As part of an innovative effort to provide dental care and services to more children in our community, Access hosted a “Head Start Day” at our Joyce & Marshall Erdman Clinic on February 19.

Leading up to the event, Access staff worked with the Reach Dane (Head Start) team and families to register and obtain consents and health histories for the children. On the day of the event, Reach Dane staff started bringing groups of kids to the clinic on their program vehicles. 

Once the children arrived on-site, they were checked in a conference room, before going back to the dental operatories where they received oral health screenings, cleanings, fluoride varnish and sealant applications. Children who were identified as needing restorative care such as extractions or fillings will be brought back to the clinics at a future time. 

Four dentists and four hygienists who worked the Head Start Day session served 73 children, most between 3 and 4 years of age, and many of whom had never had any prior dental care. 

The effort was supported by staff from both our William T. Evjue Clinic and Joyce & Marshall Erdman Clinic, as well as managers from multiple sites.

While Access has had a longstanding referral relationship with Head Start (Reach Dane), previously it was up to parents/families to bring their children to the clinic on their own time to receive the recommended annual dental check-up. 

With the success of Head Start Day, we are planning to make these annual events at both clinics going forward, and are looking to partner in a similar way with the Head Start program located in Dodgeville. 

Access is very thankful to community partners that support our mission to improve the health and lives of our patients. Recently, Kelly Gorman provided Access with several children’s books for our waiting rooms.

“I heard about Reach Out and Read when I was in middle school. My mother who is an educator saw a post on an educator association website encouraging teachers and students to get involved. I started holding book drives at my school and volunteering at clinics,” said Gorman. “When I was a student at UW-Madison, I created a student organization called Badgers Reach Out and Read, where members had the opportunity to volunteer with ROR at the Access clinics. I’ve enjoyed being involved with the program and recently organized a book drive at the law firm I work at.”

Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness

by Gabe Doyle, FFBWW Chief Health Initiatives Officer & Access Board of Directors member

At the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (FFBWW), we energize, mobilize and support Black Women and their families to transform their health and their lives through education, advocacy, support, and powerful partnerships. Our focus is to work to eliminate health disparities and other barriers impacting the lives of Black women and their families and communities.

When community-based organizations and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHCs) like the FFBWW and Access Community Health Centers partner, they can offer a comprehensive, coordinated, and efficient approach to addressing community health needs. Such partnerships are increasingly recognized as essential in promoting health equity and ensuring that all community members have access and culturally safe experiences to the resources and care they need to thrive.

Over the past six years, the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness has partnered with Access and the Dane County Health Council to eliminate the maternal and infant health disparities persistent to Dane County. The initiative is called Saving Our Babies and merges clinical and community support to wrap comprehensive medical and social supports around Black birthing people to improve trust, experience and health outcomes across the perinatal continuum. Additionally, the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness Community Health Initiatives team, composed of doulas and community health workers provide health literacy, increase patient confidence in systems and reassures patients that self-advocacy will be valued at Access Community Health Center. Having a trusted medical partner, located in the same zip codes we serve is an incredible opportunity for our shared clients.

The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness has deep roots in the Black community and profound trust among the population they serve. When partnering with an Access, this can lead to better outreach and increased utilization of health services by community members.

The Evjue Foundation

For 23 years, Access Community Health Centers has provided care for thousands of people in need, thanks to ongoing support from The Evjue Foundation.

The charitable arm of The Capital Times, the Foundation has provided $1.165 million in support, funding many programs at Access, most of them providing care to children. In addition, The Evjue Foundation was a major donor to Access’ campaign to open our clinic on East Washington Avenue, the now William T. Evjue Clinic, as well as our school-based Celebrate Smiles children’s dental program.

William T. Evjue founded Madison’s Capital Times in 1917 and was its long-time publisher and editor. He set up the foundation before his death in 1970 to use profits from the newspaper to help, “those without the power of wealth and station,” and to give back to the community that supported his newspaper.