Highlights Of Successful Grants
 
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Replication Strategies

“There is no need to reinvent the wheel.”

This familiar saying is the basis for replication. Utilizing ideas, strategies, and/or materials in your community that were previously generated and tested in a different community is known as replication. Many Wellmark Foundation grants have resulted in excellent materials and examples that you may find useful when exploring opportunities to improve health in your own community.

Below, you'll find information about projects funded by The Wellmark Foundation and samples of materials developed as part of those projects. If you'd like to know more about a particular project, use the e-mail link next to the grantee organization to e-mail a contact person who can answer your questions. You may also contact Foundation staff for additional information. As the Foundation’s funding priorities change over time, please note the projects highlighted may not meet current Foundation funding guidelines.

Please note that this listing is not inclusive of all projects funded by The Wellmark Foundation. For additional information on specific projects or a comprehensive review of our funding history, please refer to our annual reports.

Childhood Obesity/Nutrition

Childhood obesity prevention is a current funding priority of The Wellmark Foundation.

Grantee Organization: Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Growing Health Initiative: Growing Healthy Babies
Project Description: The organization developed a refrigerator cling with a healthy infant feeding guide (pdf) to promote appropriate nutrition beginning in infancy to prevent future obesity and risk for type 2 diabetes. This refrigerator cling was distributed to mothers of newborns at area hospitals.

Grantee Organization: Avera Health Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Family, Foods and Fitness
Project Description: To encourage healthy food selection and appropriate serving sizes, these colorful placemats (pdf) were created and distributed to local school children in second through fourth grades.

Depression

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Department of Human Services (e-mail)
Project Title: Depression Care Pilot Project with Community Mental Health Centers
Project Description: To improve integration of depression care in primary care settings, health care providers at 10 Federally Qualified Health Clinics received training in depression care. After the initial training, 3 Web casts were conducted to discuss unique issues of depression care in children (ppt), geriatric populations (ppt), and Native Americans (ppt).

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Voices for Children (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Children’s Mental Health Initiative
Project Description: The organization developed several resources to improve detection and treatment of depression in children in South Dakota. A Roadmap to Care (pdf) assists families in determining when and how to refer children for mental health services. The online South Dakota Mental Health Directory helps families identify and select clinicians and agencies that offer quality mental health services in South Dakota. To empower parents of children with mental health conditions, a Parent’s Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services in South Dakota (pdf) was developed and distributed to all South Dakota schools and public libraries, and made available online.

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Voices for Children (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Children's Mental Health Awareness Initiative - Phase 3
Project Description: To improve communications between primary care providers and mental health clinicians, the organization created and distributed model communication forms. A model referral form (pdf) assists primary care providers when referring parents to mental health clinicians for children’s services and provides documentation to allow exchange of confidential information between care providers. To facilitate ongoing communication, a referral feedback form (pdf) provides a model form for the mental health clinician to communicate findings back to the primary care provider.

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Voices for Children (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Children's Mental Health Awareness Initiative - Phase 3
Project Description: This project created a new Web site to disseminate tools for parents, teachers, and families of children with mental illnesses. The organization created a DVD version of the themes in the Parent's Guide to Children's Mental Health Services in South Dakota and distributed a bookmark (pdf) to promote the new Web site.

Grantee Organization: Higher Plain, Inc. (e-mail)
Project Title: Expansion in Iowa of Beyond Depression: Tools for Collaboration
Project Description: The Beyond Depression toolkits are intended to increase best practice treatment, appropriate help seeking and self-care, and effective family and community support for people with major depression. Unique toolkits were created for three distinct groups of stakeholders:

Primary care providers may also benefit from the handy desk reference (pdf). News releases (pdf) promoted these toolkits.

Grantee Organization: Higher Plain, Inc. (e-mail)
Project Title: Beyond Depression Toolkits for Older Iowans
Project Description: The Beyond Depression Toolkits for Older Iowans were created by an expert panel to increase best practice treatment, appropriate help seeking and self-care, and effective family and community support for older Iowans with major depression. Unique toolkits were created for three distinct groups of stakeholders:

Grantee Organization: AIDS Project of Central Iowa (e-mail)
Project Title: HIV/AIDS Mental Health Case Management and Therapeutic Counseling (CMTC) Program
Project Description: The organization created and utilized role model stories to increase the use of needed mental health services by people living with HIV/AIDS. One role model story (pdf) concerns a gay male’s experience of feeling isolated due to his HIV diagnosis. A second role model story (pdf) concerns a heterosexual female's experience of living with HIV diagnosis and receiving support from a counselor.

Diabetes

Grantee Organization: Mercy Foundation – Des Moines (e-mail)
Project Title: Meeting the Need: Depression Management of Persons with Diabetes in Primary Care Utilizing Health Coaches
Project Description: The organization implemented a depression screening protocol for all patients with diabetes in a multi-clinic system. If a positive screening is confirmed by the physician, health coaches help optimize care. All patients with diabetes are asked to participate in the screening through this form (pdf) when checking in for their visit. Care protocols were developed for the:

Health coaches work with patients to develop a depression self-care action plan (pdf) and document their visits on this form (pdf). To serve as visual reminders for persons visiting clinics, the organization created posters on depression (pdf), diabetes (pdf), and medication adherence (pdf).

Examples of publications and presentations on this work include a presentation (ppt) at an American Nurses Association meeting, an article (pdf) in Group Practice Journal, and an article (pdf) in Iowa Nurse Reporter.

Grantee Organization: Primary Health Care, Inc. (e-mail)
Project Title: Diabetes Collaboration for the Uninsured and Underinsured
Project Description: The organization created a workflow sheet (pdf) to support the multi-disciplinary “Diabetic Days” held at various locations in Polk County. These events were evaluated with a survey in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf).

Grantee Organization: Iowa Department of Public Health (e-mail)
Project Title: Iowa Diabetes Network: Strategic Planning and Membership Enhancement
Project Description: The Iowa Diabetes Network (IDN) is a collaboration of various health care professionals and other stakeholders interested in improving diabetes care in Iowa through education and information. The Wellmark Foundation provided grant funds to strategically strengthen this organization to fulfill its mission. As part of this effort, the organization created a strategic plan (pdf) and offered educational programming, including an annual meeting (pdf) of network members.

Grantee Organization: Mercy Medical Center Foundation – Sioux City (e-mail)
Project Title: Dual Challenge of Diabetes and Hypertension
Project Description: The organization utilized numerous educational materials to empower patients with co-existent diabetes and hypertension to reduce vascular complications and the risk for diabetes-related complications and death. American Diabetes Association materials utilized included:

  • "Protecting Your Heart by Losing Weight" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)
  • "All About Physical Activity for People with Diabetes" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)
  • "Getting Started with Physical Activity" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)
  • "Learning How To Change Habits" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)
  • "Treating High Blood Pressure in People with Diabetes" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)
  • "Managing Your Medicines" in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf)

Forms created by the project include information on:

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Department of Health (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Diabetes Prevention and Control Program – South Dakota Diabetes Strategic Plan
Project Description: The South Dakota Diabetes Prevention and Control Program convened a group of statewide stakeholders to formulate a strategic plan (pdf) for diabetes management and prevention. After implementing critical components in the strategic plan, the organization released a report documenting the burden of diabetes in South Dakota (pdf) and progress report (pdf).

Grantee Organization: American Lung Association of South Dakota (e-mail)
Project Title: School Health Literacy Project
Project Description: The organization developed and distributed a clipboard and poster (pdf) throughout South Dakota. These pieces provide a quick reference to empower school personnel to respond effectively and appropriately to medical emergencies related to asthma, diabetes, or seizures.

Grantee Organization: Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Health Disparities Collaborative State Summit
Project Description: The Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas hosted the CHAD Summit (pdf) March 6-7, 2007. This meeting allowed all CHAD community health centers to meet face-to-face to share best practices and to discuss ways to meet their unique challenges.

Grantee Organization: St. Mary’s Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Regional Limb Recovery Program
Project Description: This program facilitated a model of care intended to reduce amputations in persons with diabetes, focusing on the Lower Butte, Fort Thompson, and Rosebud area. The organization produced a brochure for use in area medical facilities, which resulted in referrals to the program.

Grantee Organization: Burgess Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: “Faces of Diabetes” Project
Project Description: This public awareness campaign features local residents with diabetes who present at local libraries along with diabetes educators to provide practical tips on management and prevention of diabetes. Promotional materials include:

End-of-Life Care

Grantee Organization: Iowa Hospice Organization (e-mail)
Project Title: Iowa End-of-Life Coalition
Project Description: To improve the provision of quality end-of-life care in Iowa, the organization created and distributed numerous educational materials, including:

Grantee Organization: Dallas County Hospital Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Hispanic End-of-Life Awareness Pilot
Project Description: To increase awareness of end-of-life care in the Hispanic population of Perry, Iowa, the organization presented six culturally competent and informative educational programs. Materials utilized included:

Another goal of this project was to recruit Hispanic volunteers for the hospice program. Information to recruit volunteers was provided in English (pdf) and Spanish (pdf) versions.

Grantee Organization: University of South Dakota (e-mail)
Project Title: The South Dakota End-of-Life Education Partnership
Project Description: The organization sponsored the End of Life Care & Pain Management: Assessing and Managing Pain in the Older Adult (pdf) conference on November 17, 2006. This conference complemented the intensive training provided to participating nursing facility teams.

Grantee Organization: University of South Dakota (e-mail)
Project Title: LifeCircle South Dakota
Project Description: This organization’s mission, history, and achievements are summarized on the LifeCircle poster. Conferences convened members of this statewide coalition to improve the quality of end-of-life care in South Dakota.

Grantee Organization: University of South Dakota (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota’s Dying to Know: A Study of South Dakotans’ Personal Experiences with End-of-Life Care
Project Description: Findings of this study of South Dakotans' knowledge, attitudes, and preferences about end-of-life care were reported through:

Health Literacy

Grantee Organization: Iowa Health Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Health Literacy Mentorship and Leadership Training for Adult Learners
Project Description: In order to strengthen the voice of the patient, 30 new readers attended the two-day New Readers Health Leadership Training Conference. This article (pdf) by Helen Osborne summarizes the conference.

Grantee Organization: Healthy Linn Care Network (e-mail)
Project Title: Power of Health – Building Bridges
Project Description: As an educational strategy for specific populations challenged by health literacy issues, health information toolkits were created to train lay advocates in the community to provide assistance to individuals and families in need. Toolkits were created to assist older adults (pdf), persons with limited income (pdf), Spanish-speaking people (pdf), and youth (pdf) in the community.

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Dental Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Great Faces. Great Smiles: An Ounce of Prevention II
Project Description: To assist in educational efforts, the organization created a brochure (pdf) entitled “What You Should Know About Tooth Decay”. The brochure utilized photos of various stages of tooth decay to help visual learners better understand these concepts.

Grantee Organization: South Dakota Dental Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: South Dakota Great Faces — Great Smiles: An Ounce of Prevention
Project Description: To increase the oral health literacy of underserved populations in South Dakota, a statewide health promotion/education program was implemented to improve oral health habits of the target population of South Dakota children. Social marketing materials include a:

Grantee Organization: University of South Dakota (e-mail)
Project Title: Addressing Health Literacy Issues for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Project Description: The organization created a toolkit (pdf) entitled “Keeping It Simple” to provide nutrition educational materials with appropriate readability and literacy levels for people with developmental disabilities. A grocery shopping list (pdf) was another tool developed to promote healthy food choices. A presentation (ppt) helped train staff working with people with developmental disabilities to use the toolkit.

Grantee Organization: Mercy Medical Center Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Heart-to-Heart: A New Understanding of Transitional Care
Project Description: The organization used LEAN principles to create a new discharge process (pdf) called "Ticket Home." The process begins at admission with each person receiving a personalized folder with their ticket (pdf). The Ticket Home process helps better coordinate patient discharge and also serves as a tool for shift reporting and multidisciplinary meetings.

Grantee Organization: Iowa Department of Public Health (e-mail)
Project Title: Health Literacy Capacity Building Project for Public Health
Project Description: The organization created a Web site entitled “Plain & Simple: A health literacy project for Iowa” to help public health workers and partners use plain language when writing or speaking about health. Tools, examples, resources, and other pertinent information can be accessed at this Web site.

Grantee Organization: University of Northern Iowa Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Iowa EXPORT Center of Excellence on Health Disparities: Prism Training Series in Culturally Competent Health Care
Project Description: The project's goal was to enhance the provision of culturally competent health care services to Iowa communities. Workshops for health providers across Iowa covered topics related to minority health and health disparities. The organization also developed and distributed a pocket guide (pdf) for health professionals on working with interpreters, as well as health fact sheets for minority populations including:

Grantee Organization: Iowa Department of Public Health (e-mail)
Project Title: Iowa Covering Kids and Families: Access Through Health Literacy
Project Description: The organization developed simple references to provide Iowans with information about the Medicaid program, including a:

  • Brochure (pdf) focused on understanding how to apply for Medicaid or the hawk-i program
  • Brochure (pdf) providing basic information about the Medicaid program
  • Handout (pdf) to explain new requirements related to documenting citizenship in order to qualify for the Medicaid program

Grantee Organization: Iowa Department of Human Services (e-mail)
Project Title: hawk-i Enrollment Process Improvement Project
Project Description: A report (pdf) entitled “Barriers to Enrollment for Children in the Iowa hawk-i and Medicaid Programs” examined why eligible children in Iowa may not be accessing these important programs. View report appendices covering the following information:

Grantee Organization: Iowa Pharmacy Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Multi-Disciplinary Consensus Conference on Health Literacy
Project Description: Health Literacy: Working Together to Improve Patient Outcomes (pdf) was a multi-disciplinary consensus conference on health literacy held May 17, 2006. Nearly 100 health care professionals were educated on the topic of health literacy and developed action plans for their individual practice settings.

Grantee Organization: Iowa State Registry Interpreters for the Deaf (e-mail)
Project Title: Advancing the Profession of Health Care Interpreting
Project Description: Advancing the Profession of Health Care Interpreting (pdf) was held May 30-31, 2007, to build the capacity of health care interpreters in the areas of delivery, policy making, community advocacy, civil rights enforcement, research, and leadership development. The deaf community and interpreter profession also gathered for a special evening of entertainment (pdf).

Community Assessments

Grantee Organization: Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (e-mail)
Project Title: Measuring the Effect of Recreational Trail Use on Physical Fitness/Diabetes
Project Description: The organization conducted a survey to determine ways to increase physical activity on recreation trails in Iowa. Survey findings (pdf) will be used to strategically plan future trail enhancements.

Grantee Organization: Avera Rural Health Institute (e-mail)
Project Title: Community Assessments and Planning: The Avera St. Benedict Pilot Project
Project Description: The organization performed a community health needs assessment with a special emphasis on behavioral health was for Hutchinson, Charles Mix, and Douglas Counties in South Dakota in 2007.

Grantee Organization: Institute for Educational Leadership & Evaluation (e-mail)
Project Title: Black Hills Community Assessment
Project Description: The organization performed a comprehensive community needs assessment (pdf) for Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, and Butte Counties in South Dakota in 2006.

 

Additional Resources

You may find the following resources helpful in determining whether one of these projects would be a good fit for your community:

 


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