APPALACHIAN LIFE QUALITY INITIATIVE (ALQI)

Phone: 423-569-2677

Fax: 423-569-2678

e-mail: ALQI@highland.net

The Appalachian Life Quality Initiative (ALQI ), a 501(c) (3) corporation, was created in 1999 to bring healthcare, educational, and related services to the underserved in the ten counties of the ELGIN Foundation (formerly B. R. Thompson Charitable Trust) with Scott County, a Federal Empowerment Community, as its program base. Four of these counties are in TN. By January 2004, ALQI was recognized as a leader in programs designed to assist the underserved children. ALQI has a five member Board of Directors to govern the programs that are chosen based on the greater need of the community, especially for children. The following ten active, and two retired programs are currently supported by ALQI in Scott County, TN. ALQI consults with organizations established in Knox and Anderson Counties with program information.

Scott County Dental Clinic: In 1999 there were over 4,000 children with TennCare which no dentist in Scott County accepted. The Scott County Dental Clinic opened in 2000 with the county paying for the building remodeling, as well as rent and utilities. Dental equipment for the Clinic was donated from all across the state of TN. Each year volunteer dentists screen students in the schools (4,135 in 2004) rating them 1 to 4, providing a new toothbrush and dental education. In the past the school phoned the parents of the children with cavities. This year a new program will ensure that those children receive care. (See next item). In the first 9 months of 2004 over 975 patients have been seen at the clinic and a part-time dentists has been added. No child is turned away!

Children's Health and Maintenance Plan (CHAMP): The Dental Screening results for those children with cavities are followed by a school RN to ensure treatment. The program is also designed for pre and post tests to be given, grades and attendance compared and outcomes entered into a data base. These outcomes will provide information on whether the ALQI programs are effective or not and will be used for grants and research. This is a new program ALQI is establishing through working with the schools and the ELGIN Foundation. Future plans are to extend the program to include obesity.

Children's Center of the Cumberlands (CCC): A regional children's advocacy center striving to reduce the trauma to physically, sexually, and mentally abused victims, and to promote healing. Working with the District Attorney General, it brings the medical examiner and the investigation teams to the child . Medical examinations, interviews, and counseling takes place on site by a licensed Counselor and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner to prepare the case for prosecution. Educational programs at 8 schools work to reduce incidents of child abuse. The Center is housed in a furnished log home donated by Jim Barna Log Homes.

Scott County Telemedicine: Sixty video units in the homes of congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetic patients needing frequent monitoring, permitting them to be assessed in their homes eliminating travel for medical visits. A second program targeting behavioral health, and administered by the University of Tennessee , has seen extremely successful use of Telemedicine between the Scott County Hospital and Ridgeview Mental Health Facility in Oak Ridge , TN. This program is now self-sustaining.

Students Together Allowing No Drugs (STAND): Created to prevent and stop drug abuse among school children from 6 th through 12 th grades. The strength of this program is if a student wishes to participate in ANY school activity (sports, clubs, field trips, even parking on school property), the student must submit to drug testing. After-school counseling and transportation is provided for those testing positive. Records are confidential and destroyed at graduation. Other schools are now using the STAND program.

Boys and Girls Clubs (Youth Development Centers -Daycare): On August 18, 2002 two Boys & Girls Clubs of Scott Co. were activated at two sites after school for all six of the Scott Co. Elementary students with a combined enrollment of 500. ALQI purchased property on which to build a new $4.2 million facility for over 600 registered members. Completion is expected during 2005. The Capital Campaign is ongoing with pledges and prospective grants already totaling over two million dollars, plus bond issues by the city for the balance. In 7 months of 2004 over $186,000 was raised in Scott County for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Well-Child Screening: A 21 component screening is available at school by a Health Dept. nurse. In 2003 screenings began in one school's third grade with 4 out of 5 students being referred out for further evaluation. The schools have assisted by providing space and support for the RN, who follows up on each of her referrals. ALQI is happy to have worked with the Health Dept. on this program in the beginning.

Salvation Army-Scott Co. Service Unit: Organized in 2002 by ALQI, funds collected through Bell Ringing are used for assistance on past due utility bills and burnouts. Each year up to 35 underserved children are sent to Camp Paradise at Dale Hollow Lake (TN).

Scott County Women's Shelter: With an ALQI grant, a Counselor worked with the women and children of the shelter in 2003-04.

Remote Area Medical Clinic (RAM): In February 2004 a RAM Clinic in Scott County saw 773 patients. 304 were tested and issued eye glasses; 37 mammograms; dentists saw 320 patients performing 929 extractions, 218 fillings, and 38 cleanings. ALQI is proud to supply volunteers and be the contact for RAM in Scott County .

Mission of Hope: They bring back packs filled with school supplies, and for Christmas they bring toys. In 2003 they conducted a Free Health Fair and are making plans to return in 2005 adding free mammograms to the services. ALQI participates and serves as a contact point for the many services and goods they donate to the county.

Imagination Library: New--Dolly Parton's program that mails books each month to the children of the county from birth to age 5.

ALQI works and supports the chosen programs not only with grant writing and administrative needs, but with information for assessment of health needs, data collection, program development, and establishing self-sufficiency. In the five years of ALQI, we have received various donations from the local and surrounding communities totaling over $700,000; worked with UT on Federal grants in the amount $1,142, 631; and obtained other grants of over $4,500,000. An active, excited, and diverse Board of Directors, with the support of the ELGIN Foundation and its long-range vision, has been vital to the success of ALQI in Scott County .

Revised 10-26-04 tcross