More and more healthcare professionals are discovering the educational and netowrking opportunities at the Community Forum's monthly meetings.

May Community Forum Highlights

RN Susan Halvorsen kicked off the May Community Outreach Forum by addressing recent concerns over the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as "swine flu."

Although a handful of cases of H1N1 have been confirmed in Colorado, Halvorsen assured her audience that both Saint Joseph Hospital and the state are in constant contact with the Centers for Disease control and have emergency plans in place to handle any outbreak.

"We are all prepared and ready," she said, advising forum participants to frequently wash their hands and stay home if they feel ill. "Don't worry; we'll be OK."

Project PAVE

Promoting Alternatives to Violence through Education - Project PAVE- works with children and families to eliminate violence in homes and schools through a variety of prevention and counseling programs.

PAVE's clinical counseling includes family, individual and group sessions with therapists who have been trained in EMDR, an effective treatment for trauma victims. The program also offers school-based counseling and strives to teach kids what a healthy relationship looks like if they lack that example at home. PAVE also takes its violence prevention classes into Denver-area schools to educate kids about home violence, bullying and even troubled relationships with their friends, said  Anne Ngamsombat, PAVE's school-based counselor.

To learn more about Project Pave, visit http://www.projectpave.org/.  

American Cancer Society

Every year, 1.3 million Americans - including 20,000 Coloradans - are diagnosed with cancer.

That's when the American Cancer Society steps in to offer free services, like clinical trial matching services, emotional support and information on coping with various treatments, to anyone battling cancer.

"We help people stay well, get well, find a cure and fight back," said Kylee Virdi, a patient navigator for the American Cancer Society. "Our mantra is, ‘Having Cancer is hard but finding help shouldn't be.'"

For more information on the wealth of support services the American Cancer Society provides, call (800) ACS-2345 or visit http://www.cancer.org/.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that oversees Medicare, which provides healthcare for those over 64, and the state-run Medicaid programs, which serve low-income residents.

"We are one of the largest healthcare purchasers on the planet," said Mike Fierberg, public affairs officer for CMS.  "We want to be accountable stewards of your tax dollars while we help as many people as we can."

CMS is currently upgrading its Internet portal and expanding its use of electronic healthcare records to better serve its 40 million beneficiaries, Fierberg said.

"Our job is to help people navigate the (healthcare) maze," he added.

For more information, contact Mike Fierberg at (303) 844-1592 or Michael.fierberg@cms.hhs.gov.  

Colorado Legal Services

When you're living paycheck to paycheck, getting a security deposit back is important, but hiring a lawyer isn't in the budget. Colorado Legal Services helps low-income residents throughout the state navigate the proper legal channels whether they're having a dispute with their landlord, need help protecting their civil or consumer rights or have a family dispute in civil court.

Colorado Legal Service's Web site offers a video explaining how Colorado's civil courts work, a legal glossary and tutorials that walk users through how to file a claim in small claims court. CLS's advocates also help low-income residents by offering no-cost legal advice and personally facilitating the filling of a claim - all while assuring their clients confidentiality.

For more information, visit www.ColoradoLegalServices.org.

If you would like more information about Community Outreach contact: