At McMillen Health, we not only provide health education for all ages, but we also work with other organizations on their special projects. With our top notch education staff, health literacy expert, and multimedia specialists, we are able to assist with small and large scale projects. Below are a few of the projects we have had the opportunity to be a part of.
Do you have a special project that you would like to discuss with us?
Contact: info@mcmillenhealth.org
This Mixed Emotions: Birth and Loss in Multiples handout was developed at the request of Parkview Hospital’s Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) committee. Parents of multiples who lose one or more infant and have one or more surviving infant face a wide range of emotions, from grief to joy and everything in between. This handout reminds parents that it is normal and OKAY to feel whatever they are feeling and gives tips on how to honor the infant(s) they lost while celebrating their surviving infant(s). Find our handout here.
Adult oral health resources were developed in partnership with the University of Michigan’s Dental School and Depression Center to begin serving adults with chronic health conditions. Our new partnership allowed an oral health flip chart, eight videos, and 13 informational handouts to be developed. The resources are being shared with organizations with peer support specialists and community health workers. Those receiving resources participate in a two-hour oral health training and practice motivational interviewing techniques as shared in the flip chart. This project was made possible through funding from the Delta Dental Foundation of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina.
In December 2020, we received the final funding necessary to begin the development of the app for pregnant or recently pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their babies being born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). We have been hoping for this project to begin since the In Her Words community-wide report was completed in 2018. The report found women with OUD and the professionals serving them desired low-literacy education on OUD, NAS, and other topics with a preference for education to be provided in video format and easily accessible from their phones. From there, the idea for the app began. For more information, visit https://mcmillenhealth.org/healthy-tomorrow
In 2019.2020, we worked with the Sacramento County Department of Health to redevelop our oral health resources for children with disabilities. In doing so, our work was shared with other organizations throughout California. In 2020, the Riverside County Department of Public Health partnered with us to redevelop twelve Brush lessons into digital lessons for parents and caregivers to complete at home during the COVID shutdown; twelve caregiver handouts, and five How-To videos for caregivers. All resources were provided in English and Spanish.
Over the years of providing our Brush Oral Health Program, we have seen and heard the oral health disparities for those living with a disability. We partnered with Project Accessible Oral Health out of New York to conduct an oral health needs assessment for adults with disabilities throughout the state of Michigan. The needs assessment included 22 personal interviews, three focus groups, and the participation of 13 professionals serving adults with disabilities. The results of the report illustrate the need for rural dentists who serve people with disabilities and accept Medicaid reimbursement, more education for dentists and hygenists about various disabilities and adaptations, a better understanding of serving individuals with disabilities, and educational materials for use at home by caregivers and individuals with disabilities on the importance of oral health and how to make it possible. This project was made possible by the Dental Dental Foundation of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina.
McMillen Health developed oral health curricula for grades K-2 and grades 3-5 for the Delta Dental Foundation of Virginia. This project focused on redeveloping a tangible kit set which was mailed to locations to an all digital version of the curricula. Lessons were modified to work in a remote learning setting if needed. Pieces Developed Include:
McMillen Health developed educational resources for Neighborhood Health, located in Fort Wayne, IN, to inform their patients about the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials were translated in Spanish and Burmese with culturally appropriate content to serve audiences of all backgrounds. Pieces Developed Include:
McMillen Health worked with the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation to offer our Happy Teeth board book in the Lakota language for families on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The book was redesigned to feature illustrated characters who offer important oral health reminders for families in a fun way! Interested in having Happy Teeth designed specific to your audience? Contact us at info@mcmillenhealth.org. Learn more about Brush resources at brushdental.org. See this short video about the project with our former CEO Dr. Holli Seabury.
Healthier Moms and Babies contracted with McMillen Health to develop a wellness program for young women. This program covers personal health, financial choices, and practical family planning. The program also incorporated interactive activities with the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne. Pieces Developed Include:
The Delta Dental Foundation of Michigan contracted with McMillen Health to redevelop their existing Rethink Your Drink Curriculum for 2nd and 7th grade students. This program encourages students to make healthy choices for better oral health. Pieces Developed Include:
McMillen Health developed this handout has information on COVID-19 and ways everyone can help protect themselves and others. Download this free handout
Download this free handout McMillen Health developed on the dangers of vaping for youth. By helping parents understand the facts about vaping, we encourage them to talk to their children and put a stop to use of these dangerous devices.
McMillen Health received a grant from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation to determine current community resources for babies born narcotics dependent and steps for developing comprehensive maternal education. View the NAS Community Report
McMillen Health received funding support from the Indiana State Department of Health to develop a comprehensive secondhand smoke curriculum and resources to be used with Head Starts and other early childhood education centers. Short videos were also developed for the project, which you can view here.
McMillen Health worked with a pediatrician in the Dominican Republic and Compassion International to learn more about the oral health needs of women and children in the DR. An interactive teaching flip chart was developed for use in parent education for those who work with families in need.
Videos, an educational flip chart, and digital parent handouts (available for purchase in our Brush store) were developed to help parents of children with special needs understand the importance of oral health. Funding for development of these resources was provided by AWS Foundation.
Download this free handout McMillen Health developed on the dangers of opioid abuse for youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated youth dependence on opioids is a pediatric public health crisis. By helping parents understand this risk, we can help to prevent addiction.
McMillen Health contracted with Johns Hopkins to write and illustrate a children’s book on asthma as well as an educational flip chart for home visitors. Parent handouts accompany the flip chart.
We received a grant from AWS to provide days throughout the year dedicated only to individuals with special needs. Days have been designated for youth and adults.
McMillen Health and Healthier Moms and Babies received a grant to develop a mobile site to reduce infant mortality in the 46806 zip code in Fort Wayne, IN. The site is user friendly and tailored to a teen audience. Referrals from the website will be connected to a live representative from Healthier Moms and Babies to assist with any questions they may have. Learn more by visiting: babieslove.org.
McMillen Health received a grant from the Dental Trade Alliance to develop educational oral health materials for Arizona’s tribal nations. Materials are used on reservations to educate families on the importance of good oral hygiene at a young age to prevent decay. View the children’s book here (for sale in our Brush store) and the short videos here.
The city of Chandigarh, India sent experts to McMillen Health in June 2017, to learn how the Center operates and the plans they will need to open a similar center in India. We will continue to work with them as they develop the health education facility.
This project was created as a manual for Indiana School Nurses to use as a guide in the K-12 setting. Funding for the research and development was provided by the Indiana Department of Education.
We contracted with Parkview Health and Reidenbach Nutrition to translate educational nutrition videos to Burmese and Spanish, allowing nutrition focused education to reach a larger population.
