Synod Health Care Resolution
Minutes from the Synod Health Care & Wellness Initiative Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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Oct 20, 2008, 14:12

Minutes from the Synod Health Care & Wellness Initiative

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Agape Community Center, Milwaukee

Opening Devotion

Opening welcome from Al Luzi from Agape Community Center.

Introduction of Donna Nesler, Bread of Healing at Agage free medical clinic and Tour of clinic

Health Care And Wellness Weekend – October 18 & 19, 2008

Prue Smith has been working with Dr. Mike Auguston from Beaver Dam on a brochure that congregations could use.  Decided it was best to not include the date so that congregations could use on any weekend. 

Website to check out is:   www.churchclinic.org

On the website is a video for people to check out.

Thoughts about Health Care Revolution…..Prue was hoping it could be changed to “Resolutions”, but since he has put so much work into this, didn’t want to ask.

Would congregations want materials in black and white or in color?…..decided could attach both for congregations to decide.

Getting the Word Out

• Will want to get this brochure out
• Will want to get the Worship ideas out to Pastors

·        Will want to get the word out about all the resources already posted on synod               website

Could probably use:

• A mass mailing to all congregations
• Synod List Serve
• Synod website
• Calling to certain congregations to ask if they’d be interested in having someone
  
  
  We could use the people who have been to these meetings, but who we haven’t seen in a while.  Pat scheduled a Parish Nurse to come and speak at Mount Olive…..brought up the issue about needing to know far enough ahead of time, have a description for bulletin.

Even if doesn’t happen the weekend of October 18 -19, could schedule for sometime in            the fall.  Still have the list of the original 40 congregations who were interested, who are at all different levels, to which we could match someone.

Prue could finish the brochure, John could write a cover letter, would just need a group to help do the mailing.

            * Luther Manor could stuff if COL could produce.

On the Synod website, could post “if you’re interested in having a speaker come, please contact….”.  Prue Smith wouldn’t mine being the contact for those who want a parish nurse.  Then would also add Debbie Riederer as a contact for those interested in having someone else.

If there are requests, maybe each could loop others in on the email.

Map of where Parish Nurse’s are located….the list of pn’s had been posted previously.

List of Parish Nurse’s need to be updated on COL website, but should take down to direct people to synod website.

King of Glory is interested in having someone from the clinics……will talk with Pastor Ingrid Huebner and will let everyone know.

Question raised about Directives…..best person to contact would be social workers or local hospital.  Prue Smith has a list of social workers.

Who would be interested in speaking?:

• Eileen Walker
• Donna Nesler
• Barb – not October
• Prue Smith
  
  

Prue mentioned the tool from the ELCA on leading discussions on healthcare.

29 Parish Nurses in the synod…

could post more information about what it is, what they do, where they are located….

By the end of September, this will be posted on the Synod website!

Resolution is on the website……maybe it should be in the mailing too!

After the weekend, THEN WHAT HAPPENS!

John is planning on calling the core list, hoping to get speakers to those congregations, hoping that this committee will keep meeting to work, but need to find way to get this to grow.

Question about how many congregations have been to a clinic….

Idea to organize a Synod wide pill collection day, but harder to have congregations unite to have conversations about health.  Not sure a mass collection of meds would be a great idea, because all you need is one person to raise a flag. 

• The policy is that if you have someone who brings it in, you can still bring it in.  BOH will use other first, but if needed, they ask the patient if they want to accept meds that they know have been prescribed to someone else. 
  
  
• This group could organize a tour of the clinics for congregations to see them in person.
• This group though could go to offices asking for meds that they don’t use.
• This group could work on finding more volunteers….catalog health professionals in the synod…..who might be interested in helping at a clinic.
• Could maybe encourage congregations to do a collection for Over the Counter meds.

Next meeting is Tuesday, January 27^th, 2009 at Christ the Servant in Waukesha.