Lincoln Medical Center Unveils Teen Van
Dec 13, 2012
Lincoln Medical Center today unveiled its TEEN (Teen Education and Empowerment Network) Van which hospital staff will take to schools, churches and community events to provide comprehensive support services geared towards improving the health and well-being of Bronx teenagers and young adults ages 12 to 21. The vehicle–a 2012 Ford Transit that was purchased with a grant from the New York Yankees–will enable Lincoln Hospital to boost outreach efforts to mentor teens about self-esteem and help prevent them from choosing risky lifestyle behaviors that can adversely impact their lives now and in the future. The TEEN program, under the guidance of the hospital’s Community Outreach Program and Teen Center, also focuses on providing counseling about career opportunities and college readiness.
At the unveiling ceremony in front of the hospital, HHC Senior Vice President and Executive Director Iris Jimenez Hernandez was joined by teenagers from Lincoln’s Teen Center, representatives from community-based organizations, the Chair of Lincoln Medical Center’s Pediatric Services Dr. Shefali Khanna and other medical staff. Also participating and lending his support as a motivational speaker was Alvin “Ace” Bowen, NFL Free Agent; and performers Bones the Machine and DJ Aaron of Next Level Squad presented their superb “Flexing” dance routine.
“Our adolescents and young adults need and deserve a safe and nurturing environment to help them become healthy and productive members of society,” said Mrs. Jimenez-Hernandez. “We are very grateful to the New York Yankees for their continued support of our children and teenagers and will ensure that our TEEN Van will be used as a significant tool to bring the message of health and well-being throughout our service areas.”
The van, decorated with a distinctive wrap-around exterior design that will appeal to teens, will carry hospital staff to South Bronx schools, churches, and community-based organizations that provide youth oriented services and will be present at health fairs and other community events.
“Lincoln’s comprehensive approach to medical care involves strong partnerships among diverse segments of our community,” said Dr. Khanna. “We are thankful for the continued support from the New York Yankees Organization which enables us to further outreach our South Bronx community and collaborate with our partners from local government, the academic community, neighborhood faith based organizations, and social and civic groups.”
“Lincoln health educators will travel in the TEEN Van and will be available to speak with teens and provide appropriate referrals and health information on topics of concern to this vulnerable population,” said Maria Ramos, Associate Director of Lincoln Medical Centers’ Community Outreach and Health Education Department.
“Lincoln Medical Center’s multidisciplinary approach to reach teens and young adults focuses on raising awareness of common medical problems affecting them; such as obesity, lack of physical exercise, substance abuse, dating violence, impaired familial relationships, reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases and other psychosocial stressors they are confronting in their daily lives,” said Dr. Monique Collier, Chief of Adolescent Medicine.
“Our holistic approach to pediatric primary care begins at birth and continues through adolescence and young adulthood. Our pediatricians observe the growth, development, and psychosocial aspects of each child to identify any risks in order to provide early intervention,” said Katherine Szema, Chief of Pediatric Ambulatory Care.
In addition to enhancing the services provided to teens through the use of the teen van, Lincoln is expanding its Teen Center Program in other ways. The Teen telephone information line has been updated to include the scheduling of confidential Family Planning Services, additional staffing resources will be provided and hours of operation in the Teen Center have been expanded to include evening hours every Wednesday from 5 pm to 7 pm starting in January 2013.
Contact: Ian Michaels (HHC) (212) 788-3339
About Lincoln Medical Center
Lincoln Medical Center, located at 234 E. 149th Street in The Bronx, is a 347-bed, acute care level 1 trauma center with the busiest single site Emergency Department in the region. The Hospital, winner of the 2012 American Hospital Association/McKesson Quest for Quality Finalist Award, emphasizes primary care and specialty medicine and utilizes the latest advances in medical science. Lincoln Medical Center is a member of the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, a healthcare conglomerate which is part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
About HHC
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlusHealth, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission’s John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nychhc.org/hhc or find us on facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or twitter.com/NYCHealthSystem.