Posted Aug 24 2009 9:56 AM by Matt Ellis
Health Care Coverage For All: Discussion Guide For Churches is a free resource provided by the Bioethics Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee. It's an excellent resource and a great way to engage your congregation in the health care debate in a productive, Christ-centered way.
The resource is divided into three sessions:
1. Why health policy is a Christian concern
2. Personal Encounters with the health care system
3. What we can/should do
Included in the guide are links to resources, relevant scripture readings, and more.
Posted Aug 14 2009 9:28 AM by Matt Ellis
Many of you may already receive the Health & Wellness newsletter from our friends at the Medical Trust. If not, I encourage you to check out this month's tips for maintaining your medicine cabinet. The newsletter can be found online here.
Posted Aug 10 2009 12:59 PM by Matt Ellis
The Washington Post's blog on faith today revealed details of a faith-based call-in on health care reform. President Obama will participate in this call sponsored by several religious organizations, including The Episcopal Church.
As noted in the blog Episcopal Chaplain at the Bedside, General Convention Resolution CO71 calls for all members of the Episcopal church to contact elected federal, state and territorial officials encouraging them to:
a) create, with the assistance of experts in related fields, a comprehensive definition of "basic healthcare" to which our nation's citizens have a right,
b) establish a system to provide basic healthcare to all,
c) create an oversight mechanism, separate from the immediate political arena, to audit the delivery of that "basic healthcare,"
d) educate our citizens in the need for limitations on what each person can be expected to receive in the way of medical care under a universal coverage program in order to make the program sustainable financially,
e) educate our citizens in the role of personal responsibility in promoting good health.
President Obama will be listening on August 19. Let's be sure our voices are heard!
Details will be forthcoming from http://faithforhealth.org/.
Posted Aug 5 2009 10:47 AM by Matt Ellis
In all the excitement around General Convention preparation and events, I've been unable to find time to provide an update about an exciting new project: The Anglican Health Network. The first informal meeting of this group took place in Houston in January. That meeting produced the background paper found here.
A follow-up meeting then took place in Geneva, Switzerland in June. I was honored to participate as a voice for parish-based health and healing ministries. I find this working group to be wonderfully engaged in the work and creative in finding solutions. Lee Hogan and Paul Holley have been very proactive conveners of this group and presented us with an exciting opportunity that has the potential to dramatically impact the lives of millions: a microinsurance project to be based principally in Africa.
Microinsurance is based on the principles of microlending or microfinance. As it pertains to insurance, if one provides health insurance that covers only the four or five primary needs, it's then feasible to cover large numbers of people for very little cost. For instance, in Africa coverage might be provided for treatment of malaria, HIV/AIDS, prenatal care/childbirth, and vaccines. It's possible this coverage could be provided to a family for as little as $12-15/year.
A lot of details and conditions have to be met for this to happen, but the members of the Anglican Health Network (AHN) believe it's possible. We're still in the very early planning stages, but it's an exciting project to be sure.
Other goals of the AHN include providing a forum for members to share ideas and resources, as well as a mechanism for hospitals to share outdated yet perfectly functional equipment with developing countries.
These are ambitious projects and I'm honored to be able to participate in this work as a representative of NEHM. I'll continue to keep you updated as we make progress. The background paper linked in the first paragraph has a lot of information about the various players and goals of this network, but if there are further questions please feel free to contact me.
Posted Aug 3 2009 3:58 PM by Matt Ellis
If you'd like to see pictures of NEHM's General Convention booth, please see the link to our Facebook page. This year, NEHM again shared a booth with the Medical Trust. The booth featured massage therapists and giveaways of green 'Well to Serve' bracelets, as well as sunscreen. The booth also offered free water and plush couches to allow GC attendees a few moments of downtime during a hectic couple of weeks.
If you're not already a fan of our Facebook page, you can visit the page at this link: NEHM Facebook. It's my understanding you do not need a Facebook account to see this page.
What will you find on this page? Pictures of our General Convention booth are here, as well as links to stories about health ministries taking place around the country. There's also the opportunity to participate in the conversation and share information about your own ministry. Check it out and become a NEHM fan!
Posted Aug 3 2009 3:00 PM by Matt Ellis
This was my first experience with General Convention. Those who said you really just have to see it to believe it were definitely right! Even though many had tried to explain it to me, I had a hard time envisioning it. Once there, it all clicked into place.
While I had hoped to have some time to settle in and get a feel for the process, it was not to be. AO77, put forth by the Standing Commission on Health, came up the very first night for committee. We were able to quickly round up Diana Marshall (NEHM Diocesan Liaison from Diocese of Bethlehem, PA) and Susan Spencer (parish nurse in San Francisco) to testify in addition to my own testimony. The process was straightforward and the questions were direct. We all left feeling good about the session and hoped for a positive result.
In the meantime, I sprinted across the street to other committee hearings to testify on behalf of a few National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC) resolutions. Those, too seemed to go well. This was pretty typical for the first week, as I stayed very busy moving between both booths (I also serve as Executive Director of NEAC), testifying in committee hearings, tracking legislation, and meeting with potential partners.
I'm thrilled to say that AO77 was approved! Here is the text of the approved resolution:
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 76th General Convention urges the congregations of The Episcopal Church, which have not already done so, to explore and implement health ministry as an organizing concept or vital component of outreach and pastoral care of the congregations by 2012; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention encourages congregations to raise awareness of health ministries and promote the understanding that health includes body, mind and spirit.
EXPLANATION
Health ministries play a unique and critical role in facilitating the overall health of clergy, staff and congregation. Health ministry looks different from congregation to congregation, reflecting the unique needs, interests and resources of the faith community.
National Episcopal Health Ministries (NEHM) educates leaders for Episcopal health ministry and parish nursing, supports those engaged in health ministry in Episcopal congregations and provides resources to local congregations, dioceses and provinces. NEHM is a valuable resource for those seeking assistance in the development of faith ministries.
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