ConAgra Foods, Inc., the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska
Health System announced today that they have formed a unique community
partnership designed to improve the health of Nebraskans, especially individuals
with limited access to community resources.
Called the Business/Campus/Community Partnership for Health (BCCP),
the program is the first of its kind in Nebraska. The first participants
in the program will be employees working at ConAgra Foods facilities in
Omaha and Grand Island. It is anticipated that other Nebraska communities
where ConAgra plants are located will be added as the program unfolds.
The program is modeled after a nationwide program called Community-Campus
Partnerships for Health, a non-profit organization that fosters health-promoting
partnerships between communities and higher education institutions. UNMC
and NHS have participated in this program for the past two years.
After more than a year of planning and development, the BCCP program
is being launched today. The partnership will provide a multitude of services
including health screenings, educational programs and the development and
distribution of informational materials that can help families lead healthier
lives.
This is a marvelous partnership that demonstrates how great things
can happen when organizations pool their resources for the betterment of
the community, said Owen Johnson, executive vice president, human resources
and administration, for ConAgra Foods. All three organizations in the
partnership have a common denominator — a strong commitment to providing
assistance to people most in need. We truly believe this program can make
a difference in the health and well-being of countless members of our community.
The partnership capitalizes on the strengths of each organization,
said Ward Chambers, M.D., executive director, community and multicultural
affairs, for UNMC. It creates new programs and taps into existing programs
with proven track records. Were thrilled to see this partnership come
to fruition. It has required a tremendous amount of work for many individuals,
and I salute them for making it happen.
This partnership is all about finding ways to reach the most people
with these vital services, said Stephen B. Smith, M.D., chief medical
officer for NHS. We recognize the importance of catching health problems
early, and all the services provided through the partnership feature some
sort of preventive component.
Some of the program highlights of the partnership include:
–health screenings in the community and at work sites emphasizing the
detection of diabetes, hypertension and oral health problems;
–educational programs in hypertension, diabetes and oral health delivered
in multiple languages;
–a telephone resource service to respond to questions dealing with
housing, transportation and education;
–a series of classes to help newly arrived individuals to the United
States adjust to their new environment.
The partnership was initially spawned by discussions between Maria Valentin,
community relations coordinator for ConAgra Foods, and Aura Whitney-Jackson
and Wayne Houston, outreach specialists for UNMC/NHS. The final details
of the partnership were crafted by Linda Workman, vice president of employee
relations for ConAgra Foods, and Judy Dierkhising, Ph.D., director, community
affairs, for UNMC.
We felt it was important that the program extend beyond Omaha, Workman
said. Grand Island was an obvious choice, as ConAgra Foods has a large
number of employees there, and many employees are newly arrived individuals
to the United States. Eventually, we hope to extend the partnership to
other communities in the state.
This partnership is all about helping people and staying healthy,
Dr. Dierkhising said. All of us want our families and employees to be
healthy. If our employees arent healthy, we dont have a productive
organization. Most important, we see this as a program that will benefit
generations to come.
Workman and Dr. Dierkhising said the first components that will be rolled
out under the partnership will be health screenings in Omaha and Grand
Island in October and fall and spring classes in Omaha to help newly arrived
individuals adjust to their new community. Dr. Dierkhising said health
screenings initially will be offered to ConAgra Foods employees, while
programs such as the classes for newly arrived individuals will be open
to the public.
Dr. Dierkhising said community outreach is an important element of the
combined strategic plan for UNMC and NHS. Over the past several years,
UNMC and NHS have established a Community Care Council in both North and
South Omaha. These councils are comprised of individuals from the North
and South Omaha communities and represent a large number of businesses
and agencies. The goal of the councils is to improve the health and well-being
of the community by providing health-care services to underserved populations,
enhancing the educational opportunities for UNMC students, and expanding
opportunities for minority students to seek health careers. Currently,
UNMC and NHS have collaborative programs with 54 agencies and organizations
in Nebraska.