The National Center for Health in Public Housing is pleased to announce its 2016 regional symposium.

The event will be held on November 15 & 16th at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Chicago

The conference will focus on the role of Public Housing Primary Care Grantees and Health Center Programs in Addressing Socioeconomic and Environmental Determinants of Health through Community-Based Interventions. The regional symposium will provide an opportunity for health center staff and other health care providers, public housing resident advocates, and community members to learn about the challenges residents of public housing face. The training and workshop sessions will highlight HRSA program requirements as well as health priorities, emerging health topics, innovative outreach strategies and programs to provide quality care to underserved populations.

We look forward to seeing you at this educational, inspiring and exciting event.

Visit: for registration and more information

NOVEMBER 15th
HRSA Policy / UDS Updates
8:15am – 9:00am / Presented by:
Tamara Cox, HRSA Deputy Regional Administrator
Review of 19-Program / Presented by: / Site visits support the Health
Requirements &340B Program / Allan Patterson, CEO, / Resources and Services
9:15am – 10:30am / Community Health Care Center / Administration’s (HRSA) Bureau of
Primary Health Care’s (BPHC)
David Wagner, President, FQHC / program oversight role and
Consultants / responsibilities. OSVs provide an
objective assessment and
Colleen Meiman, Director of / verification on the status of each
Regulatory Affairs, NACHC / Health Center Program grantee and
look-alike’s compliance with the
statutory and regulatory
requirements. This session will
review the 19- program
requirements from a health centers
and a reviewer's perspective and
provide recommendations on how
to prepare for operational site
visits. This session will also discuss
the 340B Drug Program and
address participants' questions.
Mental Health / Presented by: / This session will orient the audience
10:45am – 12:00pm / Linda Lingenza / to the definition, prevalence and
Clinical Services Director / impact of trauma and provide an
National Council for Behavioral / overview of Trauma-Informed
Health / Approaches and how to apply these
in their daily work. The goal of this
Antonio C. Ellzey, Sr. / session is for participants to gain
Mental Health Counselor, TCA / increased awareness of the
Health / connection between trauma and
mental health, addictions and
Dr. Rita Melgarejo-Glaab, Chief MMeMO, TCA Health Center / physical health conditions and to
Medical Officer, TCA Health / learn some practical ways to
promote healing and recovery.
Oral Health / Presented by: / Dental care is one of the most
1:20 – 2:20pm / Steven Geiermann, / common unmet health needs in
Senior Manager, Access / primary care. There are profound
Community Oral Health / disparities in oral health and access
Infrastructure and Capacity / to care in public housing. This
American Dental Association / session will discuss the integration
of oral health in primary care.
NOVEMBER 15th
Smoking Cessation / Presented by: / Early this year, the Department of
2:30 - 3:30pm / Andy Teitelman, / Housing and Urban Development,
Director of Senior Services and / HUD, proposed a rule by which
Health Initiatives / Public Housing Authorities must
Chicago Housing Authority / implement a policy prohibiting lit
tobacco products in all living units,
Merrie Nichols-Dixon, Deputy / indoor common areas,
Director of the PIH office of / administrative offices and all
Policy, HUD / outdoor areas within 25 feet of
housing and administrative office
Alan Geller, Senior Lecturer,
Department of Social and
Behavioral Sciences, Harvard
School of Public Health
A / buildings. This session will discuss
Department of Social and / the new rule to improve the health
Behavioral Sciences, Harvard / of more than 760,000 children and
School of Public Health / help public housing agencies save
A / $153 million every year in
Eric Christensen, Program Analyst, H H
H HUD / healthcare, repairs and preventable
HUD / fires.
Emergency Preparedness / / Presented by / Extreme heat events occur when
Excessive Heat / JuliTrtanj, / temperatures are substantially
3:45 – 4:45 / One Health and Integrated / higher than normal for a particular
Climate and Weather Extremes / location at a given time of year.
Research Lead NOAA Climate / Extreme heat is now a public health
Program Office / concern because there is a rise in
the frequency and the magnitude
Ellen Sargent, Director of / of these weather-related events.
Sustainability Initiatives, Chicago / The impacts of extreme heat can
Housing Authority / cause widespread suffering and
fatalities. Some groups of people
are at greater risk because they
Aaron Koch,
Chicago’s Chief
ResilienceRRResiliency Officer, / may have increased exposure, they
Chicago’s Chief Resiliency Officer / may be more vulnerable as a result
City of Chicago Office of the Mayor / of age or health status, or they may
have fewer resources enabling
them to adapt and increase their
ability to recover. This session will
provide background information on
extreme heat and health risks,
address activities to counter the
effects of heat and communicate
available resources.
November 16th
Tour of Mile Square Health Center
8:15am – 9:00am
HIV / AIDS / Presented by: / Stable housing allows person with
9:15am – 10:30am / Dr. Patrick Anthony Tranmer / HIV/AIDS to access comprehensive
Principal Investigator / healthcare and adhere to complex
Midwest AIDS Education & / drug therapies. In 2015 Public
Training Center / Housing Primary Care Health
Centers reported 41,463 patients
Dr. Todd Wagner, Chief Medical / tested for HIV with a total number
Officer, Care Alliance Health / of 47,720 visits. In 2015, 2,224
Center / patients with HIV diagnosis visited
Public Housing Primary Care
Centers (PHPCs) totaling 10,254
visits. This presentation will focus
on elements for effective HIV
prevention care, challenges and
overview of the HRSA-Funded AIDS
Education Training Centers.
Cuba Initiative/Personalized Medicine
10:45am – 12:00pm / Presented by:
Mile Square Health Center Staff / Mile Square Health Center has received funding from Kellogg Foundation and is working on a project to develop and support strategies and best practices to improve primary care. Mile square and other stakeholders in the U.S. and Cuba will be sharing experiences in primary care with the ultimate goal of improving the health of underserved populations. This session will also discuss a precision medicine initiative Mile Square is participating along with other Health Center Programs around the country.