Children’s Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 2023 Community Benefits
- Health Equity
- Growing and Developing Our Health Care Workforce
- Hospital-Supported Initiatives
- Charity Care/Free Clinics
Children’s Wisconsin Community Health Advocates Support Families in Getting the Supports They Need
Community health advocates at Children’s Wisconsin are certified community health workers and trusted members of the neighborhoods where they work, including Amani/Franklin Heights, Clarke Square, Lindsay Heights, Metcalfe Park and the near west side. In 2022, they helped more than 450 families whose needs extended beyond health care, supporting those who face challenging and vulnerable situations, which most often include housing concerns. They focus on the whole person and the social determinants of health to support families with overall health and well-being.
Children’s community health advocates support families by encouraging self-sufficiency and independence. They help individuals best meet their personal needs by building trust, identifying their priorities and most urgent needs, and setting goals with a pathway to accomplish them. After three months of working with the community health advocates, 57% of participants improved their financial, employment and food security, and 50% reported improved social support.
Mrs. W started working with Children’s community health advocates early on in her pregnancy. She really valued the team’s non-judgmental communication, reassurance and consistent follow-through. Mrs. W’s goals included finding a job, identifying a better place to live and doing a weekly check-up with the Children’s team. Over 18 months, the advocates helped her with securing employment and Mrs. W. went from partially homeless to finding the right housing to meet her needs. Tragically, during this time, Mrs. W’s baby girl passed away. Children’s community health advocates were there to support her and advocate alongside her journey of loss and transformation.
Mrs. W. regularly sees a counselor to support her mental health and well-being and now has become involved in helping others, connecting family members and acquaintances to Children’s when they need assistance. Mrs. W shares that she “gathered a lot, gained a lot and learned a lot from working with Children’s.”
Children’s community health advocates support families by encouraging self-sufficiency and independence. They help individuals best meet their personal needs by building trust, identifying their priorities and most urgent needs, and setting goals with a pathway to accomplish them. After three months of working with the community health advocates, 57% of participants improved their financial, employment and food security, and 50% reported improved social support.
Mrs. W started working with Children’s community health advocates early on in her pregnancy. She really valued the team’s non-judgmental communication, reassurance and consistent follow-through. Mrs. W’s goals included finding a job, identifying a better place to live and doing a weekly check-up with the Children’s team. Over 18 months, the advocates helped her with securing employment and Mrs. W. went from partially homeless to finding the right housing to meet her needs. Tragically, during this time, Mrs. W’s baby girl passed away. Children’s community health advocates were there to support her and advocate alongside her journey of loss and transformation.
Mrs. W. regularly sees a counselor to support her mental health and well-being and now has become involved in helping others, connecting family members and acquaintances to Children’s when they need assistance. Mrs. W shares that she “gathered a lot, gained a lot and learned a lot from working with Children’s.”
Children’s Wisconsin Promoting Workforce Development and Diversity Through Community Partnerships
Children’s Wisconsin believes that building the health care career pipeline starts early, with investments in many partnerships to reach and inform early learners about careers at Children’s Wisconsin. Through participation in the Metro Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce’s Be the Spark initiative, Children’s Wisconsin staff met with Milwaukee Marshall High Students to discuss the pathway to their career.
Children’s Wisconsin staff also provided interview coaching to students at Bradley Tech High School. Recently, students from Reagan High School’s Health Occupations Association visited Children’s Wisconsin’s Milwaukee campus for an immersive, hands-on experience to learn about several health careers, including in Surgical Services, Pharmacy, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Respiratory, Laboratory and Imaging.
Last year, Children’s Wisconsin began a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee and Herzing University to offer resume assistance, mock interviews, career coaching and career exploration sessions in Information Technology, Nursing, Dental Hygiene and Surgical Technology. Herzing University provides certified nursing assistant training to Boys & Girls Club members and to-date, seven nursing assistant graduates have been hired by Children’s Wisconsin to work in its hospital units.
In addition, Children’s Wisconsin offers apprenticeships, a variety of internships, as well as training and education opportunities for all stages of learners to gain valuable work experience. Our commitment to excellence and delivering high-quality care drives us to recruit top talent that represents a variety of perspectives, knowledge and experience. These partnership efforts, among others, are key to building the health care workforce.
Children’s Wisconsin staff also provided interview coaching to students at Bradley Tech High School. Recently, students from Reagan High School’s Health Occupations Association visited Children’s Wisconsin’s Milwaukee campus for an immersive, hands-on experience to learn about several health careers, including in Surgical Services, Pharmacy, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Respiratory, Laboratory and Imaging.
Last year, Children’s Wisconsin began a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee and Herzing University to offer resume assistance, mock interviews, career coaching and career exploration sessions in Information Technology, Nursing, Dental Hygiene and Surgical Technology. Herzing University provides certified nursing assistant training to Boys & Girls Club members and to-date, seven nursing assistant graduates have been hired by Children’s Wisconsin to work in its hospital units.
In addition, Children’s Wisconsin offers apprenticeships, a variety of internships, as well as training and education opportunities for all stages of learners to gain valuable work experience. Our commitment to excellence and delivering high-quality care drives us to recruit top talent that represents a variety of perspectives, knowledge and experience. These partnership efforts, among others, are key to building the health care workforce.
Children’s Wisconsin’s Efforts to Prevent, Address Violence in Our Communities
Children’s Wisconsin and community members across the state are dedicated to addressing violence and promoting safety. The increase in violence in our communities is a complex public health epidemic that requires multi-pronged, collaborative solutions. Violence impacts far beyond the immediate victims and greatly impacts a child’s growth and development.
Children’s Wisconsin has invested in trusted efforts to address violence holistically at home, in school and in the community. Our teams, consisting of clinicians, community health workers and child well-being professionals support children and families by working with community partners. They offer care, resources, education and support on topics such as positive parenting and family functioning, safe firearm storage, child abuse prevention and healthy ways to process trauma. They also offer connections to resources for housing, food, education and health care. Children’s offers free e-learning programs for schools across the state on bullying prevention and mental and emotional health.
When Children’s Wisconsin started Project Ujima, it was one of the first hospital-based violence and crisis intervention programs in the nation. Through case management, social and emotional support, youth development and mentoring, mental health and medical services, Project Ujima is supporting more kids and families than ever to stop the cycle of violence. Recently, an expectant mom with a child enrolled in the program after her mother was killed. Her entire family benefitted from Project Ujima’s services and were connected to therapy, childcare, food resources, car seat support and the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) which helps parents manage common child and family behaviors and emotions.
In addition to providing research support for Project Ujima, several Children’s Wisconsin providers are involved in violence prevention research, including understanding risk factors, long-term outcomes, follow-up care needs and more. These and other efforts are key to advancing solutions to address violence in our communities.
Children’s Wisconsin has invested in trusted efforts to address violence holistically at home, in school and in the community. Our teams, consisting of clinicians, community health workers and child well-being professionals support children and families by working with community partners. They offer care, resources, education and support on topics such as positive parenting and family functioning, safe firearm storage, child abuse prevention and healthy ways to process trauma. They also offer connections to resources for housing, food, education and health care. Children’s offers free e-learning programs for schools across the state on bullying prevention and mental and emotional health.
When Children’s Wisconsin started Project Ujima, it was one of the first hospital-based violence and crisis intervention programs in the nation. Through case management, social and emotional support, youth development and mentoring, mental health and medical services, Project Ujima is supporting more kids and families than ever to stop the cycle of violence. Recently, an expectant mom with a child enrolled in the program after her mother was killed. Her entire family benefitted from Project Ujima’s services and were connected to therapy, childcare, food resources, car seat support and the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) which helps parents manage common child and family behaviors and emotions.
In addition to providing research support for Project Ujima, several Children’s Wisconsin providers are involved in violence prevention research, including understanding risk factors, long-term outcomes, follow-up care needs and more. These and other efforts are key to advancing solutions to address violence in our communities.
Community Partnership with Children’s Wisconsin Offers Free Lead Testing for Milwaukee Children, Families
In partnership with the MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary on Milwaukee’s near-north side, Children’s Wisconsin has been testing children for lead poisoning. The MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary is a multi-resource center that helps meet community members’ essential needs and provides connection to community and supportive resources. They typically serve those in the 53206 zip code where Milwaukee’s lead poisoning crisis is particularly serious.
Wisconsin is ranked among the top 10 states for highest percentages of children with elevated blood lead levels. Systemic inequities have led to disparities in lead exposure, with families with lower incomes and families of color disproportionately impacted.
Childhood lead poisoning results from hand-to-mouth behaviors involving environmental sources of lead, such as chipping or disturbed lead paint, lead dust, lead in the soil or lead water lines. Children impacted by lead poisoning can experience short- and long-term consequences, including decreased ability to learn, behavioral challenges, speech delays, hearing challenges, kidney damage and seizures. Consistent and early blood lead level testing remains the best way to identify children experiencing lead poisoning.
One young child who visited the community testing event had never been tested for lead before. When Children’s performed their initial lead test, the level came back elevated, so the clinicians did a blood draw to confirm the finding at the City of Milwaukee Health Department lab. Unfortunately, the child’s blood lead level was extremely high, necessitating inpatient admission. The family didn’t have a primary care provider, so Children’s connected them to a Children’s pediatrician for ongoing care. Through more than a dozen events, Children’s has tested more than 125 children. Significantly, approximately one-third of the children tested had elevated blood lead levels, demonstrating the importance of this opportunity to provide free testing and ensure kids are connected to the follow-up care and support they may need.
Wisconsin is ranked among the top 10 states for highest percentages of children with elevated blood lead levels. Systemic inequities have led to disparities in lead exposure, with families with lower incomes and families of color disproportionately impacted.
Childhood lead poisoning results from hand-to-mouth behaviors involving environmental sources of lead, such as chipping or disturbed lead paint, lead dust, lead in the soil or lead water lines. Children impacted by lead poisoning can experience short- and long-term consequences, including decreased ability to learn, behavioral challenges, speech delays, hearing challenges, kidney damage and seizures. Consistent and early blood lead level testing remains the best way to identify children experiencing lead poisoning.
One young child who visited the community testing event had never been tested for lead before. When Children’s performed their initial lead test, the level came back elevated, so the clinicians did a blood draw to confirm the finding at the City of Milwaukee Health Department lab. Unfortunately, the child’s blood lead level was extremely high, necessitating inpatient admission. The family didn’t have a primary care provider, so Children’s connected them to a Children’s pediatrician for ongoing care. Through more than a dozen events, Children’s has tested more than 125 children. Significantly, approximately one-third of the children tested had elevated blood lead levels, demonstrating the importance of this opportunity to provide free testing and ensure kids are connected to the follow-up care and support they may need.
