HCMC braces for state shut down: Q&A with Mike Harristhal

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As the Vice President of Public Policy at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis, Mike Harristhal is no stranger to institutional penny pinching, fundraising and out of control health care costs. Like many others, HCMC has been preparing for what a government shut down might mean for them. “Even as we sit here today HCMC is under considerable stress,” he said said. “If we break even that means we’ve had a very good year.” Harristhal, who has worked in the health care field for more 35 years, spoke to the TC Daily Planet about the impending state shut down, his take on health care policy and the Affordable Care Act.This is part of a series on the New Normal and health care.How would a state shut down affect HCMC?It’s likely that health care services would be deemed essential, so we think we’ll continue to cover the full scope of services if the shutdown only goes on for a short period of time. We would be okay for at least the next 30 days regardless of what happens with the shutdown, but if they determine that health care services were not essential, after 30 days we would begin to be in a cash flow difficulty and we would have to look at restricting services, like our clinic system. Continue Reading

Mujeres en Acción y Poder

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Things have been busy at the Corcoran Neighborhood group as programs for Latinos continue to grow. Community organizer Silvia Pérez Sánchez started the women’s leadership group Mujeres en Acción y Poder at Corcoran after having organized beauty training classes for Latina women in the neighborhood for years. A few months ago I met Pérez Sánchez while doing an interview for our New Normal series, and she invited me to give the Mujeres a workshop on digital story telling. Over the course of the sessions the women in the group each shared a personal story and then worked with me to create an audio slideshow.The resulting stories illustrate issues that Latina women living in Corcoran and Powderhorn deal with every day—stories about caring for sick family members, the challenges of being a parent while working, religion, learning English and neighborhood organizing.  Click on the titles below to meet the Mujeres en Acción y Poder. El Corcoran Neighborhood Group ha estado ocupado ya que los programs por los Latinos siguen creciendo. Organizadora de la comunidad, Silvia Pérez Sánchez armó el grupo de liderazgo, Mujeres en Acción y Poder, después de haber organizado un grupo de entrenamiento de belleza para los latinos en el barrio por años. Continue Reading

La visión comunitaria | The community vision

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Ernestina Garcia shares her vision for her part of Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis. Ernestina Garcia comparte su visión para el parte del barrio de Phillips, Minneapolis donde ella vive.***This story is part of a series of audioslideshows about the Mujeres en Acción y Poder, a leadership training group at Corcoran Neighborhood Group in Minneapolis. Click here to see more audio slidesshows.Esta historia es parte de una serie de historias digitales acerca de la Mujeres en Acción y Poder, un grupo de liderazgo en el Corcoran Neighborhood Group en Minneapolis. Emprima aquí para ver mas historias digitales.  Continue Reading

La clase de los padres | The parenting class

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Crispina and her husband become better parents through parenting classes. Crispina y su esposo se mejoren como padres a través de clases para los padres.***This story is part of a series of audioslideshows about the Mujeres en Acción y Poder, a leadership training group at Corcoran Neighborhood Group in Minneapolis. Click here to see more audio slidesshows.Esta historia es parte de una serie de historias digitales acerca de la Mujeres en Acción y Poder, un grupo de liderazgo en el Corcoran Neighborhood Group en Minneapolis. Emprima aquí para ver mas historias digitales.  Continue Reading