Message from our CEO, Loretta V. Bush... |
Alcohol Awareness Month: Focusing on Alcohol Consumption |
Alcohol screening is a quick, easy way to learn if alcohol use is harming your health
Among the substances that cause addiction, alcohol is often identified as an acceptable drug, a beverage many people drink in normal consumption. Yet, it can cause addiction and serious problems for individuals, families, and society.
Alcohol use disorder may not be clinically diagnosed as “alcoholism.” In fact, nine out of 10 adults who drink excessively in the United States do not meet the diagnostic criteria for severe alcohol use disorder, also known as alcohol dependence.
One way of identifying whether alcohol is a problem is through an alcohol screening test, which is a simple survey completed in a primary care setting. The U.S. Preventive Service recommends screening for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care settings for adults 18 years or older, including pregnant women. It recommends that persons engaged in risky or hazardous drinking be given behavioral counseling interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use.
As with other diseases, alcohol use disorders often have lifestyle, emotional, and mental health aspects – even genetics. Ask your provider about Medication Assisted Therapy, which is an effective approach that integrates medical and behavioral health care. We provide this at our Popoff Family Health Center by calling 313 824-1000 ext. 1.
This month, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Hassan Saghir, a Family Medicine physician who specializes in addiction medicine at Popoff. You can watch the video below.
Remember, if you choose to consume alcohol at all do so in moderation. The best way to know whether your use is unhealthy is to get screened.
Stay safe and healthy!
Loretta V. Bush, MSHA
President and CEO, Authority Health
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VIDEO - The Truth About Drinking Alcohol |
VIDEO - A Discussion on the Importance of Being Aware About the Impacts of Drinking Alcohol
To commemorate Alcohol Awareness Month, Authority Health's President and CEO, Loretta V. Bush interviewed Dr. Hassan Saghir, MD. He serves as Associate Program Director at Popoff Family Health Center.
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Hope Family Health Center Brings Mindful Performance Therapy Project to Students at Hope Academy |
The Community Medicine program of our residency will be administering the Mindful Performance Therapy project at Hope Academy. The program program, made possible through funding from The Children Foundation, will offer students the opportunity to participate in after school activities focused on supporting mental health and well-being through a host of guided physical techniques that will aid in creating overall health and longevity. Some of the activities will include the following:
- Provide instruction on body movements that help with centering the mind including yoga
- Instruction on physical activities that helps with emotional management
- Coursework and demonstration on healthy eating and basic nutrition facts
See feature article in the 'In the Community' section.
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How Sumi Does It
Sumi Dey, Schweitzer Fellow and Authority Health Medical Resident work on reducing Vaccine Hesitancy
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Above: Dr. Sumi Dey (voice recording excerpt) |
By Artina Dozier-Gage
Schweitzer Fellow Dr. Sumi Dey’s humanitarian work through her project
How to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy in Underserved Populations in Detroit has
had so much success with increasing vaccination rates right here in our community at Popoff Family Health Center that has some of our physicians and public health professionals here at Authority Health wanting to know just how she did it.
In 2021, during the time that the global pandemic was still in full swing Sumi was accepted as a Schweitzer Fellow in Detroit’s chapter to further pursue her
work in public health. Sumi’s objective
was to help overcome vaccine hesitancy, which she felt would help to curtail the current pandemic brought on by COVID-19 and also help to prevent a new pandemic caused by some other preventable
disease by increasing patients’ knowledge and awareness surrounding vaccines in general and increasing the rate of vaccinations received by those who live
in underserved communities.
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Investors Create a New Threat to Housing Security Through Mass Acquisition
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By Dennis Archambault
Home ownership is an important step out of the cycle of poverty. Typically, working families save enough to make a down payment on a “starter” house. They would have a low, similar monthly mortgage, and with adequate employment and health, they may ultimately own their home and live a more stable life. In recent years a major development has occurred in the supply and accessibility of those starter homes: large corporate interests are acquiring houses and renting them at high rates. Detroit is tied with Orlando, Florida, for sixth in predatory investment practices, according to a Washington Post article.
Signs seemingly handwritten by small time buyers, “We pay cash for houses,” and “I want to buy your house,” appeal to the older owner or someone interested in quickly selling their house without going through necessary improvements. In some cases, investors “flip” the houses for a substantial profit — “buy low, sell high” — or rent at a high level, exploiting the hot rental market.
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Top: Dr. Carolyn Custer, Dir. Quality at Authority Health; Dr. Ariela Alonso, Medical Resident; Brandi Lagodzinski, Chief of Staff at Authority Health, Rep. Matt Koleszar; Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs
Bottom: The Authority Health team with Sen. Marshall Bullock and Nurse, Marie Shoulders-Williams
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Invest in a Healthier Learning Environment Through School- Based Health centers
Advocacy for School Health Centers
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By Dennis Archambault
The Detroit News endorsement of a proposal by the School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan to increase Gov. Whitmer’s budget for schools to $25 million will help fiscally conservative legislators and their constituencies see the wisdom of investing in healthy learning environments.
Members of the Authority Health staff members and several other representatives of school-based health centers met with state legislators in Lansing on March 16 to discuss this proposal.
While grateful that the governor include $11 million for this program in her 2022-23 proposed budget, proponents believe there is a need to grow and enhance these health centers throughout the state, especially in urban areas like Detroit. We would like the Legislature to include $25 million for school-based health centers.
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From left back: Chad Volant PPSC, StrengthRX; Adrienne Davis, Denita Johnson, RN; Regina Crittenden-Byas of Simply Well Yoga, Carolyn Custer, DO
From left front: Reeba Thomas, Pediatric Resident; Diana Volant, MA from StrengthRX
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Mindfulness Through Our Own Autonomy
Hope Family Health Center to offer students opportunities to learn techniques for wellness
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By Artina Dozier-Gage
We are pleased to announce that Students from Hope Academy will now have the opportunity to participate in afterschool activities focused on supporting mental health and well-being. Hope Family Health Center will implement the Mindful Performance Therapy Project, a program involving body movement geared towards helping kids with emotional management.
The primary goal of the program is for kids to learn techniques through specific types body movement that can help to reduce feelings of fear, worry, panic, etc. by creating a mental state of mind that centers one in the moment.
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Orienting the New Schweitzer Fellows |
By Artina Dozier-Gage
On April 1st we formally welcomed our new cohort of Schweitzer Fellows to the Authority Health family. The group presents as passionate and optimistic about their work and the impact it can have with underserved communities. They bring with them a real sense of focus and commitment to their mission. We’ll have much more on the group and their respective projects to come.
However, as to their orientation we reached back into our community here in Detroit and invited Orlando Bailey from BridgeDetroit to serve as the keynote speaker for the occasion.
Mr. Bailey gave a passionate account of his experience both growing up a member of the community and now as an activist with the goal of serving the community.
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Orlando Bailey, Director of Community Engagement for BridgeDetroit |
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Authority Health is a public body corporate serving the needs of the health care safety net. It sponsors the nation’s second-largest graduate medical education teaching health center and community-based wellness centers. In addition, Authority Health provides extensive enrollment and navigation services, as well as professional training opportunities.
Authority Health | 313.871.3751 | media@authorityhealth.org | www.authorityhealth.org
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