MISSION OF MERCY - TOHONO OODHAM 2017.PDF

Last updated: 05/09/2017
General information
Organization Mission of Mercy
Contact First name Jacque
Contact Last name Ahrenberg
Contact e-mail jahrenberg@therayvangroup.com
Contact phone number 6024994089
Address
Street 360 East Coronado Road, Suite 160
City Phoenix
State Arizona
ZIP Code 85004
From what tribe is the Tohono O’odham Nation
organization requesting the
grant?
Total grant amount request 75000
1 / 1



Access to Care:
Bridging the Healthcare Gap in the West Valley
Proposal created for the Tohono O’odham Nation
May 2017
(a) Need and how Mission of Mercy (MOM) will address the need.
Arizona is facing a healthcare crisis. Currently, 17.9% of individuals living in Maricopa
County exist below the federal poverty level. Arizona’s children rank 50th nationally for
uninsured. Even with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), one-in-five Arizona families
continues to lack adequate access to basic healthcare Due to the expansion of
Medicaid in Arizona, several low-cost and free clinics have closed their doors. Other
sliding-fee clinics have severely cut back their free services as their patient population
has shifted to an Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
reimbursement model. This alarming dynamic has left thousands of low-income and
working poor families, the homeless and veterans who cannot wait months or years for
a VA Hospital appointment, “medically homeless.” Without access to quality healthcare,
our uninsured and underinsured neighbors cannot thrive.
The West Valley has been affected by this crisis. Cities such as Avondale, Goodyear,
Maryvale and Glendale have poverty rates of 13.8%, 7%, 29% and 12% respectively. In
2015, Avondale, Goodyear and Glendale ranked 4.1, 2.8 and 3.6 (5 being the highest
need) on the Dignity Health Community Need Index, an assessment tool that maps the
level of community health need for zip codes in the U.S. Further, rates of chronic illness
(i.e. heart disease, obesity and diabetes) have skyrocketed in these cities. The health of
thousands of vulnerable families in the West Valley is at risk, and Mission of Mercy
(MOM) has become a last resort. MOM is Maricopa County’s only 100% privately
funded free mobile medical clinic with no qualification process or co-pays.
Since 1997, MOM’s mission has been to restore dignity to the sick, working poor,
uninsured and underinsured by providing free healthcare and “healing through Love.” In
the simplest of terms, we provide a no-cost medical home for Maricopa County’s
uninsured and underinsured families and individuals for as long as they need it – no
questions asked. Our highly efficient mobile healthcare delivery model, appropriately
called “Access to Care,” is 100% privately funded and uses no public or tax dollars. Our
effective model is volunteer-driven, with nearly 250 dedicated volunteers (medical and
non-medical), one full-time medical director and five part-time medical support staff
delivering direct care to our patients.
MOM currently operates six free mobile clinics out of churches, schools and community
centers in neighborhoods of severe unmet need in Avondale, Central Phoenix,
Maryvale, Mesa, South Phoenix and South Central Phoenix. MOM’s two mobile medical
vans travel to the different clinic locations and carry prescription medications for patient
distribution.
In 2016, more than 15,000 patient visits were provided by MOM, along with nearly
20,000 free prescription medications. Approximately 60% of patients consider MOM

their medical home, where they benefit from a continuum of medical care focused on
treating the “whole person” through individual primary care visits. Specifically, MOM
patients receive:
• Diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for acute and chronic conditions such as
hypertension, asthma, cardiac/lung disease (COPD), obesity and, most
predominately, diabetes;
• Prescription medications and 1:1 patient education as indicated by diagnosis;
• Specialized screenings, tests, labs and follow-on supportive services such as
mammograms and diabetic education classes;
• Referrals to appropriate specialty care practitioners for advanced care not available
at MOM clinics;
• Free diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing through our Compassionate Care
Partnerships with local West Valley anchor hospitals (Dignity Westgate and Banner
Estrella) and Sonora Quest Labs;
• Community Connections Health Literacy and Education Program providing onsite
chronic disease management and healthy lifestyle choices education (i.e. Living with
Diabetes and Stanford University’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
(CDSMP) classes); and
• Onsite benefits eligibility navigation to assist patients to confidentially pre-qualify for
services such as AHCCCS, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and referrals to other social and behavioral
health services.
MOM opened its Maryvale clinic in 1998 and Avondale clinic in 2010. These two clinics
combined annually serve more than 1,200 West Valley patients. With MOM as their
medical home, West Valley patients benefit from: (1) Primary Medical Care –
addressing acute and chronic medical and Rx needs; (2) Targeted Care – serving the
specialized needs of children and adults with chronic illnesses, particularly diabetes,
hypertension and obesity; (3) Supportive services to increase health literacy and
improve long-term health outcomes; and (4) Referrals to social service providers who
offer free or reduced-cost services.
MOM respectfully requests a grant of $75,000 from the Tohono O’odham Nation (the
“Nation”) to support direct medical care at our West Valley clinics – Avondale ($40,000)
and Maryvale ($35,000). At an average cost of $87/per patient visit, the Tohono
O’odham Nation’s support will cover nearly 900 patient visits, including medications,
labs and diagnostic radiology – all provided at no cost to our patients. The Nation’s
funding will also help support the expansion of our Community Connections program,
which offers culturally appropriate, interactive health education to help patients manage
chronic diseases. The two biggest areas of focus for Community Connections are
diabetes and hypertension education, which impact about 60% of MOM’s patient
population.

We would be honored to recognize the Nation through building a collaborative and
highly visible partnership. This would include prominently recognizing the Nation as a
champion for the medically underserved with: a custom wrap on our West Valley mobile
unit; in e-blasts; recognition at our annual Community Breakfast with 400 community
members; at public events; and, other creative opportunities we will develop in
partnership with the Nation.
(b) Population who will benefit from the proposal if approved.
MOM serves Arizona’s 1-in-4 uninsured and underinsured children and adults of all
ages. These are the working poor and the medically homeless who have fallen through
the cracks of our healthcare system. They are the elderly, refugees, undocumented
workers and veterans – many of whom cannot afford the exorbitant premiums and co-
pays of healthcare plans, or they cannot access plans on the national healthcare
exchange at all. MOM’s patient population also faces social determinants of health that
make it difficult for them to access high-quality healthcare; the majority identify as racial
and ethnic minorities and have low income, limited English proficiency, low educational
attainment and low health literacy. More than 60% of MOM’s patients suffer from
chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes that require close
monitoring and management. Without a quality medical home, these vulnerable families
and individuals suffer undiagnosed and untreated chronic illness; unnecessary and
costly hospital emergency room care for illnesses that have gone untreated and have
become acute; lost jobs; stress on fragile family units; and, in many cases, preventable
premature death.
(c)Budget of the requested funds.
MOM requests $75,000 to support our West Valley clinics (Avondale and Maryvale) in
fiscal year 2019 (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019).
EXPENSES Avondal Maryval Total Amount Amount
e Clinic e Clinic for Requested Provided by
West from TO Other Donors
Valley Nation
Clinics
Personnel Expenses--Medical and
Program Staff 90,128 49,161 139,289 50,000 89,289
Donated Medical Services,
Medications, Supplies, In-Kind 155,290 84,704 239,994 - 239,994
Fundraising Expense
3,900 2,127 6,027 - 6,027
Medications & Supplies
12,450 6,791 19,241 16,000 3,241

Occupancy
10,567 5,764 16,331 - 16,331
Office Expense 8,986
10,344 5,642 15,986 7,000
Insurance 1,000
6,036 3,292 9,328 8,328
Depreciation (Equipment and Van)
7,330 3,998 11,328 - 11,328
Other Expenses
805 439 1,244 - 1,244
Postage & Printing
911 497 1,408 - 1,408
Professional Fees
7,042 3,841 10,883 10,883
Meetings/Travel/Training
924 504 1,428 1,000 428
HQ Allocation for Office Support
Costs 15,972 8,712 24,684 - 24,684
TOTAL BUDGET
321,699 175,472 497,171 75,000 422,171
Other sources of income include private foundation grants, individual giving, event
revenue and in-kind donations. Our Avondale and Maryvale clinics’ budgets represent
34% of our total operating budget. We average 65 patient visits per clinic day at all six
clinics. Each patient on average seeks care 3.3 times per year and receives 1.8 life-
saving prescriptions each visit.
(d) Other funding requests that have been made for this or substantially related
proposals and the status of those requests.
MOM has requested funding and in-kind support for our West Valley clinics (Avondale
and Maryvale) from the following: The City of Avondale ($4,000 anticipated), The City of
Goodyear ($10,000 pending); The Order of Malta ($20,000 anticipated); Board of
Visitors ($50,,000 pending); APS Foundation ($7,500 anticipated)MOM also anticipates
significant operating revenue from individual donors and event revenue from our
December 2017 “Mercy in the Morning” fundraising event as well as support from
annual donors.

(e) Indicate whether the entity has already received a 12% distribution from the
Tohono O’odham Nation or other Arizona tribes, along with the amount and
date awarded.
MOM has not received funding from the Tohono O’odham Nation. In 2011, MOM
received a three-year $150,000 grant from the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) for
a diabetes care and prevention program. In 2016, MOM received a one-time $55,000
grant from GRIC to support our purchase of a third mobile medical unit to serve our
East Valley clinics.
(f) Identify a designated contact person and alternate contact person for follow-
up, including email address, phone number, mailing address and fax number
for these persons.
Designated Contact Person:
Catherine Amiot, President and Alternate Contact: Lisa Glow, Vice
Executive Director President and Director of Development
Mailing Address: 360 East Coronado Mailing Address: 360 East Coronado
Road, Suite 160, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Road, Suite 160, Phoenix, AZ 85004
camiot@amissionofmercy.org lglow@amissionofmercy.org
Tel: 602-861-2233 Tel: 602-448-2270
Fax: 602-861-2244 Fax: 602-861-2244
(g) Priority area the proposal falls under: Healthcare
(h) Fiscal agent with which an agreement will be made if funds are granted:
Maricopa County