The Westchester Library System (WLS), in partnership with the Medicare Rights Center and the Sarah Lawrence College Health Advocacy Program, opened its first two Health Advocacy Resource Centers in Westchester County, located at the Grinton I. Will Branch Library in Yonkers and the John C. Hart Library in Shrub Oak. The Health Advocacy Resource Center, a library-based health information center, was established to help older adults and their caregivers to navigate the confusing maze of health care information. Its the first program of its kind to integrate a counseling component.
The Center represents a new type of service for libraries and a unique collaboration among the projects partners. Visitors to the Center have access to the vast array of WLS print and on-line health care resources, with guidance from trained volunteer counselors. The counselors assist older adults and their caregivers in finding up-to-date and reliable information and answer questions about health care, prescriptions, insurance coverage and claims, and other health topics.
Another resource of the Center is the interactive Health Advocacy Workshops, which are designed to train people to be health advocates for themselves and their peers. Among the topics addressed at these workshops are how to speak up for yourself, and how to navigate a hospital stay.
The Health Advocacy Resource Center builds on the resources of each of the partners, to empower the countys seniors and better serve their health care needs, said Lois Steinberg, Ph.D., Westchester Program Director of the Medicare Rights Center. It is a win-win arrangement for everyone.
Volunteer counselors are trained on Internet search techniques for consumer health information as well as on the WLS library system and health-related links on the WLS website. The Medicare Rights Center provided 15 hours of training, including how to use Medicare Interactive Counselor, its online resource for all Medicare information. The faculty of the Sarah Lawrence Health Advocacy Program provides expertise and assistance when volunteer counselors encounter questions that were not covered in their training. Additionally, the Medicare Rights Center offers a hotline staffed by trained counselors who can help people with complex issues, such as Medicare-related appeals. Center counselors are a conduit to useful information that seniors might not know about or seek out for themselves, said Marleise Brosnan, a graduate student in the Sarah Lawrence College Health Advocacy Program who serves as the coordinator of the Program for WLS.
The Health Advocacy Resource Center at the Grinton I. Will Branch of the Yonkers Public Library, 1500 Central Park Avenue in Yonkers, NY is open and staffed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Free individual counseling is also available at the Health Advocacy Resource Center in the John C. Hart Library, 1130 Main Street, Shrub Oak, NY every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm. For additional information, please call 914.674.3600.
About the Health Advocacy Resource Center (HARC)
The Health Advocacy Resource Center, the first library-based collaborative center of its kind in the country, was established to help older adults and their caregivers to navigate through the confusing maze of health care information. Visitors to the Center have access to the vast array of Westchester Library System print and on-line health care resources, with guidance from trained volunteer counselors. HARC is located at the Will Library in Yonkers and the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak.
About the Westchester Library System
The Westchester Library System (WLS) includes 38 member public libraries located throughout the County and is one of New York State's 23 public library systems. WLS and its member libraries have a total collection of 5.4 million items, including 3.7 million books, as well as audio recordings, videocassettes, DVDs, print serials, and other materials. The mission of the Westchester Library System is to ensure that all residents have seamless access to excellent library service throughout Westchester County. The Westchester Library System serves as a center of innovation for the Westchester County library community. We provide model programs, affordable and easy-to-use information technology, and support services that enable libraries to continuously improve service to their communities. For more information, please visit www.westchesterlibraries.org.
<< Back to article
