Posted: December 14, 2015
On Saturday, December 12, AACS Navigators and Certified Application Counselors assisted individuals and families to enroll in Marketplace health insurance and Medicaid. The turnout was unexpectedly high, and AACS personnel continued assisting consumers over an hour after the scheduled end time for the event. 6 consumers were enrolled into Marketplace health insurance plans, and AACS assisted and provided education on Obamacare to a total of 17 individuals. December 15 is the last day to enroll through the Marketplace for coverage starting January 1, but Open Enrollment period runs until January 31, 2016. AACS will continue to accept appointments for Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment as well as for post-enrollment assistance. Please see our program page for Obamacare assistance for details.
Posted: December 9, 2015
Dr. James Boehnlein, an expert in cross-cultural psychiatry based in Oregon,made a grand rounds presentation on multigenerational trauma among Cambodian refugees at Mt. Carmel West on the morning of December 9. In attendance were resident physicians, other health care providers, social service providers who work with refugee populations, and refugee community members. Dr. Boehnlein first presented a brief history of organized violence perpetrated by Khmer Rouge in 1970s Cambodia and how Cambodian society as a whole has been affected by this trauma. He then presented findings that PTSD has been associated with higher incidences of hyperarousal and diabetes and shared treatment recommendations for Cambodian refugees taking into account historical, social, and cultural considerations. Dr. Boehnlein also answered audience questions regarding commonalities and differences between Cambodian refugees and other populations with high rates of PTSD (including other refugee populations and veterans returning from the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) and linguistic as well as cultural challenges that inform the experiences of trauma.
After the grand rounds, a smaller group reconvened in Upper Arlington for a more involved conversation with Dr. Boehnlein over brunch hosted by AACS. The participants shared their personal experiences being part of or working with refugee populations (including the Bhutanese-Nepali community in Central Ohio), the challenges of requiring cultural competency training for health care providers, and other input that furthered the discussion on how to provide appropriate and adequate care to various refugee populations.
Posted: December 2, 2015
In a ceremony held at the Statehouse on December 2, the Ohio Association of Free Clinics (OAFC) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) gave recognition to the achievements of free health clinics in Ohio. The awards ceremony, which is in its first year, kicked off Free Clinic Appreciation Month (the month of December). Awards were given out in four categories: Free Clinic of the Year, Free Clinic Dentist of the Year, Free Clinic Physician of the Year, and Free Clinic Nurse of the Year. The ceremony was attended by representitives from the nominated clinics and was followed by a reception in the Riffe Center.
Dr. John O'Handley who volunteers for AACS's Asian Health Initiative (AHI) was one of the 34 nominees who were named in the four categories. AACS greatly appreciates the contributions of Dr. O'Handley, other physicians who support our program, medical student volunteers, and others who make it possible for AHI to do its work.
AACS Staff attend post-ceremony reception at the Riffe Gallery.
Dr. O'Handley working at the AHI clinic.
Posted: November 20, 2015
On November 19, Dr. Son Do gave a presentation to raise awareness on hepatitis B (HBV) and its impact on Asian-Americans/Asian immigrants at a dinner hosted by Gilead Sciences, Inc. Dr. Do is a leading expert in HBV research who is based in Texas, and the dinner was made possible by Gilead's generosity and its collaboration with AACS. In addition to providing a general background on HBV, Dr. Do discussed the disproportionate impact of HBV on persons born in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and the lack of awareness of this disproportionate risk among health professionals and among high risk populations. In attendance at the dinner were health professionals, medical students, community members, and AACS board members and staff. AACS thanks Dr. Do and Gilead for making this event happen.
Posted: October 31, 2015
The third Open Enrollment Period in the health insurance Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) starts on Sunday, November 1. Now in its third year, AACS's Navigator program will again be offering free assistance to any person seeking help related to the Marketplace or Medicaid for 2016 coverage. As in previous years, our services will be available in several Asian languages as well as in English and a handful of other languages. For more information and how to schedule an appointment, please check out the Navigator program page here.