Bigger Picture Smarter Join Service The Evolution
Why
Must We
“We have by far the most expensive average developed country -- spend
... Less than half of our population g
... [Morevover], we have certainly rec we have the highest rate of medical medical errors and poor quality. Th Meanwhile accounting
Evolve?
...we must make important investme effects over time need to be the fou
- Kathleen Sebelius, S
e health system in the world. We spend 50% more per person than the ding more on health care than housing or food...
gets appropriate care at the right time...
ceived a poor return on all of our spending. In the industrialized world, lly preventable deaths and almost 100,000 people die every year from hat’s the equivalent of two jumbo jets falling out of the sky every day. e, the health status of our citizens declines, with chronic disease for 75% of our health care costs and 96% of Medicare costs...
ents in prevention and wellness...Preventing disease and controlling its undation of our health care system.�
Secretary of The United States Department of Health and Human Services
ISCOPES can systematically address the bigger picture health issues through smarter service accomplished by those who are courageously commited to evolving outside the box.
About
ISCOPES
ISCOPES is an evolving health focused service-learning initiative that places GW students and employees from various fields of study as well as community practitioners and neighbors from around the DC Metro Area in interprofessional learning communities to address bigger picture health issues through smarter service. For 8 hours/month September through April, students serve on project teams within these learning communities and tackle these health issues with multi-dimensional service projects. Each learning community and its service project focuses on one of the following health domains: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Guardian Engagement - getting adults involved with kids’ health Healthy Teen Scholars - adolescent health and health careers Adult Health Literacy - digital health information, drug labels, and medical system literacy Veterans History Project - achieving wellness through telling one’s story Senior Wellness - living exceptionally ages 55+
Culturally competent service, inclusivity of diverse thought, and doing something about real health issues are the ingredients of ISCOPES. This is the world of health…evolved.
From September through April, you will serve people of the DC Metro Area through three key steps:
1. Participate: Focus on the health issues you care about in one of our five Learning Communities. Teach others about what you have learned elsewhere and learn from others in the process.
2. Serve: Apply what you and colleagues have discussed in your Learning Community in the form of a team service project. Build relationships with community partner sites and serve people who are most vulnerable to negative health outcomes.
3. Adapt: Analyze your project team’s ability to affect change with your service project. Use your creativity, classroom knowledge, and previous experience to adapt your project within your learning community to better affect the health outcomes of our neighbors in the DC Metro Area.
Providing uniquely talented individuals with the chance to engage in increasingly smarter service as a member of a diverse team is the core of ISCOPES. Together, you will address those health issues that cannot be overcome alone.
Find Out More: iscopes.gwu.edu/students/experience
What You Give
ISCOPES Year At A Glance People with good hearts, great minds, and important skills are always busy, but we build time, space, and flexibility into the ISCOPES schedule so that you can be involved despite your to-do list. Take a look at how the year flows so learning communities can come together and committed people can serve those who need it most.
Orientation Part 1 • 9/11, 12-1pm
Orientation Part 2 • 9/17, 8-10am
Learning Community Lunch
Community Simulation Activity
• 9/23, 12-1pm
• 10/4, 9-11am
Site Visits & Team Time Begins • 9/24
Teachback & Debrief • 11/1, 8-10am
Teachback Prep • 10/11, 12-1pm
Service & Debriefs Begin • 11/2
Large Group – ISCOPES Holiday Service
Restart Service & Debriefs
• 12/3, 8:3010:30am
• 1/15
Spring Prep • 1/14, 9-11am
Interprofessional Panel • 1/28, 9-11am
Ethical Dialogue
Transition Celebration
• 2/25, 9-11am
• 4/15, 9-11am
Future Prep • 4/1, 9-11am
“I would say our greatest success was the discussion we had about “them” and “us”. Throughout the meeting these terms were used often, until one of the group members pointed out that ‘we’ are ‘them.’” – ISCOPES Student
“There is really a large divide in terms of opportunity “We discovered that and distribution of resources and services between the ‘health’ is about more quadrants in DC, and this experience really than just treating the challenged us to step out of our comfort zones which disease or condition you will be crucial in being an effective health professional.“ see immediately in front -- ISCOPES Student of you. Health is about the whole person, as “This was very influenced by their motivating community, lifestyle, “[My teammate] is going to be a great and it taught professional wherever he ends up.” activities, ideals, and me that young beliefs.” “[My teammate’s] dedication was inspiring.” people do not give up on you -- ISCOPES Student “Interprofessional teamwork is hard work but pays dividends.” -- ISCOPES Coach
The ISCOPES Experience
“It’s great to feel that we may start these kids off to a healthy routine that could help them lead long and healthy lives.” -- ISCOPES Student
and that they believe in you and will fight with you to the end.” -- ISCOPES Coach
Why Your Service Counts: DC Data Data below are presented for each of ISCOPES’ Five Learning Communities
Guardian Engagement
Healthy Teen Scholars
Adult Health Literacy
76,753 students were enrolled in DC Public Schools and Charter Schools in FY12, all of whom have to get a Universal Health Certificate filled out every year by their guardian and health provider. dcps.dc.gov
“Older children who consistently participate in after-school activities are more likely to attend college, vote, and volunteer later in life.” ChildTrends.org
61% of adults in the District of Columbia read at or below a 6th grade reading level. 40% of District residents have completed grades 9 - 12 (or their GED) as their highest level of education. T. Ritsema, JHU
Veterans History Project 31,839 veterans live in DC. PTSD is estimated to occur in up to 31% of veterans. Also, 738 DC veterans were counted as unhoused in 2012. Telling one’s story is a tool for coping with PTSD, homelessness, & transition. va.gov
Senior Wellness
Nearly 12% of District residents are 65+ years of age. Of this population, 58.1% are either overweight or obese and 20.9% are living with diabetes. census.gov CDC.gov
Through ISCOPES, you’ll hone skills and knowledge crucial for evolving into a stellar health-focused professional. You’ll also gain: 1. Connections with neighbors throughout the District – crucial for future rotations and practicums 2. New relationships formed with new colleagues – meet friends from different disciplines 3. Orientation to Washington, D.C. – a chance to explore our Nation’s Capital 4. Deeper awareness, understanding, and value of yourself, others, health, and healthcare 5. The desire to learn more – you’ll leave asking more questions than ever before 6. Access to content experts, faculty, and practitioners – many within your Learning Community 7. Out-of-classroom experiences – go beyond the lecture halls and books 8. Practice as a part of a health care team 9. Skills in health promotion/education 10. The chance to hone your time management and life balance skills 11. FUN! – make the most of your time at GW
All students who successfully complete a year of service with ISCOPES will receive: 1. A special academic transcript designation 2. Verified content for resumes, references, and letters of recommendations 3. Award opportunities 4. Leadership opportunties with the ISCOPES Advisory Board
Find Out More: iscopes.gwu.edu/students/benefits
What You Gain
An Essay and A Call Institutional Passive Indifference: A Call to Mobilize [Edited for space] “We take many things for granted. As young, educated, privileged students of a private university we are sometimes sheltered from the harsh realities of the communities around us. Through work with [ISCOPES], I became aware of the various health disparities in and around the Anacostia community of Washington, DC.
Medical adherence and patient/physician communication are also dependent on the level of health literacy of the patient. The capacity to obtain, process, critique and apply basic health information and services is compromised when an individual has low literacy. Unfortunately, an array of social and behavioral determinants impacts the ability to maximize a person’s health utility or capacity.
There is a need to create and organize a system where there is a fair distribution of access to health. Look around you; DC is a great place to grow academically but it is riddled with racial and socio-economic stigmas that have consequently marginalized many of the people that we work with.
Through social justice initiatives and advocacy work, we can potentially alter One of the disparities we fight is the discourse and promote education and issue of varying levels of health literacy. [A Through street outreach and responsibility to help combat some of the training] presented by Professor Tamara personalized weekly training courses, we societal and political problems that S. Ritsema discussed the importance of are trying to fight this disparity on the pervade our local, state, and federal being cognizant of health literacy in the grassroots level. Collectively, we try to government currently. In order to make work that we do through ISCOPES. It was educate community members on the a systematic and vital contribution to astonishing to learn that the nation’s health disparities associated with their health reform at least in the DC area, capital has a mean reading level of a 9 cohort and help them advocate for somehow we need to ground reform back year old. There is a fundamental and better health care for not only themselves to a moral issue. institutional problem we need to address but for their communities. Furthermore, when 40% of DC residents have no more we want to ideally help individuals make Perhaps we will move one step closer in than a high school degree. In my opinion, lifestyle changes to improve their the new year…” it doesn’t necessarily have to do with the personal health so that the high physical ability or capacity level of these prevalence of chronic, communicable, --Asha Cesar, Public Health Graduate individuals as much as it has to do with and mental illnesses can be addressed. Student, 2011 - 2012 ISCOPES Participant system/institutional issues. As a coalition of young professionals bound together by a common interest, Health literacy dictates whether or not a we need to galvanize and excrete person will access or seek medical care. morality back into the health arena.
Apply Today! Go to iscopes.gwu.edu/students/apply. Sign up to serve with the people you care about and work on those health issues most important to you. Learning Communities are filled on a first come, first serve basis! Apply by
September 4th, 2013 at 11:59pm! Applicants must: 1. Be enrolled as a GW student 2. Be interested in personal and communal healthy living 3. Commit at least 8 hours of service per month (heavier commitment on non-exam weeks, light to no commitment on exam weeks; hours do not include commute time) from September through April 4. Agree to a background or security check, fingerprinting, and/or TB test, as applicable (TBD - depends on community partner site requirements) Previous experiences with service, health education and promotion, and shared leadership are desirable, but not required. Interested in local, interprofessional service, but can’t make the full commitment? Contact us at iscopes@gwu.edu for more information about special initiatives & a DC-based Alt Spring Break!
2300 I Street, NW #221 | Washington, DC. 20037
Connect With Us http://iscopes.gwu.edu | iscopes@gwu.edu