photo by: LMH Health

This shows what patients with food insecurity can receive upon discharge from the hospital or emergency department.

What comes to mind when you think of health care? Maybe it’s an appointment with your primary care provider or getting an immunization. You might also benefit from health care in ways you didn’t expect, thanks to a small but mighty team – LMH Health Community Outreach and Engagement.

Allison Koonce is the community outreach and engagement supervisor. It’s her goal to get you more engaged with your health outside of those regular visits.

LMH Health provides classes and support groups focusing on all ages and stages of life, from childbirth and parenting to navigating the aging process, but it doesn’t stop there. LMH also collaborates with community partners such as Just Food, LiveWell Douglas County, and Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture (LPRC) to improve access to exercise, healthy foods, and keep kids safe and healthy.

“When you’re an active participant in your health care, it leads to improved outcomes and a better quality of life,” she said. “It’s more than making sure you get routine care. We want you to be informed and have the tools to succeed on your own.”

Fighting hunger, fueling health

There’s a link between food insecurity and many health conditions. That became increasingly clear to Koonce in 2019 as she began talking with the team at Just Food about ways to collaborate and serve the community.

“When I sat down with (then director) Elizabeth Keever, the idea of an emergency food kit came to life,” she said. “It’s a way for us to provide a supply of food that would last a couple of days to patients being discharged from the Emergency Department.”

The Emergency Meal Kits contain non-perishable items, providing support for patients who may be food insecure or may not have sufficient food to take with medications that require food. The LMH Health Foundation’s Help & Healing Fund provides financial assistance to support the project.

In addition to providing emergency food to patients in need, LMH Health also brings health screenings to Just Food each month, meeting clients where they are.

“We provide screenings to check blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol,” Koonce said. “It’s important to provide this resource to Just Food’s clients and help them identify health concerns for those who might not have been aware that they’re at risk.”

Building thriving communities

LiveWell Douglas County is a coalition of people and partners working together to improve the health and well-being of Douglas County residents. Though it began as LiveWell Lawrence in 2008, the program changed its name in 2018 to reflect its reach to the work it does throughout the county.

“Our vision is to create communities where everyone can thrive,” said Ginny Barnard, executive director for LiveWell Douglas County. “We focus on areas including improving access to healthy food, physical activity, and safe and healthy kids.”

The group focuses on six areas, or workgroups, to make its vision a reality.

Healthy Built Environment

Healthy Food for All

Safe and Healthy Kids

Sexual Violence Prevention

Tobacco-Free Living

WorkWell

You may have seen LiveWell in action without recognizing it. The group recently became the lead sponsor of Safe Kids Douglas County, offering free car seat checks for parents, grandparents, and caregivers in the county.

“Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for kids,” Barnard said. “Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that crashes cause 1 in 4 unintentional injury deaths in kids under age 13. When children are properly restrained, that number decreases dramatically.”

IIHS data makes it clear – proper car seat usage saves lives. Restraining children in rear seats instead of front seats reduces the risk of a fatal injury by about 75% for children up to age 3, and almost half for children ages 4 to 8.

Prescribing movement

We’ve all heard that exercise is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, but it can be difficult to know where to start. LiveWell Douglas County has found an innovative way to help through an activity prescription program, funded by a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) grant and made possible through partnerships with Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture (LPRC), LMH Health, and Heartland Community Health Center.

“The grant funding we received from BCBSKS has areas that we have to choose from to support efforts across the social determinants of health,” Barnard said. “One of the ways to improve those outcomes is through increasing physical activity, and we can help do that by making access easier through this activity prescription program.”

But how does it work? An LMH Health provider or Heartland clinician identifies a patient and writes them an activity prescription. Once a patient receives it, they contact LPRC, complete a pre-activity survey, and receive a $75 credit toward the cost of a program. Staff can then help them find one that’s best for their activity level and schedule.

When participants complete the program they’ve enrolled in, they receive a $25 credit toward another class after completing a survey about their experience. They report a number of improvements, including reductions in A1C levels, better balance, improved strength and flexibility, and feeling better both physically and mentally.

The activity prescription program is also a great situation for LPRC. It helps raise awareness about their facilities and programs and serves as a pipeline to increase exercise and physical fitness.

“We know there are a lot of people who haven’t been to our facilities before. This program provides a unique opportunity to get folks in the door and comfortable working out or spending time on the basketball courts or soccer turf,” said Taylor Martin, the Recreation Facility Operations Supervisor for LPRC,

Healthcare doesn’t begin and end in a clinic–it’s intertwined throughout our lives. Through partnerships with organizations like Just Food, LiveWell Douglas County, and LPRC, LMH Health is helping redefine what it means to care for a community.

“Whether it’s a blood pressure screening, a parenting class, or an activity prescription, these efforts empower people to take charge of their health in everyday moments,” Koonce said. “At LMH Health, wellness isn’t just a destination–it’s a journey we walk together.”

Autumn Bishop is the marketing manager and content strategist at LMH Health, which is a sponsor of the Lawrence Journal-World health section.