Connections May 2021 Draft 2

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epatitis C is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is spread primarily through blood-toblood contact. The majority of cases of HCV transmission in the United States are the result of sharing needles or other injection drug equipment, a risk factor for HIV. The CDC reports that while approximately 25% of people

living with HIV also have HCV, that number jumps to between 50 and 90% for those who use intravenous drugs.

Evergreen's Hepatitis C program offers treatment-and ultimately a cure-to people, including those living with

HIV or using drugs. Patients in the program face a number of challenges above and beyond their hepatitis C diagnosis: housing, mental health, transportation and so on. Substance users face an additional set of challenges. Evergreen's wraparound services help our patients address these challenges and focus on taking care of the hepatitis C. Liza Pereira, Evergreen's linkage specialist, noted, “If they don’t have food or stable housing, it’s really hard to stay adherent to treatment.” Adherence is essential to the successful treatment of hepatitis C. Evergreen's impressive cure rate is dependent on patients taking their medication and keeping up with appointments and medical tests.

Barriers to this all-important adherence include the shame, stigma and feelings of self-doubt that are all too common

among the people we serve. Liza descibes the feelings many of our patients experience. "When they come to us they might be thinking the worst about themselves," she said. "They think 'I don’t have anyone. I’m homeless. Nothing good will ever happen.’ They’ve been beat down so much that they’re used to failing. It’s their norm. They accept it. Well, they can change and do better for themselves. I did it and they can too. But they need someone to care."

Even with the additional challenges of a global pandemic, 106 of our patients completed the treatment regimen in

2020 and were declared cured based on lab results three months after the end of treatment. This brough the program's cumulative total to 563 cures.

Hepatitis C treatment is especially important for people who use drugs. The disease affects them at a greater rate

than it does the general public, and while symptoms may take months or even years to appear, the disease is still affecting a person's vital organs, particularly the liver. Quick treatment and an ultimate cure reduce the chance of spreading HCV and Hepatitic C to others.

Evergreen is committed to helping as many people as possible with hepatitis C achieve a cure, especially as advances

in treatment make the process easier than ever. “It’s down to eight weeks now,” said Liza. We've also located the Harm Reduction Center's Low Threshold Suboxone program on the Mezzanine along with the Hepatitis C program in order to strengthen the connections between the two. According to Matthew Crehan Higgins, "We haven’t been able to see the full benefit for patients to having both right in the same location as many visits are still virtual, but we have begun to see an increased synergy for patients who access or could benefit from both services."

Evergreen's vaccine clinic continues to bring hope and security to staff, patients and our entire community. Mixed in with these vaccine clinic shots is one of Christine from the dental practice.

EVERGREEN

is, and always has been, proud to be a place where individuals can get tested for sexually transmitted infections without

fear of judgment. At Evergreen, we never assume anything about sexual or gender identity. We believe that patients should never have to be anyone but themselves in order to be respected and cared for.

Our values are rooted in harm reduction, meaning you make the decisions that impact your sexual healthcare for yourself and they may be different than the next person's. Harm reduction is about lessening unwanted reactions that happen in response to normal human behaviors and can be used for eating, drinking and just about anything humans do. In this case, we are looking at harm reduction in relation to sex.

We talk about sex every day at Evergreen, not just during April when it’s STI Awareness Month;

however, we believe that in talking more about STIs, including HIV, stigma will lessen. Matthew Crehan Higgins is the AVP of Specialty Care and he primarily oversees our specialty suite of services, including HIV, STI and hepatitis C treatment, prevention and care and gender-affirming care. He also helps shape the conversation around STIs to reduce stigma by letting people know that they have options around their sexual health and that we want to hear about the lives they’re living as they’re actually living them. Matt was raised in a time when talk of HIV and STIs was accusatory and especially harmful to the LGBTQ+ population.

“I think about the sexual health messages many of us grew up with. It was all very much about

fatality, blame and a notion that people were dangerous. This was in the same way that they like to say the war on drugs was never really a war on drugs, it was a war on drug-using people,” said Matt.

“Similarly, the sexual health messaging wasn’t a war against viruses, conditions or bacteria,”

continued Matt. “It became a fight with this notion that certain people were dangerous. So, when we teach new employees, we show them these older images and the images are negative. They show cemeteries. They have very accusatory language and make unfair assumptions.”

Evergreen’s goal is to work to negate that messaging because shame and blame do not have a

positive effect on the livelihood of people. Instead, it marginalizes groups and scares many individuals from receiving life-enhancing services. Everyone deserves to live a healthy life and this messaging has made it difficult for individuals to claim that right. That’s why fighting stigma is so important to us.

Stigma related to sex work and gender-expansive individuals is a concern for Evergreen. Often

these individuals are not embraced for who they are and as a result, their care suffers. It’s important to us that every individual feels comfortable receiving care and never feels judged for how they lead their lives. Evergreen is working to increase PrEP accessibility, especially for sex workers, women and transgender individuals.

We educate patients on ways that they can lessen exposure to STIs and we provide access to

free condoms, dental dams and internal condoms. Not only that, but the Evergreen Pharmacy, we offer PrEP, a daily pill that prevents patients from developing HIV. One of the most effective ways that Evergreen makes a difference, according to Matt, is by testing our patients. Testing and treating an individual is a stopping point for viral spread. By providing easy, walk-in or by-appointment STI testing, Evergreen is addressing spread that may otherwise go on for months or years.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, also known as PEP, is a medication that prevents HIV infection and

can be prescribed to patients who have had a known unprotected sexual encounter with a person living with HIV within the past 36 hours. Evergreen’s PEP Hotline is 716.847.0675 and will connect patients with one of our STI nurses. For after hours care, we advise going to your local emergency room or urgent care immediately and ask for PEP.

According to Matt, the vast majority of STIs are curable and all have treatment options. Evergreen’s

testing is quick and easy, with walk-in and by-appointment testing in Buffalo and Jamestown. Patients can always count on our team to be non-judgmental, affirming, educational and understanding. To learn more, visit our website at evergreenhs.org or give us a call at 716.847.2441.

- Melissa Meyer

It became a fight with this notion that certain people were dangerous.

Left: THRIVE Wellness is offering clay art as part of the Art Therapy program. Kevin shows off a bowl he made in one of the early sessions. Watch future issues of Connections for more on the Art Therapy program. Below: behind the scenes at the filming of the Evergreen Huddle dance video.

Mark your calendar! The submission

If you have any questions about COVID-19, please send an email to COVID19questions@evergreenhs.org. For questions

deadline for the June 2021 issue of Connections is Wednesday, May 19. Be sure to get your content in before the deadline to

about Evergreen’s COVID-19 vaccination program, you can email COVID19vaccinequestions@evergreenhs.org. Or, visit ADP or www.evergreenhs.org for more information.

guarantee placement. Kids, pets, recipes, your new home office we want to share them all! Send to EvergreenConnections via Outlook.

Left: a couple more shots from Evergreen's Vaccine Clinic.

Below: All of Evergreen, Community Access Services and the Pride Center were decked out in balloons for the 2021 Virtual Huddle.

Birthdays Jerome Robinson..................................... May 3 Megan Bingham....................................... May 4 Robert Smith.............................................. May 6 Melanie Deyoe........................................... May 7 Jennifer Cheatom.................................... May 7 Luann Bogdan........................................... May 7 Taleha Ojeda............................................... May 8 Santos Martinez........................................ May 10 Brittany Hesson........................................ May 11 Rebecca Clark............................................ May 12 Emma Fabian............................................. May 13 Rosalind Townsend................................. May 13 Michael Blasdell........................................ May 14 Matthew Sydor.......................................... May 16 Angela Torrie.............................................. May 17 Kaitlynn Cruz.............................................. May 17 Kyle Botsford............................................. May 20 Kate Walker................................................. May 24 Adria Reed................................................... May 24 Roosevelt Terry......................................... May 25 Shakiya Bell................................................. May 25 Alyssa Shon................................................. May 25 Grant Rogers.............................................. May 27 Elizabeth Woleen..................................... May 27 Deiona Baldwin......................................... May 30 Harry Berkoh-Asamoah....................... May 31 Helene Cacciato....................................... May 31

Anniversaries Corrin LaVigne.......................................... 4 Years Jermane Nauden..................................... 3 Years Theresa Shankland.................................. 15 Years Charles Bauer............................................. 1 Year Kate Walker................................................. 5 Years Laurie Matson............................................ 17 Years Brittany Hesson........................................ 4 Years Christine DeVoe........................................ 4 Years

Why Use Evergreen Health University?

Top Benefits of Evergreen Health University:

LaTanya Walton-Brown........................ 5 Years Katherine Marrero.................................... 3 Years Iesha Honeycutt........................................ 2 Years Kayleen O'Halloran................................. 3 Years Kaitlyn Hamm............................................ 3 Years Matthew Sydor.......................................... 4 Years

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Organizes training content in one location

Jamie Keuck............................................... 8 Years

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One centralized training transcript/record

Mohamed Ibrahim................................... 1 Year

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Provides unlimited access to hundreds of courses

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Free access to Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Shakiya Bell................................................. 2 Years

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Easily tracks staff's learning progress

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Employees can easily access learning portal on mobile devices

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And much more!!

Ricardo Quiros.......................................... 5 Years Elijah Jimerson.......................................... 5 Years Julie Vaughan............................................ 11 Years Robert Baird............................................... 6 Years Eshea Spears.............................................. 2 Years

If you have any questions or comments about the system please contact Jocelyn Leising, Employee Engagement Specialist!

As you know, S in 2014 as the Health Homes think Sue Fied get it done att capturing accu been growing IT person, but Management Can Fix Anyth IT Award.” And Bake Off! Neve between the S was chosen b new role and w dedicated to h alike breathed her own infect grieve, but we I wish us all pe

Susie Buck passed away in mid-April. This has been hard news to accept. Susie started at Evergreen Administrative and Data Assistant for the Southern Tier Care Coordination program. At this time our s CC program was expanding very rapidly. With that expansion, our data needs increased, as well. I dler would agree when I say we were drowning in data! Susie came in with her trademark calm and titude and immediately began to offer suggestions to simplify our processes and ensure we were urate and useful data. Susie loved to tell people she began her Evergreen career at a table. We had so fast, we did not have a desk for her! Susie quickly became not only the Southern Tier’s informal t also our “Jack of all trades.” Susie knew so much about SO MUCH! Over the years during Case week, Susie won Superlative Awards with titles such as, “The Duct Tape Award for The Person Who hing,” “The Google Award for The Person Who Always Has the Answer,” and of course, “The Informal d let’s not forget that amazing peppermint chocolate torte she made that won our Valentine’s Day er one to back down from a challenge, Susie quickly found herself in the role of liaison (and translator) Southern Tier and the IT department. No one was surprised and we were in fact thrilled, when Susie by our IT Department to be the first IT person in the Southern Tier. Here again, Susie excelled in her was a VIP to both IT and the whole of the Southern Tier! This illustrates the Susie I know. Susie was her work, no job was beneath her or on the flip side, too much for her. Myself and her co-workers d a visible sigh of relief accompanied by a large smile when we saw Susie coming to the rescue with tious smile! Susie loved her work and those she worked with and she is loved in return. Today we also remember and honor. As Kim Lombard has noted, Susie will forever be a member of our team. eace as we support each other and remember Susie. - by Laurie Matson

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Recognizing Excellent Work at Evergreen from February

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1.

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2. Follow the prompt to record the Code Blue or Mr. Webber and say the exact location and building of the incident.

y 20 - March 19

Dial extension 2222.

3. Hang up your phone. This will prompt your message to be broadcast to all Evergreen locations.

Publisher/Layout John Carocci

Copy Editor Melissa Meyer

Contributors

4. The Code Blue team and Security will respond to the incident.

Jocelyn Leising Shakiya Bell Melissa Meyer Alicia Kohlhagen Tiffany Valentin

You'll have 30 seconds to record your message. If you're not done in 30 seconds, you'll be cut off and your message will be automatically broadcast. It's imperative that you say the location and building in your message: “Code Blue in the men’s lobby bathroom in the Elmwood building” or “Could Mr. Webber please come to the Mathews building counselor room?.” The Code Blue/ Mr. Webber Softkey has been removed from all phones.

Connections is the monthly newsletter for employees and Board members of Evergreen Health and its affilliates, the Pride Center of Western New York and Community Access Services. Please send us your story ideas, photos, feedback or just a friendly hello at Evergreen Connections via Outlook.

The Fun Collective and the Evergreeners Resource Group teamed up for an Earth Week scavenger hunt. Clockwise from top left: Tiffany Valentin shows off her reusable water bottle, Johanna Aponte with her scavenger hunt checklist, Jessica Glasier hiking at Roxborough State Park in Colorado, Lauren Boyle eating at her favorite local restaurant with her 9 year old son, Lauren again participating in a community clean up event with her family and Candice Hood with her reusable Water bottle.