Community Health Alliances Podcast

Join Amy and Steve as they talk to Deputy Chief Jeff Laskowski and Captain Bart Berven about starting a Community Health Alliance in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Amy and Steve talk to Grant Kramme from Echo Data on how to use data to visualize, understand, and shape our communities.

Join Amy and Steve as they have a discussion with Michael Juntunen from the MN Ambulance Association and Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service about community health and community paramedicine in greater Minnesota.

We start off our 2024 Community Health Alliance Season with Saint Louis Park Fire Chief, Steve Koering, and Care Resource Connection CEO, Amy Lucht, have a conversation with Dr Mike Wilcox about the current and future state of Community Health.

Join us as Fire Chief, Steve Koering, and Care Resource Connection CEO, Amy Lucht, have a discussion with Americorps Volunteers Ivana Ndege and Jen Wulf about their journey and perspective leading up to and becoming part of Americorp and their first few weeks with Care Resource Connection.

Steve and Amy reflect upon the past year's podcasts, community health, and the direction of the Community Health Alliance in this recap.

In this episode we talk with Jennifer Bauernfeind, Owner Comfort Keepers Maple Grove, Osseo, Edina and her husband Tim Bauernfeind about their newest business TruBlue. TrueBlue is also a national franchise with a mission to help seniors. Our services are handyman services, and the company has the mission of making homes safe for seniors to age in place. We share a huge focus on home safety and fall prevention. Learn more about how we will work together in the CHA.

In this episode you will meet our second cohort of Community Healthcare Worker Interns from Normandale Community College and St Catherine’s University. Nadiira, Jackie and Mina share their internship experience with our listeners and how the Care Resource Connection Internship Program is setting them up for success in more ways than they thought! We see all three of these students being a great addition to our nonprofit work in Community Health

In this episode we talk with Anna Phearman, Public Health Advocate with the Minnesota Disability Law Center. We discuss her fierce advocacy for the disability community and how she has dedicated her career to addressing the inequities faced by members of the disability community, herself included. Prior to her time at MDLC, Anna worked for a range of disability-related organizations, from a startup to a national advocacy group to a local service provider. In September, Anna will be taking her public health work one step further by starting a Master of Public Health program at the University of Minnesota. Learn more about how we are working together to help bridge the gaps to resources in our MDH Regional Health Equity Grant Work.

MDLC Newly Created Videos to help communities understand the need and the barriers to accessing care for people with disabilities.  Links - Here is the link to the YouTube playlist that includes both videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Daxz104l0&list=PLK2PegCaFXwk_s-NytpZEUoPg9Me9TFNJ&pp=iAQB

Also- (shortened link) if that is easier: https://bit.ly/47nt4IJ

In this episode, Amy Lucht CEO Care Resource Connection shares the newest grant awarded to the nonprofit by MN Dept of Human Services, Age-Friendly MN Community Grants for the Community Health Alliance work in Anoka and Hennepin Counties. We discuss how we plan to build on the roadmap we developed in St Louis Park during the pandemic to scale this model to other communities to serve our aging populations. This is a collaborative space that will have additional episodes that we will share with our listeners with more community risk reduction updates.

Todd Williams with TB Williams Consulting joins us in this episode to discuss his consulting work with putting together the DEI-B Training for the Fire and Police Departments in partnership with Care Resource Connection on the MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County. He shares his vision in working with and building inclusive teams and creating meaningful outcomes. We discuss how we can solve problems better with difference. Join us as we listen, absorb and accept how to extend more spaces with understanding ways to connect with communities.

Dr. Mfon Archibong is the President of Grace Restoration International (GRI). He is an author and speaker. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Public Health and Health Education, a master’s degree in educational administration, and is an Adjunct Professor at St Cloud State University. He works with trusted community messengers to unravel racial and social injustice, and advance equity and inclusion. In this episode we discuss how to work with communities by leading with food, having partnership be the focus, and understanding the importance of trauma informed care. We also discuss how Dr. Mfon Archibong is working with Care Resource connection on the MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County, and how through food, we can gain a deeper insight to the social determinates of health and then address chronic health and mental health needs within our communities.

Laura Monn Ginsburg is a partner and principle at Apparatus, a woman-owned and operated general benefit corporation. An avid volunteer and advocate, Laura is deeply engaged with National Council of Jewish Women, a national organization with local sections working to advocate, support, and work for rights of women, children, and families. Laura started locally with the MN section of NCJW where she served as a board chair 2018-2020. She joined the national board in 2020 and will become board chair this summer. In this episode, we discuss the building relationships with Faith Leaders in our Jewish communities and key factors we should consider. And how Laura and the Apparatus team are partnering with Care Resource Connection on the MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County by bridging the gaps with trusted community messengers.

During this episode you will hear their journey as they completed their Community Healthcare Worker course at Normandale Community College, and also their 80 hours of internship under Amy Lucht's direction. Please learn how they came to join us, the impact they have already made as well as how they hope to serve our community as part time employees of the St Louis Park Fire Department and Care Resource Connection in other communities.  Both have made Minnesota CHW's in the Fire Service, as they are the first to fully complete their 80 hours and internship packets as designed by the college to prepare them for the field. Please join us in welcoming Malia and Judith to Community Health Alliance.  

During this episode, we discuss how it is vital to the Community Health Program to have the right person in this role to be that bridge between the crews and the care team, advocating for the patient and balancing the level of accountability and care team collaboration to impact the patients quality of life. The Care Coordination model designed by Care Resource Connection is the only way to ensure measurable results and have healthcare system and insurance companies engagement to scale and replicate this program. We couldn't have done this alone, thankfully Park Nicollet awarded the Community Health Alliance a grant for $270,000. Amy with Care Resource Connection helped draft the grant with the Park Nicollet team and approved the support of these funds from the nonprofit co-founder of the SLP Community Health Alliance. The St Louis Park Fire Department use of the funds (minus the $10,000 training costs to Care Resource Connection) to help offset the costs of Tonya's full-time employment over the next three years. This grant also includes the expansion with Hopkins Fire Department, which we will share that work in future episodes.

Our special guest in this episode are WellShare International Directors Andrea Ross and Ellen Saliares, MPH. During this episode we discuss our MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County, and how we are hosting listening sessions and identifying the "Trusted Messengers"  in our BIPOC and Immigrant Communities to learn about the barriers to accessing primary care and connecting to health and community resources. We learn about Wellshare's approach to community health and how essential community health workers are to health equity. WellShare is excited to be partnering with Care Resource Connections and other community partners on this MDH Grant Project. We agree that connections like this grow and sustain our work as nonprofits.

Our special guest in this episode is Ann Budig, the Building Manager for Banfill Crossing, a market rate independent living 55 and older apartment building located in Fridley, MN. During this episode we discuss our MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County, and how we are hosting listening sessions and identifying the "Trusted Messengers"  in our Aging Population to learn about the barriers to accessing primary care and connecting to health and community resources. During these listening sessions we learned some specific information that this group of seniors shared that we will help bring awareness to and provide assistance and connections to create this system change.

Our special guest in this episode is Kyrstin Schuette, a principle at Apparatus. Apparatus is a full-service public affairs and political consulting firm led by veteran strategists with diverse skillsets, creative ideas, and a relentless drive for success. We're experts in getting people to take notice and take action to make a positive difference. During this episode we discuss our MDH Regional Health Equity Grant in Anoka County and the details of our grant project. Care Resource Connection will develop and facilitate a series of monthly community health forums to help identify Trusted Community Messengers in Anoka County. These messengers will brainstorm, identify, and plan strategies and efforts to increase health equity among their respective communities. The goal of this project is to collaboratively address health inequities and connect and educate partnering agencies with community leaders from migrant communities, immigrant communities, aging populations, the LGBTQIA+ community, and various diverse religious and race identifiers. Creating Health Equity Data Analysis focused on barriers to accessing primary care, social determinants of health for this geographic area and the factors of health equity therein, for any and all populations who face health inequities. Extend the use of Community Health Workers to embed with numerous fire and public safety agencies within our Community Health Model to address health equity in targeted populations. 

Part 2 of a 2-part discussion; A solution-oriented and energetic leader, Aparna Pujar, CEO and Co- founder of Zemplee is joined by Jeff Arbuckle the companies Chief Commercial Officer to continue the conversation from Part 1 about how the Zemplee product solution can be implemented in multiple settings. 

In this podcast you will learn about the simple design and minimal challenges to install and activate this very important technology.  They describe how their efforts have minimized almost every barrier to implementation.  As part of Zemplee’s work with Care Resource Connection a pilot is planned for two locations to include rural and metro facilities.  This will validate the concepts and increase engagement across all senior living.  This is an incredibly ingenious solution and it places the Community Health Alliance in the center of the artificial intelligence space.

…. Aparna started the company out of need… it’s a great story she can tell. Together our two programs could make a virtual care giver a reality.

Part 1 of a 2 part discussion; A solution-oriented and energetic leader, Aparna Pujar has created a dynamic career as an entrepreneur, product visionary, and technologist.  With over 20 years in business, engineering, and product leadership roles, Aparna has brought world-class products to technology companies focused in areas such as media, healthcare, and retail, and in her current role as the CEO and founder of Zemplee. And learn how Amy and Jeff Arbuckle the Chief Commercial Officer at Zemplee are planning on bringing a Zemplee Pilot to Minnesota. Learn what Zemplee is and how did Zemplee come to be?  …. Aparna started the company out of need… it’s a great story she can tell. Together our two programs could make a virtual care giver a reality.

OEC is an award-winning medical education program at Spring Lake Park High School, taught by Bill Neiss and the nursing assistant is taught by Jennifer Neiss. This program offers real hands-on learning experience and extensive opportunities to students interested in serving others in the healthcare field. As a ninth grader the student can get a First Aide/CPR Certification. At the age of 16, they can obtain your EMR, and also their nursing assistant certifications. At 18 they can can obtain an EMT, and begin the Firefighter 1 training. The opportunity for an OEC student is gainful employment in the healthcare and EMS fields and beyond. Listen to how the Fridley Fire Department is partnered with OEC and not only having a recruitment opportunity for new EMT's to become Fire Fighters, but are also re-imagining with our Community Health Program how these students can play a pivotal role in a Community Risk Reduction model. We talk to John Lindstrom who teaches the OEC EMT Students at Fridley Fire, Firefighter 1 and how he and OEC Board Member and OEC Alumni Maddison Zikmund along with SBM Fire agree that the OEC Program has the attention of the community stakeholders for the needed healthcare staffing as well as the many vacancies for fire fighters as many retire.

Radious Guess, City of St Louis Park Race Equity and Inclusion Director and Jocelyn Hernandez Swanson, City of St Louis Park Race, Equity, & Inclusion Specialist, sharing with us (and our listeners) how we can begin this journey of having deeper community engagements with people of color, marginalized and our under-served populations. We ask our expert guests how Care Resource Connection can set best practices with educating communities using the Race Equity Tools as well as community outreach and engagement best practices. As grantees of a MDH Regional Health Equity Network Grant, Care Resource Connection wants to take this expert advice to start the conversation in Anoka County ensuring the right people are in the room participating and making the decisions for their community what are the right resource connections at the right time. And are we going to learn as we go, yes, but by “being open and willing to learn” this is where we start.

One of the largest recognized challenges in healthcare is staffing. Finding, training, and retaining qualified staff is shared across all facets of the industry. As a person who is tasked with guiding young people towards these careers Kara Mueller, the Coordinator for Career and College Readiness shares the challenges and some of the wins that she has been part of at St Louis Park High School. An interesting fact shared by Kara is that young people overwhelmingly ask for healthcare focused course work. It is with that in mind that the Certified Nurse Assistant program (CNA) was implemented and has been a resounding success. So much so that United Way has offered their support through their Purpose Driven Paycheck grant program. At the end of the class students stand for their State Certification and once completed they become readily hired within the community. So many community stakeholders including Monarch Healthcare support, mentor and hire these newly trained resources. Any organization that is looking for motivated young people to enter its workforce, we can say that throughout its curriculum that St Louis Park High School is building that reserve.

The Community Health Alliance began in St Louis Park when the fire department and Care Resource Connection partnered to solve the historical problem of connecting our most vulnerable to needed resources, thus reducing the dependency on the 911 system. Now after nearly 8 years the program has evolved into an effective deliverer of services managed under a structured care coordination system designed by Care Resource Connection. Firefighters, as the most trusted community resource connect with patients with a simple question “Are you open and willing to accept help”. Invariably the answer is yes, and from that point the program begins to work for them. These firefighters who serve at the tip of the spear share their observations of the value they see in the lives of our patients and for fire departments considering their options, how it positively impacts those who want to make a difference.

In this podcast Dan Strittmater, who is a Vice President for Monarch Healthcare Management shares the multitude of opportunities and challenges that exist within the senior care industry. Monarch has been around for around seven years with a plan to acquire nursing homes in the same geographic area with the hope of getting them to work together better. Monarch has been a strong partner for our Alliance including the sponsoring of this podcast. Having just purchased three new sites In St Louis Park opens the mind for how to reimagine how each site might deliver more specific kinds of care, thus improving the quality of care across the organization. Monarch has stepped up in many ways to take a leadership role including the work they are doing to support our CNA pathway out of the St Louis Park High School. Dan shares three challenges; first is staffing, being innovative and adaptive and finally being more aware of the complexities of the various diagnosis that are now being housed in these sites. Any fire chief looking to consider this work in their community should look for great community partners like Monarch Healthcare Management.

Amy Lucht - is the CEO of Care Resource Connections and the Program Director of the SLPFD Community Health Program. Steve and Amy discuss the United Way Grant "Purpose Drive Paychecks" and how Care Resource Connection is working with the St Louis Park high School to bring the community stakeholders together to create a new Health Care Exploration Program with a mentorship component, and certification building to build a resilient CNA workforce to work in our community long term care, senior living, and hospital settings. And how at the end of the mentorship program the student will have gained the experience and have a deeper understanding of where they can focus their financial resources on a chosen career path all prior to graduation. Most importantly, how this program is filling the needed gaps in the healthcare workforce shortage in the senior care and healthcare space.

Cindy Carow Schiebe is currently a faculty member at Normandale Community College and teaches in the Public Health department, which houses the Community Health Worker Certificate. She is currently a board member of the MN Community Health Worker Alliance (CHW) and is the co-chair of the CHW Alliance Education committee. In addition to her 25 years of experience in education and community outreach, she has participated in many community level boards to help create greater access for her fellow community members. In this episode we discuss our the partnership the CHA has with Normandale College and the CHW Program and working with Care Resource Connection for the CHW internship program for SLPFD and other fire departments. We will share our joint work on the growing need for the CHW in the communities.

Jennifer Bauernfeind is the owner of one of six Minnesota Comfort Keepers in home care offices. Her locations are in Edina and Osseo, serving most of the west and northwest areas of the metro. Comfort Keepers will mark 25 years in 2023 as a leading care provider that serves adults over 18 in their homes with the goal of delivering the highest quality of care and elevating the human spirit. In this episode we discuss our partnership in the CHA Program, what value she sees coming out of this and what type of impact this work will has in our communities. We will also discuss how the home care industry is going to have think creatively to care for our seniors now and in the future.

In this podcast Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, Steve Koering Chief of the St Louis Park Fire Department and Chad Ketcham LNHA, MHA  Administrator Villa at St Louis Park discuss the challenges sites are now facing with readmission to the Transitional Care Units and the gaps for a safe discharge plan to home with a fire fighter safe home visit. We discuss how the fire department and the long term care sites can collaborate beyond the fire prevention and emergency planning focus. And share how our pilot program has impacted positive change and reduced the readmission rates in our community pre-covid and now how those efforts needs to continue moving forward.

In this podcast Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, Steve Koering Chief of the St Louis Park Fire Department and Betsy LaMarre; LALD, Executive Director Tower Light discuss how the SLP  LTC Group was formed, how we came together during the pandemic, and now today the need still exists for these creative partnerships to enhance the residents living experience. We discuss the weekly 911 call reports and how they help both the fire department and the sites, and how keeping the sites connected and sharing resources is still the ultimate goal in this community. We share our journey for others to learn how to start collaborating in their own communities.

n this  podcast Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, Steve Koering Chief of the St Louis Park Fire Department and Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, LeadingAge Chair and CEO Sholom, discuss how Fire Departments and Senior Living Campuses can collaborate. How the 911 report Model, Care Resource Connection developed, helps bridge the gaps inside the facilities, supporting staff, connecting residents and the joint collaborative efforts and challenges with the high utilization of 911. Sharing the new challenges nursing homes and senior living campuses are facing today, and how we need to prepare.

A key activity at the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs is the focus on legislative issues which confront the fire service while creating space where discussion and information sharing can occur with stakeholders in attendance. A leader in this work for the State Chiefs Association is Fire Chief BJ Jungmann from Burnsville Mn and the current Legislative Chair. Chief Jungmann shares his perspectives as the Chief of a full-service fire department in the current environment, as well as the changing landscape of issues around EMS at the State Capital.

We had the great honor of presenting our work at the recent Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Conference in Duluth MN and while there we connected with T. John Cunningham the Fire Chief for the City of Brooklyn Park MN and the current President of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association. John shares his thoughts on both his department’s role in community health, but also the challenges of addressing these issues across the broader Minnesota fire service.

Following the workshop, we presented on Community Health; A community Risk Reduction Strategy Amy and I met with two participants to gauge their feedback and to learn more about their specific challenges. Interim Chief of Moorhead MN, Jeff Wallin, and Battalion Chief Jeremy Hutchinson of the Cloquet Fire District in Cloquet MN share the unique challenges within their response area, and how what they learned might help them create change

In this podcast Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, Steve Koering Chief of the St Louis Park Fire Department discuss how to get buy in to build community resource partnerships. How Amy began the call to action by developing bat lines and a process for others follow her lead with a common mission. Why it’s so challenging to navigate and connect resources. Learn why a call to action is vital to the overall population health initiatives, and why the fire departments are in the center of that call.

In this podcast Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, Steve Koering Chief of the St Louis Park Fire Department and Fridley Public Safety Deputy Fire Chief Maddison Zikmund discuss the new Community Health/Community Risk Reduction Program. How they plan to create a Community Health Alliance in Fridley. What ways they will focus on prevention and after the call needs to connect to resources. What new innovative staffing models they will create to support this program. And learn how community forums will be used to build a more resilient community in Anoka County.

In this podcast we check in with the West Fargo ND Fire Department on the day that Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection, and Co-Founder of the Community Health Alliance is training them on how to do the work within their community guided by the Community Health Alliance framework.  For fire chiefs who are considering engagement in community risk reduction for EMS or local community resources looking for a trusted partner like the fire department. The West Fargo department is leading by example connecting with community, elected officials and their healthcare systems to courageously move forward with this important work.

In this podcast Rob Edwards the CEO of Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health and Wellbeing shares his views of how communities need to find more ways to meet the challenge of mental health and how the industry needs to adapt and innovate to the growing demand.  Lee Carlson is a proven provider and collaborator within the communities they serve and a role model for effective compassionate mental health services.

In this podcast Dr Michael Wilcox a nationally recognized expert in the area of community health, and a recognized architect of todays community paramedicine and EMT programs shares his thoughts and experience in designing and delivering innovative solutions for  community health programs.  Dr Wilcox’s assertion that we must meet patients where they are is the hallmark of how these programs get built and sustained.

In this podcast Steve Koering Fire Chief for the City of St Louis Park MN and Amy Lucht CEO of Care Resource Connection share the path they have taken to create the partnership known as the  Community Health Alliance.  This alliance is designed to meet patients who are accessing 911, and how they identify the social determinants that are challenging their ability to thrive and the process of connecting them with resources in a collaborative sustained way through care coordination.