Children’s Wisconsin-Fox Valley, Neenah, 2023 Community Benefits
- Growing and Developing Our Health Care Workforce
- Charity Care/Free Clinics
- Hospital-Supported Initiatives
- Health Equity
Children’s Wisconsin Grow Our Own Medical Assistant Training Program
Since 2019, Children’s Wisconsin has offered a rewarding opportunity for staff to learn new skills and grow professionally. More than 100 Children’s Wisconsin team members have been part of the Grow Our Own Medical Assistant training program – accelerating their professional development and filling critical workforce needs.
In less than a year, program participants achieve a medical assistant associate degree while they continue working at Children’s Wisconsin. The program prepares participants to be eligible for a national medical assistant certification program. With online coursework and hands-on learning, participants learn how to perform the key clinical and administrative duties medical assistants fulfill. These tasks include taking and recording patient vital signs, assisting with and performing procedures, administering medications, updating patient records, scheduling appointments and much more. Once the program is completed, Children’s Wisconsin offers the participant a role as a medical assistant. Funded by Children’s Wisconsin, federal and state funding and Herzing University, participants complete the program debt free.
To date, most of the participants have worked in Children’s Wisconsin’s Milwaukee area clinics. However, the first Fox Valley area medical assistant recently graduated and is working at the Children’s Appleton Clinic. For many graduates, becoming a medical assistant is a career pathway to another health care position. A handful of graduates from the Children’s Wisconsin medical assistant training program are now continuing their education to become registered nurses.
In less than a year, program participants achieve a medical assistant associate degree while they continue working at Children’s Wisconsin. The program prepares participants to be eligible for a national medical assistant certification program. With online coursework and hands-on learning, participants learn how to perform the key clinical and administrative duties medical assistants fulfill. These tasks include taking and recording patient vital signs, assisting with and performing procedures, administering medications, updating patient records, scheduling appointments and much more. Once the program is completed, Children’s Wisconsin offers the participant a role as a medical assistant. Funded by Children’s Wisconsin, federal and state funding and Herzing University, participants complete the program debt free.
To date, most of the participants have worked in Children’s Wisconsin’s Milwaukee area clinics. However, the first Fox Valley area medical assistant recently graduated and is working at the Children’s Appleton Clinic. For many graduates, becoming a medical assistant is a career pathway to another health care position. A handful of graduates from the Children’s Wisconsin medical assistant training program are now continuing their education to become registered nurses.
Children’s Wisconsin School-Based Physical and Occupational Therapists Support Students to Be at Their Best
Having healthy kids requires the combined efforts of families, schools, health care providers and community organizations. At Children’s Wisconsin, our work extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics. Our community partnerships are crucial to improving community health and well-being. To best support kids who require physical and occupational therapy in order to function optimally in the school environment, 12 Children’s Wisconsin therapists provide school-based care at schools in the Freedom, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute and Shiocton districts. The physical and occupational therapists work with students in both regular and special education settings to support their individualized education plans to ensure they’re able to participate to the best of their abilities.
Therapists evaluate the child’s ability to move throughout the school and participate in classroom activities, as well as help implement interventions to help the child participate as independently as possible. In collaboration with parents, caregivers, teachers and other educational staff, therapists help students navigate everything from different floor levels, restrooms and the cafeteria to participating in recess and sports. Occupational and physical therapy interventions help the child in both academic and non-academic settings, aiming to ensure the child is able to fulfill their role as a student.
Children’s Wisconsin therapists build strong relationships with students, families and educational staff, strengthening the teams supporting kids in schools. A Fox Valley area special education teacher recently shared that the Children’s therapist in her school notices students’ needs and has tools, tips, and tricks to help improve both the student and teacher experience. Whether it’s seating options, hand grips, writing tools, sensory supports, low tech or high tech supports, Children’s therapists help students succeed.
School-based occupational and physical therapists are an important part of a student’s special education team and have a direct impact on students successfully meeting their short- and long-term goals.
Therapists evaluate the child’s ability to move throughout the school and participate in classroom activities, as well as help implement interventions to help the child participate as independently as possible. In collaboration with parents, caregivers, teachers and other educational staff, therapists help students navigate everything from different floor levels, restrooms and the cafeteria to participating in recess and sports. Occupational and physical therapy interventions help the child in both academic and non-academic settings, aiming to ensure the child is able to fulfill their role as a student.
Children’s Wisconsin therapists build strong relationships with students, families and educational staff, strengthening the teams supporting kids in schools. A Fox Valley area special education teacher recently shared that the Children’s therapist in her school notices students’ needs and has tools, tips, and tricks to help improve both the student and teacher experience. Whether it’s seating options, hand grips, writing tools, sensory supports, low tech or high tech supports, Children’s therapists help students succeed.
School-based occupational and physical therapists are an important part of a student’s special education team and have a direct impact on students successfully meeting their short- and long-term goals.
Children’s Wisconsin Supporting Students Across Wisconsin with Healthy Choices and Mindfulness
Supporting kids’ mental and behavioral health has never been more important. Last year’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated more than half of Wisconsin students report having anxiety and more than one-third were sad or hopeless every day. In Wisconsin, the percentage of teens who have consumed alcohol and have misused prescription medications in the last year exceeded the national average.
Talking to kids early about these difficult topics can help them become more informed and prepared to make healthy choices. Children’s Wisconsin has created innovative e-learning courses and resources that educators can access, free of charge, to deliver information students need to grow up safe and healthy.
Courses feature a combination of online and classroom activities. Healthy Minds for kindergarten through sixth grade focuses on mental and emotional health providing an engaging look at what makes a healthy mind while introducing healthy skills. Aligning with national and Wisconsin Health Education Standards, Healthy Minds addresses feelings and emotions, empathy and compassion, healthy relationships, common mental health issues and how to get help when needed. After engaging in course content, students demonstrate gains in knowledge, including how to show support for a friend or ways to ask an adult for help.
It’s UR Choice helps students in fourth through eighth grades make smart choices when faced with the pressures of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and learn how to stay drug-free. Students learn age-appropriate facts about drugs and their effects on their bodies, how to analyze external and peer influences and how to cope in stressful situations. Students demonstrate gains in knowledge and attitude, including how tobacco affects the body or how substance use affects sports performance.
Children’s Wisconsin partners with more than a dozen school districts in the Fox Valley area to promote these opportunities among thousands of students.
Talking to kids early about these difficult topics can help them become more informed and prepared to make healthy choices. Children’s Wisconsin has created innovative e-learning courses and resources that educators can access, free of charge, to deliver information students need to grow up safe and healthy.
Courses feature a combination of online and classroom activities. Healthy Minds for kindergarten through sixth grade focuses on mental and emotional health providing an engaging look at what makes a healthy mind while introducing healthy skills. Aligning with national and Wisconsin Health Education Standards, Healthy Minds addresses feelings and emotions, empathy and compassion, healthy relationships, common mental health issues and how to get help when needed. After engaging in course content, students demonstrate gains in knowledge, including how to show support for a friend or ways to ask an adult for help.
It’s UR Choice helps students in fourth through eighth grades make smart choices when faced with the pressures of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and learn how to stay drug-free. Students learn age-appropriate facts about drugs and their effects on their bodies, how to analyze external and peer influences and how to cope in stressful situations. Students demonstrate gains in knowledge and attitude, including how tobacco affects the body or how substance use affects sports performance.
Children’s Wisconsin partners with more than a dozen school districts in the Fox Valley area to promote these opportunities among thousands of students.
Children’s Wisconsin Working to Integrate Oral Health Care into Primary Care Settings Across the State
Oral health is essential to overall health and well-being, however, unfortunately, accessing oral health care services can be challenging. Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin, an affiliate of Children’s Wisconsin, has been working over the last several years to address access disparities by integrating oral health care into primary care settings.
Dental disease is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases and one of the top reasons kids miss school. Untreated cavities impact the ability to eat, speak, sleep, socialize and learn, often resulting in costly and preventable emergency room visits. Significant barriers to accessing care exist, especially for kids living in underserved areas and those with special needs. Nationally, Wisconsin ranks near the bottom in access to dental care for kids covered by Medicaid. Each year, more than 80,000 Wisconsin kids under age five who are covered by Medicaid visit a physician, but don’t visit a dentist.
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin is leading the effort to pioneer a Medical Dental Integration (MDI) care delivery model where dental hygienists are integrated into primary care appointments to provide early dental prevention and intervention services. In addition to the patient receiving their regular medical exam, the dental hygienist can provide screening, education, any appropriate in-office prevention and ensure the patient is connected to a dental home. Integrating a dental hygienist into the medical team increases the number of patients who receive oral health care, improves patient outcomes and reduces the cost of care. Eleven health care systems and health care centers are involved in Wisconsin’s MDI effort, including in the Fox Valley region. Through the MDI model, more than 17,000 patients have received oral health services. Dental hygienists shared that the opportunity to provide early intervention, education and address barriers to care have been most beneficial for families.
Dental disease is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases and one of the top reasons kids miss school. Untreated cavities impact the ability to eat, speak, sleep, socialize and learn, often resulting in costly and preventable emergency room visits. Significant barriers to accessing care exist, especially for kids living in underserved areas and those with special needs. Nationally, Wisconsin ranks near the bottom in access to dental care for kids covered by Medicaid. Each year, more than 80,000 Wisconsin kids under age five who are covered by Medicaid visit a physician, but don’t visit a dentist.
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin is leading the effort to pioneer a Medical Dental Integration (MDI) care delivery model where dental hygienists are integrated into primary care appointments to provide early dental prevention and intervention services. In addition to the patient receiving their regular medical exam, the dental hygienist can provide screening, education, any appropriate in-office prevention and ensure the patient is connected to a dental home. Integrating a dental hygienist into the medical team increases the number of patients who receive oral health care, improves patient outcomes and reduces the cost of care. Eleven health care systems and health care centers are involved in Wisconsin’s MDI effort, including in the Fox Valley region. Through the MDI model, more than 17,000 patients have received oral health services. Dental hygienists shared that the opportunity to provide early intervention, education and address barriers to care have been most beneficial for families.
