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Authors Posts by Sharon Militello

Sharon Militello

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As communications director, Sharon Militello is responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of the association website and social media pages; editing and preparation of communications; preparing and running webcasts; cultivating media relations; and maintaining relationships with technology support vendors.

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Message from HHS:

In his State of the Union address, the President outlined a unity agenda consisting of policy where there has historically been support from both Republicans and Democrats, and called on Congress to send bills to his desk to deliver progress for the American people. As part of the unity agenda, he announced a strategy to address our national mental health crisis. Addressing this crisis is a priority for the Administration, and a personal commitment of the President. That’s why he has laid out a comprehensive whole-of-government strategy to build system capacity, connect more people to care, and provide support to Americans, especially kids, by fostering healthy environments in real world and online.

To further discuss the Strategy to Address our National Mental Health Crisis, the HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs invites you to join us Wednesday, March 2 at 3:30 PM ET for a Stakeholder Briefing.

The Stakeholder Briefing will include remarks from:

  • Andrea Palm, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, US Surgeon General
  • Rebecca Haffajee, JD, PhD, MPH, Acting Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
  • Rachel Pryor, JD, MSW, Counselor to the Secretary of HHS
  • Marvin Figueroa, Director of the HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs

Please note that each individual attendee must register in order to access the meeting. Please feel free to send this invitation to your members and network. The event is only for stakeholders and is not open to the press. Please note, this briefing will be recorded.

If there are any accommodations that would make this meeting accessible to you, please reach out to us.

Marvin Figueroa, Director
Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs
US Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC

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Hope Enterprises Celebrates 70 Years of Serving Pennsylvania’s DisABILITY Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2022

Contact:
Mackenzie Howe | 570-326-3745

Hope Enterprises, a non-profit provider for people with intellectual disabilities, announces its 70th anniversary. Founded in 1952 by Dr. Max E. Miller and his wife Leona, Hope Enterprises started as a school for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Parents and local leaders in the Williamsport area worked alongside the Millers to grow an organization that supported each person’s needs, regardless of their perceived disability.

“Hope was founded on a deep desire to provide an everyday life,” said Robert Labatch, Hope’s president/CEO. “For seven decades we have aimed to innovate services that help people rise above their challenges and achieve personal goals and ambitions. Everyone at Hope is passionate about continuing Hope’s legacy as we continue to break the status quo for the next 70 years.”

Examples of this innovative spirit date back to the beginning. At the time, a school for children and adults with intellectual disabilities was quite unique. Since then, Hope has continued to redefine what a truly inclusive community can look like. In 1972, Hope’s residential services gave families an alternative to having loved ones live in institutions. Instead, this service enabled and encouraged community living.

In 1993, Hope introduced job training and placement services to provide integrated and supported employment opportunities so individuals could experience a natural work environment. Then, in 2015, Hope led the transition away from sheltered workshops (still in use by some organizations) by discontinuing the service that paid people with disABILITIES a subminimum wage. Those workers were transitioned to a new, integrated employment service known today as MaxWorx.

Most recently in 2020, Hope formed CHOICE services to support each person’s goals through a one-to-one model that pairs one individual with one Hope social worker. Very few organizations offer a one-to-one model, but Hope sees it as the path to the next level of community involvement and socialization.

In the future, Hope will continue to innovate on behalf of people with disABILITIES. “Every aspect of this organization is centered on people,” said Labatch. “As we evolve, families want services that provide the best advancement and growth for their loved ones. And with each new level we achieve, we can see the next opportunity to improve their lives.”

Employees will support change to empower, respect, and reflect the goals of people living with intellectual disABILITIES in the region. To lead innovation, the organization is hiring more employees who are dedicated to Hope’s mission.

Today, Hope Enterprises serves Lycoming, Clinton, Northumberland, Columbia, Montour, Snyder, and Union counties. The nonprofit offers support services in community participation, in-home support, employment services, and living options. The full range of services benefits individuals with intellectual disABILITIES in every aspect of their lives.

Learn more about Hope Enterprises, Inc. and support The Hope Foundation, at www.HopeAbility.org.

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Frustrations mount as many retail pharmacies struggle to meet the needs of the providers they work with and the consumers they serve.

Fluctuating hours, long lines, and cancelled appointments are just some of the barriers consumers face, while providers encounter lapses in communication with vital partners in patient care.

A New York Times article recently detailed the retail pharmacy crisis driven by both staffing shortages and increased demand. Because many consumers are struggling to get the medications they need, providers have adjusted their prescribing methods – filling a 90-day supply for what used to be a 30-day supply, for example – to ensure their consumers can stay on track.

Amid this crisis, clinics who partner with Genoa Healthcare® are finding even more benefit in having a reliable on-site pharmacy team. When a local pharmacy chain closed their doors in Oregon, nearby retail chains became flooded with prescriptions to fill in the community. People trying to get their medications were met with long wait times and miscommunication from pharmacy teams they had never met.

Understanding the challenges in her community, Genoa Pharmacist Shuga Knopp reminded her partners at the clinic that her team could fill all the medications consumers and staff needed.

“I wanted them to know that they wouldn’t have trouble getting their medications from my team at Genoa,” Knopp said. “We’re consistent and we care.”

Knopp and her team continue to develop personal relationships with their consumers, ensuring they can provide the best support for their medication needs.

“People were more frustrated with their pharmacies than they had ever been, and their pain points felt preventable,” Knopp said. “They’re just so happy that they can count on us, and that we actually answer the phone when they call.”

As demand for behavioral health care continues to increase, Genoa pharmacy teams also lighten the burden for their partners’ staff by assisting with prior authorizations, taking on medication-related challenges, and being a resource for consumers in between their appointments. These services result in a more integrated care team and better outcomes for consumers.

Do you have questions or challenges pertaining to the current retail pharmacy crisis? Contact me.

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