HEALTH 102 Assignment SHORT ESSAY

1. Describe what community health organizations are and are not to someone who
does not know anything about them

RESPONSE: 
Community Health organizations are a big help in all communities. These health
organizations range from a small 6-10 person nonprofit organizations to organizations
that have thousands of people, but they employ. Community health organizations can
be found around the world in Africa there is one called AMREF that was founded in
1989 and assist with the AIDS/ HIV pandemic that has been going on for a long time.
Here locally we also have an organization (SAFE HARBOR VENTURA COUNTY)
which was founded by the  district attorneys of Ventura County. This organization is
funded by our state and SAFE HARBOR helps women and children who have been
victims of rape, abuse and have lived through a traumatic experience.  Many people
know we have community health organizations, but don’t utilize the services provided.
IN our community I feel as if we have valuable organizations that are underutilized and
could have a great impact in one’s life if they knew about it. Community health
organizations are always open to the public and they work as we the community use
them. Have you ever needed child care for your child after school?  What is the first
thing we check for i know for me it was the rates at the local boys and girls club or the
YMCA? Those are two great community organizations who help with child care. Now, if
I was a person who needed help with getting my son or daughter to exercise or eat
more veggies or fruits i would look into First 5. I remember as a kid i would here often
about First 5 of California. This organization was to make sure children would get the
best life and have resources provided to low income families. Community Health
Organizations are there to provide us with the right tools on how to navigate certain
things in our lives and to connect with other people who are in a similar situation with
us. 
One of the community Health orgs i want to talk about is one that i am very familiar
because they are utilized in the oncology office i work with. This organization is called
Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrated Oncology. I know in our county we have a lot
of great organizations that help a lot with our cancer community, but working for UCLA
Health I really appreciate the work Simms/Mann does for our Oncology patients in
Ventura County.  In 2011 Simms/Mann was founded by Dr. Simms because she wanted
to make it easier for patients and families to handle a tough diagnosis that had just been
handed. Working in oncology you have a different appreciation for life because of the
patients you treat. Sometimes we think we have it bad, but we really don’t. Things could
be a lot worse. Simms/ Mann comes into the batters box and help our oncology patients
through every base until they make it home in remission or even cancer free.
Sometimes its not that easy and the count doesn’t always go in our favor, but
Simms/Mann is always ready to help. Simms/Mann provides our patients with the most
basic of life needs. They will direct our patients if they need help with food, if they feel
defeated and don’t know what to do with life anymore there are psychiatrist they can
talk with and even social workers to help them navigate this stressful time. Simms/Mann
is more than just in person help, they have a whole website to help out cancer patients,
by cancer patients who where in that same batters box at one point. In the website you
will find testimonials from how Simms/Mann helped them get through this and what to
expect from Simms/Mann. lastly to conclude Simms/ Mann has a cutting edge research
department which is always looking to find cures to all different types of cancer
diagnosis. 
PLO:
Starting my journey in The Health Science Program was interesting for me because I
didn’t know exactly what I was getting into, but I had an idea of what was to come.
Health Science now that I’m reaching the end of the road is a lot more than what I
initially thought it was going to be. One of the first classes I took for The Health Science
Program was Health 102 Community Health Organization with none other than
Professor Winans. This class prepared me for what was to come and explained in detail
what community health is and how we as a community can organize and communicate
for the safety of our health. Without Community Health Organizations in our community
the pandemic could have had a greater affect and caused more damage than what it
did.
Community Health Organizations can be found all over the world. CHO’s are not just
found in The United States or wealthy communities and CHO’s do not discriminate.
These organizations work with communities in whatever issues they are facing whether
it be physical or mental health problems. CHO’s are key in the success communities
have in fighting health problems that arise out of nowhere. CHO’s are the bridge that
connect Public Health Officials to the communities and vice versa. The lack of guidance
we receive from our Public Health Officials allows CHO’s to come in and inform the
community of what’s going on. CHO’s not only inform us of the new changes that will be
taking place, but continue to let us know what the current policies are so we make the
correct choices for our health and well-being. CHO’s are known around the world and
I’m sure if you are not familiar with the term CHO you have used or had access to the
information they provide.
In Ventura County we have a lot of CHO’s and are available to all ages and all walks of
life. Right now during the summer months the CHO’s that are used the most are The
Boys and Girls Club, and The YMCA. While many parents are out working, these CHO’s
provide a necessary service for families who do not have the funds or can’t find
someone to take care of their children while they are at work. The food share is another
CHO who helps families in the summer months. In our community some children look
forward to their school lunches because their families don’t have the means for food at
home. The ability the food share has to fill that void makes a huge difference in our
community as well. CHO’s not only help with daycare, or food replenishment, but they
can also be found to help with temporary housing if you are unhoused or homeless.
Whenever you are in need of help or guidance just know there is a CHO who can help.
One of the ways CHO’s look to healthcare agencies for help is by asking for volunteers
from the hospital or clinics in the area. By having these volunteers they can have
properly trained doctors, nurses, or social workers who can guide people in our
community to the right resources. By using these resources it allows our most
vulnerable population the ability to get the correct help and not be given wrong
information and be scared to ask for help in the future.