By Gian Prabhudas, Building Kentucky
The Coalition for the Homeless and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid in Kentucky have partnered to launch “The Community Table,” a free lunchtime series designed for professionals working with communities experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. These virtual events will convene professionals, clinicians, community partners, and experts to explore and discuss a range of issues facing social service agencies, their staff, and the people they serve.
“Many of our social workers have been central in providing care throughout the pandemic, and they didn’t have the luxury of working remotely or staying home,” said Natalie Harris, Executive Director of Coalition for the Homeless. “That’s why we are partnering with Anthem Medicaid to host The Community Table and equip these workers with the much-needed resources, tools and skills to mitigate stress and to continue providing high-quality care for their clients.”
Event information
These events will be held monthly on every first and third Wednesday, at noon EST, starting July 6 and continuing through 2023. First quarter dates and topics are:
- July 6 and July 20 – Advocating for at-risk populations, self-advocacy, managing casework and avoiding burnout
- August 3 and August 17 – Housing service experts to answer questions from attendees
- September 7 and September 21 – Discussing ‘radical self-care’
To register for one of The Community Table training sessions, visit louhomeless.org/community-table/.
“Social service professionals working on the front lines to support those experiencing homelessness face complex challenges including burnout, high staffing turnover and compassion fatigue, which have all been exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Leon Lamoreaux, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid President in Kentucky. “To ensure that Kentucky providers and staff remain in this incredibly important work, we are partnering with the Coalition for the Homeless to promote self-care and provide these workers with the tools they need to maintain a healthy work-life balance.”
The Community Table partnership is part of a comprehensive effort by Anthem to address numerous social determinants of health, including housing and food insecurity, racial and gender health disparities across the Commonwealth.
To date, Anthem has donated over $600,000 to create attainable housing solutions and support to people experiencing homelessness in Kentucky.
To learn more about The Community Table series and the work of the Coalition for the Homeless, visit louhomeless.org/community-table or download this flyer with more information.
