Lend A Helping Hand!

     I am at the end of week three of my internship.  Oh, what a week it was!  After arriving at 9:00 a.m at the Health Leads Office, I spent the first 30 minutes on Triage.  Triage entails contacting clients about whom we have limited information.  Clients are often referred to us through physicians.  They fill out an initial form.  The form includes very minuscule details.  In order to adequately help them, Advocates need to get a better understanding of their situation.  Therefore, it is up to Health Advocates to reach out to each client in Triage and learn more.  This way we know exactly what we can do for them.  Once we grasp a deeper understanding, the client in Triage can be assigned to an Advocate.    
     After spending 30 minutes working on Triage, I then proceeded to get in contact with each of the clients assigned to me.  I definitely was much more confident this week.  For some of my clients, I could only leave voicemails.  However, I was able to get in touch with a few families.  They expressed to me their needs for resources including financial assistance, ESL classes, and food pantries.  It was my goal to help each of them.  I spent time on Monday researching places where they could receive the help they needed.  
     An experience really stood out to me this week.  A client expressed a need for financial assistance.  I was able to provide the client with the address and information that could be of assistance.  I have never received such satisfaction in my life.  The client was so appreciative and happy.  I was truly touched.  This showed me that sometimes even the smallest gesture can mean so much.  I cannot wait to learn more, do more, and help more at this New York Health Leads Internship!

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

- John Holmes

http://www.ccmileecounty.com/ccmi_cms/index.php/2011-09-06-20-39-17/recognize-the-good-success-stories