A message from our president & CEO

Transcription

1 Campaign for smiles

2 A message from our president & CEO Dear Friends, Many of us in this country that heard the tragic story of 12 year old Deamonte Driver nearly nine years ago are still struck by how his unfortunate situation could ever occur in the most affluent country in the world that spends more money, per capita, on healthcare than any other country on the planet. His death, as a result of an untreated tooth abscess, was a travesty. Living less than 15 miles from the steps of the US Capitol Building, his mother could not find a dentist that would accept his Medicaid coverage and attend to his abscessed tooth. Sadly, after weeks of hospitalization and expensive acute treatment for a systemic infection, he lost his life as a result of the difficulty in finding someone to perform less than $100 worth of dental care. As a safety net provider for many residents of the Capital District that may resemble Deamonte Driver s socioeconomic status, we at WYH are committed to never having that story replay itself in this community. Yet we see hundreds of children each year who are not far from reliving that circumstance. Through our efforts to screen and treat children in area schools and in our dental facilities we are able to provide this much needed service for many of our area s neediest families. However, the demand continues to exceed supply. To assure that we are able to keep pace with that demand for this level of dental care for our neighbors most in need, we announce the Campaign for Smiles, our campaign to create and sustain a larger and more contemporary dental service. We have chosen to take a significant leap forward with the introduction of this first-ever comprehensive campaign, building from our enviable position of strength, to advance one of our emerging health service priorities expanded dental care programs for children. Our leaders throughout the organization have come together in a united commitment to these priorities, and we now share our hopes and dreams with our closest friends as we invite members of our communities to join us in this special endeavor. Thank you for taking the time to read through this brief summary of our strategic plans, and to consider how you can find a place in these plans through your generous charitable support. As we all know, there are so few programs in the health care field where early intervention can almost entirely remedy potential conditions for a lifetime. With today s advanced dental procedures, we can in fact provide for a higher quality of life through the programs of focus at this time. We very much look forward to our work together. Sincerely,

3 About us and our leaders Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center (WYH), established 45 years ago to meet the health care needs of an underserved community, is a leader in primary medical, dental and behavioral health services in the Capital Region. Through multiple health center sites and school- and community-based programs, we treat more than 18,000 people each year, most of whom rely on Medicaid managed care or our sliding fee scale. 53% 47% Our Patients at a Glance WYH is Nationally Recognized 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% County of Residence 60% 27% 13% Albany Rensselaer Other County Board of Directors Sister Gail Waring, RSM, Chair Jonathan Rosen, MD, Vice Chair Carol Hausamann, CPA, Treasurer Antoine Harrison, Secretary Marlowe Cochran Denard Cummings Campaign Leadership Leah Bojnowski, Esq. Gabriella Garcia Matthew Clarke Vincent Filanova, DDS Alice Green, PhD Eldon Harris Robert Hennes, CFP Roy McDonald Glinnesa Gailliard, Esq. Martha Hobbs Darrell Jeffers, Esq. Celyon Moore, MSW Dorothy Paul Nischinth Sadhak Daniel Nolan David Shippee Charles Touhey Leroy Twiggs

4 Our Campaign Initiatives Have you ever wished there were a magic wand that could prevent disease, open children to learning, and help people land jobs? Good news - There is! Good oral health care, including regular visits to the dentist, may: Prevent cardiovascular disease and stroke, and identify other chronic diseases in their early stages Eliminate mouth pain, thereby making it easier to concentrate on the task at hand Improve your smile and smiling has benefits of its own: Builds confidence Lowers stress and anxiety and boosts your immune system to keep you healthy Elevates your mood and makes you more attractive and approachable to others And smiling is contagious! We want to give people a reason to smile. Here s how A New Dental Clinic Our Albany Dental Practice is located in a cramped basement office suite. Patients have told us they want a check in process separate from the medical check in area, and that our dental waiting area needs improvement. But more importantly, our staff recognizes that the dental practice contains treatment rooms that are poorly suited for today s scope of dental services. In short, we have exceeded the limit of efficiency and comfort in this dental space. 4,100 Number of patients served by WYH s Albany Dental Practice annually 22% Percent of Albany Dental patients who live outside of Albany County The proposed project will relocate the dental program from 920 Lark Drive to renovated space at 900 Lark Drive. The project will allow for a 25% growth in the next five years, make the dental practice more efficient, and upgrade the level of care available to our patients. The new site, featuring 6,100 square feet of space, will expand the number of treatment rooms from 9 to 12 and offer a private entrance that will allow the dental practice to establish hours of operation that best meet their patients needs.

5 Expanded Dental Care Programs for Children and Families Help us ensure that the highest level of dental care is available to our families in greatest need. Our dental program includes a wide range of pediatric services that help children by: Alleviating mouth pain, which makes it easier to concentrate in school Reducing the risk of infections spreading throughout the body Preventing tooth decay Teaching children about proper oral hygiene Whitney Young Health makes dental care for children affordable and convenient. Our school-based dental programs visit elementary schools in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schoharie counties targeting schools with large numbers of economically disadvantaged children. Our Seal a Smile program operates in collaboration with the Healthy Capital District Initiative to send dental hygienists into schools to provide preventative dental care and education. In some schools, a Whitney Young Health dentist is able to provide follow-up treatment on site. In others, students in need of additional care are referred to their community dentist or to a Whitney Young Health dental clinic. Campaign funds will help to support these and other critical dental services that will help us reach more people and create more smiles. 10,290 Number of visits by Albany Dental Practice patients in 2015 $2.21 Loss to WYH per dental visit at the Albany Dental Practice 3,294 Number of children who participated in school-based dental care in Number of schools participating in school-based dental care in 2016 Whitney Young Health is offering a unique opportunity for you to Adopt a Smile. Donors of $10,000 or more are invited to be the official sponsor of a school participating in Seal a Smile. Sponsors will receive annual updates on the children receiving dental care in the sponsored school.

6 Campaign goals and parameters New Dental Clinic $2,000,000 Relocation of Dental Clinic to 900 Lark Drive, Albany, NY Includes complete retrofit of space New equipment The Tooth Fairy Fund $500,000 Early intervention, prevention and treatment School-based dental programs Increase in access to dental care regardless of income Expansion of services Ways to give Make an Online Gift Go to and follow the Donate link. Make a Gift by Phone Call our Development Office at (518) with your credit card number. Give by Mail Mail your check: Attn: Development Office, Whitney Young Health, 920 Lark Drive, Albany, NY Matching Gifts If your company has a matching gift program, please consider designating Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center as the beneficiary of your match. With matching gifts, you can double the impact of your gift! Gifts of Stock Your broker can assist you in making a gift of stock via a direct transfer to Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center. Please have them call WYH s Development Office at for instructions on making gifts via transfers.

7 Recognition and naming opportunities Whitney Young Health is excited to be able to recognize all gifts to the campaign. In an effort to recognize those special transformational contributions, the following naming opportunities have been created: Albany Dental Clinic $500,000 School-Based Dental Program (2) $250,000 Waiting Room $100,000 Reception Area $100,000 Conference Room $100,000 Dental Operatory (12) $50,000 Staff Break Room $25,000 Staff Locker Room (2) $25,000 Adopt a Smile (52 and growing) $10,000+ Additional naming opportunities are available. Please discuss your interests with our Development Director.

8 Vision & Mission Statements Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center s mission is to provide access to consistent quality healthcare without regard to income. Our vision is to be a community leader, committed to delivering dependable, compassionate, high quality health care that enhances the well-being of our diverse and changing communities. By partnering with our patients, drawing on our expertise and collaborating with other community resources, we will promote and support our patients efforts to achieve optimal health goals. Maureen Yee, Development Director Whitney M. Young Health Center, Inc. 920 Lark Drive, Albany, NY myee@wmyhealth.org