Prior Year Grants.
2020 AHEI Grant Recipients
Elena’s Light
Pediatric Health Program
Elena’s Light is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which strives to empower refugee and immigrant women and children in Connecticut, particularly in the New Haven area. Elena's Light aims to address the challenges that refugee and immigrant women and children face every day in the United States by offering free in-home tutoring focusing on English language education and driver’s license test preparation; in-home maternal and child health education; and local community engagement and immersion activities. The program will conduct 6 health education classes for refugee women and children. At each class, we will collect baseline data, asking mothers how many children they have and how many times in the past 6 months they have brought one to the emergency room, as well as assessing whether or not vaccines and well child checks are up to date. The instructional portion of that class comprises 1 hour of interactive, discussion based content on the topics discussed above. We will ask them to observe one class and then will work with them to prepare to co-facilitate the same class for a different group of refugee women. By fostering health leaders in the community, we can empower women to help each other achieve health literacy and confidence in taking charge of their children's healthcare. Finally, another primary goal is to increase cultural competency of new pediatricians by increasing the awareness of our pediatric resident class facilitators of the unique challenges faced by refugee families in accessing health care and achieving health literacy in the US context.
Girls Light Our Way
GLOW Girls Try-Athlon
Girls Light Our Way is training for a Try-athlon in order to help our girls develop healthy life-long habits and find joy and community in exercise. Our project focuses on providing group training for running, swimming, and biking while building the students’ physical abilities and personal confidence. We are emphasizing the ‘try’ in triathlon because many of our girls have never participated in such activities in an intentional and meaningful way. Throughout this project, we will cultivate healthy understandings of physical fitness, weight management, and self-efficacy because not only will the Try-athlon test the girls’ physical strength, but the training will challenge their mental limitations, exploding what they thought their bodies and minds were capable of before.
Primary objectives are to educate girls on developing life-long healthy habits, instill a liking for exercising in each girl, both individual and group exercising. Cultivate a sense of community for the girls surrounding healthy and active living and build self confidence in each and every one of our girls.
Kalamazoo Area Medical Alliance
Victim Services Crisis Card Project
The Victim Services Crisis Card Project has been one of the primary educational endeavors of the Kalamazoo Area Medical Alliance (KAMA) for over 20 years. As part of our long-standing relationship with the YWCA of Kalamazoo, we print and distribute over 20,000 information cards across Kalamazoo County. The cards are bright orange and are placed in discreet locations for victims and survivors of domestic and/or sexual assault, and/or human trafficking. The information on the cards describes what first steps should be if one is in need of assistance, local resources across the county for emergency aid, as well as resources for counseling, shelter and legal services.
The primary objective of these information cards is to direct the victims and survivors to appropriate resources in the community. The main resource suggested is the YWCA, which has a 24-hour shelter and counseling services, as well as a 24-hour on-call nurse who works with the local hospitals. The YWCA of Kalamazoo is the only domestic violence shelter in the entirety of Kalamazoo County, and the only provider in the state of Michigan who delivers comprehensive services to sex and labor trafficking survivors.
Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance
Expanding Dreamland - Y.A.A. to Knox County Young Adults
Teens are particularly susceptible to drug experimentation and opioid addiction. We would like to increase awareness of the impact of the opioid epidemic and its dangers to Knox County students in middle and high schools by distributing Sam Quinones' new "Young Adult Adaptation" (Y.A.A.) of his book "Dreamland" to all middle and high schools and all public libraries in Knox county, TN. We will also hold an awareness campaign for the 2020-21 school year by conducting a kickoff to school faculty and administration during the in-service teacher days before school starts in August 2020, with book distribution to Knox County public and private schools by holding a "Meet the Author" skype session with Sam Quinones for middle and high school faculty. 16 middle schools with 13,444 students , 16 high schools with 18,068 students, 25 private middle and high schools with 6,872 students , and 20 Knox County Public Libraries. The goal is to encourage the teachers to conduct book studies and discussion of the Quinones book with their classes.
The primary objective is to encourage widespread reading of the book as well as discussion in order to promote awareness in young adults of the dangers of drug experimentation and opioid addiction.
Missouri State Medical Association Alliance
MSMA Alliance "Stop the Bleed Program"
The 'Stop the Bleed' campaign was initiated by trauma surgeons from the American College of Surgeons who reported that one-third of the children who died at Sandy Hook could have survived if the bystanders had known how to control bleeding and prevent shock until the injured children could be transported.
Using the official American College of Surgeons approved 'Stop The Bleed' program and with purchase of demonstration kits, Alliance members already trained will first train other Alliance members in our county alliances in the approved techniques of hemorrhage control. The trained members will then initiate programs in each county's communities to train potential "bystanders" to control life-threatening blood loss in the event of a traumatic accident (intentional or otherwise.) The objective of the 'Stop the Bleed' program nationwide is to train as many members of the general public as possible in the techniques required to stop life-threatening blood loss following man-made emergencies such as road traffic accidents, shootings and stabbings, as well as natural disasters.
It is hoped that bleeding control will become part of every basic first aid program in much the same way that CPR is now understood and taught to all citizens.
Nevada Physician Wellness Coalition
NPWC Physician Wellness Education Forum
NPWC delivers programs that provide outreach, education, and supportive resources to physicians, medical students, and their families to intervene at all stages of burnout and to prevent suicide. Due to the highly sensitive nature of physician burnout and the attached stigma, NPWC serves its purpose by operating independently of regulatory and licensure bodies, as well as where a physician may be employed.
The educational programming offered to our medical community through NPWC & AHEI will address the complex and shrouded topic of physician burnout, and will impart skills related to self-care and suicide prevention. The primary objective of the project is to launch an educational program in an open, community-based setting. The project will bring together community partners, such as the school of medicine, organized medicine groups and their alliances, and other relevant professional associations to promote the program to the target audience. As a result of this forum, attendees will be able to discuss the high rates of burnout and understand the skill sets and resources available for coping. Recognizing the signs of suicidal ideation and learning how to help colleagues who show these signs, will also be featured.
2019 AHEI Grant Recipients
Give More Hugs (Lamesa, Texas)
The Texas BookShare Project will promote early literacy and health and wellness during well check-up visits for children at clinics which serve low-income communities. Physicians will “prescribe” books to promote language development, healthy habits for a better future and encourage a love for reading. The program plans to provide access to books, promote literacy and reading, and educate about healthy habits in low-income families in North and West Texas.
Greenville County Medical Society Alliance (Greenville, South Carolina)
Club Spandex is an event supporting a new Alliance project, Jasmine Road, a local non-profit, residential treatment and rehabilitation facility for victims of sex trafficking, prostitution, addiction and homelessness. The event will begin with an outdoor, dance-style fitness class in downtown Greenville, SC allowing for increased public awareness. Following the outdoor class, a ticketed reception will follow in the adjacent Hyatt Regency Hotel. While a seemingly formal event, all guests will instead be in “athletic attire” and will enjoy food, silent auctions, music and a dance floor. Throughout the evening, speakers from Jasmine Road, including some of its first graduates, will take the stage providing additional education about human trafficking and the issues surrounding it. Project
Nueces County Medical Society Alliance (Corpus Christi, Texas)
The George Evans Elementary School project affects the education and health of children from Pre-K to 5th grade. Ninety-eight percent of these students are from economically disadvantaged areas, and 75% are at risk of dropping out of school. Many of the students are from homeless shelters surrounding the school. The Nueces County Medical Society Alliance will be contributing to the purchase of a reading program. Once a month retired doctors will read to kindergarten students. The objective is to put students at ease with doctors & inspire them to enjoy reading. Healthy students learn more quickly and develop self esteem.
2018 AHEI Grant Recipients
Greenville County Medical Alliance ( Greenville, South Carolina) will distribute medication disposal systems around the community while educating the public on the importance of safely disposing of leftover medications, including prescription pain relievers and controlled substances. Educational materials, flyers, and bookmarks will also be created for distribution. Alliance members will work will local pharmacies to provide disposal systems as well as educational materials. The Alliance also plans to rent a booth at a local farmers market to provide disposal bags and educational materials. Grant funds will go toward purchase of medication disposal bags. Project name: Drug Disposal Education & Action Day.
AMA Alliance Opioid Initiative Committee will supply each state and county leader attending the 2018 AMA Alliance Annual Meeting with a turnkey project consisting of three pieces: 3 different power point presentations with talking points (on flash drives), 25 door hangers with educational information about pill disposal, and a drug disposal pouch. This project will be launched in October with national, local and state alliances working together to bring national attention to this issue. Project name: AMA Alliance Opioid Initiative.
Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance (Knoxville,, Tennessee) will work with the local Metro Drug Coalition to teach the Generation Rx curriculum to elementary age students in 5 schools in three targeted zip codes. One aspect of this project will be to work with the families of these students to provide prescription drug safety education, as well as a family activity to conduct an inventory of the medicine cabinets. Lock boxes will be offered to families who participate in the project to promote safe storage medications. Grant funds will go toward purchasing and printing of the curriculum. Project name: Minding Your Meds..
Poe Center for Health Education (Raleigh, North Carolina) and the North Carolina Medical Society Alliance will collaborate to implement a “Drugs Uncovered” program which is a 2 hour program for adults focusing on prescription medications, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. A mock teen bedroom will provide the backdrop for this program. The program will also include information on proper disposal of prescription medications, and each participant will be given a resource packet to take home. A complementary youth program will be developed and provided to youth across the state. AHEI will partially fund the medication disposal bags used in this project. Project name: Opioid Epidemic Uncovered.
Nueces County Medical Society Alliance (Corpus Christi, Texas) will provide hygiene kits, jeans and t-shirts to students in an economically disadvantaged area of Corpus Christi, TX. Many of these students live in one of the homeless shelters around the school and are migrants who leave school to pick crops in South Texas. These students are often behind in their studies when they return to school. The kits will be distributed as part of a hygiene lesson during class time. Project name: George Evans Elementary School Project.
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston will develop visually-based, culturally relevant psychoeducational tools in an effort to improve mental health literacy among individuals with serious mental illness as well as their caregivers. Mental health providers will use these tools at an academic safety-net hospital serving low income, uninsured individuals in Houston, TX. Tools will include provider psychoeduational manuals, teach-back clinical support cards, and educational pamphlets for patients and family caregivers. AHEI funds will be earmarked to fund the teach back cards and the health education manuals. Project Name: Project TEACH: Using a Participatory Approach to Improve Mental Health Literacy During Psychiatric Hospitalization
2017 AHEI Grant Recipients
Kent County Medical Society Alliance (Grand Rapids, Michigan) will host a community educational forum targeting parents of middle and high school students. Education will be focused on prevention efforts and speakers will discuss statistics on opioid users, who is impacted, how to identify behavioral cues in one’s own children, where to find support, and how to properly dispose of prescribed narcotics. A drug take back service will also be available. Project name: Opioid Awareness Community Education Forum.
Community Care Clinic of Rowan County (Salisbury, North Carolina) staff and volunteers will be provided professional training in American Diabetes Association’s Conversational Mapping. This training will allow staff to engage patients in a process that allows them to explore health facts through dialogue. Staff and volunteers will then coach approximately 150 diabetics through weekly classes. Project name: Beat Diabetes Through Education and Outcomes.
Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance (Knoxville, Tennessee) will work with the Metro Drug Coalition and local pharmacies to distribute prescription medications in bags that are preprinted with a Count It! Lock It! Drop It! message. A total of 75,000 bags are expected to be distributed and 1,500 pounds of medications are expected to be collected and disposed of at accepted sites. Project name: Medication Safety…Count It! Lock It! Drop It!
Washtenaw County Medical Society Alliance, Corner Health Center and University of Michigan medical students (Ann Arbor Michigan) will work together with the Youth Theater Troup on a performance regarding identifying and preventing youth and adult suicides, including bullying and depression. The goal is to educate the community and students on youth and young adult suicidal symptoms, risk factors and resources. Project name: Teen Health Project. Greenville County Medical Society Alliance (Greenville, South Carolina) will make 250 patient activity pouches for pediatric patients at the local children’s hospital. Pouches will contain items to entertain and educate pediatric patients while hospitalized or waiting on healthcare visits. Project name: Patient Pouch-A-Thon.
2016 AHEI Grant Recipients
Girls Light Our Way (Peoria, Illinois) is an organization created to improve the lives of girls in the areas of physical, nutritional and social-emotional health, self efficacy, and financial literacy. The primary goal of GLOW is to reduce disparity and improve economic access through activities-based and leadership training skills. This project will use yoga sessions to teach these adolescent girls mind-body connection, nutrition, and relaxation techniques. Funding was provided to purchase supplies for the yoga series. Project name: GLOW FLOW Yoga Series.
Sangamon County Medical Society & Alliance (Springfield, Illinois) will organize an educational program to address physician burnout in the area for medical professionals. The Alliance will develop an educational piece on burnout to distribute to attendees and to make available to those unable to attend. An AMA speaker will be secured and CME will be offered. Project name: Addressing Physician Burnout in Medical Providers: Building Resilient Physician Families and Office Support Staff.
Greenville County Medical Society Alliance (Greenville, South Carolina) will expand upon its healthy cooking demonstrations at the local free medical clinic. Funding will be used to buy supplies for this project and to make it mobile and able to be implemented in the waiting area where more patients can participate and sample the food. Recipes will be provided to those interested. Classes will be held monthly between September and May, with a different theme emphasized each month. Project name: Cooking for Better Health.
Washington-Unicoi-Johnson Counties Medical Alliance (Johnson City, Tennessee) will use funds to purchase digital thermometers to distribute to needy families with children who visit the local Community Health Center Pediatricians and other medical providers have been unable to retrieve reliable information and history from parents who had no thermometer and could only report “baby felt warm.” Education and instruction will be given to families at time of thermometer distribution. Project name: Thermometer Distribution to Indigent Families.
2015 AHEI Grant Recipients
Achieving Dreams (Tyler, Texas), whose mission in part is to enrich the lives of adults with special needs, will receive funding to purchase equipment to develop exercise programs for their clients. They will track the client’s body mass index, blood pressure, weight and steps. The project will alternate aerobic, weight and balance training in the curriculum while trackingthe above measures. Project name: Achieving Healthy Steps.
The Good Samaritan Health Center; Wildflower Clinic (St. Augustine, Florida) will use their grant funding to purchase medical equipment and supplies to serve the uninsured and low income populations of the county. Supplies will be purchased to provide wound care to the homeless and PAP smears, pelvic exams and breast exams for women. Project name: Wildflower Clinic.
The Nueces County Medical Society Alliance, Del Mar College & South Texas Family Planning and Health Corporation (Corpus Christi, Texas) have partnered to implement a project to provide low income college freshmen with the meningococcal vaccine. Project name: Young Adult Vaccine Initiative: Delmar No College Kid Left Behind. The Mahoning County Medical Society/Alliance & Akron Children’s Hospital, (Akron, Ohio) have partnered to implement a project to address the problem of infant mortality in their community. A safe sleep kit will be designed with educational materials to distribute to at risk babies in several pediatric care facilities. Project name: Safe Sleep Program.