Collaborations

As a non-profit whose health literacy focus is only a part of what we do, our work in this area would not be possible if not for the involvement of many other agencies and organizations throughout the state and beyond.  Below is a list that reflects the work and support of our partners who are helping us address health literacy in Wisconsin.  Their participation comes in many forms; from sponsors to grant funders, from volunteers on our regional health literacy committees to grant proposal partners. Their work includes sharing resources, in-kind support, spreading awareness and starting their own health literacy initiatives within their respective organizations. We are very grateful for their collaboration!

Health Literacy Missouri
http://www.healthliteracymissouri.org/
Wisconsin Literacy and HLM have been sharing resources and learning from each other since May of 2008. HLM is a non-profit organization based in St. Louis and serving the entire state of Missouri. Their mission is to improve the health of all Missourians while becoming a national leader in health literacy. Their website is one of the most comprehensive resources for health literacy, housing a library with over 7,000 resources.

Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin
http://www.pswi.org/
The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin has worked with Wisconsin Literacy on outlining limited literacy warning signs for their pharmacists to understand to better serve pharmacy clients. Wisconsin Literacy has presented at several of their state association meetings and has been featured in their trade publication to inform readers of health literacy happenings around the state.

The Joint Commission
http://www.jointcommission.org/
Wisconsin Literacy has benefited by having the Joint Commission at three of its most recent health literacy conferences or summits in '07, '08 and '09 to present on their new standards in language, literacy and culture. We were also pleased to help out the Joint Commission by reviewing and editing the new guide for hospitals that will help them to implement the new standards.

Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers
http://www.ahec.wisc.edu/
The AHECs throughout the state have been partners with Wisconsin Literacy in helping to facilitate the regional health literacy committees. They also have co-sponsored and helped plan some of the regional Health Literacy Conferences. Wisconsin Literacy also provided a small collection of Health Literacy resources for publication in the National AHEC Bulletin released March 2010. The Southern Wisconsin AHEC also funded the Health Provider Curriculum that was originally offered by WL to practicing nurses and student nurses.

Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality
http://www.wchq.org/
The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality is part of a health literacy group that meets quarterly to update members on health literacy initiatives within their organization.

Wisconsin Department of Children & Families, Refugee Assistance Services Program
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/refugee/default.htm
As part of its commitment to immigrant and refugee services, Wisconsin Literacy sits on the Advisory Council of the Bureau of Refugee, Migrant and Labor Services. Wisconsin Literacy member programs connect with immigrant and refugee service organizations throughout the state to offer the language and literacy of refugee resettlement.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services
http://dhs.wi.gov/
The Wisconsin Department of Health Service has met regularly with Wisconsin Literacy since it began its health literacy initiatives and has been part of a strategic planning process for Wisconsin Literacy as it concerns health literacy. DHS has been part of a collaboration with Wisconsin Literacy and other healthcare and community agencies that looked at the effectiveness of the patient empowerment tool, "Ask Me 3" in 6 Federally Qualified Health Clinics in the state. DHS also provided in-kind support by Web casting Wisconsin Literacy's the Health Literacy Summit in 2007 and 2009. DHS and Wisconsin Literacy worked together to look at effective ways to engage Badger Care Plus enrollees to subscribe to the state funded health insurance plan. DHS is also part of a health literacy group that meets quarterly to update members on health literacy initiatives within their organization.

Wisconsin Hospital Association
http://www.wha.org/
The Wisconsin Hospital Association has supported Wisconsin Literacy through its hosting of a statewide webcast of a Health Literacy Presentation focused on educating health care providers on the impact of literacy on health. They also provide support through feed back on grant proposals and funded projects that involve Wisconsin hospitals.

Wisconsin Medical Society
http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/
The Wisconsin Medical Society has collaborated with Wisconsin Literacy to facilitate the dissemination of a physician's survey across the state to determine their understanding and implementation of health literacy in their practices. WMS also co-sponsored our State Partner's Meeting to discuss the draft plan of the National Call to Improve Health Literacy. The WMS Foundation and the PIC Wisconsin Fund supported a project to integrate the Institute for Healthcare Advancement guide, "What to Do When Your Child Is Sick" into our literacy programs curricula. WMS is also part of a health literacy group that meets quarterly to update members on health literacy initiatives within their organization.

Wisconsin Nursing Association
http://www.wisconsinnurses.org/
Wisconsin Literacy has been a regular presenter at many state and regional conferences presented by the WNA. They have written about our initiatives and health literacy summits in their trade journal, Nursing Matters that circulates to over 65,000 people. They have been represented on our Summit Planning Committees and have advised on requirements for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for nurses.

Wisconsin Research and Education Network
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/research/wren
Led by Dr. Paul Smith, Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN) has been a consistent and frequent collaborator on grant projects with Wisconsin Literacy. Often, Wisconsin Literacy will provide access and oversight for WREN's research projects that involve adult learners from our member literacy agencies.