Community Health: MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

• Chronic disease prevention and management

• Behavioral health

• Maternal and child health

• Mental health services

• Substance use services

• Social need resources and services

• Access to health care professionals and affordable health care and insurance

• Access to transportation

• Employment

• Housing and homelessness

• Health disparities - racial discrimination

• Diabetes Prevention Program prevents the onset of type 2 diabetes through a 12-month lifestyle change program.
• Smoking Cessation Program increases awareness and the intention to quit among smokers.
• Stroke Support Group provides stroke survivors and their family caregivers an opportunity to support each other as they strive to rebuild their lives and promote health, independence, and well-being
• Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) a universal screening program for screening and identification of substance use disorder; with an ultimate goal of providing referrals for substance abuse treatment. Peer Recovery Coaches provide brief intervention and referrals to community support services and treatment centers.
• The Opiate Overdose Survivor’s Outreach Project (OSOP) a field base initiative, statistics show that those who survive an opioid overdose have a 60% mortality rate unless they are actively engaged in treatment. MedStar Health sends peer recovery coaches in the field to see recent overdose survivors and link them to treatment services, naloxone trainings and provide a consistent point of contact should someone wish to enter care.
• Healthy Babies Collaborative Promote positive birth outcomes and increased breastfeeding practice for mothers and their families in Southeast Baltimore County. Activities include breastfeeding moms lunch support groups, Moms on the Move – Nutrition and activity education, and peer support.
• Narcan® Take Home Kits provide lifesaving Narcan® (naloxone) nasal spray to patients in need. Naloxone is a medication that can quickly reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications by blocking the effects of opioids. Distribution of naloxone is a method of harm reduction and can prevent fatal overdoses.

Access to Care for Vulnerable Populations

MedStar Franklin Square recognizes the importance of early detection for cancer and has programs available for those who may not be able to afford these lifesaving screenings on their own. The hospital also provides pathways for financial assistance for individuals that are unable to afford their treatment services.

• Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening programs to uninsured Baltimore City and County residents.
• Colon Cancer Screening Program provides free colon cancer screening programs to uninsured Baltimore City and County residents.
• Patient Financial Services provides financial assistance to uninsured patients who reside within the communities by assisting with enrollment in publicly-funded programs, refer patients to State or Federal Insurance Exchange Navigator resources and assist with other

  funding resources that may be available from charitable organizations.

• Prescription assistance Funding and assistance with accessing prescription medications for patients in need.
• Transportation in addition to taxi and bus fares, MedStar Health, in partnership with Uber, has created a convenient ride option program with a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to medical appointments and health education activities.
• ConnectFest! An annual fun block party, with food and entertainment, offers a variety of mainstream resources to help maintain and improve community health. ConnectFest! Provides direct services, application assistance and referrals to many services such as transportation, housing, education, workforce development, financial education and more.
• Bedside Rx Delivery Service is a free service to eliminate barriers such as transportation, to help patients take prescribed medications as instructed, to improve health outcomes and avoid readmission.

Social Needs

MedStar Franklin Square invests in programs and partnerships that address the social needs of patients and community members.

• Social Needs Screening MedStar Health is addressing the social factors that affect individuals beyond the hospital room walls. Screenings tools are helping to facilitate sensitive conversation about their nonmedical needs that maybe a barrier to good health.
• Workforce Development MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center hires and trains individuals from high poverty and high unemployment zip codes to expand its population health workforce of Community Health Workers and Peer Recovery Specialists.