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Health & Wellness 2024

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essenger

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea

TAMMY CHRISTENSEN, left, dental manager for the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge, and Anna Modeland, digital denture technician, examine some of the denture components that can now be made at the center with a 3D printer. Using the printer reduces the cost of dentures and eliminates the need for patients to make six trips to the center to get their dentures.

READY, SET, GROW!

Community Health Center looks to continue expanding care in 2024 By BILL SHEA

bshea@messengernews.net

he Community Health Center of Fort Dodge expanded into Eagle Grove last year in a move that not only preserved access to dental care there but also added medical and mental health care. In 2024, it will do more of the same, providing more options for care in Wright County. At its main location in downtown Fort Dodge, the center’s dental staff will continue using a 3D printer to make dentures in a way that saves time for patients. And in March, a pharmacy will finally open in the center. Expansion in Wright County In March 2023, the Community Health Center purchased the office of Eagle Grove Family Dentistry after its owner, Dr. Misty Shaver, announced she was moving from the area. The new Community Health Center of Eagle Grove welcomed its first patients in July 2023. Patients are still getting their teeth and gums taken care of there. But they can also get primary health care and mental health care there. There are 11 Health Center employees at the Eagle Grove location. “They are busy,” said Colleen Miller, the center’s chief operating officer. They are so busy that every available appointment slot is filled for the foreseeable future, according to Miller.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea

PHARMACIST HANNAH MILLER stands in the area inside the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge building, which is being renovated to become a pharmacy. The pharmacy is expected to open in March. Miller, who will manage it, is a Fort Dodge native and graduate of Prairie Valley High School.

The addition of another site in Wright County may offer a chance to share the workload. This week, Renae Kruckenberg, the chief executive officer of the Health Center, announced the purchase of a former dental office building in Clarion. That building is twice the size of the one in Eagle Grove. Medical and mental health services will be offered there along with dental care.

New services Community Health Center patients who needed dentures used to have to make six trips to the Fort Dodge site. Their finished dentures cost $500 to $700. New technology in use since February means that only three trips to the office are required and the cost has been reduced to about $300. At the heart of the new den-

ture service is a 3D printer. Tammy Christensen, the dental manager, said the process begins by using a handheld digital scanner to make precise images of the patient’s mouth. Those images and measurements are ultimately plugged into the printer, which produces complete dentures. It can print multiple pairs of dentures at once. Christensen said the electronic file used to print the dentures is saved so that they can be printed again if they are broken or lost. A long-planned pharmacy will open in the building in March. Hannah Miller, a Fort Dodge native and graduate of Prairie Valley High School, will be the pharmacist. She earned her pharmacy degree from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Behind the scenes helping the staff keep track of all their patients is a health records software program called EPIC. After months of training, the program went live in September. Within EPIC is an application called My Chart that is useful to patients. Using My Chart, patients can check in for appointments, send messages to their care providers, look at their test results and request prescription refills. The Community Health Center opened in Fort Dodge in 2006. It also has sites in Dayton, Mason City and Eagle Grove and will soon have one in Clarion. For individuals who qualify, the center’s fees for service are on a sliding scale based on their ability to pay.

Community Health Center leaders

Renae Kruckenberg Chief executive officer

Colleen Miller Chief operating officer

524 Central Ave. Fort Dodge

515-955-2330 Monday 8:30am - 7pm Tue - Fri 8:30am - 5:30pm Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

READY TO WORK IT? Pilates trainer provides another fitness option in FD

By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

he Fort Dodge area just gained a new fitness training option. Pilateswerx LLC, owned by Rachel Brandow, of Fort Dodge, opened last summer at 801 Central Ave. Brandow is a personal trainer who works with individuals and pairs for Pilates. She meets with clients inside 2020 Health and Wellness, a fitness studio opened and owned by Fonda Nelson, of Fort Dodge. Brandow had recently moved to Fort Dodge from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. She has been a personal trainer since 2015 and became certified to teach Pilates in 2017. When she moved to Fort Dodge, she was looking for a new fitness studio or club where she could continue teaching Pilates. “There’s nobody around here,” she said. “There’s nothing around here. I looked before I even moved here.” The closest Pilates studio or class was in the Des Moines area. “There’s no way I’m driving to Des Moines every day to teach Pilates,” she said. That’s when she connected with Nelson to set up in 2020 Health and Wellness. Pilates is a type of fitness exercise that was developed during World War I by German boxer and physical trainer Joseph Pilates. According to a study conducted to review existing literature and develop a definition for Pilates exercise from the University of Western Sydney, Pilates is “a mindbody exercise that requires core stability, strength, and flexibility, and attention to muscle control, posture, and breathing.” For the workout, Brandow uses a machine called a “reformer,” an apparatus that uses various springs, a sliding carriage, ropes and pulleys to

-Messenger photos by Kelby Wingert

ABOVE: Personal trainer Rachel Brandow, of Fort Dodge, recently opened Pilateswerx LLC inside 2020 Health and Wellness, 801 Central Ave. Brandow works with individuals using the Pilates fitness program, which includes this machine. LEFT: Rachel Brandow, left, is the owner of Pilateswerx LLC, which is located at 801 Central Ave. inside 2020 Health and Wellness, which is owned by Fonda Nelson, right.

create resistance for different workouts. “In Pilates, there’s an order to it so it stimulates your

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nervous system in a specific order,” Brandow said. “What you learn is how to conduct the exercises and keep things

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plugged in as you move to the next thing. There’s a specific order to the things and there’s different levels — one, two,

three, four and five. Obviously, the higher it gets, the harder it gets.” The Pilates workout bridges the gap between the body and the mind, creating a connection between the two, Brandow said. “It’s literally a game-changer because a lot of times, most people do things without even thinking about it — their mind isn’t even involved,” she said. “It’s just their body just wants to do it that way.” Brandow received her training and certification in Pilates at The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado. Her instructors, sisters Amy and Michelle Taylor, both trained under Romana K, who was Joseph Pilates’ protegee. When Brandow was learning Pilates, she decided very quickly that this was something she needed to share with the world. The workout has many benefits, she said. “Even as a personal trainer, I had a really super tight low back and every time I did a core exercise, I used my lower back and literally you could just barely touch my spine and it felt like somebody knuckle punched me,” she said. “That’s how tight my vertebrae were. And then I started learning this and my spine completely freed up. I never had any issues with my back anymore.” She’s also worked with individuals going through physical rehabilitation for various issues like scoliosis, knee replacements, broken ankles, hip replacement and more. All of the exercises are able to be modified to fit the individual’s abilities, Brandow said. At this time, Brandow only offers individual and partner training. Appointments can be made by calling 262-3910250.

‘HEART AND SOUL’

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

n Community and Family Resources opens women's recovery house n Organization has been serving Fort Dodge for more than 50 years By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

t’s been 10 years in the making, but Community and Family Resources has officially opened the doors to a women’s recovery house in Fort Dodge. CFR provides outpatient behavioral health services as well as residential treatment and outpatient treatment programs for substance use or mental illness. The organization has been serving Fort Dodge for more than 50 years, but this is the first time it has opened a women’s recovery house, according to CFR Executive Director Michelle De La Riva. The house, located on South 17th Street, had been used as the men’s recovery house for the past two decades, De La Riva said. When the men’s program moved to its new location at the old priests’ home next to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, CFR got to work renovating the house to give it new life. On May 11, CFR hosted a ribbon cutting and open house with the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance. “We are certainly blessed to have a community that cares about us,” De La Riva said, welcoming the guests to the open house. The house serves as a transitional housing arrangement for graduates of CFR’s in-patient treatment program. Up to eight women can live in the house at a time. On average, residents will stay at the recovery house for about six months, but can stay up to a year, De La Riva said. Transitional housing

-Messenger file photo by Kelby Wingert

COMMUNITY AND FAMILY RESOURCES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHELLE DE LA RIVA welcomes guests to a ribbon cutting and open house for the program’s new women’s recovery house on May 11, 2023.

programs are important for those going through recovery for addiction, De La Riva said. Residents in the program are given extra support and guidance to help them continue in their recovery while learning how to find employment, budget mon-

ey, pay bills and manage their recovery. Some women will receive help with family reunification and other skills needed to live on their own. “We’ve found that See CFR, Page 7D

Drink to your Health in 2024

COMMENTS FROM MICHELLE DE LA RIVA, CFR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR “We are certainly blessed to have a community that cares about us.” “We’ve found that people who go through residential and then the halfway house-type programs like this recovery house, the likelihood of them staying sober is much higher.”

COMPOSES 75% OF BRAIN HELPS CARRY NUTRIENTS AND OXYGEN TO CELLS

REGULATES BODY TEMPERATURE MAKES UP 83% OF BLOOD REMOVES WASTE

MOISTENS OXYGEN FOR BREATHING HELPS CONVERT FOOD INTO ENERGY PROTECTS AND CUSHIONS VITAL ORGANS HELPS BODY ABSORB NUTRIENTS ACCOUNTS FOR 22% OF BONES

-Messenger file photos by Kelby Wingert CUSHIONS JOINTS MAKES UP 75% OF MUSCLES

ABOVE: CFR Executive Director Michelle De La Riva gives a tour of the women’s recovery house kitchen during an open house event on May 11, 2023. BELOW: CFR women’s recovery house manager Amy Potts personally painted several pieces of inspirational decor for the new women’s recovery house.

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

‘A REBUILDING YEAR’

Webster Co. Health Department grows programs under new leadership By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

023 was a “rebuilding” year for the Webster County Health Department, giving the department the foundation it needs going into this year, according to Director Jennifer Sumpter. “I feel like we’re going to be in a good place in 2024,” Sumpter said. “I think we’re finally getting that solid foundation that we’ve been looking for here. We’ve got the right team players in the right place, moving their programs forward.” Since taking over as the director of the department in February 2023, Sumpter has focused on giving her employees more independence, making sure that they have the confidence to work their programs. Through that, the WIC program has seen growth, as well as the Care for Yourself program that provides breast and cervical cancer screenings for uninsured people. “I wouldn’t be able to get as far as I have at this agency without my team,” Sumpter said. “I feel supported. I hope they feel supported.” The Family Foundations program, which works with families that are prenatal all the way up to kindergarten with weekly home visits from family support workers, has caught the attention of the state, Sumpter said. “The state’s really looking at us in a good light right now,” she said. Amanda Trice, a family support worker from the Family Foundations program, reached out to one struggling mom about a year ago after the mom experienced some postpartum depression and psychosis after giving birth to her twins. “I will say it’s definitely what saved my life,” Megan Thies said of the program. The Family Foundations program is an affiliate of the Parents as Teachers programming, according to Program Coordinator Brooke Kammerer. The program has three main components —

-Messenger photos by Kelby Wingert

ABOVE: Megan Thies, a Fort Dodge mother of three, says the Webster County Health Department’s Family Foundations support service helped her overcome postpartum depression and psychosis. From left are: Brooke Lowrey, family support worker; Anna Guge, family support worker; Jennifer Sumpter, WCHD director; Thies; Amanda Trice, family support worker; and Brooke Kammerer, program coordinator for Family Foundations. LEFT: The Fort Dodge Police Department and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office received 200 MobileDetect fentanyl test strip kits from the Webster County Board of Health using opioid settlement funds.

parent and child interaction; child development and working on child-centered parenting; and family wellbeing. The Webster County Health Department has had a Family Foundations program for more than a decade, but this is the second year it’s been an affiliate of Parents as Teachers. “We’ve had several families be in the program for many years and we’ve had some families only need like a year or so and maybe request to discharge because they’ve met their goals,” Kammerer said. Thies recalled the dark place

she was in mentally when she began working with Family Foundations. “When Amanda and Brooke came to my house for the first time and sat down, I don’t even think we introduced each other, I just looked right at them and broke down bawling and asked them if they’re going to take my babies away, asked them if that was their game,” Thies said. “They said no, we’re here to help you. We’re going to get you better.” This kind of support is “so needed” for parents, she said.

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“Moms need to know that there’s support out there,” Thies said. “Moms need to know how to ask for support, but then their support system needs to know what to watch for and this shows them what to watch for; it shows them the red flags.” Postpartum mental illness can affect any mother and there’s no “cookie-cutter” way it can affect a mother, Thies said. “Postpartum depression, psychosis and anxiety is such a real thing, but people don’t want to talk about it until after the mother does something,”

she said. “Then it’s a big deal. Then everybody’s so sad and everybody’s so broken and ‘What could we have done?’ Well, it’s right here.” The department has families from a variety of backgrounds who have enrolled in the program. It is a free and voluntary program, Kammerer said. Webster County Health recently was able to increase the number of families it can help through this program because of an increase in funding from the state, adding 14 more families. In total, the program can help 54 families at a time. The funding for the program comes from the state’s Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation (MIECHV) program. Families can contact the WCHD directly to enroll in the program, or they can be referred by their pediatrician, ob-gyn, WIC or other maternal health programs. For more information on the Family Foundations program, call the WCHD at 515-5734107. The WCHD Family Foundations and Maternal Health programs have also recently launched a Postpartum Support Parent Cafe for mothers to connect with other moms and learn about resources available to them. Upcoming support group meetings are from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Jan. 23, Feb. 6, Feb. 20, March 5 and March 26. “I’ve always said I don’t want to really look back — I just want to stay focused on moving forward and what we can do to continue to have those relationships in the community and hopefully be an agency that people look to for help,” Sumpter said. In December, the WCHD was also able to use some of the funds the county is receiving from the opioid settlement from various opioid manufacturers to purchase 200 fentanyl test strip kits for the Fort Dodge Police Department and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office. The test strip kits allow officers to safely test seized drugs for fentanyl without any direct exposure.

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

NEW LEADERSHIP

n Webster Co. Health welcomes familiar face as director n Sumpter has served many roles within the department By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

he new director of the Webster County Health Department didn’t have to go far to move into her new office. Jennifer Sumpter, who most recently had served as the chief nursing officer for the department, has been with Webster County Health since 2007. She was appointed by the Webster County Board of Health on Feb. 1, 2023, to replace Dr. Kelli Wallace, who had served as the interim director for the department for the past eight months. Sumpter got her start with Webster County Health 15 years ago when she was hired as a home health nurse. Prior to that, she was a nurse in the ICU at UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center for two years. “I just kind of thought it was a good time to step in as a leader,” Sumpter said about her decision to pursue the director position. “I think the staff really needed that after everything that’s happened over the last couple of years with the pandemic. I really believe in the staff there and I believe in the program, things that we provide to the community.” Sumpter is a self-proclaimed “pig farmer’s daughter from Pomeroy.” After graduating from Pomeroy-Palmer High School in 1994, she went on to play college basketball. It was after college that she decided she wanted to become a nurse, so she enrolled in Iowa Central Community College’s nursing program, graduating in 1999. “I started my career at UnityPoint, then I did some travel nursing around the state of Iowa and then went out to the West Coast to California,” she said. In 2005, she returned home and started as an ICU nurse at TRMC. The decision to move from working in a hospital to working in public health was one of necessity, Sumpter said. She had a young son with disabilities and needed the regular work hours that Webster County Health could offer that the hospital could not. “It’s definitely different than acute care,” she said of transitioning to the Health Department. “But I love all the

different opportunities. I love working with people in our community. We’ve done so many things, not just in Fort Dodge, but across the rest of the county. It’s just nice to be that embedded piece within the community.” Sumpter didn’t spend the last 15 years in just one area of Webster County Health. “I’ve probably done about every program in the Health Department,” she said. “WIC, immunizations and STD testing, to HIV case management, to school education and sex education. I’ve done a lot of the duties here.” As director, Sumpter leads a staff of 27 nurses, administrative and professional staff. “I just want to see us continue to move forward,” she said. “I think that our programs have given us a really good base and I want to continue to expand upon those programs.” Sumpter said she’s thankful for the support she’s received from the Board of Health and Board of Supervisors. “I’m just very grateful that they gave me the opportunity to do this,” she said. “I didn’t necessarily see this one coming, but I’m really excited to be in the position that I’m in right now.” The permanent director role at the Health Department had been empty since May 2022 when former Director Kari Prescott was fired by the Board of Supervisors. Prescott, who had been with the department since 1997 and served as director since 2008, was placed on administrative leave by the county Board of Health on May 19, 2022, pending an investigation into allegations of a hostile work environment, financial irregularities and irregularities in documentation. Further investigation led to Prescott’s immediate termination by the board on May 25, 2022, for “fostering a hostile environment, rising to the level of misconduct on the part of the director.”

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-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert

JENNIFER SUMPTER was named director of the Webster County Health Department in 2023 by the Board of Health. She has been with the department since 2007.

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

TURNING SKEPTICS INTO BELIEVERS Sunmed/Your CBD Store opens in downtown Fort Dodge

By KELBY WINGERT

compound found in marijuana. “When people walk in, the first question we ask is, ‘What ix weeks after opening brings you in today?'” Schuur on Central Avenue, said. “They’re usually coming Sunmed/Your CBD in for a specific reason, whether Store was already it’s something with their joints, seeing good business and curious something with anxiety or customers, according to co-owner whatever the case is, and we Keenan Schuur. talk them through it and pinpoint Schuur and his business exactly what products are going partner, Jack Hanson, announced in January 2023 their plans to to be most beneficial. We have open a store to sell hemp-based a very educational approach to everything and make sure people products and supplements. are getting the Sunmed is a right service.” national CBD The products franchise, but the range in price Fort Dodge store from around at 1026 Central $30 up to $180, Ave. is locally depending on the owned by Schuur and Hanson. The type of product store sells USDAand quantity certified organic of CBD in the CBD hemp product. products, including The Sunmed tinctures, water CBD products solubles, gummies, are high-quality KEENAN SCHUUR capsules, beauty and meticulously products and bath tested, Schuur Co-owner, products. Sunmed/Your CBD Store said. “I got into CBD “There’s an a couple of years in-house chemist ago when I started that comes up looking into more of my mental health and taking with all the formulations and all care of that,” Schuur said. “And of our products have a QR code CBD has shown a lot of promise that you can scan to pull up a lab with a lot of that stuff … It connects report so you know exactly what’s into your endocannabinoid system in it,” he said. Another question Schuur said and creates just an overall balance he gets sometimes is, “How is this in your body.” March 30 was the business’ legal?” grand opening and ribbon cutting “It’s all hemp-derived products with the Greater Fort Dodge and it was made legal through Growth Alliance. the 2018 Farm Bill federally and “The store’s been very well then the Iowa Hemp Act at the received,” Schuur said. “It’s state level,” he said. “All of our been an overwhelmingly positive products are registered with the support.” state and we had to get a hemp Schuur said a common question license to be able to be open for he gets from first-time customers business.” is, “Is this going to get me high?” While the Sunmed store does “CBD is non-psychoactive, so have some recreational products it doesn’t do that,” Schuur said. CBD, scientifically known that contain THC (at a level less as cannabidiol, is a naturally- than the legal limit of 0.3%), occurring compound that is found the store’s focus is on health and in high concentrations in hemp. wellness, Schuur said. “It’s one of those things that Although it comes from the same plant as marijuana, it does not people come into it as skeptics carry the same psychoactive and they leave as repeat customers properties and has less than 0.3% because as soon as you try it you THC, the psychoactive and illegal realize it works,” he said. kwingert@messengernews.net

“The store’s been very well received. It’s been an overwhelmingly positive support.”

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert

SUNMED STORE MANAGER LINCOLN BATTCHER explains the benefits of CBD products to members of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.

WEBSTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Promote and improve health, quality of life and environment for Webster County * Care For Yourself * Child Care Nurse Consultants *Communicable Disease *Environmental Services *General Assistance *Hawki *Home Health *Immunizations/Flu Vaccine/Monkey Pox *I-Smile *I-Smile Silver *I-Smile School *Iowa Nutrition Network School Grant Program *Maternal Health *Teen Information Pregnancy Program *Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting *Women Infants and Children (WIC) *Public Health Emergency Preparedness *Hospital Preparedness CONTACT US 723 1st Ave S, Suite 220 Fort Dodge IA 50501 (515)-573-4107 public_health@webstercountyia.gov

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

MAKING POCAHONTAS COUNTY STRONGER Pocahontas Community Hospital renovates clinic, adds provider in 2023-24 By BILL SHEA

Beginning in August, a new podiatrist, Dr. Robert Ivey, will begin seeing patients there. He will work in Pocahontas and Storm Lake. “That’s big news when a rural hospital can recruit a new provider like that,” Roetman said. Pocahontas County became one of the first counties in Iowa to make emergency medical services a tax-supported essential service when voters approved of that by a roughly 78 percent majority during the November 2022 general election. The voters approved a property tax of 21 cents per $1,000 of taxable value and 1 percent income tax to support EMS. The current fiscal year was the first one in which that revenue start-

bshea@messengernews.net

OCAHONTAS — Going to a doctor’s office at the clinic attached to Pocahontas Community Hospital has a different look and feel to it. The clinic, built in 1995, was the site of a $2 million renovation job that is wrapping up. “It’s really nice,” said James Roetman, chief executive officer of the hospital. “We moved into about two-thirds of it and we should be into the entire clinic by the end of March.” He said the project added about 30 percent more space. It also created wider doorways and corridors to make the area more handicapped accessible.

“That’s big news when a rural hospital can recruit a new provider like that.” JAMES ROETMAN Chief executive officer Pocahontas Community Hospital ed flowing in. “It’s going great,” Roetman said. “We’re finding ways to make our EMS in Pocahontas County stronger.” Some of that money will be used to increase staffing. Some of it will also be used to buy

equipment. Roetman said a plan has been devised to keep the ambulance fleet up to date by buying a new one every three years. The first new one has been ordered and is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2025.

The leadership of Pocahontas Community Hospital has also found itself leading community discussions about the future of nursing home care in that city. The Pocahontas Manor Care Center located north of the hospital on Iowa Highway 4 closed in the spring of 2023. The hospital board voted to purchase the property. Roetman said the hospital board is committed to talking about the nursing home situation. The 25,000-square-foot nursing home was built in 1970. Roetman said two architects have inspected it and have advised that it is not suitable for renovation.

CFR Continued from Page 3D people who go through residential and then the halfway house-type programs like this recovery house, the likelihood of them staying sober is much higher,” De La Riva said. Amy Potts, who is the house manager for the women’s recovery house, knows all too well the challenges of recovering from substance addiction. She shared that she began using drugs and alcohol recreationally as a teenager and that it quickly grew into addiction. Potts said that when she became an adult, she did everything she could to make it look like she had control over her life — holding down a full-time job, paying bills — because she felt if she looked like she had it all together, it meant she wasn’t truly a drug addict or an alcoholic. “Eventually, my addiction caught up with me, and it had all the control,” she said. “I became a daily meth user and every day I was consumed with getting high.” In 2006, at age 24, Potts was sent to inpatient treatment at CFR. Though she was initially angry that she had been committed — because she wanted to seek help on her own terms — that was the turning point she needed. “The staff played a major role in helping me with my addiction,” she said. “They were understanding, patient and had compassion for helping people struggling with addictions.” It was during her time at CFR that Potts finally recognized her addictions. When Potts finished her in-patient treatment program, there were no women’s recovery or sober houses in the area, but CFR had helped her mend her relationships with her family and she was able to move in with family members who were safe and supportive of her recovery journey.

-Messenger file photos by Kelby Wingert

THE GREATER FORT DODGE GROWTH ALLIANCE hosted a ribbon cutting (below) and open house at Community

Custom Designed Memorials

A beautiful memorial celebrating the legacy of a life once lived.

Since 1921 1914 N. 15th St., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 • Phone: 515-576-7233 • Toll Free: 1-888-455-4367 • www.kjgems.com Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5 • Sat 9-Noon • By appointment as needed

Eventually, Potts went back to school and started working for CFR in 2012. “I am truly grateful to be working for the agency that helped me with my addiction,” she said. “Having a recovery house for women means a lot to me, both personally and professionally. Being in recovery myself, it gives me hope for fellow women in recovery to have the support they need in order to be successful in their recovery.” Professionally, she said, she’s grateful that CFR is able to better serve its female clients with a safe home. “Having a recovery environment for the women is an essential piece in their treatment,” she said. “I’m truly blessed to be a part of their journey and have been given the opportunity to manage the women’s recovery house.” Potts was the “perfect fit” for this role, De La Riva said. In overseeing the renovation of the house, Potts helped design and decorate and even got crafty and painted several decor signs with inspirational and motivational messages. “It’s always heartwarming when you see somebody come full circle,” De La Riva said. “Amy’s story is not different from many of our staff, but her heart and soul is in recovery and when you see the house, you feel it.” CFR opened the new men’s recovery house at the former priests’ home for Sacred Heart Church on Second Avenue South the year before. “Recovery is so important,” De La Riva said during an open house for the men’s recovery house in June 2022. “We know that one in 10 individuals are diagnosed with substance use disorder every single year, so it’s a very common condition. Having more opportunities is important and we’re glad to have Fort Dodge as our community just because we feel so welcomed.”

Sunday, January 21, 2024

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

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www.messengernews.net

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

Progress

Health & Wellness 2024

THE

essenger

-Submitted photo

U.S. SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY, R-IOWA, stands with a stethoscope pressed to his chest while Amy Palmer, senior clinic administrator at UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center, demonstrates how telehealth physicians use a stethoscope connected to their cart, so they can hear the patient’s heartbeat themselves. The Des Moines-based telehealth physician, Dr. Alex Cathy, told the senator that his heart sounded strong and healthy.

'SOMETHING SPECIAL'

UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge recognized with national honors By BILL SHEA

bshea@messengernews.net

nityPoint Health — Fort Dodge has about 1,000 employees at Trinity Regional Medical Center and all of its various clinics. They are the key to providing great health care to the community they serve, according to Leah Glasgo, the market president for UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. She said all those individuals bring their diverse talents together to create the organization the community relies on. “We really think that we have something special here,” Glasgo said. That special quality has been recognized over the past year with numerous national awards including: n The Pathway to Excellence designation for the fourth year in a row. n Top Place to Work Award from Becker’s Healthcare. n Stroke Gold Plus and Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze from the American Heart Association. n Best Employer Award from Forbes. The individual efforts of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge team members also received national and statewide honors.

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Dr. Elijah Miller, an orthopedic surgeon, received the 2022 Bob Green Memorial Award from the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics. Also, Anna Hewett and Mallory Nelson were named as Great Iowa Nurses. Hewett is the nursing supervisor in the wound healing center, while Nelson is the charge nurse in the critical care unit. Throughout the year, UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge also recognized its own team members with the ACE Award for outstanding acts, the DAISY Award for nurses and the ROSE Award for patient care technicians. UnityPoint worked to expand its community outreach efforts in 2023. “We really feel like it’s important to give back to our community,” Glasgo said. On April 19, the first Health Fair was held in the front lobby of Trinity Regional Medical Center. About 20 booths staffed by representatives of various clinics and hospital departments were set up there. Visitors could learn more about each department and meet health care providers. Another health fair is planned for this year, though the date has not been announced yet. Also in April, a free check for symptoms of oral, head and neck

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cancers was conducted in a partnership between the Norma Schmoker Cancer Center and the Iowa Central Community College dental hygiene program. About 60 people were examined. Another community outreach event provided sneakers to about 290 middle school students in Fort Dodge. This was done in August in partnership with Athletics for Education and Success and local businesses. The Back to School New Shoes effort started in 2022 with sixth-graders, In 2023, it was expanded to sixth through eighth grades. In 2024, UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge will continue to focus on employee retention and satisfaction. Recruiting more physicians and other health care providers will also be a priority. To recruit future generations of health care workers, UnityPoint Health will continue to reach out to students as young as middle schoolers with initiatives such as nurse camp. “We recognize that you have to drive interest early,” said Shannon McQuillen, vice president for ancillary services. “It is our responsibility to make sure we are in front of those students to talk about the importance of health care,” she added.

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Lake City native Dr. Julia Richardson joins Stewart Memorial Community Hospital By DARCY DOUGHERTY MAULSBY

-Messenger photos by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby

STEWART MEMORIAL C O M M U N I T Y HOSPITAL is one of the largest employers in the area. “By having a critical access hospital associated with our rural health clinics at Stewart Memorial and McCraryRost, Calhoun County residents benefit through community service programs reaching more than 5,300 citizens,” said Theresa Hildreth, the Calhoun County Economic Development executive director.

editor@messengernews.net

AKE CITY — Profound childhood experiences can leave a lifelong impact and even shape a career. That’s true for Dr. Julia (Collison) Richardson, who grew up in Lake City and has returned to her hometown to begin her medical career at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH). “Both of my parents Dr. Julia are vetRichardson e r i n a r i ans, so a lot of our dinner-table conversations when I was growing up revolved around science, medicine and diagnostic discussions,” said Richardson, 31. “This got me interested in medicine in general.” While she was no stranger to seeing medical procedures performed on animals at her parents’ clinic, she remembers how scary it was when she had to deal with some unexplained leg and ankle pain at age 9. “I was hospitalized at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines,” she said. “What made the biggest impression on me was a female doctor who was very kind.”

That experience fueled Richardson’s interest in medicine. After graduating from Southern Cal High School in Lake City in 2010, Richardson enrolled at Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames, where her father, Vince, and mother, Jane, earned their veterinary medicine degrees. While she wasn’t quite sure what career path she wanted to follow, Richardson earned an agricultural business degree in 2015. By that point, she decided her interest in rural communities and a desire to serve others might fit well with a career in medicine. “I’ve always loved to learn,” Richardson said. “I wanted a career that would

be intellectually stimulating, allow me to build relationships with others and have a positive impact on people’s lives. Medicine is a perfect blend of those things.” She enrolled at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine and thought she would focus on pediatrics. “I enjoy working with kids,” said Richardson, who is raising her son, Joshua, and twin daughters, Charlotte and Grace, in Lake City with her husband, Michael. As she progressed in her studies, however, Richardson discovered that she really enjoyed obstetrics, as well as pediatrics. “Practicing family med-

“It’s meaningful to me to practice medicine close to home and serve others. I want to help keep our local communities strong.” DR. JULIA RICHARDSON Stewart Memorial Community Hospital icine allows me to do both,” she said. “There’s a special sense of community here” After finishing her studies at the University of Iowa in 2020, Richardson entered the Lincoln Family Medicine Residency Program in Nebraska. This three-year program helps prepare doctors to work in rural health care practices. “This was a unique opportunity to work closely with full-spectrum, family medicine in the rural Midwest,” Richardson said. “I enjoy all ages of people and all aspects of medicine that you work with in a rural area.” This expertise is needed now more than ever in rural communities across Iowa and America. By some estimates, Iowa has the lowest number of obgyns per capita in the entire United States. Small, rural communities are the hardest hit by those deficiencies. Stewart Memorial is bucking the trend, however. After completing her residency, Richardson accepted an offer to join the medical team at SMCH, which recently completed a $32 million Putting People First renovation/expansion project in Lake City.

The Putting People First campaign is helping SMCH improve the overall patient experience, broaden available health care services, recruit and retain talented medical staff, and serve as a catalyst for economic development. The project incorporates an expanded, modern emergency room; a spacious, rehab-services therapy facility with an array of exercise and therapy equipment, private treatment rooms and more; and additional space for women’s health services. “When we broke ground in September 2020, our goal was to expand SMCH’s medical services, as well as improve efficiency, safety, security and privacy throughout the hospital,” said Cindy Carstens, former chief executive officer of SMCH. “It has been exciting to see all this become a reality.” In addition, Stewart Memorial remains one of the largest employers in the area. In 2022, the hospital generated more than 440 jobs that added $30,105,679 to Calhoun County’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association. This number reflects 22.11 percent of all wages distributed in Calhoun County in 2022.

“By having a critical access hospital associated with our rural health clinics at Stewart Memorial and McCrary-Rost, Calhoun County residents benefit through community service programs reaching more than 5,300 citizens,” said Theresa Hildreth, the Calhoun County Economic Development executive director. “When we look at economic development, the total number of jobs and the total wages this health care organization provides is vital to the stability and future of economic development throughout Calhoun County.” Providing high-quality care, close to home Richardson, who began seeing patients at Stewart Memorial in mid-September 2023, is pleased to provide rural health care close to home. “Calhoun County is a great place,” she said. “There’s a special sense of community here.” The local landscape itself also inspires Richardson and helped draw her back home. “Rural Iowa is so beautiful,” she said. “I love seeing the wide-open spaces.” While Richardson enjoys the amenities of the larger communities where she’s lived, she and her family appreciate the quality of life in her hometown. (It’s a plus that her husband grew up nearby in Glidden.) “I like the slower, simpler way of life, and no traffic congestion,” she said. Richardson looks forward to growing her career at Stewart Memorial. “Everyone has been so welcoming,” she said. “It’s meaningful to me to practice medicine close to home and serve others. I want to help keep our local communities strong.”

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Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Humboldt County Memorial Hospital opens mental health center By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

UMBOLDT — In recent years, Humboldt County Memorial Hospital has prioritized mental health and wellness services and to meet the needs of its community, the hospital built a new 3,000-squarefoot addition to serve as the new home for these services. Construction on the $1.7 million HCMH Mental Health and Wellness Center broke ground on Sept. 2, 2022, and on April 14, 2023, the hospital hosted a ribbon cutting and open house to mark its completion. “This might have exceeded my expectations,” said HCMH Chief Executive Officer Michelle Sleiter. “As I look at the finished product with the furniture in it, it’s really creating a home-like, comfortable, calming environment for the individuals who utilize this service.” With four mental health therapy and counseling providers, the hospital sees about 100 patients each week, Sleiter said. Currently, there are also about 50 patients on the waiting list to be seen. “Obviously, if a patient’s in crisis, we’ll squeeze them in and we make it happen,” she said. She added that it’s hard on the current providers to know there are so many patients who still need help. Sleiter believes that the new space, which was specifically designed to house a mental health center, will help her with recruiting more providers to be able to help more patients. Overall, the hospital’s goal was to create a warm and welcoming space for its mental health patients. “We want people to be able to come into it and feel like they can let their guard down and know they’re safe in this space,” said Chief Nursing Officer Victor Bycroft. The addition was also designed to fit in seamlessly to the rest of the hospital that surrounds it, Bycroft said. “It blends in, so it really looks like this was always here,” he said. When the hospital’s Therapy and Counseling center was established in July 2019 with the hiring of one full-time licensed mental health counselor, the hospital just found existing space within the hospital campus to provide the service. In April 2020, space was added to accommodate an additional provider by taking square footage from the ER and infusion waiting room. However, a year later the hospital found that the space was once again needed by the ER and infusion waiting room, Sleiter told The Messenger in December 2021. The facility is all-new construction that now covers where a grassy hill once sat between the surgical center and Springvale Assisted Living. The construction wrapped up about two weeks ago, Bycroft said. The four current mental health providers in the office — Nolan Vitzthum, Erin Fiala, Jessica Lantz and Laurie Dobrinich — officially moved into the new space on Thursday. For Vitzthum, the crown jew-

-Messenger file photos by Kelby Wingert

ABOVE: The Humboldt County Memorial Hospital’s new Mental Health and Wellness Center is ready to welcome patients and held an open house on April 14, 2023. Pictured from left are: HCMH Chief Nursing Officer Victor Byrocft, HCMH Chief Executive Officer Michelle Sleiter, therapist Nolan Vitzthum, therapist Laurie Dobrinich, therapist Jessica Lantz and therapist Erin Fiala. LEFT: The new Mental Health and Wellness Center at Humboldt County Memorial Hospital features a family therapy room. BELOW: Humboldt County Memorial Hospital child therapist Nolan Vitzthum was able to design a play therapy room in the new Mental Health and Wellness Center.

el of the project is the new play therapy room. “Play therapy is evidence-based, which means it has a lot of research behind it,” she said. Children ages 3 through adolescence use play therapy to express abstract thoughts and feelings. “In play therapy, play is the language and the toys are their words,” Vitzthum said. “And it’s my job as the play therapist to really pick up on feelings, metaphors, symbolism and really reflect that back to the kid or to help them process through ev-

erything.” Vitzthum said she modeled her play therapy room after spaces at the University of Northern Texas, which is a leading researcher for play therapy. The play therapy room in the former site for the counseling center wasn’t even half the size of the new one, she added. The play therapy room also has a camera that is connected to a closed-circuit screen in Vitzthum’s office so she can observe patients interacting with their parents without distracting the child with her presence.

One of the top features Sleiter wanted in the new space was sound-proofing — patients want assurance that when they’re talking to their therapist, someone standing outside the door can’t eavesdrop. The space was built with sound baffling in the walls, as well as a “white noise” audio system throughout the offices and hallways. The doors to all the rooms are also sealed to shut out noise. “Privacy is huge,” Bycroft said. Another privacy feature that

the Mental Health and Wellness Center has is a private exit so patients don’t have to walk through the waiting room to leave after their therapy appointment. “Counseling absolutely can be very emotional and they don’t want to walk back by everybody else,” Bycroft said. Other new rooms in the space include a family counseling room and a telehealth room. Though the new center just opened, Sleiter is already looking at expanding — she’s looking to hire at least one more counseling provider, as well as a nurse practitioner to work alongside the counselors to manage medication for patients. Because of the size of the staff, Bycroft added, they also plan to hire an office manager. If the hospital eventually sees the need for more mental health providers and needs the space, there is space to build onto the new addition and add another 2,000 square feet, Sleiter said. The facility was designed by Atura Architecture of Clear Lake, and was built by Sande Construction & Supply Co., of Humboldt. The project was funded through grants, support from the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital Foundation and an interest-free loan from Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

FRIENDS CARING FOR FRIENDS Dayton nonprofit will care for pets in surrounding counties By HAILEY BRUESCHKE

editor@messengernews.net

AYTON — The Best Friend Project realizes the roles that pets play in an individual’s speedy recovery, so its goal is to make sure owners and best friends do not get separated. If an individual doesn’t have friends or family able to step in and watch their pet while in treatment for mental health or substance abuse, they are normally taken by animal control to a designated shelter or pound. Once the owner is out of treatment, that individual is then responsible for paying to get their pet. Often, the owner is unable to afford to pay for the bill. The Best Friend Project, a new nonprofit in Dayton, is willing to drive to any community in Webster County and the surrounding counties to pick up a beloved pet and care for them while their owner gets the care they need. Owners can feel confident that their best friends are being well cared for during their recovery at the Best Friend Project at the Dayton Doggie Dude Ranch. “As an animal lover, but also a person with experience with mental illness that has used my experience to become a peer support specialist and mental health advocate, this project has become more than a passion of mine, it has become my determination, and I am determined to watch it succeed,” said Sarah Peters, project director. Peters already owned the Dayton Doggie Dude Ranch, which is a dog boarding facility and doggie daycare. “I had the building, I have the training and I realized I had the capability of making a difference,” she said. The project does not change how she does her original business. The boarding at the Dude Ranch is what helps provide income to help maintain the building and pay expenses. “Boarding with us at the Dude Ranch is a wonderful way to support the Best Friend Project,” added Peters. Since beginning in the summer, the Best Friend Project has received about one call per week and has been sheltering animals anywhere between 30 days and six months. “The response we have received since the beginning of August has shown that the project is not only needed in our state, but is long overdue,” said Peters. The project also benefits Dayton by bringing more attention to the rural community. “Do you ever hear people say where is Dayton?” asked Peters. “We hear it all the time at the community outreach events we attend promoting our program. Our answer is always, Dayton is in the heart of north central Iowa, and it is not just the home to the Dayton Rodeo but also the Dayton Doggie Dude Ranch.” As part of its outreach program, Peters has been able to set up informational booths at different events throughout Iowa. At those events, they are then able to hear firsthand from peers who could have benefited from these services, had they been available during their treatment. Some even lost their pets. “It is truly touching and heartbreaking. It is what drives us to keep this project going,” said Peters. “Imagine if you lost your pet during a hospital stay? How would that affect you? Now imagine that hospital stay was for mental health or substance use recovery.” Many peers stated that finding care for their best friends was a reason they delayed treatment or hesitated to get help, including the peers that they are currently assisting through their program.

-Submitted photo

AUSTIN AND HIS DOG SASHA share some bonding time as Sarah Peters, Best Friends Project director, looks on. Sasha has been staying at the Dayton Doggie Dude Ranch as a part of The Best Friends Project. Austin received inpatient treatment at Community and Family Resources in Fort Dodge, and the project is providing continued support to both Austin and Sasha while he continues his journey.

“The response we have received since the beginning of August has shown that the project is not only needed in our state, but is long overdue.” SARAH PETERS Best Friend Project director The Fort Dodge Community Foundation has given the project a community impact grant of $5,000. This grant is made available through the Grow Greene County Gaming Corp. in Jefferson, which provides the Fort Dodge Community Foundation with grant funds for the purpose of improving the quality of life in communities in Fort Dodge and Webster County. The Best Friend Project is spreading the word about its services through the Department of Health and Human Services, UnityPoint Health and other organizations that assist with providing treatment for mental health or substance abuse. The project is normally contacted by a case worker, law enforcement or a peer-run program at a treatment facility. If an individual or family reaches out about care, they will need to provide verification that the pet’s owner is going into treatment. The service is also extended to those who are actively involved in a treatment program, also known as integrated home health, and receive care on a daily basis.

“There’s no application to fill out, they just need to meet those requirements and then we can come in and we just have them fill out a form giving us permission to care for their pet, including veterinarian care,” Peters said. For more information about the Best Friend Proj-

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Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

-Submitted photo illustration/CMBA Architects

THIS CMBA ARCHITECTS RENDERING shows the front side of the hospital in the current master plan proposal. Loring Hospital is named after Frank W. Loring, who left most of his estate for the building and endowing of a hospital in Sac City.

FULFILLING A MASTER PLAN Loring Hospital shaping renovation for patient care of the future By DOUG CLOUGH editor@messengernews.net

AC CITY — For nearly three years, Loring Hospital has been preparing for renovations to support the needs of both patient care and employee’s ability to support that care. Early discussions of the project began in 2021, when the hospital embarked on what it referred to as its “masMatt ter plan” — Johnson a long-term plan that involved strategically exploring ways to optimize the space and overall flow of the hospital to ensure the best patient experience for years to come. Since then, Loring’s Board of Directors, Foundation Trustees, and staff — along with input from community members — have been working to transform Loring Hospital into a facility that will meet the hospital’s current needs and anticipated needs of the future. Plans for the project include enhanced outpatient service areas, such as rehabilitation therapy, pulmonary and cardiac rehab, dia-

betes and nutrition services, as well as specialty outpatient clinics. The project also includes a new primary provider clinic that will optimize the delivery of patient care. “There have been many changes in health care, particularly rural health care, over the past several years,” said Matt Johnson, the hospital’s chief executive officer. “Keeping up with those changes, and meeting the needs of patients in our current facility, has become increasingly challenging. As part of this exciting venture, certain spaces have been identified as key areas for growth and enhancement. The new addition and renovations to the current structure will allow our remarkable team to better serve our patients both now and well into the future.” The project — which was officially approved by the Loring Hospital Board of Directors in June 2023 — is being funded through hospital funds, a United States Department of Agriculture low-interest loan, a local loan, and a community-wide capital campaign that is set to kick off in the spring, along with a groundbreaking ceremony. “On behalf of all of us at Loring Hospital, we would like to thank our loyal community members for your

-Submitted photo illustration/CMBA Architects

LORING HOSPITAL has been working with CMBA Architects out of Sioux City on their master plan for renovation. This rendering shows an iteration of the hospital’s future reception area.

ongoing support — especially as we navigate the construction process in upcoming months,” Johnson said. “Thank you for making Loring Hospital your local hospital of choice. We invite you to follow our journey as we work to create an optimal environment of health care serving

our community for years to come.” Loring Hospital is named after Frank W. Loring, who left most of his estate for the building and endowing of a hospital in Sac City. Loring aimed to have a hospital, which would be fully approved by the American Medical Association

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so it would be patronized ble the signing of contracts by members of the medical on April 1966 for the new profession and community. hospital addition. The present site was purGroundbreaking ceremochased and included a large nies for the new addition frame house which opened were held on May 1, 1966. under the name of Loring On July 18, 1967, patients Hospital in 1942, primarily were transas a materferred from nity house. the old faIn the late cility to the 1940s, the new addition trustees conand remodtinued to eling startwork hard ed to convert to follow the old unit through on into an exthe dreams tended care of Loring. unit. Loring Another individual, Dr. Care Center C.D. Gibadmitted its son, was infirst resident strumenon Jan. 18, tal in fund1968. raising and In 1996, promoting L o r i n g the building Hospital of the hoslaunched a pital. Gencapital fund erous donadrive to tions from build an outSac Counpatient clinty residents ic to connect were added the hospital to the estate with Medifunds, and cal Associconstrucates, PPMC. tion of the After carehospital befully studygan in 1948 by McCorking all the le Construcoptions, intion Co. The cluding rennew 32-bed ovation of Loring Hosthe existMATT JOHNSON pital held its ing facility, CEO, Loring Hospital the most efopen house on Sunday, ficient, paAug. 20, tient-con1950. venient and In Decost-effective option was to cember 1965, architecturconstruct a new outpatient al sketches of a 33-bed addition to Loring Hospital facility. Loring Hospital receives were revealed to the public. Aided by many vol- no funds from tax levies unteers, a successful fi- and is supported strictly nancial drive was conduct- from funds generated from ed, with donations being its ongoing business enteradded to the Loring Trust. prises and by the generosThis campaign made possi- ity of the citizens it serves.

“There have been many changes in health care, particularly rural health care, over the past several years. ... The new addition and renovations to the current structure will allow our remarkable team to better serve our patients both now and well into the future.”

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

MAKING FORT DODGE BETTER Community Foundation, United Way find new ways to help By BILL SHEA

bshea@messengernews.net

or the staff of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way, 2023 was a very busy year. The foundation scored some significant successes. It received a $200,000 grant to help fund crime-fighting efforts. It also played a key role in getting a Safe Haven Baby Box in Fort Dodge, the first one of its kind in Iowa. The United Way side of the operation worked hard throughout the year helping a growing number of families struggling with homelessness.

“The number of people in 2023 that needed assistance has more than doubled from the previous year.” RANDY KUHLMAN CEO, Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way

Community Foundation The Community Foundation manages 140 different funds, most of which are set up to provide money for specific purposes or causes. In 2023, those funds collectively made $1.8 million worth of grants to various agencies and projects. Early in 2023, the foundation and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office applied for a $72,000 federal grant for crime prevention programs. The two organizations later received stunning news. Instead of the sought-after $72,000, they would be receiving $200,000. And to top it off, there would be no local matching funds required. While no one is entirely sure why the U.S. Department of Justice awarded a grant that was so much bigger than what was applied for, Randy Kuhlman, the chief executive officer of the Foundation and

-Messenger file photos by Kelby Wingert

ABOVE: Randy Kuhlman, CEO of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way, welcomes guests to the blessing and ribbon cutting for the newly-installed Safe Haven Baby Box at the Fort Dodge Fire Department on Oct. 12, 2023. The Community Foundation played a key role in getting a Safe Haven Baby Box in Fort Dodge, the first one of its kind in Iowa. LEFT: Terry Evans, Emergency Medical Services supervisor at the Fort Dodge Fire Department, places an infant mannequin in the newlyinstalled Safe Haven Baby Box during a demonstration in October 2023.

United Way, has a theory. He said he believes the various community outreach programs included in the grant application were a factor. “Ours was really about engaging the community in the process,” he said. “Ours was more of a community-based approach.” Some of the grant money will be used by the Sheriff’s Office to pay licensing fees for technology that will help them access locked cell phones after obtaining search warrants.

The rest of the grant money will pay for outreach and educational efforts by the Fort Dodge — Webster County Safe Communities Coalition, which was started by the Community Foundation. The baby box, built into the north wall of the Fort Dodge firehouse at 1515 Central Ave., provides a place where a parent could surrender their baby with no questions asked. The infant would be placed in the box and an alarm would notify the firefighters that a baby was there.

The infant would be taken to UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center and would eventually be handed over to state officials who would begin the process of getting the child adopted. “That was really a collaborative effort,” Kuhlman said. He said about $40,000 was raised in two to three weeks to pay for the box. “It is one of those good positive things for Fort Dodge,” he added. The foundation is one of 17 certified communi-

ty foundations in Iowa. In June it was re-accredited by the National Council on Foundations. United Way The local United Way is focused on helping families with children that are struggling financially. It was a busy year on that front, according to Kuhlman. “The number of people in 2023 that needed assistance has more than doubled from the previous year,” he said. “Those families that are

just on the cusp of making it are really struggling,” he said. Inflation in basic living expenses is the root of the problem, he said. For example, he said rent prices increased an average of 20 percent statewide. The United Way has been helping those families with things like money to pay utility bills so that their utilities don’t get shut off. In 2023, the local United Way made $350,000 worth of grants to help struggling families.

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-Messenger file photo by Kelby Wingert

WEBSTER COUNTY SHERIFF LUKE FLEENER, left, and Fort Dodge Police Chief Dennis Quinn answered questions posed by community members at the Webster County Safe Communities Coalition Town Hall at the Laramar Ballroom in October 2023. The Fort Dodge Community Foundation partnered with the Webster County Sheriff's Office to secure a $200,000 grant to help fund crime-fighting efforts.

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The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea

THE IOWA SPECIALTY HOSPITALS & CLINICS FACILITY in Fort Dodge received a facade overhaul in the past year, changing the look of the building’s front.

RESPONDING TO THE BABY BOOM Iowa Specialty works to address obstetrics needs By BILL SHEA

bshea@messengernews.net

“You’ve got to maintain your integrity and keep your eye on the prize, and the prize is quality and service.”

LARION — One of the busiest areas inside the Clarion facility of Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics is the obstetrics unit where babies are born. In 2022, 612 babies came into the world there. And in 2023, the hospital was on pace to surpass that number. That is a lot of births for a rural hospital, according to Steve Simonin, president and chief executive officer of Iowa Specialty. To accommodate the baby boom, some renovations were made and are nearing completion. The obstetrics unit was expanded to include eight labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms. A couple of other elements of the hospital were moved to new places inside the building to make way for the bigger obstetrics unit. The administration offices were relocated and the orthopedics clinic went into the spot where those offices were. “It’s just switching things around up here without adding brick and mortar,” Simonin said. The heating and air conditioning system

STEVE SIMONIN President and CEO of Iowa Specialty was also upgraded in the Clarion hospital. Iowa Specialty’s hospital in Belmond was expanded in 2012, but some renovations were done there this year. Simonin said an MRI machine was placed in an area that was once an ambulance bay. Some recovery rooms for outpatient surgery were also added. In addition to the two hospitals and the clinics within them, Iowa Specialty has nine other clinics throughout the region. They are in Ames, Boone, Clear Lake, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Garner, Hampton, Rockwell and Webster City. The Fort Dodge clinic is at 2700 First

Ave. S. The front facade of that building got a makeover in 2023. Simonin joked that before the work was done, the building looked like an auto parts store. “That was in desperate need of cleaning up,” he said. He added that the Fort Dodge clinic is “just crazy busy.” Throughout its system, Iowa Specialty has about 800 employees, according to Simonin. He said recently that the hospital has been hiring social workers and nurse practitioners to provide mental health services. He said about 20 have been hired.

He added that as soon as they start working, their appointment schedules are completely filled. “That speaks to the need in the community,” he said. To meet its future workforce needs, Iowa Specialty has been reaching out to local high schools and even middle schools. Iowa Specialty offers eight-week summer intern programs to introduce young people to the clinical and food service aspects of health care. This year will be the third summer for the internships. About 20 youths can participate. “It’s a nice academic program,” Simonin said. The goal of the building projects and workforce initiatives is ultimately to provide quality care. “You’ve got to maintain your integrity and keep your eye on the prize, and the prize is quality and service,” Simonin said. He wants the staff to treat anyone who comes into an Iowa Specialty facility like a member of their own family. “I think people like what they see when they come here,” he added. “It’s a place where people feel comfortable. We want to make it as comfortable as possible.” “I think we have the attention of a lot of people out there,” he said.

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The Kaleidoscope Factory The Indian Princess Statue at Princess Park Rialto Theater • Golf

Visit pocahontasiowa.com to ﬁnd retail stores, restaurants, parks, landmarks, recreational opportunities and much more!

Iowa's Healthy Pregnancy Program is a FREE service available statewide and provides education and support to pregnant and postpartum women. Healthy Pregnancy Program services are extra services clients receive beyond g what is included in prenatal care. THE HEALTHY PREGNANCY PROGRAM OFFERS SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING: *No Insurance / Underinsured *Transportation Barriers *Oral health concerns

*Poor social situations *Mental health concerns *Food or housing needs

*Breastfeeding difficulties *Need for extra health education *Substance use disorder

For more information please call or email Sara Carspecken at 515-573-4107 or sara.carspecken@webstercountyia.gov

603 Hwy. 10 W., Laurens, IA 50554 Phone: 712-845-2634 Fax: 712-845-4506 WWW.FISHERHYDRAULICS.COM

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Community Health Center

The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa www.messengernews.net

All of us are here, for all of you

We accept people as they are and help them to live the life they want to live. Our services include

12,907* patients

experienced our care last year

*Fort Dodge, Mason City, Dayton & Eagle Grove locations combined. 12,907 patients accounted for 38,254 visits across all locations and departments.15,798 Medical Visits, 11,931 Dental Visits, 10,525 Behavioral Health Visits Source: Iowa Primary Care Associaton, InConcertCare and IowaHealth+ Impact Report September 2023

(but are not limited to) • Primary Care for Children and Adults • Dental Care for Children and Adults • Behavioral Health Services for Children and Adults • Inhouse Pharmacy - Coming Soon • Laboratory Services • Translation/Interpretation Services • Chronic Care Management • Specialist Referrals • On-Site Social Worker • Eligibility and Enrollment Assistance • Health Education • Care Management Services Visit our website at chcfd.com for details

Medical

Lisa Chase ARNP

Ann Feser ARNP

Jennifer Pudenz ARNP Dayton

Tayler Rasch ARNP

Stephanie Haines LPN

Jennifer Spencer LPN

Kelsy Christensen CMA, RT(R) Eagle Grove

Rose Johnson CMA Care Coordinator

Tammy Christensen RDA, Dental Clinic Manager

Erika Bowman DDS

Thaylan Bowman DDS

Marcela Paulino DaCosta DDS

Kimberly Anderson RDA Eagle Grove

Donna Christensen RDA Eagle Grove

Whitney Fisher RDA

Gabriela Gomez-Castilo RDA

Lynnette Heatherington RDA

Alexis Laing DA

Anna Modeland Digital Dental Tech

Cassie Schultz DA Eagle Grove

Jodi Michehl Care Coordinator

Angela Crosby LMHC

Bonni Herpst LISW

Kirsten Olson LISW

Savannah Adkins tLMHC

Rachel Fors LPN

Elizabeth Stoebe DO Medical Director

Janet Secor DO

Lindsey Frazier MLT

Fort Dodge/Eagle Grove

Jennifer Zigrang ARNP

Kathy Peterson RN Medical Clinic Supervisor

Brandi Carlson LPN

Jan Remsburg CMA, Care Coordinator

Carmon Slininger LPN

Michelle Thompson Care Coordinator

Jen Zuetlau CMA

Steven Schumacher DMD Eagle Grove

Kelsey Christensen RDH

Sydney Hensley RDH

Mary Larrabee RDH

Bethanie Ratcliff RDH Eagle Grove

Pam Scharf RDA

Crystal Stevens RDA

Haven Tague RDA

Taylor Castaneda DA

Annie Grady DA

Roxanne Fevold LMHC, CADC, Behavioral Health Director

Brian Ayersman PMHNP Eagle Grove

Holly McClintock PMHNP

Eileen Meier PMHNP

Katie Riehl PMHNP

Linsey Albright tLMHC

Kimberly Bair LPN

Sydnie Bauch CMA

Brandy Gibbons CMA

Debra Delp RN Care Coordinator

Linnea Newell Social Worker

Renae Kruckenberg CEO

Mitch Stewart CFO

Colleen Miller COO

Annie Wolfe Administrative Assistant

Jana Woodruff Controller/ Credentialing Specialist

Cassy George Benefits and Recruitment

Dental

Behavioral

Pharmacy

Administration

Alyssa Vitzthum Social Worker

Hannah Miller PharmD

Corey Crosby Risk Management Infection Control

Amy McCollough RN, Data Quality Coordinator

Sarah Smith RN, Clinic Quality Coordinator

Meredith Whitmer Revenue Cycle Manager

Misty Middleton Billing

Cara Ford Coder

Lyndsey Frazier Dental Billing

Christie Knapp Billing

Samantha Kruckenberg Project Manager

Joshua Hannagan IT Specialist

Regina Suhrbier Outreach Coordinator

Amy Shannon Front Desk Supervisor

Josie Huss Health Navigator

Rhonda McFadden Financial Advocate

LaShawn Garberding Medical Records

Amanda Seehusen Medical Records

Emmett McCogadh Reception

Kaley Feser Reception

Christie Murray Reception Dayton

Wendy Terpstra Operator

We are open to all, regardless of insurance

Laurie Towne Reception

Michelle Vought Reception

Dina Figueroa Clinic Supervisor Eagle Grove

Fort Dodge Clinic

126 North 10th Street • 515-576-6500

Ana Breceda Reception Eagle Grove

Melissa Ries Reception/CMA Eagle Grove

status. We accept patients who are uninsured, underinsured and accept most private insurance. We have a sliding fee scale for those who qualify. Sî, hablamos español.

Dayton Clinic

24 South Main Street • 515-547-2974

New location in Clarion opening in spring of 2024!

CHCFD.COM

Eagle Grove Clinic

306 W Broadway • 515-293-8111