Bread of Healing Clinic Partners with MyHealthDirect to Schedule Appointments

As a free clinic, Bread of Healing has spent years figuring out how to “make do” for resources. One challenge has been scheduling patient appointments. While great technology has been available for years, it has been cost prohibitive for us to use.

MyHealthDirect learned of our predicament and, in honor of the service we provide, offered their scheduling module at a price we can afford: no cost. We are deeply appreciative for their generosity.

Additionally, MyHealthDirect created the following video to provide an overview of the Bread of Healing Clinic, along with describing how our partnership works. Enjoy!

Bread of Healing Clinic Featured by Shepherd Express

We are honored to have the Shepherd Express highlight both our origin story and our integrative healthcare approach that combines medical, social and behavioral factors into a treatment approach that brings hope and health to our patients. Please click here to read the article.

Bread of Healing Clinic Co-Founders: Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler and Rick Cesar

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIN BLOODGOOD

UWM - Helen Bader School of Social Work Recognizes Bread of Healing Clinic

It was a good spring when it comes to recognition for the Bread of Healing Clinic. 

The Bread of Healing Clinic was recognized by the UWM- Helen Bader School of Social Work with its Outstanding Social Work Field Agency of the Year award.

This is one of five community awards that recognize local agencies that host student learners so they can have meaningful field experiences. Bread of Healing Clinic has been taking student social workers for 16 years and this is a first award for the field work experience we offer. Beth Thorson, our Director of Social Work Services, received the award on behalf of the clinic at the Awards Dinner on May 18, 2018. Many of our field work students, former and current, were our guests at this event!

Please click here to read more about the UWM School of Social Welfare 2018 awards.

Bread of Healing Clinic Accepted into National Collaborative to Study Social Health

The Bread of Healing Clinic recently applied for and was accepted into The Collaborative for the Advancement of Social Health Integration (CASHI). CASHI brings together 20 hospital systems, academic medical centers, a few federally qualified health centers across the nation… and one free clinic! 

This is a new effort by Health Leads, the provider of our social work database at the clinic that helps us organize and mange our patients’ unmet social needs (housing, food, etc.).  

For 18 months, a core team from Bread of Healing will participate in a learning program to improve patients’ social support. Bread of Healing has received a $10,000 stipend to participate in a variety of face-tp-face meetings, on site visits, and virtual learning sessions. We are excited about the possibilities of developing programs to better identify and better resource patients’ social needs.  

Please click here to read more about CASHI.

And the UW-Madison Medical Education Award Goes to... Our Very Own Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler!

Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler

The UW-Madison Sigurd Sivertson Medical Education Award recognizes the most deserving person this year (no bias here): Dr. Barbara Horner-Ibler.

Dr. Horner-Ibler, or Dr. Barb to her patients, has dedicated her life's work to those who cannot easily access our healthcare system. Part of her mission involves teaching our future doctors, nurses, and social workers how to deliver exceptional care while learning about the strengths of - and challenges facing - our Milwaukee neighborhoods. We routinely hear that the Bread of Healing Clinic stands out among all of the rotations and practical education experiences for these residents and students.

Dr. Barb focuses on serving others and does not seek recognition for her contributions. In fact, she would prefer this news post was not created. At the same time, it is important for our patients, volunteers, and supporters to know that we truly have remarkable staff who are unwavering in their commitment to the Bread of Healing Clinic mission.

Click here to read more about this year's UW-Madison Sigurd Sivertson Medical Education Award.

Wisconsin in the National Headlines for Welfare Reform - And Not in a Good Way

The Washington Post recently highlighted issues facing the poor in Wisconsin and our Bread of Healing Clinic staff and volunteers can verify the details of the story, hundreds of times over, with our own patients. 

Neighbors of ours live at the edges and living there increases the risk that they will fall over that edge. One car repair, one ER visit for a broken arm, one school field trip… any one of these can be too much for the family budget. Then suddenly the rent cannot be paid, or food cannot be purchased, or the light bill is looming, with the spiral only getting worse from there.     

It's tough seeing our state portrayed like this as Wisconsin’s “reforms” make front-page national news. The newest upcoming rendition of “reforms” will aggravate this problem. 

How can we overlook our neighbors in such need?  There is no “welfare queen” and in fact, there never was. We must continue to shed light on the reality faced by real people, along with solutions that will raise people up rather than push them further down.

Click here to read the Washington Post article.

The Catholic Community Foundation Supports the Bread of Healing Clinic

Recognizing the great good that the Bread of Healing Clinic provides within the Milwaukee community, The Catholic Community Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to help further the Clinic's mission. Grant objectives include:

• Continue using care coordination teams that includes a physician, Community MedShare staff, nursing, and social work to ensure that uninsured adults are receiving access to primary and specialty care services, medications, mental health services, social services, facilitated access (if eligible) to Medicaid and Marketplace policies, and access to community resources.
• Continue to serve a minimum of 400 new uninsured adults at BOHC (1,200 total annually).
• Provide medications (value of $2.5 million) to a minimum of 1,200 uninsured adults with chronic health conditions at BOHC and to 20 free and community clinics serving more than 10,000 patients. This includes increasing our medications budget specifically for insulin and other higher cost medications.
• Train 4-5 pharmaceutical interns from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Concordia and Drake Universities.
• Work with local and national corporations and organizations such as Americares and Direct Relief to obtain free or low-cost medications for the uninsured. By leveraging a collective influence with pharmaceutical wholesalers and medication manufactures BOHC has improved the availability of medications for uninsured adults.
• Continue to use a volunteer, cost effective model for Community MedShare that includes a Part-time paid Medication Manager and Pharmacy Technician; Pharmacy students; and more than 50 volunteers.

The Bread of Healing Clinic is honored to receive support from The Catholic Community Foundation and is proud to report that these objectives have been met and exceeded, ensuring that The Catholic Community Foundation funds are being used an productive manner.

Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation Supports Oral Health Program at Bread of Healing Clinic

In September 2017, the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation approved a grant of $5,000 to support the Bread of Healing Clinic’s Oral Health Program. The Oral Health Program was started in 2011 due to the lack of accessible and affordable dental services for low-income adults and the overwhelming need of our patients. Many of our patients had not seen a dentist in 15+ years. Research indicates that low-income adults are three times more likely to have untreated tooth decay as higher income adults.

Bread of Healing Clinic staff providing dental services to a patient.

With support from the community, including the Pettit Foundation, Bread of Healing Clinic initiated oral health services with volunteers. Over time, this sustainable model of care includes part-time staff (dentists, hygienists, dental assistant and coordinator), volunteers, and partnerships with dental practices to provide low-cost restorative care.

Each year more than 400 individuals receive education, hygiene exams, cleaning, and treatment. Our goal is to assist all adults with treatment and restorative care as well as education and support to help them maintain full oral health.

Since starting this project, the results have been amazing. The support of the Jane B. Pettit Foundation makes a difference in the lives of low-income adults who are now experiencing dental health for the first time in their adult lives!

Patient Stories

Easter has been a patient at the Bread of Healing Dental Clinic for five years. He first came in as
an emergency patient in 2012. Here is his story:

“The friendly nature and professional service of everyone at the clinic has kept me coming back since 2012. With their help, I have been able to solve various dental problems. They’ve alleviated my pain and given me back my smile. They haven’t just solved one of my problems, they solved numerous issues I have had with my teeth. The dental clinic has taken care of my cavities and root canals, on occasion, in order to help me relieve pain. Once they solved my immediate problems they worked to set up appointments to give me back my smile. After their work, I was able to get a full upper denture and a lover partial to replace the teeth I had. To keep my remaining teeth, I was able to set up routine dental checks at the clinic that alerted my to trouble before I would be in any severe pain. This has probably saved me from having to go in as an emergency patient. They also provide dental cleanings to keep my remaining teeth from falling apart. I am thankful for the work the Bread of Healing Clinic has done for me.”

Veronica is a patient at the Bread of Healing Clinic. Here is her story:

"I’ve been going to the Bread of Healing Clinic since January and they were treating me for high blood pressure and diabetes. Once I saw that the clinic had a dental office, I just knew I had to get a referral to see the dentist. The dental staff welcomed me with open hands. I knew that my mouth wasn’t in the best of conditions. I had some broken teeth and some cavities. They got me in within two weeks, and at that time I had four extractions and fillings done. Once all my work was completed I was given the option to make a payment to get a lower partial and an upper partial. They put me on a payment plan and now I have the smile I always wanted. I thank them all the time when I go to the clinic and I really wouldn’t have this smile without their services."

Wisconsin Legislation to Reduce Emergency Room Visits

For someone with a chronic illness like asthma or heart disease, a lack of regular access to health care can result in recurring visits to the emergency room. Not only does this reduce that person's quality of life, it can cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Recognizing this trend, Wisconsin lawmakers passed legislation in May 2017 to expand Medicaid so hospitals have a financial incentive to help manage patients' chronic illnesses. 

The Bread of Healing Clinic is one proven solution for reducing emergency room visits by the chronically ill, and we work closely with Aurora Sinai Medical Center to identify uninsured patients who need a medical home.

Click here to read more about Wisconsin's legislative efforts to reduce emergency room visits.

Bread of Healing Collaborates with Other Local Providers to Serve the Needs of the Uninsured

Even when the Bread of Healing Clinic doesn’t provide the specific care required by a patient, staff and volunteers work to connect patients with the right solution for their needs.

Click here to read about a patient who came to Bread of Healing and was referred to the Marquette ComMUnity Physical Therapy Clinic. We are thrilled to hear about her success!