

With the rampant misinformation about the vaccine and

waited in the observation area.

skepticism about how quickly it was developed, CCI staff were keenly aware that they needed to show that they too were rolling up their sleeves to get their vaccines. After a long 2020, some staff found themselves overcome with a sense of relief and gratitude to be able to have some protection against the virus.

CCI has continued to steadily vaccinate its patients against COVID-19 and the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program offered the organization more opportunities to make a bigger impact in the fight against the virus. CCI completed a mass vaccination of established patients on April 11th, offering the second dose of the Moderna vaccine to 800

Not long after staff began receiving their vaccines, CCI

individuals over eight hours. As of April, CCI has vaccinated

received its first allotment of vaccines for patients. On

a total of 4,114 individuals against COVID-19.

January 19th, the first CCI patient was vaccinated against COVID-19. Berta, 82 years young, arrived excited and Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

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2020 AT A GLANCE

WHO WE SERVE

Gender

63%

Female

37%

Male

Age Group

39%

Children

57%

Adult 18-64

Ethnicity

67.4%

Hispanic/Latino

Non-Hispanic/ Latino

30%

4%

Older Adults 65+

2.6%

Unreported

1% 1%

5%

4%

9%

4%

5%

17%

31% 67%

PAYOR MIX

Hispanic/Latino

Medicaid

Black/African American

Uninsured

White

Private Insurance

Asian/Pacific Islander

Medicare

55%

66%

Patients best served in a language other than English

More than one race American Indian/Alaska Native Unreported

At A Glance 6

One thing is clear about CCI – even in a pandemic and with restrictions, we can still keep our doors open and meet our patients’ healthcare needs.

Just look at our numbers in 2020.

Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

WHERE WE SERVE

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Silver Spring Gaithersburg Germantown

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Greenway Greenbelt

89%

Wheaton

Our breastfeeding initiation rate was

Rockville

THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND

Takoma Park

81,186 Visits

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Primary Care & Dental Sites

59,950

30,008

Community Members Served Annually

WIC Sites

All Services

281

Employees

29,942 WIC

VISITS BY SERVICES

Medical

68,186

Dental

6,573 Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

Behavioral Health

4,812

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WINTER CAMPAIGNS

February Campaign With the pandemic still in full swing after nearly a year of isolation, CCI saw an opportunity to remind the community to love themselves. Throughout the month of February, CCI shared messages and images to encourage individuals to extend the kindness, compassion, and love that they show others to themselves by taking care of their physical and mental health, and celebrating all that makes them unique. These stressful and unusual times can make it hard to remember that you have to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.

CCI says, “don’t forget about number one.”

Condom week Valentine’s Day presented an opportunity for CCI to focus some time on Family Planning projects while ushering in Condom Week with educational information about condoms. Through a Condom Week video campaign, patients were reminded that condoms are an effective method for preventing pregnancies and some sexually transmitted infections. The videos highlighted how to appropriately use condoms and internal condoms, as well as why they are helpful.

Http://bit.ly/ccicondomweek

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Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

CCI PROGRAMS

Chef Anthony Shows Children How to Make a Healthy Meal Chef and healthy lifestyle advocate, Anthony Thomas, joined kids from CCI’s nutrition program for a healthy cooking demonstration. Chef Anthony published The Little Vegan Chef, a vegan cookbook for children, last year. During the cooking demonstration, the chef showed CCI’s littlest patients how to make healthy, vegan jackfruit tacos.

Act Out Thank you, Glenstone!

Glenstone Museum, a contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, reached out to CCI early this year to offer lunch to all of CCI’s medical, dental and WIC sites. Although the museum had been temporarily closed, their talented staff wanted to continue serving the community. They selected multiple community organizations in the region, including CCI, to hand deliver meals to their staff.

CCI staff were grateful to have a healthy meal!

Glenstone lunches Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

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Board

BOARD MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

Elizabeth Durham

Board Chair of CCI Health & Wellness Services

Think about all the change you’ve seen in 20 years.

community full of people who don’t have to worry when

The influx of mobile phones, social media, and the

they get sick. To deliver on any mission, the mission

tightening of airport security. Imagine being on the

must have a goal.” Having been a part of the CCI family

board of a health center. Three CEOs later, Beth Durham

for two decades, Durham has seen leadership come and

has seen it all at CCI Health & Wellness Services.

go but, with CCI’s newest CEO, Dr. Sonya Bruton, she

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ms. Durham was

says it feels different.

recruited to the board by a friend at work, and the rest, as they say is history. Twenty years later, she is now the

“I think Dr. B is absolutely astounding. She really

board-chair and plays a pivotal role in CCI’s success.

understands what to do as a leader. She knows how to

“I just show up, half of life is just showing up, sticking with it,” reflects Durham, on her contributions to

pick good people. She’s got new ideas and she is really in touch with what our community needs,” said Durham.

CCI’s overall goals and mission. Outside of being a CCI

Durham has seen CCI grow from a volunteer

board member and former dental patient, Durham is a

organization to one where anyone can go and get the

metro employee in their IT department, a member of a

health care they need regardless of insurance or ability

philanthropic organization that provides scholarships

to pay. She is proud of how far the organization has

and loans for college, a theatre aficionado, and an

come and their vision for the future. As the nonprofit

avid birdwatcher.

approaches its 50th anniversary next year, it will be a

Durham believes in equal access to health care and

light in the health center community for years to come.

that CCI can be a pioneer in the public health sphere for years to come. “I imagine [CCI] as a power in the community, the state and the nation. I see our

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Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

Member

CCI KITS

KITS #CCICares

CCI Offers Patients Cares Kits

CCI knows that even in a pandemic, individuals need to run errands and work. In a metropolitan area like ours, traveling to work often means using public transportation. We want our community members to stay COVID-19 safe whether they walk, ride the bus, or take metro, so we created CCICares Transportation Kits. Thanks to a grant from the Prince George’s County Health Department, these kits give our patients at our Greenway and Greenbelt locations the tools to help them reduce their risk of catching COVID-19. The kits include masks for adults and children, hand sanitizing wipes, surface wipes, soap sheets and more. We hope they find the items in their CCICares Transportation Kit helpful on their journey.

Along with Transportation Kit, CCI also offers CCICares ER Avoidance Kits. The ER Avoidance Kits were created to keep COVID-19 transmissions down by keeping people out of crowded emergency rooms and supporting efforts to avoid overwhelming local hospitals. The ER Avoidance Kits included a digital thermometer, nasal spray, over-the-counter children’s medications, Pedialyte, chest rub, and more.

Purpose Newsletter — Winter/Spring

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