Now she is creating a sponsorship program to assist area children with clothing and supplies once they can go back to school.

UofL News talked to Miceli about her efforts, the support she has received and what needs still exist in the flooded communities.

UofL News: How have you been able to help those affected by the July flooding?

Chelsea Miceli: My work has varied greatly from day to day. I have assisted in coordinating hot meals to remote communities. I have prepared meals and delivered them door to door. I have taken up donations and delivered them to homes throughout Knott, Breathitt and Perry Counties. I helped find individuals to sponsor a Perry County High School football player who lost all his sports equipment. I worked with national disaster relief food organizations to create hubs for food pickup for those that still do not have access to roadways. I connected the shelters to resources to get oxygen for those staying in the shelters. I assisted in finding a location for a birthday party for a young girl that lost everything. I assisted in connecting affected individuals with showering and laundry services. The Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic staff and I worked to coordinate services for the Deaf and Blind community that is being sheltered at Hindman Settlement School.

UofL News: What makes the work personal for you?Ěý

Miceli: As a resident of Whitley County who has family members across Eastern Kentucky, I understand the value of Appalachia and the history surrounding the culture which makes these individuals and their families so strong. When the recent flooding disaster hit in Eastern Kentucky, I knew I could not sit idly and watch those that I have an obligation to serve suffer alone.

When a disaster of this magnitude takes place, it is an immediate call to help your neighbor. Given my connection to this region and these communities, this work is very personal to me as I understand the geographic remoteness of this area of our state. These communities already face structural and systemic inequities such as generational poverty and trauma, oppression and a lack of resources in rural areas, and this disaster will only exacerbate these challenges.

These are my people, the people that I want to serve, the people that I feel could most benefit from additional services, the people that I know need advocacy and the people I know that are appreciative of the simplest act of kindness. Ěý

Living and working in this region, I know that the communities of Eastern Kentucky are tough and resilient people, yet we all need help from time to time. I have delivered supplies and food to homes where people have said, ‘I hate to take it if someone else could use it more than us.’ The culture of wanting to work for what you have and always lending a helping hand is something that is instilled in our communities from birth. Ěý

UofL News: What specific skills and experiences have helped you in this work?

Miceli: As a recent graduate from the Kent School and now a Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic employee, my educational and professional background has instilled in me the value of taking action. During my time in the MSSW program and as an intern, I learned the importance of trauma-informed care and the long-term implications that you can have on someone’s life through acknowledging what they endured.

Throughout my time helping in Eastern Kentucky, my main goal has been to offer dignity and worth to individuals who have lost everything. Taking the time to stop and hear their stories and let them know that someone is there for them and is working with them is the best service anyone can offer. Ěý

UofL News: How has your position at UofL and hat connection been helpful?

Miceli: As a program coordinator with the Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic, I develop and facilitate services, provide education, training and supervision to our student interns and facilitate collaboration and services with partnering sites across Eastern Kentucky for our projects funded by Health Resources & Services Administration grants. One of the core missions of these projects is to provide workforce development and services to rural communities across the state. Ěý

The team has been instrumental to my flood relief work. I have reached out numerous times needing assistance in identifying contacts and resources to provide services to these individuals. Without hesitation, they connected me to individuals and organizations that could assist with high priority needs of the communities including oxygen, hearing aids and sign language interpreters.

The staff has gone above and beyond to help me serve these individuals, most of whom they will never see nor meet. Without their help I don’t know if my work in Eastern Kentucky would have been as fruitful.

Our partner sites across Eastern Kentucky have faced many challenges during this time as well, primarily Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation. However, any time I picked up the phone and explained a need they were quick to act and put me in contact with individuals and resources to resolve the issue. Ěý

UofL News: Tell us about your project to gather supplies for students as they go back to school.

Miceli: I am working to create an ‘Adopt-a-Student’ sponsorship program. We will ask sponsors to purchase a backpack, clothing essentials (e.g., socks, shoes, underwear and two outfits), along with basic school supplies to be distributed to students in Knott County when they are able to return to school. With so much uncertainty surrounding when school will begin, this gives us time to begin gathering items in hopes that as students return, they will not have to worry about having school clothes and supplies. Given the financial hardship the parents are already facing, between clean-up costs and restarting their lives, the goal is to relieve some of the burden on them as well. This program’s goal is to let the students and parents start this school year without additional stressors during this trying and difficult time.

An has been created for school supplies for the students. To contribute to the Adopt-a-Student program, contact Miceli.

UofL is coordinating several efforts to aid the residents of eastern Kentucky, and we’re asking our Cardinal family to help. The efforts include:

• UofL Health is providing $25,000 to the Red Cross for disaster relief and is sending supplies and support to the Mountain Comprehensive Health Corp., which operates nine primary care centers in Appalachia.
• The School of Dentistry is assisting the Mountain Comprehensive Care Clinic with treating patients with acute dental emergencies. The Dental School also is working with Delta Dental to send its mobile dental clinic to the area.
• The Kent School of Social Work and Family Science’s Center for Family and Community Wellbeing is collaborating with Volunteers of America to assemble donations through and the Recovery Community Center in Manchester.
• The School of Medicine’s student body is asking for supplies (bottled water, hygiene products, household products, etc.) to be dropped off in the SOM Office of Student Affairs. Additionally, theyĚýare working closely with the KY Area Health łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Centers (AHECs) to assist with their “boots on the ground” activities to provide any support that they need.
• The Athletic Department is collecting water to be shipped to eastern Kentucky. Gallon jugs are particularly needed. Drop-off will be Thursday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium. The Admissions Office already has contributed 200 cases of bottled water.
• The men’s basketball team will participate in a Red Cross telethon Wednesday evening on WLKY-TV to raise funds for needed supplies. The telethon runs Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Various schools and colleges also are sponsoring smaller drives and offering support to their students. Contact the individual schools for more information.

Additionally,Ěýthe UofL Comparative Medicine Research Unit (CMRU) is coordinating relief efforts with the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA) targeting family needs for their animals.ĚýThe CMRU team will be making several trips over the upcoming weeks to deliver needed items to the affected areas in addition to sending licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians to provide care for the animals and to assist in capture efforts for animals. More information, including items needed, is available here.Ěý

Further,ĚýUofL archivist Heather Fox, who works in University Libraries, is assisting several archivists from Kentucky in cleaning and preserving damaged archives at Appalshop, an arts and education center focused on Appalachian culture. The organization’s building and materials were badly damaged during recent flooding in eastern Kentucky.

Finally, UofL’s Trager Institute connected UofL Health and Mountain Comprehensive Health Corp. and is sending supplies and support to eastern Kentucky. Trager’s staff, family and friends also raised over $2,000 to send immediate supplies to eastern Kentucky.

Monetary donations can be sent to the . Donations also can be made to the to aid UofL students who are affected by the flooding.

More than 170 UofL students hail from counties severely impacted by the flooding. UofL is making , emergency housing and other assistance available to these students and their families. Students should contact the at (502) 852-5787 or dos@louisville.edu for support. Students who call over the weekend or after hours should call the UofL Police Department at 502-852-6111, and you will be connected to an on-call staff member.

Geographic and economic conditions create limited access to oral health care — the next closest dentist is a 45- to- 90-minute drive.

“Without Red Bird, most people here would simply have no dental care. It’s extremely important to this community,” said Revelle Berry, a long-time patient of the clinic.

More than a year ago, the began a collaboration with the Red Bird Dental Clinic, offering a new clinical site rotation for students, while expanding Red Bird’s ability to serve more people.

“Generations of poverty have greatly exacerbated health conditions that need extensive, late-stage treatment, follow-up and support,” said Kari Collins, executive director of the Red Bird Clinic Inc., and Red Bird Mission Inc. “Our vision is of one of a stronger, sustainable community and UofL is an important partner in carrying out this vision.”

The Red Bird Clinic Inc., includes both dental and medical components. It grew out of the , which started in 1921 with a private school, and expanded to include job training, clothes closet, food pantry, adult education and senior citizen services.

“The services offered through Red Bird are so important for the people of this region, and we are pleased to have UofL reach across the state to engage with us as we strive to become a healthier community,” said Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers.

“The clinical experience at Red Bird enhances the education of our students with enriching cultural and clinical practice experiences that will make them compassionate, exceptional dental health care providers,” said the dean of the UofL School of Dentistry, Gerry Bradley, BDS, MS, Dr.Med.Dent.

Fourth-year dental student Sarah Jestel spent much of July at the Red Bird Dental Clinic for an Area Health łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Centers program requirement.

“The patients were so appreciative of the work we completed, especially those individuals requiring extractions,” she said. “Many came in with elevated blood pressure and had been in pain a long time.”

The students learn under the supervision of Bill Collins, DMD, dental director for the Red Bird Dental Clinic. Two other UofL alumni, Susan King, DMD, and Bob McGuinn, DMD, along with former dean of the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, Sharon Turner, DDS, JD, also serve on rotation as gratis faculty to oversee the UofL students.

“Students encounter varying levels of difficulty, including emergency situations and medically compromised patients. They work out of their comfort zones and increase their confidence levels and speed. They also learn practice management skills,” Collins said.

Since the collaboration started, dental students have helped provide care for almost 600 patients, and completed nearly 700 procedures for many who are uninsured or under-insured.

Individual donors like McGuinn, along with the and help make it possible.

“We fully support the Red Bird Dental Clinic mission and look forward to the continued oral health benefits it will bring southeastern Kentucky,” said Delta Dental of Kentucky’s CEO Jude Thompson. “Without the University of Louisville, access to care would be extremely difficult, and we’re proud Louisville is represented by such an esteemed group of students.”

The use of a mobile dental unit funded by increases the clinic’s ability to serve those without access to care. This includes a new outreach to individuals who are actively engaged in substance use treatment. Adding oral health care helps support their efforts to achieve and maintain recovery.Ěý

“As a Kentucky Medicaid dental benefits administrator serving approximately 1.1 million children and adults, ´ˇ±ąĹ§˛őľ±˛ő endeavors to support new and innovative opportunities that increase access to quality dental health care across the state,” said Jerry Caudill, DMD, State Dental Director for ´ˇ±ąĹ§˛őľ±˛ő.

“It takes many partners and donors to help us address the numerous challenges facing the underserved here in Appalachia, and we are thankful to all those who give and serve here,” Collins said.

“Our collaboration with the Red Bird Clinic is a significant step for the university as we seek to systematically serve our mission to provide health care throughout the Commonwealth and improve the overall well-being of its citizens,” said UofL Interim President Greg Postel, MD.

Beginning Feb. 23, dental and dental hygiene students will begin clinical rotations at the Red Bird Clinic. Each week, six students will travel to Beverly, Kentucky, and help staff the Dental Clinic, open Thursday through Saturday.

“This new clinical site enhances the education of our students with enriching cultural and clinical practice experiences that will make them compassionate, exceptional dental health care providers,” said the dean of the UofL School of Dentistry, T. Gerard Bradley, BDS, MS, DrMedDent.

The Red Bird Clinic Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that grew out of Red Bird Mission Inc., which started in 1921 with a private school, and expanded to include medical and dental services, job training, clothes closet, food pantry, adult education, services to senior citizens and more.

Red Bird Clinic Executive Director Kari Collins says the relationship with the UofL School of Dentistry increases the availability of dental treatment for the underserved.

“It is our hope that some of these students will be drawn to practice in rural areas; perhaps someone will return to serve at Red Bird Clinic in the future,” Collins said. ĚýĚý

Under the leadership of Red Bird Clinic Dental Director Bill Collins, DMD, the dental clinic provides a variety of services to about 20 to 25 patients daily, including cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges and extractions.

Collins, a graduate of the UofL School of Dentistry, says outreach is essential for the education of dental students.

“Everything is not cut and dry at outreach clinics; high difficulty levels provide challenges for the students and increase their abilities. It’s amazing to watch as they begin to put things together and their eyes and faces become bright with satisfaction. I try to ask students to learn one new thing each day — if they will continue this, it will make them good, confident practitioners,” Collins said.

Other alums of the School of Dentistry, Greg Bentley, DMD, Susan King, DMD, and Bob McGuinn, DMD, will serve on rotation as gratis faculty to oversee the UofL students.

A handful of dental students already have engaged in clinical dental services at the Red Bird Clinic in 2016. The school’s four Outreach Scholars, a designation given through a competitive scholarship opportunity, rotate to six clinics throughout the state. Fourth-year dental student and Outreach Scholar Robbie Troehler, from Ludlow, Kentucky, says it is rewarding to help those in need.

“It has been a blessing to pursue a career in dentistry, and it is important for me to use my education to give back to fellow Kentuckians as I gain valuable experience in outreach clinics,” Troehler said.

The School of Dentistry has a long history of helping serve the people of rural Kentucky, having participated in multiple Remote Area Medical events in Pikeville, where students and faculty provided free dental care to hundreds during each event.

Residents who use water supplied by Martin County Water District have been complaining ofĚýwater losses, service interruptions and concerns about water quality, according to anĚý.

“Projects such as the Martin County initiative allow the SBA to strengthen our school’s ties to the community. It is always terrible to see people suffer, but when it is happening right at your back door, it is imperative to try to help,” said SBA President Katie Bonds.

SBA is collecting the water until Oct. 28. At the end of the drive, SBA representatives will deliver the water to Martin County schools, which have been distributing bottled water to families. Water donations can be left in the SBA office on the first floor of the law school. SBA is encouraging Martin County residents to recycle the empty bottles.

“Community service is important to law students for a number of reasons, but primarily because it keeps us grounded and provides us with an opportunity to support others and create a meaningful relationship with those in our community,” Bonds said. “Additionally, it gives law students the chance to build and improve upon skills important in the practice of law: leadership, organization, confidence, communication, compassion, collaboration and decision-making, just to name a few.”

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