2000 Annual Report

Bon Secours Hampton Roads:
Helping People Reach Their Full Potential

Liberating human potential is one of the primary goals of the Bon Secours Hampton Roads family. This term represents a celebration of diversity, creativity and personal, professional and spiritual growth. This commitment, described in this annual report, is one we share with our partners, the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters.

We recognize that these qualities are strengths that must be nurtured and given an environment to flourish. We strive to create such surroundings by providing venues for healing the body and touching the soul.

Liberating human potential also means we are receptive to new ideas that stem from the wealth of knowledge, skills and unique experiences of people in our community.

The Bon Secours Community Commitment Services Report highlights our attempts to eliminate poverty. Programs contained in this report highlights the ways the community and Bon Secours Hampton Roads have worked together to liberate human potential over the past year.

School Asthma Program
Asthma is the number one reason that children miss school in Portsmouth. The asthma program sponsored by Maryview has been in place for more than a year, and was modified recently. The program still features an on-site registered nurse at Hunt-Mapp Middle School who works in partnership with students, the school nurse, families, etc. She provides education and support to help students manage their asthma effectively, which helps them reduce missed school days and visits to the emergency room (ER). In addition, as part of Maryview's ER expansion and renovation, a new component was added - a half-time case manager. This individual will work proactively with children, ER physicians and families by referring children with asthma to primary care physicians and offer education on taking medication appropriately. This community case management program is conducted in partnership with the Portsmouth Community Health Center, the Sunshine Health Clinic at Hunt Mapp, and CHIP (Comprehensive Health Investment Project) of Portsmouth. Maryview continues to work with the CINCH coalition to develop improved care for asthmatic children in the area.

The Jeremiah Project
The Jeremiah Project, which is a coalition of 30 churches in Portsmouth, has expanded the after-school program to three sites: Zion Baptist Church, St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, and First Baptist Church (West Norfolk).

The Jeremiah Circle of Friends is an after-school enrichment program created to serve students selected by the school to achieve academic success. Volunteer tutors help about 70 students with homework and enrichment activities offered by local cultural programs and field trips to places such as the Chrysler Museum. The after-school program is a partnership with Maryview Medical Center, the Kids Café, which provides hot meals for the children and seven elementary schools.

Family Focus
The mission of Family Focus is to support and strengthen families and promote the well being of children through community-based and culturally sensitive prevention services. Family Focus is co-funded by Mary Immaculate Hospital and the Colonial Services Board and, receives grant funding from the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Foundation, Sr. Veronica Project, Bon Secours Mission Fund and others. Located in Newport News, Grafton and Williamsburg, all four Family Focus sites provide playgroups, family nurturing programs and parenting classes. Notably, Family Focus now offers the LINKAGES (Learn Inside to Nurture Kids and Grow Even Stronger) program, at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail for female inmates and their children. The four Family Focus sites served approximately 600 families during the past year.

Parish Nurse Ministry
This ministry includes more than 40 registered nurses from local churches of all denominations on the Southside and Peninsula. The nurses are volunteers whose main goal is to promote wellness through advocacy, education and empowerment. The nurses are prepared for their work through a 36-hour preparation course that includes reflection on the spiritual dimension of healing as well as preventive medical strategies. This ministry adds a new dimension to the traditional healing ministry of faith communities. For more information, call 398-CALL (2255).

Children's Health First!
A major barrier to adequate health care for children is a lack of insurance. Among the cities of Hampton Roads, it is estimated that over 43,000 children are currently uninsured. Children deserve a healthy start in life. It's good for them and good for society in the long run.

Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Children's Hospital of the Kings Daughters (CHKD), Agape Community Development Corporation and the Norfolk Public Schools have teamed up to identify and enroll uninsured children in Medicaid or the Children's Medical Security Insurance Plan (CMSIP). The Norfolk school system has already identified 1,000 uninsured children during this academic year. Staff and volunteers from DePaul and CHKD are contacting the families and are offering help with the enrollment process. This is an example of great teamwork can go a long way toward keeping our children healthy and keep their futures bright.

Family Health Care Mentors
Many people have health care needs but are not always sure how to access the right services. Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center and Urban Discovery Ministries have created a partnership that puts family health care mentors in the homes of high risk families. These mentors visit families and help them identify needs such as help with managing illnesses (i.e., hypertension or diabetes). They arrange for visits for health check ups and follow up to make sure the persons make their appointments. The mentors know the neighborhoods and the people they are serving. They made over 400 home visits during the past year. They have helped pregnant women get needed pre-natal care, given rides to doctor appointments, provided health education material to those they visit, and helped families enroll in health insurance programs. Prevention works best when we "bring it home," and mentors are accomplishing just that.

Cost in excess of reimbursement from state programs for services to financially disadvantaged -- $8,540,000

Costs of services to other financially disadvantaged persons --$6,980,000

Cost in excess of reimbursement of services provided to Medicare program participants -- $10,861,000

Direct in-kind services delivered by BSHR employees in BSHR facilities including contributions of cash, equipment, supplies and/or the paid time employees --$707,140

In-direct support contributed by BSHR to other qualified providers delivering needed services, which do not have adequate sources of funding or payment -- $247,454

Advocacy for causes specifically to promote human dignity and to protect human rights - $68,990

Bad debts and cost --$9,881,414

Total cost of community commitment services -- $37,285,998