In our premiere episode, we share the definition of health literacy, our mission and vision for the show, and tell you a little bit about our backstory.

Per the CDC, health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.

Health literacy emphasizes people’s ability to use health information rather than just understand it and focuses on the ability to make “well-informed” decisions rather than “appropriate” ones


Each episode we'll share our TMI Takeaway, or what we hope the audience learns from the episode. For today's episode, the TMI Takeaways are:
1. Understand who we are as nurses
2. Why we're starting this podcast
3. Why health literacy is important


“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays at 10!”

Contact Us:
Email: tmi.melanin@gmail.com
Instagram: tmi.melanin
YouTube: The Melanin Initiative

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

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The patient experience encompasses the range of interactions that patients have with the healthcare system; including their care from health plans; and from doctors, nurses, and staff in hospitals, physician practices; and other healthcare facilities. As an integral component of healthcare quality, the patient experience includes several aspects of healthcare delivery that patients value highly when they seek and receive care, such as getting timely appointments, easy access to information, and good communication with health care providers (Agency for Healthcare and Research).

Why this episode is important: We want to help you manage your expectations when it comes to navigating the healthcare system and in different settings.


TMI Takeaway for today’s episode:
-You are your best advocate.
-You have rights that should be respected, but you also have a responsibility to participate in your care and manage your health outside of the clinical setting.
-Communication is key, and it’s important to know you are one of the key players.
-The themes for today’s episode are communication, safety, and advocacy.



“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays!”


Email: tmi.melanin@gmail.com

Instagram: tmi.melanin https://www.instagram.com/tmi.melanin/

YouTube: The Melanin Initiative https://www.youtube.com/@themelanininitiative

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

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Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community (World Health Organization).

Why this episode matters: Mental health awareness is crucial for black and brown communities because our communities are often subjected to systemic oppression, discrimination, and racism, which can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. As well as, more costly care, more hospitalizations, more torn relationships, more absenteeism at work, and more encounters with law enforcement.


Our TMI Takeaways for this episode:

1. Understand what mental health means and how it presents itself on a daily basis.
2. Representation matters: identify mental health in Black and Brown individuals and find access to Black and Brown therapists.
3. By combining your religious beliefs with taking your medications, talking about your problems with a professional, and learning to use coping mechanisms, you can
   1. Decrease your anxiety
   2. Understand how to function through your depression
   3. And learn the tools to support family members with bipolar, schizophrenia and PTSD

• There are various websites that allow you to narrow your search and find black providers in your area. Here are two we recommend:
  • https://locator.apa.org/results/1/20001,%20Washington,%20DC/25/
  • https://meetmonarch.com/therapists
• Here is a resource for clinicians who want to learn more:
  • American Psychological Association
  • https://www.apa.org/ed/ce
    • APA has a ton of resources including CEs
      • Apply CE reimbursement and ask administrator to cover costs for the staff
• Therapy for Black Girls https://therapyforblackgirls.com/
• The Boris Henson Foundation https://resourceguide.borislhensonfoundation.org/
• The Loveland Foundation https://thelovelandfoundation.org/

“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays!”

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Health care advocacy is defined by the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy as the act of supporting another individual with their ability to make well-informed decisions regarding medical, behavioral, and/or financial circumstances. https://nahac.com/

The primary objective of health care advocacy is to provide safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable healthcare for all. Regardless of age, race, sex, gender identity, income, education, religion, language, and income status.

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The TMI Takeaways for today are everyone needs an advocate regardless of your medical condition or age. Under normal circumstances, people only remember 30% of what you tell them. Add in the overwhelming amount of information shared during a healthcare appointment and the emotions and stress associated, and you can understand the importance of having someone there with you to make sure you get the healthcare you need.

Local resource
*Washington, DC Healthcare Advocates https://wdcadvocates.com/care-coordin...
They offer help with care coordination, medical house calls, mediation, liaison (serving as your eyes and ears), insurance, safety and residential analysis, and life documents like advance care directives.

National resources

• Advocates for Youth https://www.advocatesforyouth.org/about/
• Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum https://www.apiahf.org/about/
• Asian Women for Health https://www.asianwomenforhealth.org/w...
• Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations https://aapcho.org/
• Black Health

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*June is Men’s Health month and we’re celebrating all month long! We are very excited about this two-part series and honored to bring it to you as three daughters. You can consider this the month dedicated to Girl Dads!* Be sure to follow us on Instagram where we’ll be sharing content on all things related to men’s health, including screenings, specialists, and resources.

• Our TMI Takeaways for today’s episode included
  • What is meant by the term heart disease
  • What are the causes of heart disease
  • What factors have contributed to heart disease plaguing our community
  • What men of color can do to prevent heart disease and lower their risks for getting it
  • Most importantly, we want to encourage you that receiving a diagnosis does not have to be your destination, even if it’s a disease that runs in your family. With the support of a healthcare profession and shared decision-making, the two of you and your family, can come up with a plan that helps you reach your therapeutic goals, like consistently having a blood pressure less than 120/80 or a A1c less than 6%, so you can safely come up with a plan that may include decreasing the dose of a medication or even stopping it once those therapeutic goals have been met, and your healthcare provider reports that your risks have lowered enough. We do not recommend stopping medications on your own without medical supervision, there are consequences associated with stopping medications abruptly and without having another plan in place that we want you to avoid, Safety always comes first.

“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays!”

Resources

• District Health Department https://www.dhd10.org/mens-health-month/
• Men's Health Network https://menshealthnetwork.org/
• Office of Minority Health https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mens-health/
• Urology Care Foundation https://www.urologyhealth.org/media-center/mens-health-month
• Get it checked http://getitchecked.com/

Email: tmi.melanin@gmail.com

Instagram: tmi.melanin https://www.instagram.com/tmi.melanin/

YouTube: The Melanin Initiative https://www.youtube.com/@themelanininitiative

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

Send us a text

Today’s episode is special as we have our first guest. We’re honored to introduce to you and speak with licensed therapist Kelsey Wilson, LCSW. She’s here to talk to us about the historical context of intergenerational trauma.

Why this episode matters:

-Accessing mental health care can feel overwhelming. Navigating mental health stigma and identifying a therapist that is a good fit can be a challenge. In this episode we will focus on solutions to addressing barriers to care, the benefits of mental health treatment, and ways we can reduce mental health stigma within black and brown communities.

Today we talked about intergenerational trauma. We learned:

*The definition and key contributing factors of intergenerational trauma

*Now we can explain how intergenerational trauma impacts Black and Brown individuals

*We learned ways to reduce mental health stigma and promote positive mental health outcomes in our community

*We can comfortably and confidently talk about why clinicians of color matter in the mental health field

“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays!” Thank you for watching!

Practices accepting new clients in Maryland and Virginia:

*Kelsey Wilson PLLC
Website: Kelseywpllc.com
Contact: Therapy@kelseywpllc.com
Accepting Virginia Clients

*A Rhaea Hope
Website: https://www.arhaeahope.com
Contact: Hello@arhaehope.com
Accepting Virginia and Maryland Clients

*True Mission Services
Website: https://truemissionservices.com
Contact: Rosaavant@truemissionservices.com
Accepting Virginia Clients


Stay in touch
Email: tmi.melanin@gmail.com
Instagram: tmi.melanin https://www.instagram.com/tmi.melanin/
YouTube: The Melanin Initiative https://www.youtube.com/@themelanininitiative

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

Send us a text

In this episode I’m joined by special guest, Deputy Director for the Center for Black Equity, Kenya Hutton to talk about DC Black Pride 2023 in Washington, DC.

We discuss:
-The weekend events for DC Black Pride
-Discuss why DC Black Pride was necessary
-Share health inequities affecting the Black Pride community
-Talk about steps we can take to improve health inequities

June is Pride month where nationally we recognize the LGBTQIA+ community which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual. The 'plus' is used to signify all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that are not specifically covered by the other five initials. We’re excited to have our second guest join us. He’s a big deal with a very busy schedule, so my other co-host Alisha and Geraldine, also busy working clinicians, were not able to join us, but send their love.

Resources related to the episode:
Kenya Hutton
- Center for Black Equity https://centerforblackequity.org/our-leadership
- Capital Pride Alliance https://www.capitalpride.org/team_members/kenya-hutton/
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenyahutton


DC Black Pride

• https://dcblackpride.org/
• https://www.instagram.com/dcblackpride/?hl=en

Center for Black Equity https://centerforblackequity.org/

Stonewall Riots (PBS) https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/stonewall/

The ClubHouse, an LGBTQIA gathering spot
https://dchistory.org/the-clubhouse/

American Heart Association recognizes PRIDE https://newsroom.heart.org/news/health-equity-is-the-focus-of-lgbtq+-pride-month-celebrations-across-the-country

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/experiencing-pride-at-samhsa

SAMHSA Programs and Initiatives https://www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi

Get Insured https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-insured-affordable-care-act-resources-for-the-lgbt-community

Doxy-pep

• Doxypep factsheet https://publichealthproviders.sccgov.org/sites/g/files/exjcpb951/files/documents/DoxyPEP%20%282%29.pdf
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2022/Doxy-PEP-clinical-data-presented-at-2022-AIDS-Conference.html
• National Coalition of STD Directors https://www.ncsddc.org/std-directors-applaud-potentially-revolutionary-doxypep-research/

For Clinicians
Build an inclusive care practice https://www.mahoganydermatology.com/news/building-an-inclusive-care-practice

HUED Health Equity Courses for clinicians https://huedco.com/courses/

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

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June is Men’s Health month and we’ve been celebrating all month long! We are very excited about this two-part series and honored to bring it to you as three daughters. You can consider this the month dedicated to Girl Dads!

In this episode, we’ll be using medical terms for body parts in this episode. If you have children who you are not comfortable hearing those terms, then now would be a good time to stop listening. However, we encourage you to consider the benefits of the topics we’ll be discussing today as a way to engage in very important conversations that promote health literacy.

The TMI Takeaways for this episode are:

• We defined testosterone, what it means to have a low T, and what you can do about it
• We discussed the speciality of urology and why urologists are important to men’s health
• Finally, we talked about diet and and weight management how they both impact men’s risk for obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and sleep apnea

“In healthcare, there is often too much information and not enough time. Here at The Melanin Initiative, we avoid TMI by breaking things down into language you can understand, we create a safe space to ask your questions, and share our nursing perspective without taking too much of your time. Thanks for tuning in. Join us every week for TMI Tuesdays!”

Resources

• District Health Department https://www.dhd10.org/mens-health-month/
• Men's Health Network https://menshealthnetwork.org/
• Office of Minority Health https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mens-health/
• Testosterone https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/l/low-testosterone
• Testosterone-Based Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/lgbtq/testosterone-gender-affirming-hormone-therapy-transgender-care
• Urology Care Foundation https://www.urologyhealth.org/media-center/mens-health-month
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/b/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-(bph)
• Erectile Dysfunction https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/e/erectile-dysfunction-(ed)
• Get it checked http://getitchecked.com/

Email: tmi.melanin@gmail.com

Instagram: tmi.melanin https://www.instagram.com/tmi.melanin/

YouTube: The Melanin Initiative https://www.youtube.com/@themelanininitiative

*This show is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are our opinions alone, they are not a representation of any of our affiliations. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should seek medical attention and medical guidance from your healthcare provider.

Send us a text