Children’s Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 2024 Community Benefits
- Charity Care/Free Clinics
- Hospital-Supported Initiatives
- Growing and Developing Our Health Care Workforce
- Health Equity
Children’s Wisconsin Provides Donor Milk to Help Our Tiniest Babies Thrive
Children’s Wisconsin proudly cares for nearly 1,000 babies each year in our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Milwaukee, including those who are born early and those who are critically ill. Many highly trained clinicians, including neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners and nurses with specialty certifications provide the highest level of care to support infants grow and develop.
Small, vulnerable babies often have high nutritional needs, which Children’s helps meet by offering pasteurized human donor milk (PHDM) and human milk fortifier. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend PHDM when mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. Multiple studies show it protects against necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious intestinal disease that causes tissue inflammation that can lead to additional complications, including death.
In partnership with the Mother’s Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, a nonprofit accredited milk bank, Children’s provides infants with safe and secure milk. In addition, Children’s provides infants in need with a commercial milk fortifier that is derived from human donor milk, which adds essential calories, protein and minerals to PHDM or maternal milk.
A mother went into pre-term labor delivering her son 11 weeks early. Her son was stabilized and transported to the Children’s NICU while mom remained at the birth hospital. The separation was very stressful on them both, but mom was committed to his health and began diligently pumping. During the first two weeks of life, her son’s nutritional needs were met with PHDM and breastmilk. As mom’s volumes increased, the need for donor milk decreased. Her son grew bigger, stronger and smarter every day, thanks in part to PHDM.
This care is not reimbursed, and Children’s is proud to invest in caring for our most vulnerable babies and helping set them up for a healthy start in life.
Small, vulnerable babies often have high nutritional needs, which Children’s helps meet by offering pasteurized human donor milk (PHDM) and human milk fortifier. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend PHDM when mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. Multiple studies show it protects against necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious intestinal disease that causes tissue inflammation that can lead to additional complications, including death.
In partnership with the Mother’s Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, a nonprofit accredited milk bank, Children’s provides infants with safe and secure milk. In addition, Children’s provides infants in need with a commercial milk fortifier that is derived from human donor milk, which adds essential calories, protein and minerals to PHDM or maternal milk.
A mother went into pre-term labor delivering her son 11 weeks early. Her son was stabilized and transported to the Children’s NICU while mom remained at the birth hospital. The separation was very stressful on them both, but mom was committed to his health and began diligently pumping. During the first two weeks of life, her son’s nutritional needs were met with PHDM and breastmilk. As mom’s volumes increased, the need for donor milk decreased. Her son grew bigger, stronger and smarter every day, thanks in part to PHDM.
This care is not reimbursed, and Children’s is proud to invest in caring for our most vulnerable babies and helping set them up for a healthy start in life.
Children’s Wisconsin Provides Safe at Home Program to Prevent Injuries
Children’s Wisconsin offers Safe at Home, a program focused on child safety and injury prevention. Patients and their families at Children’s Milwaukee hospital, outpatient clinics and primary care offices are offered materials to keep kids and teens safe from preventable injuries. In Children’s latest Milwaukee community health needs assessment, safety and violence were identified as one of four most important community health priorities.
Since 2022, Safe at Home has provided more than 200 patients and community members with products, like medication lock bags, lock boxes, and trigger/cable locks, among others. Most patients served through Safe at Home were seen at Children’s for intentional ingestions, accidental ingestions and suicide/suicidal ideation. In addition, many Children’s clinics screen patient families for social determinants of health needs, which includes a question about firearms in the home. Many families who indicate they have unsecured firearms at home are interested in receiving free storage devices to promote safety for their children and loved ones.
Physicians in the Level I emergency department and trauma center at Children’s care for children impacted by firearm injury and suicide attempts. They share that the Safe at Home program fills a much-needed void for patients and families. “We have found that there is a large interest in our emergency department and at community events in having access to safe firearm storage devices provided through Children's Wisconsin. Families hope to keep their kids safe and the Safe at Home program offers them that opportunity.”
Recently, a teen had been admitted to Children’s Wisconsin for ingestion of medication when living with their relatives. Their relatives were able to access secure storage for medications to help prevent future ingestions and keep their teen safe.
Children’s receives grants to cover some program costs but supports the Safe at Home program with community benefit investment.
Since 2022, Safe at Home has provided more than 200 patients and community members with products, like medication lock bags, lock boxes, and trigger/cable locks, among others. Most patients served through Safe at Home were seen at Children’s for intentional ingestions, accidental ingestions and suicide/suicidal ideation. In addition, many Children’s clinics screen patient families for social determinants of health needs, which includes a question about firearms in the home. Many families who indicate they have unsecured firearms at home are interested in receiving free storage devices to promote safety for their children and loved ones.
Physicians in the Level I emergency department and trauma center at Children’s care for children impacted by firearm injury and suicide attempts. They share that the Safe at Home program fills a much-needed void for patients and families. “We have found that there is a large interest in our emergency department and at community events in having access to safe firearm storage devices provided through Children's Wisconsin. Families hope to keep their kids safe and the Safe at Home program offers them that opportunity.”
Recently, a teen had been admitted to Children’s Wisconsin for ingestion of medication when living with their relatives. Their relatives were able to access secure storage for medications to help prevent future ingestions and keep their teen safe.
Children’s receives grants to cover some program costs but supports the Safe at Home program with community benefit investment.
Children’s Wisconsin Supports Military Members Entering the Workforce
One of Children’s Wisconsin’s inclusion, diversity & equity commitments is focusing on increasing the diversity of our workforce and leadership with a special focus on underrepresented populations and veterans. Children’s Wisconsin is proud to be a qualified employer with the U.S. Department of Defense Skillbridge program. Since 2021, Children’s Wisconsin has worked with six service members to provide civilian work experience and specific industry training.
During the last four to six months of their service with the military, the Skillbridge program offers service members an opportunity to gain valuable skills, cross-training and experience with an industry partner. The Department of Defense continues to provide salary and benefits for the service member while the industry partner provides training, connections from military service to the civilian world, and exposes them to potential careers and future opportunities.
At Children’s Wisconsin, service members participating in the Skillbridge program often work with the Facilities team to support hospital and clinic operations through maintaining HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other key building functions. Skillbridge participants translate their military career experience, knowledge and skills to a civilian career environment that supports the health and well-being of Wisconsin’s kids and families.
Some of the service members are hired by Children’s Wisconsin after their time in the Skillbridge program, while others find alternative careers or pursue higher education opportunities. The exposure to available careers helps service members transition from their military career and builds awareness of the many careers required to support the functioning of Children’s health care system.
Kris Miller, Manager of Facilities Operations at Children’s Wisconsin, shares “the program is a great success – it provides valuable support, training and experience to veterans while they transition to civilian life, while also providing our department with individuals possessing useful skills and experiences.”
During the last four to six months of their service with the military, the Skillbridge program offers service members an opportunity to gain valuable skills, cross-training and experience with an industry partner. The Department of Defense continues to provide salary and benefits for the service member while the industry partner provides training, connections from military service to the civilian world, and exposes them to potential careers and future opportunities.
At Children’s Wisconsin, service members participating in the Skillbridge program often work with the Facilities team to support hospital and clinic operations through maintaining HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other key building functions. Skillbridge participants translate their military career experience, knowledge and skills to a civilian career environment that supports the health and well-being of Wisconsin’s kids and families.
Some of the service members are hired by Children’s Wisconsin after their time in the Skillbridge program, while others find alternative careers or pursue higher education opportunities. The exposure to available careers helps service members transition from their military career and builds awareness of the many careers required to support the functioning of Children’s health care system.
Kris Miller, Manager of Facilities Operations at Children’s Wisconsin, shares “the program is a great success – it provides valuable support, training and experience to veterans while they transition to civilian life, while also providing our department with individuals possessing useful skills and experiences.”
Supporting Healthy Food Purchases at Local Farmers Market
Chorus Community Health Plans (CCHP), an affiliate of Children’s Wisconsin, is committed to the communities they serve and passionate about supporting community members’ health and wellness. Over the last five years, CCHP has partnered with the Brown Deer Farmers Market to support healthy food purchases by market patrons.
CCHP’s investment allows the market to offer dollar-for-dollar matching for every electronic benefits transfer (EBT) purchase. Those using FoodShare, Women Infants and Children (WIC) or senior voucher programs get their dollars doubled on healthy fruit and vegetable purchases. For example, if someone uses their benefits to purchase $20 at the market, they would get an additional $20 to spend towards additional healthy food. Additionally, CCHP provides healthy seasonal recipes incorporating the produce purchased at the market.
Many families across the state struggle with food insecurity, including in Milwaukee. Food insecurity is much more common among households that have low incomes, are headed by a single parent, have limited education levels, or are Black and/or Hispanic. In fact, the disparity in food security between Black and White households in Wisconsin is among the largest in the country. While the food insecurity rate in Wisconsin is lower than the national average, rates in Milwaukee County exceed the national average. Supporting families in purchasing more healthy food options through the Brown Deer Farmers Market provides an opportunity to address key health inequities in our community.
Incentive match programs like this one have been demonstrated to increase participants’ consumption of fruits and vegetables. Healthy meals can reduce risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stress and mental illness. However, fresh vegetables and fruit are often expensive, putting healthier options out of reach for many. That’s why CCHP supports Brown Deer Farmers Market match efforts to extend families’ dollars further to support healthy food purchases.
CCHP’s investment allows the market to offer dollar-for-dollar matching for every electronic benefits transfer (EBT) purchase. Those using FoodShare, Women Infants and Children (WIC) or senior voucher programs get their dollars doubled on healthy fruit and vegetable purchases. For example, if someone uses their benefits to purchase $20 at the market, they would get an additional $20 to spend towards additional healthy food. Additionally, CCHP provides healthy seasonal recipes incorporating the produce purchased at the market.
Many families across the state struggle with food insecurity, including in Milwaukee. Food insecurity is much more common among households that have low incomes, are headed by a single parent, have limited education levels, or are Black and/or Hispanic. In fact, the disparity in food security between Black and White households in Wisconsin is among the largest in the country. While the food insecurity rate in Wisconsin is lower than the national average, rates in Milwaukee County exceed the national average. Supporting families in purchasing more healthy food options through the Brown Deer Farmers Market provides an opportunity to address key health inequities in our community.
Incentive match programs like this one have been demonstrated to increase participants’ consumption of fruits and vegetables. Healthy meals can reduce risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stress and mental illness. However, fresh vegetables and fruit are often expensive, putting healthier options out of reach for many. That’s why CCHP supports Brown Deer Farmers Market match efforts to extend families’ dollars further to support healthy food purchases.
