TODAY Moms’ most notable moms of 2011

TODAY Moms’ most notable moms of 2011

How much sugar in a can of cola?

We Kept Our Weight Loss Resolutions! | Fitbie

We Kept Our Weight Loss Resolutions! Fitbie

The Changing Health Care Reform...

INCREASING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE

Providing New, Voluntary Options for Long-Term Care Insurance

The law creates a voluntary long-term care insurance program – called CLASS -- to provide cash benefits to adults who become disabled.

Note: On October 14, 2011, Secretary Sebelius transmitted a report and letter to Congress stating that the Department does not see a viable path forward for CLASS implementation at this time. View a copy of the CLASS report.
Read about the original CLASS proposal.

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html

The Changing Health Care Reform...

Health Changing Health Care Reform...

Home Treatment for Flu - Cold, Flu and Sinus - Health.com

Home Treatment for Flu - Cold, Flu and Sinus - Health.com

Holiday Season Burnout!

The winter holidays are usually regarded as the "happiest time of the year", but who has time for happy when you have to make sure that all of your family and friends have the perfect gifts, clean the house, work full-time, prepare for finals (whether it's you taking finals or your kids), attempt to pay all of your bills, cook, and try to juggle spending time with all of your extended family members.

Should you go to your mom's house, your dad's house, your father in-laws house, your mother-in-laws house, everyones house, or just stay home? Let's just say that you are lucky enough that both your's and your partner's parents are still living together, well that means you still have to travel between at least three homes during a twelve hour period!

So, how will you make it through the holidays? Here are a few suggestions...

1. Buy gift cards! I agree, they aren't the most personal gift, but most people really, truly like gift cards.
2. Clean a little bit each day, so you don't have to do it all in one day. Oh, and turn on the Christmas music while you're cleaning...makes it more enjoyable!
3. Have a Christmas Eve potluck over your house and invite everyone! That way, you don't have to cook everything and then on Christmas day you can stay home and enjoy the entire day in your pajamas!
4. Try to take a couple days off before Christmas and a couple after. This will make it a lot less stressful.
5. Lastly, remember what the holiday season is really about. It's not the gifts or the food, it's the time you spend with your family and friends and it will be over in the blink of an eye, so make the best of it!

East Valley hopes that each and every one of you have a safe and happy holiday season!!!

For more information about East Valley or if you would like to be a part of giving someone the gift of health this holiday season, please click on the "donate" button at the top of the page or visit us at http://www.evchc.org/!

Awesome Christmas Light Display with Music...

A little somethin' to make you laugh and get you in the holiday spirit...

The Weight Loss Doctors Are In | Fitbie

These steps provide very logical steps to weight loss. No gimics or false promises!

The Weight Loss Doctors Are In Fitbie

STDs on the College Campus - Online Colleges

Check out this awesome visual on STDs! Thanks Online Colleges!

STDs on the College Campus - Online Colleges

Meet One of Our Dedicated Volunteers...Carly

          Carly has been a volunteer with East Valley Community Health Center for almost 5 years. She has volunteered her time in several departments including Outreach, Accounting, Health Promotion, and Quality Improvement.

          In addition to being a volunteer, when she turned 15, she began working at East Valley as a Teen Peer Educator. In this position she talked to other teens about how they can prevent an unintended pregnancy and the spread of STDs. A short 3 months later, funding for the Teen Peer Educator program was no longer available due to state budget cuts, however, Carly continued to volunteer her time with us. 

          Her volunteer work and work as a Teen Peer Educator has been a tremendous help to East Valley, as well as within the community, and we hope that Carly continues to work with us in the future. Thanks Carly!

Health Care Reform (3)

Health Disparities and the Affordable Care Act

Not all Americans have equal access to health care—or similar health care outcomes.  Low-income Americans, racial and ethnic minorities, and other underserved populations often have higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and reduced access to care.  They are also less likely to have health insurance than the population as a whole.
By improving access to quality health care for all Americans, the Affordable Care Act will help reduce these health disparities.  The new law will bring down health care costs, invest in prevention and wellness, and give individuals and families more control over their own care.
The Affordable Care Act will help reduce disparities by making improvements in:
Preventive care.  Medicare and some private insurance plans will cover recommended like regular check-ups, cancer screenings, and immunizations at no additional cost to eligible people.
Coordinated care.  The law calls for new investments in community health teams to manage chronic disease. This is important, because minority communities experience higher rates of illness and death for chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and cancer.  Because infant mortality and post-birth complications are also higher in minority and low-income groups, the law includes new funds for home visits for expectant mothers and newborns.
Diversity and cultural competency.  The Affordable Care Act expands initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health care professions.  It also strengthens cultural competency training for all health care providers.  Health plans will be required to use language services and community outreach in underserved communities. Improving communications between providers and patients will help address health disparities particularly in Hispanic communities, which currently have high numbers of uninsured people.
Health care providers for underserved communities.  The Affordable Care Act and increases funding for community health centers, which provide comprehensive health care for everyone no matter how much they are able to pay. Health centers serve an estimated one in three low-income people and one in four low-income minority residents.  The new resources will enable health centers to double the number of patients they serve. Combined with investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new law will support 16,000 new primary care providers.
Ending insurance discrimination.  Insurance discrimination will be banned, so people who have been sick can’t be excluded from coverage or charged higher premiums.  Women will no longer have to pay higher premiums because of their gender. New funding will be available to collect information on how women and racial and ethnic minorities experience the health care system, leading to improvements that will benefit these groups.
Affordable insurance coverage.  A new health insurance marketplace will be created in 2014.  These new health insurance Exchanges will offer one-stop shopping so individuals can compare prices, benefits, and health plan performance on easy-to-use websites. The Exchanges will guarantee that all people have a choice for quality, affordable health insurance even if a job loss, job switch, move, or illness occurs. The new law also provides tax credits to help more Americans pay for insurance.

http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/health-disparities.html

Guinness World Records 2012

Guinness World Records 2012

One of my favorites is the 91 year old yoga instructor. She looks great!

Meet Our Staff...Frank

Frank has been working part-time at East Valley since 2009 and recently earned a full-time position as our Quality Improvement Assistant. He was born and raised in California and loves teaching group fitness, skateboarding, and spending time with his family. One thing that Frank likes about East Valley is the great people he gets to work with every day. He says, “Everyone here seems to love what they do!”.

Welcome Frank! We are glad to have you join our Quality Improvement Team!

School rejects boy with HIV

Bioethicist: Shame on school for rejecting boy with HIV

In Recognition of World AIDS Day. For the First Time Ever: Bono!

High levels of arsenic found in fruit juice

High levels of arsenic found in fruit juice

What is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause, often referred to as pre-menopause or menopausal transition, is the time when natural changes occur in the body that lead to permanent infertility, or menopause. These changes usually begin to occur when a woman is in her 40's, however some women can experience it as early as their 30's. Once a woman goes 12 months consecutively without a period, menopause is reached and perimenopause is over. On average, women reach menopause at age 51.

The most common symptoms of perimenopause are menstrual irregularity, hot flashes, bone density loss, decreasing fertility, mood changes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness and infections, and bladder problems. If a woman experiences symptoms that interfere with her life or well-being, it is important that she make and appointment to visit her doctor.

Available treatments you can ask your doctor about include oral contraceptives, laser treatment to reduce or end menstrual flow, and progestin therapy. At home, it is important that women eat a nutritious diet, get regular exercise, and practice stress reduction techniques.

Perimenopause and menopause is a normal phase in a woman’s life, however, if you ever have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask questions!!!

For more information on perimenopause and/or menopause, please ask your doctor, or log onto www.evchc.org to find out how to make an appointment at one of our clinics.

Day-After-Thanksgiving Soup

Two Tasty After-Thanksgiving Dishes!

Just a little something to make you laugh...

Have a Healthy Thanksgiving

Christmas Holiday Toy Drive

The holidays are almost here and East Valley is once again making preparations for the adoption of 50 families that have been identified as our neediest patients. The families are being selected from both our Pomona and West Covina clinics and were chosen because they are experiencing serious financial difficulty and are unable to purchase gifts for their children this year.

If you are able to help one or more of the identified patients, please bring an unwrapped toy to the front desk of either the Pomona or West Covina clinic, or you can also send a check or money order to:

East Valley Community Health Center

C/O Shawna Maliglig

680 Fairplex Drive

Pomona, CA 91768

Please write “Christmas” on the memo line of your check.

I understand that economically it is a difficult time, however these patients and their families would not have any Christmas gifts if it were not for the spirit of giving. Thank you for making the holidays a little brighter for those in need.

5-Ways East Valley Helps Everyone in the Community:

1.  East Valley helps to decrease overcrowding in local emergency rooms so people with real emergencies can receive faster, higher quality care.

2.  East Valley provides STD/HIV testing, treatment, and counseling in order to decrease the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

3.  East Valley educates teens about pregnancy and STD prevention.

4.  East Valley provides jobs for over 200 people.

5.  East Valley gives all people an accessible option for quality, low-cost healthcare, should they ever need it.

Round 2 Recipe -Thanksgiving Quesadilla with Cranberry Cream Dipping Sauce on the Food Network

Round 2 Recipe -Thanksgiving Quesadilla with Cranberry Cream Dipping Sauce on the Food Network

This is a good recipe for after Thanksgiving snacks. Substitute regular sour cream for fat-free or light sour cream and use low-fat cheese to make it a bit healthier. Enjoy!

Why get tested?

There are many reasons to get an HIV test. A few are:
• You’re sexually active and are concerned about your health.
• You’ve had unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex.
• You and your sexual partner(s) want to know each other’s status.
• You’ve had a sexual partner who is HIV positive.
• You have injected drugs or other substances.
• You just want to know.

 East Valley provides HIV education, testing, counseling, and case management to those in need. To help us continue to provide these vital services, please click on the donate button at the top of the page or log onto www.evchc.org. Thank you in advance for your contribution!

Kotex tampons recalled over bacterial contamination

Kotex tampons recalled over bacterial contamination

Cancer Symptoms

20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

Routine tests like pap smears and mammograms are important, but don't rely on tests alone to protect you from cancer. It's just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that's different, odd, or unexplainable. Although many of these symptoms could be caused by less serious conditions, they're worth getting checked out if they persist. You don't want to join the ranks of cancer patients who realize too late that symptoms they'd noticed for a long time could have sounded the alarm earlier, when cancer was easier to cure.

1. Wheezing or shortness of breath

One of the first signs lung cancer patients remember noticing when they look back is the inability to catch their breath. "I couldn't even walk across the yard without wheezing. I thought I had asthma, but how come I didn't have it before?" is how one woman described it. Thyroid cancer can also cause breathing problems if a nodule or tumor begins to press on the trachea, or windpipe. Any breathing difficulties that persist are reason to visit the doctor.

2. Chronic cough or chest pain

Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. One way to tell the difference: The problems persist, or go away and come back again in a repeating cycle. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

3. Swallowing problems or hoarseness

Most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, difficulty swallowing is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too. A hoarse or low, husky voice or the feeling of something pressing on the throat can be an early indicator of thyroid cancer or a precancerous thyroid nodule, as can the feeling of having something stuck in your windpipe.

4. Frequent fevers or infections

These can be signs of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, which crowd out healthy white cells, sapping the body's infection-fighting capabilities. Often, doctors diagnose leukemia only after the patient has been in a number of times complaining of fever, achiness, and flu-like symptoms over an extended period of time.

5. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin

Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. For example, a lump or an enlarged lymph node under the arm is sometimes a sign of breast cancer. A painless lump on the neck, underarm, or groin can be an early sign of leukemia.

6. Bloating or abdominal weight gain -- the "my jeans don't fit" syndrome

While this might sound too common a phenomenon to be considered a cancer symptom, consider this: Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer overwhelmingly report that unexplained abdominal bloating that came on fairly suddenly and continued on and off over a long period of time (as opposed to occurring a few days each month with PMS) was one of the main ways they knew something was wrong.

7. Feeling full and unable to eat

This is another tip-off to ovarian cancer; women say they have no appetite and can't eat, even when they haven't eaten for some time. Any woman who experiences noticeable bloating or weight gain numerous times (the diagnostic criteria is more than 13 times over the period of a month) -- especially if it's accompanied by pelvic pain or feeling overly full -- should call her doctor and ask for a pelvic ultrasound.

8. Pelvic or abdominal pain

Taken by itself, pelvic pain can mean a lot of things. In fact, because it's a common symptom of fibroids, ovarian cysts, and other reproductive tract disorders, doctors don't always think of cancer when you describe pelvic pain. Make sure your doctor looks at all possible explanations and does a full exam, since pain and cramping in the pelvis and abdomen can go hand in hand with the bloating that often signals ovarian cancer. Leukemia can also cause abdominal pain resulting from an enlarged spleen.

9. Unusually heavy or painful periods or bleeding between periods

Many women reported this as the tip-off to endometrial or uterine cancer. Unfortunately, many women also said their doctors weren't responsive, overlooking or misdiagnosing their complaints as normal perimenopause. Ask for a transvaginal ultrasound if you suspect something more than routine heavy periods.

10. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool

"I thought it was hemorrhoids" is one of the most common things doctors hear when diagnosing colorectal cancer. Blood in the toilet alone is reason to call your doctor and schedule a colonoscopy.

Retrieved from: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cancer/20-cancer-symptoms-women-are-most-likely-to-ignore

East Valley provides early cancer detection services to men and women. Many people who come to the clinic have little to no income and need services like ours. To help East Valley continue to provide these services for those in need, please click donate on our blog. For more information about our services, please visit us at http://www.evchc.org/. Thank you for your support!

Sexually Transmitted Disease Facts

• Chlamydia is the #1 STD among teens.
• Chlamydia, Gonnorhea, and Syphilis are all curable but if they are not treated in time could lead to long-term health problems including infertility, blindness, and even death.
• Condoms should be worn during every sexual act and protect against most STDs.
• A mother with an STD can pass it to their baby during childbirth.
• There are two types of Herpes, 1 & 2, and most people have type 1 which are commonly known as cold sores or fever blisters.
• Some strains of HPV cause genital warts, and others can cause cervical cancer. Although the warts can be ugly, the HPV that causes cervical cancer is much more serious.
• You don't have to "sleep around" to get an STD, because many people can get it from a cheating partner or from the first time they have sex. It only takes one time!

East Valley tests and treats people of all ages for STDs. To stop the spread of STDs, it is vital that everyone get tested at least every 6 months. For more information about our services or to help support our STD education and prevention efforts, please visit our website at http://www.evchc.org/ or click donate above. Thank you for your support. The health of our community depends on it!

Judge blocks graphic cigarette label images

Very interesting article about the FDA trying to mandate disturbing images on cigarette packages. If you get a chance, read the comments after the article too!

Judge blocks graphic cigarette label images

Press Announcements FDA: 35 innovative new drugs approved in fiscal year 2011

Press Announcements FDA: 35 innovative new drugs approved in fiscal year 2011

FDA: Moldy applesauce repackaged by school lunch supplier

I came accross this article and thought it might be of interest to some of you.

FDA: Moldy applesauce repackaged by school lunch supplier

Health Care Reform (2)

Accountable Care Organizations: Improving Care Coordination for People with Medicare

The Affordable Care Act includes a number of policies to help physicians, hospitals, and other caregivers improve the safety and quality of patient care and make health care more affordable.  By focusing on the needs of patients and linking payments to outcomes, these delivery system reforms will help improve the health of individuals and communities and slow cost growth.

On March 31, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released proposed new rules to help doctors, hospitals, and other providers better coordinate care for Medicare patients through Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).  ACOs create incentives for health care providers to work together to treat an individual patient across care settings – including doctor’s offices, hospitals, and long-term care facilities.  The Medicare Shared Savings Program will reward ACOs that lower growth in health care costs while meeting performance standards on quality of care and putting patients first.  Patient and provider participation in an ACO is purely voluntary.
Need for and Benefits of Coordinated, Accountable Care
Today, more than half of Medicare beneficiaries have five or more chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, and kidney disease. These patients often receive care from multiple physicians. A failure to coordinate care can often lead to patients not getting the care they need, receiving duplicative care, and being at an increased risk of suffering medical errors.  On average, each year, one in seven Medicare patients admitted to a hospital has been subject to a harmful medical mistake in the course of their care.  And nearly one in five Medicare patients discharged from the hospital is readmitted within 30 days – a readmission many patients could have avoided if their care outside of the hospital had been aggressive and better coordinated.
Improving coordination and communication among physicians and other providers and suppliers through Accountable Care Organizations will help improve the care Medicare beneficiaries receive, while also helping lower costs.
According to the analysis of the proposed regulation for ACOs, Medicare could potentially save as much as $960 million over three years.
About Accountable Care Organizations
Under the proposed rule, an ACO refers to a group of providers and suppliers of services (e.g., hospitals, physicians, and others involved in patient care) that will work together to coordinate care for the patients they serve with Original Medicare (that is, those who are not in a Medicare Advantage private plan). The goal of an ACO is to deliver seamless, high quality care for Medicare beneficiaries.  The ACO would be a patient-centered organization where the patient and providers are true partners in care decisions.
The Affordable Care Act specifies that an ACO may include the following types of groups of providers and suppliers of Medicare-covered services:

• ACO professionals (i.e., physicians and hospitals meeting the statutory definition) in group practice arrangements,
• Networks of individual practices of ACO professionals,
• Partnerships or joint ventures arrangements between hospitals and ACO professionals, or
• Hospitals employing ACO professionals, and
• Other Medicare providers and suppliers as determined by the Secretary.

In the proposed rule, the Secretary has made clear that certain critical access hospitals are eligible to participate in the Shared Savings Program. The law requires each ACO to include health care providers, suppliers, and Medicare beneficiaries on its governing board. The ACO must take responsibility for at least 5,000 beneficiaries for a period of three years, also suggested in the law.
Sharing Savings
Under the proposed rule, Medicare would continue to pay individual health care providers and suppliers for specific items and services as it currently does under the Original Medicare payment systems.  CMS would also develop a benchmark for each ACO against which ACO performance is measured to assess whether it qualifies to receive shared savings, or to be held accountable for losses.  CMS is also proposing to establish a minimum sharing rate that would account for normal variations in health care spending, so that the ACO would be entitled to shared savings only when savings exceeded the minimum sharing rate.  The amount of shared savings depends on whether on an ACO meets or exceeds quality performance standards. The proposed rule would provide for additional shared savings for ACOs that include beneficiaries who receive services from a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Clinic during the performance year.
CMS is proposing to implement both a one-sided risk model (sharing of savings only for the first two years and sharing of savings and losses in the third year) and a two-sided risk model (sharing of savings and losses for all three years), allowing the ACO to opt for either model.  This will help organizations with less experience with risk models, such as some physician-driven organizations or smaller ACOs, to gain experience with population management before transitioning to a risk-based model, while also providing an opportunity for more experienced ACOs that are ready to share in losses to enter a sharing arrangement that provides a greater share of savings, but at the risk of repaying Medicare a portion of any losses.
Measuring Quality Improvement
The proposed rule links the amount of shared savings an ACO may receive to its performance on quality standards.  The rule proposes quality measures in five key areas that affect patient care:

• Patient/caregiver experience of care;
• Care coordination;
• Patient safety;
• Preventive health; and
• At-risk population/frail elderly health.

The proposed rule sets out proposed performance standards for these measures and a proposed scoring methodology, including proposals to prevent providers in ACOs from being penalized for treating patients with more complex conditions.
Improving Care for Patients 
Any patient who has multiple doctors probably understands the frustration of fragmented and disconnected care: lost or unavailable medical charts, duplicated medical procedures, or having to share the same information over and over with different doctors.  Accountable Care Organizations are designed to lift this burden from patients, while improving the partnership between patients and doctors in making health care decisions.  People with Medicare will have better control over their health care, and their doctors can provide better care because they will have better information about their patients’ medical history and can communicate with a patient’s other doctors.  Medicare beneficiaries whose doctors participate in an ACO will still have a full choice of providers and can still choose to see doctors outside of the ACO. Patients choosing to receive care from providers participating in ACOs will have access to information about how well their doctors, hospitals, or other caregivers are meeting quality standards.
Antitrust Guidance for Providers in ACOs
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have worked together to facilitate the creation of ACOs by giving providers the clear and practical guidance they need to form innovative, integrated health care delivery systems without running afoul of antitrust laws.  In conjunction with the proposed rule for the Shared Savings Program, the two agencies have issued a joint Proposed Statement of Enforcement Policy Regarding Accountable Care Organizations Participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (“Antitrust Policy Statement”).  Under the proposed Antitrust Policy Statement, the agencies are proposing to establish different levels of antitrust scrutiny depending on the specific ACO arrangement.  For example, DOJ and FTC are proposing to give rule of reason treatment to an ACO if, the ACO uses the same governance and leadership structure and the same clinical and administrative processes in the commercial market, as it uses to qualify for and participate in the Shared Savings Program. For more details, visit www.ftc.gov/opp/aco/.
One Part of Quality Improvement
ACOs are just one piece of a broader effort by the Obama Administration to improve the quality of health care for all Americans.  On March 21, HHS announced the first-ever National Quality Strategy, which will serve as a tool to better coordinate quality initiatives between public and private partners.  In addition, the Affordable Care Act established a new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation that will test innovative care and service delivery models.  CMS is currently exploring how the Innovation Center will test alternative payment models for Accountable Care Organizations.
Before the rule is finalized, CMS will review all comments from the public and may make changes to its proposals based on those comments.
To read the Notice of Proposed Rule-making for ACOs, visit http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1.
To read the press release, visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/03/20110331a.html.
Posted on: March 31, 2011
Last updated: October 26, 2011

http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/03/accountablecare03312011a.html

5 Pain-Relieving Yoga Poses

5 Pain-Relieving Yoga Poses Fitbie

Panel: Boys should get vaccine for HPV too

Panel: Boys should get vaccine for HPV too

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

Bullying - It Gets Better - Gay Spirit Day

This is a great video to share with family and friends about bullying, whether you are part of the LGBT community or not!

Meet Our Staff...Lelenia...

Lelenia joined East Valley in 2006. She is responsible for the oversight of two HIV prevention programs called Project ACT and CHICAS. These program serve active drug users and Latina transgender women. Within these program she is responsible for ensuring compliance with all contractual program guidelines, which includes but is not limited to staff supervision, development and implementation of evaluation tools; quality assurance activities; ensuring proper ongoing training of staff; tracking and modifying budgets; and participating in community planning bodies.

What she likes the most about her job is being able to help the communities that are so often overlooked in today's society. The work that the Project ACT and CHICAS staff do (Lelenia, Norma, Gabriela, Efren and Sasha) within the community is essential to preventing the spread of HIV. They work with hard to reach populations and provide much needed HIV prevention services in the community. They deserve a pat on the back for all their hard work and ongoing commitment to the individuals they serve!



Our Patients...

Patients receiving services at East Valley come from the cities of:

West Covina                                        Rowland Heights

Covina                                                 Hacienda Heights

Azusa                                                   Pomona

Baldwin Park                                                         Ontario

La Puente/Bassett                              Claremont

El Monte

Over 95% of the patients receiving services at East Valley are below the 200% poverty level, 83% do not have any type of health insurance and receive services under our public and private contracts and grants and sliding fee scale.

To help East Valley continue to provide services to those in need, please click on the donate button located on our blog page and on our website at http://www.evchc.org/. Thank you for your support!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Breast cancer survival rates have increased and the number of deaths has been declining, thanks to a number of factors such as earlier detection, new treatments and a better understanding of the disease.

East Valley Community Health Center provides mammograms to low-income and underserved patients, so that they are able to detect and treat cancer as early as possible. 

What can you do?Wear pink this month and help support programs, like ours, that aid in the early detection of Breast Cancer.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...More Common than You May Think...

How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex...

1. Start early - don't wait until you think your child is having sex, talk to them way before. However, it's never too late. Even if they are pregnant or already have a child, talk to them about preventing a second unintended pregnancy.

2. Share your values with them - don't be afraid that they are going to think you are uncool or too old fashioned, tell them what your values about sex and dating are and tell them what your expectations of them are. If you don't tell them, how are they supposed to know?

3. Don’t blurt “the talk” out – Use television shows or their friends’ relationships to bring up the subject of dating, relationships, and sex. Ask them questions like, “Do you think Melissa is old enough to have a boyfriend?” or “What do you think about that show, Teen Mom? Some people think it glorifies being a teen mom. What do you think?”

Lastly, it’s natural for kids to run away from conversations about sex and it’s natural for parents to try their best to stay away from the conversation as long as possible. However, they need to know, so if you are not able to talk to your kids about these issues, make sure they have someone else to talk to. The important thing is that they have the opportunity to  talk, listen, and learn about the dangers and consequences of being sexually active!

Help Save Community Health Clinics!

Join us on Thursday, October 13, 2011, a day for Health Center supporters across the nation to unite with one voice to call upon Congress and the White House to protect our CHCs and the patients they serve!

We need EVERY Health Center Advocate to act! The President and Congressional leaders are RIGHT NOW considering proposals to address federal spending, some of which could literally zero out funding for the Health Centers Program or drastically cut critically important programs like Medicaid. Please participate - and encourage others to participate! - on Thursday, October 13, to make sure Congress and the White House get a message they can't ignore!

Instructions for the Thursday, October 13, National Mobilization Call-In Day:

1) Call Your Members of Congress: Use the toll free Advocacy Hotline at 1-866-456-3949and tell your U.S. Representative AND BOTH Senators: "Do not undermine the successful Health Centers program as you negotiate Medicaid changes and cuts to the federal budget. The health and lives of our families and our neighbors should not be negotiated away. I am counting on your support for my Health Center."
a. You only need to call the Advocacy Hotline ONE TIME – stay on the line at the end of each conversation to be automatically connected to your next policymaker.

2) Call the White House Comment Line at 1-202-456-1111and leave a message for the President saying: "Do not undermine the successful Health Centers program as you negotiate Medicaid changes and cuts to the federal budget. The health and lives of our families and our neighbors should not be negotiated away. I am counting on your support for my Health Center."
a. When you call the White House Comment Line it may take a few moments to be connected to a LIVE OPERATOR, but you WILL be connected and be able to leave a message with a LIVE person. Make sure to call the White House BEFORE the Comment Line CLOSES at 5:00pm EST.

Be Aware: When you call your Congressional offices and the White House the line might be busy because SO MANY Health Center Advocates are calling - DON'T GIVE UP -- keep calling until you get through!

East Valley Provides Mental Health Services...

The East Valley Behavioral Health Clinic re-opened in March 2007 at the West Covina facility. We provide a full range of mental health services. They include:

Diagnostic Services
Clinical interviews, behavioral observation assessments, and screenings.

Child, Adult, and Family Therapy
Areas of focus include depression, anxiety, violence and traumas, life stress, parenting concerns, divorce/separation adjustment, school difficulties, childhood disorders, job stress, pain management, pregnancy-related mood changes, and disease management.

Additional Services
• Psychoeducational and Supportive Group Therapy
• Patient Education
• Case Management and Referrals

To learn more about our Mental Health Services or to provide support to one or more of our programs, please visit us at http://www.evchc.org/. Without the support and generosity of people like you, we would not be able to provide these services!

About East Valley's Dental Services...

The East Valley Dental Clinic opened June 8, 2005 at the West Covina facility. We provide a full range of dental services. 

They include:
Diagnostic and Preventive Services
Examinations, radiographs, cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments.
Restorative Services
Fillings, crowns, and bridges.
Removable Appliances
Partial and full dentures.
Oral Surgery
Dental Emergencies

At the dental clinic, fees are based on a sliding scale where they are significantly reduced based on income level.


To learn more about East Valley or to help provide dental services to those in need, please visit our website at http://www.evchc.org/ or e-mail us at smaliglig@evchc.org. Together we can make a positive difference in the lives of others!

 

 

The Affects of Loud Music, Smoking, & Drinking on Your Body...

Meet Our Staff...

Cynthia is one of East Valley's HIV Testing Counselors. She has worked at East Valley for 3 1/2 years. What she enjoys most about her job is being able to work with so many different types of people and having the ability to bring services out to the community through the mobile HIV testing unit. On the mobile unit, HIV Testing Counselors provide people with free oral HIV testing with results in 20 minutes. People love this because it's fast, free, and painless. They are also able to provide clients with referrals to the clinic and other vital resources.

She has been able to establish a rapport with clients and has subsequently been able to link them to HIV medical care, drug treatment programs, and housing resources. Being able to contribute positively to a persons life in my own small way, makes my job worthwhile.

Reducing Breast Cancer Risk

East Valley provides patients with mammograms in order to increase
early detection of breast cancer.

If you are interested in learning more about East valley or would like to
support our clinic, please log onto http://www.evchc.org/. Together we can
make a difference!

FDNY Welcomes First Transgender Firefighter

FDNY Welcomes First Transgender Firefighter

About East Valley

 

Founded in 1970, East Valley Community Health Center has been steadfast in its commitment to meet the health care needs of the low-income and underserved within our targeted community.  East Valley has evolved from a free clinic that focused on family planning and counseling services (1970-1980) into a comprehensive health care provider; and since 2002, a Federally Qualified Health Center under Section 330 (e) of the Public Health Act.  Today East Valley, via its two clinics in West Covina and Pomona, has emerged as a focal point for the coordination and delivery of health care services to the uninsured and underserved.

East Valley is a private nonprofit corporation, classified as a 501(c)(3) organization.  A Board of Directors governs East Valley, with a consumer majority.  This structure ensures community representation and, as a result, programs and services that are responsive to expressed community needs.  This inherent commitment to serve our community, regardless of ability to pay, differentiates us from most other providers in the community.  Our philosophy of guaranteeing patients a “Safety Net” in their community, where they can access comprehensive primary care for their entire family continues.  Although collaborative with other providers, we have elected not to integrate legally or financially with other institutions.

East Valley "Come Grow With Us"

East Valley is coming to Villaocorta Elementary school. We will be opening a new clinic facility at Villacorta in March 2012. During school hours, school children will be seen; after school hours, the clinic will be open to everyone!

To help us continue to provide quality and accessible services to those in need, please visit us at http://www.evchc.org/. Thanks for your support!

Health Care Reform

New Innovations to Bring Down Costs

Administrative funding becomes available October 1, 2011

The Independent Payment Advisory Board will begin operations to develop and submit proposals to Congress and the President aimed at extending the life of the Medicare Trust Fund.  The Board is expected to focus on ways to target waste in the system, and recommend ways to reduce costs, improve health outcomes for patients, and expand access to high-quality care.

East Valley's "We Belong * Transgender Community Empowerment" Event!

We Belong! A TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT EVENT from Susan Forrest on Vimeo.

East Valley Community Health Center spoke to EraseDoubt about HIV preven...

Migraine Visual Aura

Eat, drink and be sleepy with these surprising natural remedies

Eat, drink and be sleepy with these surprising natural remedies

Facebook Page

If you would like to learn more about our clinic, please visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/eastvalleyclinic.

A story of hope in these unsure economic times...

Unemployed, he's selling everything to follow in steps of Dust Bowl migrants

Dr. Oz on Weight Loss

Dr. Oz: Obesity Growing Problem

MyPlate replaces the Food Pyramid...

The first goal of healthy eating is to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits, adding slightly more veggies than fruits. This is one of the best things most Americans can do to improve their nutrition. That's why it's a primary focus of the MyPlate campaign.
The other half of your plate should be filled with proteins and grains, using slightly more grain than protein. Now each of four major food groups -- vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains - occupies roughly a quarter of your plate. Dairy is the fifth food group in the MyPlate campaign. To remind you that need to include dairy in healthy balanced meal planning, the MyPlate icon shows a glass of milk near your "plate."
The recommended daily amounts of each food group depends on your age, gender, activity level, and other considerations such as whether or not you're pregnant. But the MyPlate plan gives everyone a clear reminder of what a balanced diet generally looks like.

East Valley

To get more information about East Valley, please visit our website at http://www.evchc.org/ or our facebook page at www.facebook.com/eastvalleyclinic.

Mental illness...

The real story of Schizophrenia

ADHD Kids Before and After

A-Z OF FAMOUS PEOPLE WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER

Top metabolism boosting foods!

Healthy brown-bag lunches!

10-Minute Lunch and Snack Picks

Cold Cheese and Fruit Kit: Make your own “Lunchables” by filling a reusable container with assorted cheese slices, easy-to-eat fruit like apple slices and grapes, and whole wheat crackers.
Falafel Pita Pleaser: Purchase ready-to-bake falafels in the vegetarian refrigerator section of some supermarkets. Bake them up ahead of time, then insert them in a whole wheat pita pocket spread with some hummus (homemade or store-bought).
Fish in a Pinch: Work a fish serving into your week by adding tuna or salmon to your green salad, pasta salad, or sandwich. For a satisfying snack, toss some tuna or salmon with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy with whole grain crackers.
Love Your Leftovers: One of the easiest ways that corporate nutritionist Maggie Moon, MS, RD, makes sure she has a healthy lunch tomorrow is to start with dinner tonight. Before serving dinner, she packs some of it away in portable containers, stores them in the refrigerator, and then takes one to work the next day.
Pasta Salad Prep: Make cold pasta salad with leftover pasta shapes from last night. Toss chilled whole grain pasta with cheese cubes, lots of bite-size vegetables, and a homemade or bottled vinaigrette dressing made with olive oil or canola oil.
Pizza Bagels or Pizza Calzones: Bake a mini pizza in 5 minutes by spreading pizza sauce or pesto on whole wheat bagel halves or a whole wheat pita pocket (use the whole pita as a crust). Top with shredded cheese and your favorite veggie toppings (green onions, tomatoes, chopped red peppers, onions, olives, minced garlic, sliced mushrooms),  then broil in a toaster oven until the cheese is bubbling. If using a pita, fold one half over to make a calzone! Wrap it up for your bag lunch or, if your office has a toaster oven, bring it to work unbaked and bake it there.
Stock Your Work Fridge With Salad Dressing: To make it easier to enjoy salads at the office, Moon keeps her favorite salad dressing in the work refrigerator. Look for salad dressing with the least amount of sodium and made with canola or olive oil.

Southwest Wrap: Toss some drained canned black beans with salsa, avocado, red onions, shredded romaine lettuce, and cheese and wrap in a softened whole wheat tortilla. This is a favorite five-minute grab-and-go lunch for Karen Ansel, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association spokesperson and co-author of The Baby & Toddler Cookbook.

Sushi with Veggies: Pick up a tray of premade vegetable sushi at your supermarket or favorite Japanese restaurant. It makes a great grab-and-go lunch the next day. Because it features veggies and avocado, there’s no chance the sushi will smell “fishy” the next day.
Wrap It Up: Make your sandwich wrap the night before, using a whole grain flour tortilla and spreads like green or sun-dried tomato pesto, olive tapenade, or honey mustard. Layer it with slices of lean meat or cheese, assorted vegetables, tomato, onion, and lettuce. Because it’s whole grain, the tortilla won’t get soggy overnight.

California Health Care Reform

IMPROVING QUALITY AND LOWERING COSTS IN THE STATE

New Innovations to Bring Down Costs in California

Administrative funding becomes available October 1, 2011

The Independent Payment Advisory Board will begin operations to develop and submit proposals to Congress and the President aimed at extending the life of the Medicare Trust Fund.  The Board is expected to focus on ways to target waste in the system, and recommend ways to reduce costs, improve health outcomes for patients, and expand access to high-quality care.

The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating | Fitbie

The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating Fitbie

Health Care Reform

Putting health coverage within reach

Are you stretching to maintain optimum flexibility? This guy sure is...

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