United Way helps fund two-county needs study - Health care priorities for future of Pike and Wayne

Milford — “Once again, Pike United Way is in the middle of the action, helping to improve delivery of health and human services in our area” said Christine Obser, United Way board president as she handed a check for $2,500 to Lee Oakes, chair of the steering committee for the Pike Wayne Counties Health and Human Services Needs Assessment. “United Way has joined with principal funders, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Wayne Memorial Hospital, and with others including Pike and Wayne County Governments, PPL, and Pike County Interagency Council in developing a landmark study that will enable Pike and Wayne County governing bodies and community organizations to establish policy priorities that will guide the delivery of health care and human services to the populations of each county with maximum effectiveness and efficiency.” “We at United Way could not have funded such an ambitious project covering all of Pike County ourselves, so partnering with others enabled us to help initiate a ground-breaking study that will serve both counties for years to come. We are proud to have been one of the initiators of this project. We will use the results to strengthen the fund allocations process to local organizations, and to help identify new needs.” Steering committee members, Jack Dennis, manager of grants and development at lead funder Wayne Memorial Hospital and Lee Oakes, hospital board vice-chair, agreed that, “By the time this historic study is completed late this year, statistics and other information will have been gathered from every available source. More than 200 citizens from every walk of life, including health and human services providers, professionals, and users will have contributed their thoughts and expertise in focus groups and interviews. It will include in-depth analysis of many local areas never penetrated before, and will be able to be read, separately or jointly by both counties.” David Hoff, CEO of Wayne Memorial Hospital commented, “The study will be an important tool in soliciting federal and state funding for projects for newly defined critical health and human services needs, as well as funding many of the traditional services that have always been important to the care of our patients, and those of other local and regional hospitals as well.” The study will be available for public use on line, at the United Way website, www.pikepahelp.org, and other websites, in every government office, at non-profit organizations and in libraries and other public places throughout both counties by early next year.