Chief Medical Officer Dr. Van H. Dunn shares information about the flu season and the importance of getting the flu vaccine.
Dr. Dunn oversees the 1199SEIU Benefit Funds’ clinical, care management and analytics functions, and is responsible for pursuing health and wellness initiatives and value-based strategies.
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If you have worked in public service, including nonprofit health facilities, for 10 years or more (even non-consecutively), you may be eligible to have all your student debt forgiven through the PSLF program. Plus, now through October 31, 2022, a waiver that expands eligibility is available.
EviCore Healthcare has released an update to its evidenced-based clinical guidelines for cardiology and radiology imaging services that will be effective October 1, 2022. Please visit the cardiology and radiology solutions page of EviCore’s website and click on the “Future” tab to view the updated guidelines applicable to 1199SEIU members. Once there, you can provide feedback on the evidence-based guidelines or request assistance.
The 1199SEIU Benefit Funds have launched a customized version of findhelp.org, the country’s leading location-based referral network, on our website to provide 1199SEIU members and their family members access to community resources and programs close to where they live and work. Search findhelp.1199SEIUBenefits.org for free or reduced-cost services in your community by entering your ZIP code. With content tailored specifically for the Benefit Funds, findhelp.1199SEIUBenefits.org can provide you with referrals and resources in the following areas:
To get started, visit findhelp.1199SEIUBenefits.org.
As the new COVID-19 vaccines roll out, you, our healthcare heroes on the frontlines of the pandemic, are among the first to be vaccinated. At the Benefit Funds, supporting your health and well-being is our top priority, and answering your questions about the vaccines is an important part of that mission. Like the flu shot, the COVID-19 vaccines are a powerful tool you can use to protect your families and yourselves against the potentially dangerous effects of the virus. After extensive review, scientific organizations and agencies are confident the vaccines are safe – and stress that the serious risks posed by contracting COVID-19 far outweigh the risk of getting the vaccine.
Stay up to date on the latest information by viewing our FAQs.
Stay safe. Be well.
You may have read reports of a rare side effect experienced by several people who received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine.
Protect Yourself – and Those You Love – by Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine.
Educational Forum on the COVID-19 Vaccines
The Future of America Learning Center (FALC) kicked off its 26th Annual Science Fair virtually with our Preschool 1, Preschool 2 and Preschool 3 children showcasing sensorial learning on essential questions, including “How do we explore water through our five senses?”; “What’s wrong with the coral reef?”; and “How does climate change affect the water system?” Preschool 4 and UPK 1, UPK 2, and UPK 3 children presented over the following two days on topics such as “How is water essential to our lives and the environment?”; “How do droughts and floods affect our environment?”; “Why is water important?”; “How does water affect nature, animals and humans?” and “How does glacier ice melting affect sea level?”
FALC staff detailed the science fair’s history as a longtime staple of our curriculum and family engagement activities, creating a special time and venue for children to show their peers and families their scientific discoveries, planning and learning. The event has always been an opportunity for children to explore and engage not only with their classmates and teachers but also with their families on projects that promote critical thinking, preparing a hypothesis, conducting experiments to test theories and confidently and expressively presenting their findings.
The children’s presentations covered an array of multi-sensorial styles, including live experiments, pre-recorded home presentations, virtual classroom tours, showcases of action research and class experience, demonstrations of STREAM as a center and as individual classrooms, bilingual exhibits, and live song and movement activities. These authentic experiences and discussions help promote critical thinking and compassion among our youngest scholars, helping them make sound choices and plans to better serve the greater community and humanity.
The Future of America Learning Center (FALC) proudly hosted the grand opening of the STREAM (Science, Technology, Relationship, Engineering, Art and Math) Learning Lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and personal dedication to former Child Care Corporation President Vivian Fox for igniting the love and passion for science in all of us, especially young children. Ms. Fox received a plaque as a token of appreciation for her inspiration and commitment to the field of early-childhood education. The event included a presentation showing STREAM in action among children and staff to emphasize the six concepts; a children’s virtual tour and introduction of learning stations; and songs of tribute and gratitude.
FALC received a generous grant from the New York City Council to purchase relevant equipment and materials integral to stimulating scientific inquiry and exploration about the Earth, water, sky and space. This unique lab is a prepared, Plant-A-Dream curriculum-based, multi-sensory learning station that is separate and distinct from the learning centers in the children’s classrooms. It is physically arranged and equipped to reflect the criteria of the early-childhood assessment tools and to appeal to our young scholars’ different learning styles and strengths.
FALC children, age 2 to 5, can now visit the STREAM Learning Lab in small groups with their teacher as a field trip/museum-like experience that includes discovery and process-based learning in astronomy, coding and robotics, wind tunnel exploration and planting. We are grateful for this extension of our Plant-A-Dream curriculum, connecting children to the real and natural world.
The Youth Mentoring Program (YMP) and WorkForce 2000 (WF2) Program continue to help teenage children of 1199SEIU members boost their academic progress and professional development skills after an unpredictable school year.
In 2021, 194 students completed the YMP, which offers four-week online summer employment opportunities at participating nursing homes and health institutions across New York City. Students build educational and on-the-job competencies throughout the program, helping to prepare them for future healthcare careers.
Twenty-four students were hired as seasonal staff, participating in trainings and regular meetings that updated staff on procedures and best practices.
Students completed health-related projects and presented them at the YMP closing ceremony, held at the end of the summer. Topics included mental health, maternal mortality and teen pregnancy, diabetes and health disparities, looking to the future, students submitted several program proposals for review, including a Junior Internship Program and a YMP Alumni Project.
Our standardized test prep programs remained popular, with strong attendance rates for both the SAT Prep Program and the 2021 Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) Pilot Program. The SAT Prep Program was split into two sessions, running for 18 weeks on Saturdays during the spring and fall semesters. With specialized workshops covering topics including college essay writing and financial aid, students gained special insight into a wide range of aspects of the college admissions process.
| Throughout the summer, students explored these professional development topics: |
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The SHSAT Pilot Program (sponsored by CCC) prepares eighth- and ninth-grade students for entry into one of New York City’s nine specialized high schools, with programs focused on math, science, language arts and technology. Throughout the semester, students attended admissions workshops, worked through practice materials and learned test-taking strategies to strengthen their skill sets in specialized interest areas as they prepared for the test in December 2021.
Last July, WF2 kicked off summer programming for more than 250 students with four-week virtual programs including the Summer Academic Experience, the Pre-RN program and the new Professional Development Program presented in partnership with YMP.
Over 150 students completed the Summer Academic Experience
(SAE) offered with our partner site, New York University. Students participated in a variety of classes based on their interests and grade level, along with special workshops on college planning with the City University of New York (CUNY) and the State University of New York (SUNY) systems; wellness and nutritional health with the Benefit Funds’ Wellness Member Assistance Program; and financial literacy.
WF2’s Pre-RN track assists high school students interested in nursing careers by offering programming geared toward acceptance into nursing school. Over the summer, 13 students completed the Pre-RN program and presented summer health projects to fellow students and staff at the Pre-RN Lab Coat Ceremony. Projects focused on physical and mental health issues, such as video games and depression, mental health in school, depression in teenagers, Black maternal health and more.
This winter, 11 Pre-RN students presented group projects at an online health fair on topics including sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections, teen mental health, and cancer and its prevalence.
Using the blended-learning approach, the Child Care Funds (CCF) held the 2022 Pre-RN Open House on March 12 via Zoom. WF2 staff and a select group of New York University Metro Center staff reviewed all applications, resumes and teacher recommendations. Twenty-two students applied, and 14 students were accepted into the program.
In a special collaboration, YMP and WF2 teamed up to offer the new Professional Development Program for youth eligible for YMP, WF2 and New York City’s Department of Youth & Community Development. Thirty-four students completed the online curriculum, in which they built a professional portfolio that included their resume, cover letter, thank you notes and a capstone project.
| Throughout the summer, students explored these professional development topics: |
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The WF2 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) offered a six-week hybrid learning experience, with 48 students working both in person and online across 16 healthcare sites, including Maimonides Medical Center, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Triboro Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, and more. As part of a grant from New York City’s Department of Youth & Community Development, the SYEP gives students a glimpse at careers in the healthcare industry by providing paid hands-on experience assisting with patient care, therapies and administrative work.
At the end of the program, select students were offered part-time jobs at their summer placement sites and other students were offered full scholarships to CUNY’s Medgar Evers College.
This year, SYEP accepted 50 WF2 students to participate, contributing to a New York City-wide initiative to provide 100,000 summer jobs.
The Holiday Sleep-Away Program (HSAP) and the Teen Holiday Sleep-Away Program (T-HSAP) held winter and spring sessions at Hands In 4 Youth (the home of Camp Vacamas) in West Milford, New Jersey. Sixty-nine children across both sessions attended the HSAP, geared toward kids age 8 to 12, who participated in a wide range of educational activities like sports, robotics and nature exploration.
The 37 teens, age 13 to 17, who attended the T-HSAP winter and spring sessions explored interests in technology and nature and continued to build personal development skills with high- and low-ropes challenge courses, archery, hiking and movie nights. T-HSAP participants also joined in big brother/big sister mentorship activities with HSAP participants, including partnering for team sports.
With the safety of our campers always in mind, we implemented new protocols for the 2022 season. Prior to attending, members needed to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for their child during enrollment or had their child take a PCR test or lab-analyzed rapid test within 72 hours of each session’s start and submitted negative test results to Hands In 4 Youth staff at departure.
| Following each session, members completed a HSAP and T-HSAP satisfaction survey. Some highlights include: |
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| 92 percent said their child liked/loved his/her camp experience. |
| 90 percent said it’s likely/extremely likely they will apply for the program again. |
