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Community benefits activities

Community benefit activities are varied and diverse. Here are just a few examples from communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Free care for Milwaukee's highest concentration of uninsured

Aurora Walker's Point Community Clinic is a free medical clinic for low income, uninsured and homeless persons. The neighborhoods served by the clinic have the highest number of uninsured in the state. In 2006, more than 12,500 medical visits, 700 mental health visits and 1,410 social service visits were conducted at the clinic. Additionally, clinic staff completed more than 1,800 visits at the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter.

Aurora provided more than $2.4 million in direct support and in-kind services to 18 free clinics throughout eastern Wisconsin. For uninsured people with disproportionate unmet needs, in rural as well as urban settings, Aurora physicians, clinicians and staff provide free care – evaluation and treatment — throughout our service areas. [ Learn more ]

Aurora Sinai Medical Center: The Healing Center

The Healing Center was created as a natural extension of the Sexual Assault Treatment Center at Aurora Sinai Medical Center. Because the path to true healing is different for every survivor, a combination of specially trained counselors, advocates and volunteers help each survivor build upon inner strengths, release the shame of an abusive past and find hope and inspiration in the success of others who have gone through – and beyond – similar trauma.

Wanda is a survivor who also has been battling addictions for years. At The Healing Center, she participates in a group called “Survivors Toward Recovery,” and is maintaining sobriety as she works to confront her truth. In her own words:

“Even with my strong belief in a higher power, I still couldn't find the answer to why I hated myself. I feel safe at The Healing Center. It's terrifying to admit the truth without using alcohol or drugs. Discovering the truth causes great pain. But I am learning techniques to get unstuck from emotions and flashbacks. I don't want to pretend anymore. I need what I am getting from The Healing Center.”

During 2006, The Healing Center provided 533 sexual abuse victims with free counseling, group, and advocacy services; provided intensive training to 50 peer advocates; and conducted community education at 44 events, reaching 2,030 community members.

Family health and wellness

Aurora Family Service provides individuals and families with various therapies and support services. The uninsured, underinsured and indigent in Milwaukee, Walworth, and Racine County communities rely on the agency for basic needs.

The New Parents Initiative of Aurora Family Service is one example. It is a program that employs Aurora case managers, nurses and parent educators who work together to provide comprehensive resources to new parents faced with economic and educational challenges.

Anna is a young mother of four who admits, “Sometimes I just get stressed out. I have a lot of personal issues to deal with, and the last thing I want to do is take it out on my children.”

Anna is one of more than 1,100 new parents who received supportive home visits and participated in group-based parenting education provided through the New Parents Initiative.

Fit Kids . . . Fit Families

Fit Kids . . . Kit Families responds to the emotional and physical needs of children to help them gain control of their weight and lead healthier lives. It is a partnership between Aurora Medical Center in Hartford and the Kettle Moraine YMCA, along with the Jackson/West Bend School District.

\Health care professionals, as well as educators and parents, are working together to reduce childhood obesity. It is a process fostering individualized and family care while focusing on nutrition, fitness, improved health and a healthy lifestyle.

During 2006, the program was replicated in Waukesha County at the Oconomowoc YMCA, with a total of 100 children and their families participating in Washington and Waukesha Counties.

Fit Kids Fit Families is funded through a grant provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Aurora provides program leadership and staff.

The Great Jeans Giveaway

The Great Jeans Giveaway promotes healthy attitudes about body image.

The 2006 event was launched with a free seminar, “Be Comfortable in Your Genes,” led by an Aurora psychotherapist.

Residents from Fond du Lac, Neenah and Oshkosh brought their gently used “skinny jeans' to Aurora clinics and in return received encouragement to “change the size of their jeans to fit their genes.” They received educational materials about the health risks of eating disorders and invitations to free, confidential eating disorder screenings. Individuals identified at-risk were directed to appropriate services.

The event sparked the interest of local schools and the Fond du Lac Department of Social Services, each of which asked Aurora to provide educational programs on eating disorders.

Jeans collected were donated to the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Center and Salvation Army.

Trauma team teaches perils of alcohol to college students

Having witnessed the tragic aftermath of excessive drinking, members of the Aurora BayCare Medical Center trauma team shared real emergency room examples with St. Norbert College students.

The talk was part of the trauma team's mission to educate the community about choices and actions that can prevent accidents, injuries and even death. They met with students to discuss how much alcohol is considered to be lethal, how it affects the body, what the legal limits are and the number of drinks for men and women to reach those limits. They also discussed date-rape drugs and other substance abuse.

Each presenter shared their personal experiences in treating and working with young adults whose alcohol consumption led to emergency room admissions. To accommodate the students' many questions, an open and frank dialogue followed the presentation.

Senior Resource Connection Program

Senior Resource Connection Program In Walworth, Racine and Kenosha Counties, Senior Care Nurses make life easier and better for older adult patients. In a typical day, they conduct in-home patient assessments, meet with family members and coordinate community resources through the Aurora Visiting Nurse Association and other local community service providers to enable older adult patients to maintain independence in their homes. The services are provided at no cost to patients or their families.

Here is a typical example:

A Senior Care Nurse conducted a home assessment to learn why an elderly patient who lived alone was missing her scheduled doctor appointments. Ironically, the woman lived across the street from the hospital and clinic. However, she was at high-risk for falling and the only taxi service available provided pick-up and drop-off, but no assistance into and out of buildings. Fear of falling frightened the patient. To alleviate her fears, the nurse obtained a wheelchair to use whenever the patient has an appointment, and now arranges her schedule to assist the patient in and out of the chair and escort her to and from her appointments in the hospital and clinic.

During 2006, Senior Care Nurses responded to 2,365 referrals for home assessments.

Learn more or partner with us

The stories referenced here offer a glimpse into the wide array – and scope – of our community benefit programs and initiatives. Please let us know if you would like to partner with us in providing community health services.