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Month: December 2011

What it means to be homeless

What it means to be homeless

This time a year ago I was living just outside of Los Angeles. I was trying to get by, working as many part-time jobs as possible. Unfortunately, the hours weren’t enough so I had more free time than I would have liked. My apartment was within walking distance from a Starbucks, so I would walk there and sit outside with my computer and my dog. One day, I was sitting outside browsing job postings online when a woman named  Suzzanne stopped me…

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National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day

National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day

It is a rainy December evening, the longest night of the year.  At least this year, it isn’t too cold.  I’ve just walked back to the office after attending the Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service at The Church of the Holy Trinity in Middletown, CT.  The church was full; many homeless people, and many friends of the homeless.  Earlier this week, a friend of mine died.  He had a good job, a nice home, and loving family and friends.  Many of…

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Gail Wilensky, economist and senior fellow at Project HOPE

Gail Wilensky, economist and senior fellow at Project HOPE

This week, Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with health economist Dr. Gail Wilensky, Senior Fellow at Project HOPE and former Administrator of Medicare and Medicaid. Gail discusses the future of Medicare and Medicaid in the wake of the Affordable Care Act and how to make those services less costly and more patient-centered.

Dave deBronkart, Founding Member of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

Dave deBronkart, Founding Member of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

This week, Conversations on Health Care focuses on patient participation in their health care. Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dave deBronkart, better known as “e-Patient Dave” about how opening health care information directly to patients and encouraging their participation can lead to better health outcomes. You can read more about “e-Patient Dave” at e-patients.net The Tech Report section on the WNPR version includes an interview with Kelly Young, from RAWarrior

Community Based Family Wellness

Community Based Family Wellness

A lot of people dislike fire drills, but it is important to be prepared for possible fires.  Likewise, it would be nice if we lived in a world that didn’t need community services, but things happen from time to time when we need staff of community based organizations to help us all out. Yesterday, all of this came together when a fire started at 31 Green St in Middletown.  It spread to 29 Green St and people had to be…

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After World AIDS Day 2011

After World AIDS Day 2011

This post is an email from Kasey Harding-Wheeler, who is our Director of HIV Service: Thank you so much to everyone who attended or helped plan World AIDS Day. It was a moving tribute to the people we have lost to HIV/AIDS, those living with HIV and the providers and staff who care for them on a daily basis. With HIV funding in such a precarious state right now it is incredibly important that we keep HIV/AIDS and the need…

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