Long-time MOM partner Americares, a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster, recently invited Mission of Mercy Arizona (MOM AZ) to participate in its Climate Healthy Equity for Community Clinics Project in collaboration with Harvard University.
MOM AZ Assistant Medical Director Dr. Roselynde Bryant received the opportunity to engage in an important health equity conversation about the impacts of extreme heat and wildfire smoke on vulnerable populations. The invitation also comes with a $6,000 grant.
Longtime partnership expands
“Americares has provided free medications and supplies to our clinics for decades,” says MOM AZ Executive Director Paula Carvalho. “Through our partnership, we have gained access to higher priced medications utilized to manage chronic diseases and provide them free of charge to our patients. These medications would otherwise be out of financial reach for our patients.”
Dr. Bryant reached out to Americares back in 2015 with the hopes of expanding the relationship beyond free medical supplies. She explains, “The Climate Health Equity project hosted by Americares and Harvard presents an opportunity for MOM to strengthen our patients’ heat relief resources by collaborating with similar clinics around the country.”
Americares Senior Program Manager Hikma Elmi shares that the main objective of the project is to work with community-based clinics to create a Heat-Health Action Plan and a Wildfire Action Plan. MOM AZ was selected as part of the second cohort of clinics focusing on a Wildfire Action Plan and has been tasked with testing one of the heat-health interventions identified by the first cohort of clinics.
Transportation is key during extreme heat events
“MOM has selected an intervention that will work to support transportation access,” Dr. Bryant says. “By assisting the coordination of our patients with public transit, it’s hopeful that our patients will become aware or more aware of this valuable local resource and develop a plan for effective utilization so they can stay out of the heat.”
By providing information about transit options that connect with free local cooling centers during extreme heat events, MOM AZ hopes to mitigate transportation barriers for patients. Additionally, heat and/or wildfire smoke exposure can give rise to the exacerbation of chronic conditions, particularly respiratory illnesses, as well as contribute to the development of life-threatening heat-related illnesses.
Once the second cohort is completed and the two action plans are finalized later this fall, the Americares project plans to expand nationally.
As the world grapples with escalating temperatures and health challenges associated with extreme heat events and wildfire smoke, community health centers and free and charitable clinics like Mission of Mercy Arizona are poised to stand at the forefront of community readiness.
