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nytime Dan Auflick dons his Evergreen Health shirt in public, he proudly points to it and tells people, “I work at Evergreen, and I manage the syringe exchange.” He uses every interaction to advocate for the health and safety of people who use drugs, and he greets perplexed looks with a conversation about ending the stigma. In the latest Team
Evergreen interview, Dan talks to us about what it’s like to manage a syringe exchange program and how Evergreen encourages patients to raise their voices in Albany. What, exactly, does a syringe exchange program manager do? In a nutshell, I manage the dayto-day operations of Evergreen’s syringe exchange program in Buffalo. We have a satellite office in Jamestown and a mobile unit that goes out on a weekly basis to various locations across Western New York to offer clean needles and injection tools. A lot of my time is spent working with people to exchange syringes and other equipment to make drug use safer. I engage with patients to see what their needs are, and I use their feedback to inform programming and community partnerships. Can you tell us more about the syringe exchange program? The work we do focuses on overdose prevention, safer drug use and raising awareness of Naloxone, a medication used to counteract the effects of an overdose. We make sure that people who use drugs know about Naloxone and are trained to use it in the event of an overdose. On top of providing training, we also talk to people about safer ways of using. If you’re using alone, we might ask, “Is there someone you can use with to reduce the risk of overdose?” We may also ask about how much someone uses or what their patterns of use are, because those factors can have a huge impact on someone’s risk of overdosing. We focus on helping people be healthier while engaging in behavior that’s associated with risk. What’s the best part of your job? We’re at the forefront of advocacy with a focus on educating people in the community about what’s happening in the world relative to substance use, overdosing and the political trends surrounding those topics. That alone is amazing. But being so close to patients with lived experience is like nothing else.
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What’s one of the most difficult parts of your job? One of the biggest challenges is the social climate and stigma that surrounds substance use and people who use drugs. The world is a very scary, stigmatizing place for someone who is actively using, regardless of whether they’re trying to use less or seek treatment. We can participate in advocacy initiatives and sit down with people around the clock, but at the end of the day, they still have to go out into the world. How does Evergreen work to overcome that stigma? In the Harm Reduction Center, patients can volunteer to take trips to Albany with our staff. During those trips, they advocate for the passage of laws aimed at decriminalizing syringe possession and getting medications covered that help with substance use disorder. It’s cool to be able to see the patients you work with on a day-to-day basis stand up and vocalize their own experiences. Talking about it has a real impact on people and politicians who have no idea how these issues affect someone’s daily life. What were you doing before you started at Evergreen? I worked at the Matt Urban Center on the East Side. They do a wide variety of human services programming. Think of any community need, and chances are Matt Urban does it. My work was specifically around homelessness and outreach services, including housing and other basic needs. Why did you make the switch? I knew a couple of people that worked at Evergreen, and I knew the reputation Evergreen had in terms of its services, operations and values. That drew me here. The opportunity came at a good time, and it really fit something I’m passionate about. And what is that something that you’re passionate about? Having a harm reduction lens and letting patients drive the decisions. Empowering people to make their own choices about their health is not something you get in a lot of places. Weserve a diverse set of people from Jamestown to Buffalo, and it’s not homogeneous. As an organization, Evergreen is really good about understanding that progress looks different for every person. We try to figure out what a person needs and work with
them on an individualized basis. Why did you decide to go into social work? I think a lot of people who work at Evergreen and in human services have some sort of life experience that has impacted why they do what they do. For me, it was having family who faced substance use issues and overdosing. But even now, the things we work on with people every day are intrinsic motivators to get more involved. What did you want to be when you grew up? I have always been interested in larger social issues and social justice, which is why I studied sociology at Binghamton. On top of that, Russian culture and history have always enamored me, and I actually had my sights set on learning Russian and using that in some capacity. In a different life, I might have continued my studies and worked overseas in human rights. When you’re not advocating for human rights, how do you spend your time? I have two little girls, and I spend a lot of time trying to get my four-year-old to eat — she refuses. Some mornings, I enjoy riding my bike to work…but it usually depends on whether or not my daughter wants to eat her yogurt. I also like to run and play soccer recreationally, and I go to the Buffalo Zoo, Tifft Nature Preserve and Delaware Park with my wife and kids. If I can fit any of those things in after getting my daughter to eat something, it’s a successful day. What are you proud of? My little sister just became an RN, and I’m super proud of her because she has been through a lot of struggles in her life and has come a long way. I’m also proud of my wife. She knows that I’m very passionate about my career, and she has always been supportive. And lastly, I’m proud to say I work at Evergreen. I love working in a place that is really focused on meeting people’s needs.
We love your enthusiasm, Dan! Thanks for all you do for Evergreen and our patients.
If you're ever confused about our Clinical Systems team and what they do - think of them as the experts on the software we use to collect data for and on our patients. They can customize our data, troubleshoot problems and provide training. The team will also oversee AIRS, which has recently been assigned to them to oversee as well. In a nutshell, the team makes sure all our systems are customized to capture the data we need.
Each team member has a different area of expertise, so the best way to explain how they work is to
talk about each of them:
Alyssa Sherman is our head trainer, particularly in Medent, and Medent administrator. Chances
are, if you’re looking at something in Medent - she built it. But she can answer questions about Penelope and other systems, so she can provide a wide range of support.
Amanda Thornton has a really great understanding of the end user since she just came from being
one in our STI clinic. Amanda is now training people in Medent, Penelope, Psykes and more. She’s also sending out tutorials and updates them when our systems change. They are very useful, so make sure you look out for them!
Stephanie Mineo is the administrator of Penelope. Other people on the team might answer questions
on this, but when someone is really stumped, you can guarantee it will end up with Stephanie. She does
trouble-shooting, security, builds custom documents - anything our Penelope users need. Stephanie also helps monitor what’s happening in Medent, so that the CS team can make sure it’s accessible to you.
David Setlock is the one who handles all the specialized hardware we need to use with these
systems. Any time a new team is brought into Medent or another system, Dave is involved with making sure they have the technology they need. One of the big things Dave implemented was bringing secure print into Medent. Our secure print software is called “Papercut”. This was so difficult to figure out that Medent and Papercut both called Dave and asked him how he did it!
Christina Mihalitsas is the department's director who leads this great team. She is a true team
player. When you talk to her you can see right away that she's at the center of it all and always trying to provide her team with the tools they need to succeed. She is the glue that holds it all together and even refers to herself as a traffic director. Christina explains that her most important role is to support the growth of the people on her team, and that motivation permeates the whole team, who are always ready to help.
Hey supervisors, we're here to help your teams! Christina's team can monitor how people are
using all of our systems to identify where employees may be struggling and provide assistance on how to improve workflows. For example, if they see that the same error keeps occurring they can provide as solution. If you're a supervisor who would like to set up monitoring for your team, you can submit a Help Desk ticket. Ultimately, everyone on this team backs each other up, and is continually motivated by creating systems that make as much sense to the end user as possible. If you have questions or need help, they will come to the rescue!
— Heather Wilson
Photo (l-r): Alyssa Sherman AKA Captain Medent, Amanda Thornton AKA Training Superhero, David Setlock AKA Super Office Man, Stephanie Mineo AKA Master of Penelope, Christina Mihalitsas AKA The Director
Clockwise from left: Emma Hathaway and her partner welcome Newt to the family. Sean Cuddihy from the Room 9 podcast interviews Evergreen President and CEO Ray Ganoe. You can check out Room 9 at https://room9podcast.podbean.com. Carrie Rich attended the International Institute's Buffalo Without Borders event. Here's Carrie with International Institute CEO Eva Hassett.
National Health Education Week was held in October, and Connections will spotlight Evergreen's Health Education programs in the next few issues. This month we'll learn about the Ryan White Emerging Communities program (EC), a critical part of our work to stop the spread of HIV and help our patients living with HIV live healthier, longer lives. "EC works to help men and individuals of trans experience living with HIV who have sex with men (MSM) make better decisions about their health, create a plan and put that plan into action," explained Emily Oaks, director of health education and outreach. "This means helping MSM and trans patients better understand their HIV diagnosis, reach undetectable status, build support networks, combat stress, and take care of their physical and mental health through one on one interactions with a health educator and peer worker." The health educator creates an individualized health plan at the direction of each patient when they first enroll. "The plan addresses the patient's strengths as well as areas for improvement," said Emily. The EC offers individual and group education sessions that center around 12 topics related to basic HIV knowledge and overall wellbeing.
Emily notes that stigma is still a significant challenge for our patients living with HIV. "Many patients who are
newly diagnosed or have been living with HIV for years can feel alarmed and alone," she said. "Our staff bring compassion and lived experience to help address this large barrier. Also, simply understanding lab results, modes of transmission or how best to communicate with a medical provider can be additional challenges." The EC team works hard to help patients overcome these challenges and become success stories. One of our patients, "Nelson", has been living with HIV for years and has struggled to reach viral suppression due to chaotic drug use. "Nelson has been coming to group more often and has been taking his medications daily," said Emily. "He spoke with the health education staff about how to maintain his health while he works towards his own goal of reducing his use." Nelson is now virally suppressed and says he will continue coming to group so he can learn all he can about his health and HIV.
"Health Education is part of what makes Evergreen such a unique and comprehensive provider," noted
Emily. "Other providers pressure patients to get in and out in as little time as possible. Evergreen ensures there are additional staff and resources on site that can delve deeply into patient questions and concerns through individualized health plans. We could all use a life coach every now and then, and that’s what makes the Emerging Communities program such a great resource no matter where a patient finds themselves on their health journey."
Patient enrollment in the EC program has tripled since it began. 85 percent of participants become virally
suppressed within six months of joining EC. If you have a patient you think would benefit from the EC program, refer them through the Intranet or MEDENT, or reach out to Emily Oaks if you have questions.
Create an Account with Univera a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.
Go to https://www.univerahealthcare.com/wps/portal/uv/member-login/. Click on Register & Create Account. Enter required information from your ID Card, click continue. Create a username, enter your personal email address, create password and answers to security questions. Click the box if you'd like paperless statements. If the box isn't checked you'll receive paper statements. Click continue. Review your information and click submit. An email will be sent to the address provided. Follow the instructions in the email to complete account registration to verify your email. You will be redirected to the website.
Registering for Univera Wellness Card a. b. c. d.
Log in with the information you created Click on Health and Wellness, Univera Wellness Your Way – Get Started Confirm the address you would like the card to be sent to, check the attestation box, and click submit. You will receive a notice stating submission accepted, and the amount that will be on your card ($150 Single and employee + child(ren), $300 Employee + Spouse and Family). The card will be sent to the address provided within 10-15 business days.
There’s a lot of policy and procedure development currently happening within our organization! If your program or department is in need of P&P development or P&P review, please reach out to Kimberly Harding, director of corporate records & policy, or submit a Compliance ticket via the HelpDesk. She will work with you to get a development schedule and/or review date on the calendar.
Buffalo Benefits Fair Wednesday, November 13 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Evergreen Commons Sanctuary, 67 Prospect Avenue
Southern Tier Benefits Fair Thursday, November 14 from 12 noon - 1 p.m. Prendergrast Library, 509 Cherry Street
Open Enrollment Monday, November 25 - Friday, December 6 We'll be sending out more information about Open Enrollment the second and third weeks in November.
Mark your calendar! The submission deadline for the December issue of Connections is Wednesday, November 13. Be sure to get your content in before the deadline to guarantee placement. And, don't forget, we love to share your photos. Kids, pets, vacations, recipes, send them all to Connections at Evergreen Connections via Outlook.
Birthdays Zachary Marchese......................... November 1 Farieda Yafai...................................... November 1 ZamZam Noor................................... November 1 Lavine Hatten.................................... November 3 Teourialeir Johnson...................... November 3 Joseph Sessa...................................... November 3 Marlyn Moore................................... November 5 LaTanya Walton-Brown............... November 7 Cathleen Niedermayer................ November 7 Susan Fiedler.................................... November 8 Joseph Pignatora............................. November 8 Kimberly Clarke.............................. November 9 Kevin Bidtah...................................... November 10 Angela Palmer.................................. November 10 Renee VanAernam......................... November 10 Saw Min................................................ November 11 Marcia Derby..................................... November 12 Brittney Warham............................. November 13 Sharee Harris.................................... November 15 Shari DeMarco.................................. November 18 Andrew Verity.................................. November 20 Emmanuel Hudson......................... November 20 Christian Rossman......................... November 21 Eshea Spears..................................... November 22 Robert Moore.................................... November 22 Nicholas Maggi................................. November 22 Elisa Luciano..................................... November 23 Jermane Nauden............................. November 24 Kathryn Diebold.............................. November 25 Katherine Kawa............................... November 26 Maria Cruz.......................................... November 26 Alexandria Aiello........................... November 27 Margaret Prell................................... November 27 Kimberly Johnson........................... November 28 Christine Kemp................................ November 30
Anniversaries Dennis McKnight.................................... 1 year Nicole Callahan...................................... 1 year
Annual Training Reminder
Chanel McDaniel.................................... 1 year
The second round of annual trainings are available on Evergreen University. These trainings will take about one hour to complete and are due on December 31. Contact Jocelyn Leising with any questions. Happy Learning!
Ann Edmunds.......................................... 1 year
Alicia Kohlhagen.................................... 1 year Phillip Aris................................................. 1 year Mustafa Abucar...................................... 2 years Paula Brudo-Jurek................................. 2 years
Human Trafficking Training
Susan Hanners........................................ 2 years
This seminar introduces the definition, scope and scale of human trafficking within the United States, specifically in the Western New York region. It will identify the red flags of human trafficking and areas of vulnerability and impact inluding labor trafficking, sex trafficking, foreign born victim identification, US born victim identification, and specific considerations for identifying trafficking in youth populations. Clinical considerations for working with survivors, as well as interactions between mental health and substance use disorders will also be discussed.
Christina Sheppard.............................. 2 years
December 5, 2019 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Evergreen Commons
Carrie Rich................................................. 3 years
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Health Equity Index Trainings
Jorge Heredia........................................... 2 years Felissha Humphries.............................. 2 years Anabel Rivera.......................................... 2 years Roosevelt Terry....................................... 2 years Courtney Bradley.................................. 2 years Stefanie Lyons.......................................... 3 years Santos Martinez...................................... 3 years Linda Scalise............................................ 3 years Joseph Sessa............................................. 3 years Brittany Miller.......................................... 3 years John Argo................................................... 3 years
For the past few years, Evergreen has received the Health Equality Leader designation for our work providing LGBT culturally competent healthcare in the areas of medical, supportive and behavioral services. In order to receive this designation for 2020, we're required to submit an application and
Stephanie Vroman-Goodrich.......... 5 years
complete 25 hours of training as an organization. We need your help! If you have time over the next few weeks, complete one of the training webinars found online at the address below. Create an account if you don't already have one using Facility ID 65002 and Security Code HRC.
Cortney Anderson................................. 13 years
https://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/lgbt-education /online-courses/continuing-education/?login=1
Dawn Trotter............................................ 5 years Marielena Camacho............................. 6 years Samantha Gaerte................................... 6 years Courtney Rhines.................................... 13 years Bridget McClain...................................... 17 years
A Abby Depczynski
A Gloria Kornowski
A Alex McGann
A Ian Schunk
A Alyssa Sherman
A Jerome Robinson
A Amanda Beals
A Jessica Schanne
A Andon Ticco
A Jonathan Puma
A Carlton Rausch
A Josh Matecki
A Chanel McDaniel
A Julie Rapp
A Charles Hunt
A Kayleen Coleman
A Cherrelle King
A Khrissmyra Vargas
A Christina Mihalitsas
A Kimberley LaVare
A Damian Mordecai
A Kizzy Tell
A David Setlock
A Kristin Rickert
A Dawn Ganoe
A LaTanya Walton-Brown
A Dawn Trotter
A Laura Pasquarella
A DeAirra Burroughs-Moore
A LeAnna Shanks
A Elise Robinson
A Matthew Crehan Higgins
A Emma Fabian
A Matthew Faltisco
A Erika Szymanski
A Megan Bhatti
A Garrett Dicembre
A Meghan Canfield
Recognizing Excellent Work at Evergreen Between September 2
A Melissa Mayhew A Melissa Talbett A Michael Blasdell A Michael Canty A Natalie Jackson A Nicole Mitchell A Renee Posey A Robert Cunningham A Roosevelt Terry A Sara Castillo A Sashira Quintana A Seanna Pratt A Tara Monaco A Teresa Lane A Theo Herman A Timothy Shaughnessy A Vanessa Santos
20 and October 19
Publisher/Layout 1.
Dial extension 2222
2. Follow the prompt to record the Code Blue or Mr. Webber and say the exact location and building of the incident 3. Hang up your phone. This will prompt your message to be broadcast to all Evergreen locations 4. The Code Blue team and Security will respond to the incident You'll have 30 seconds to record your message. If you're not done in 30 seconds you'll be cut off and your message will be automatically broadcast. It's imperative that you say the location and building in your message: “Code Blue in the men’s lobby bathroom in the Elmwood building” or“Could Mr. Webber please come to the Mathews building counselor room?”. The Code Blue/ Mr. Webber Softkey has been removed from all phones.
John Carocci
Copy Editor Melissa Meyer
Contributors Jocelyn Leising Block Club Shakiya Bell David Haefner, Esq. Heather Wilson Kristy Mangel Connections is the monthly newsletter for employees and Board members of Evergreen Health and its affilliates, the Pride Center of Western New York and Community Access Services. Please send us your story ideas, photos, feedback, or just a friendly hello at Evergreen Connections via Outlook.
Clockwise from left: "Lunch with Ray" at the Bailey Avenue offices. Ray leads a round of applause for our great staff! A "class photo" after lunch. Eshea Spears provided free testing at the Good for the Neighborhood health and resource fair held at Westminster Charter School. Great job, Eshea, and thank you Arica Rouse for the photo! Southern Tier reporter Laurie Matson shared these pics of their Care Coordination Week events : Taco Tuesday and "Superlatives" winners. Thanks to Laurie and the Southern Tier crew.
Clockwise from left: proud mom Amy Usiak's son Finn (aka Captain America) is all ready for Halloween fun. Ian Eastman and Tiffany McCloskey conducted "photo experiments" - including spooky selfies - at the Night Lights Music Festival.
Julie Falk's staff missed her so much, they replaced her! Thank you Marcia Derby for these fun pics of the Southern Tier staff with Julie Falk and Julie Falk Version 2.0!