Miller-Dwan Foundation

The Foundation supports meaningful healthcare programs on the medical campus and in the community. Grants are made throughout the year to improve healthcare in our region and are primarily focused on adult and adolescent mental health, hospice, physical rehabilitation, cancer care, burn care and surgical services.

Public education - each year the Foundation creates publications and resources which are widely distributed, has an online presence, and engages the media in sharing our message. Topic areas include, but are not limited to, hospice and end-of-life, cancer care and survivorship, burn treatment and of course, mental health and physical rehabilitation. In 2023, a special emphasis was placed on burn care staff receiving advanced burn life support education. In 2023, the Foundation also launched "the force for good" podcast, with a focus on educating listeners about mental health care in general and in our region.

Hopexpm+ - in 2023, the Miller-Dwan Foundation partnered with george Washington university and the new school for social research to begin implementing problem management plus (pm+). Pm+, developed by the world health organization, trains non-credentialed helpers to provide a highly manualized mental health intervention that can help people stay well and out of the hospital. All work happens under licensed supervision. Pm+ involves community-based organizations (cbo's) in a way that significantly expands the workforce. The Foundation awards community grants in support of its pm+ mental health efforts as well as in support of mental health services on the medical campus. Douglas county - work continues in collaboration with douglas county community-based organizations to implement 9 priority areas for improvement of mental health with an emphasis on mental health training, opportunities for residents to connect, provider recruitment and retention including pm+.

Amberwing - center for youth & family well-being - the Miller-Dwan Foundation owns amberwing and has continued responsibility for its stewardship and its treatment program. Amberwing cares for patients from birth to 18 and engages the family throughout the treatment process. Approximately 1,200 kids annually present at amberwing seeking care. After an assessment, the majority of the kids enter the amberwing partial hospitalization program. If needed, children and families are referred to other organizations providing the type or level of care appropriate for that specific individual. Amberwing family resource center - the amberwing family resource center in amberwing provides support and information for people from throughout the community. The resource center is often filled with family members who are seeking information to determine if their child may need additional support or whose child is in the amberwing program. In 2023, the resource center manager, an employee of the Miller-Dwan Foundation, fielded an extensive number of phone calls and walk-in visitors. In addition, they served on 6 local committees, attended 12 regional events, and participated in 5 weekly on-site dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) skills refresher groups and 9 weekly substance use education groups as an amberwing/miller-dwan representative. The amberwing substance-use disorder (sud) program - implemented in 2021, the amberwing sud program continued for its third year with all amberwing youth assessed and tracked for sud or sud risk. A full and complete evaluation of the sud program is nearing completion. Dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) - the Miller-Dwan Foundation and amberwing continue to identify and implement ways to offer skills and education to children beyond those admitted to the amberwing program-both in-person and virtual. In 2023 skills and education training for family and community members exceeded 100 sessions in 2022, reaching more than 1,000 individuals. In addition, dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) training was provided to three regional school districts (27-hour training for each of 30+ staff) and one college. An ongoing dbt consultation group was formed for the benefit of staff at the superior high school in superior Wisconsin. The Miller-Dwan Foundation provided funding that will allow for full dbt credentialling of the facility.amberwing is owned by the Miller-Dwan Foundation, and contracts with essentia health to provide medical care. Miller-Dwan Foundation does not charge rent to essentia health for use of the facility.

Northland adaptive recreation - to expand the physical rehabilitation continuum of services, the Miller-Dwan Foundation acquired the former courage kenny from the allina health care system in minneapolis. Now called northland adaptive recreation (nar), the organization and its programs provide adaptive recreation services and education in both northwestern Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota. Medical physical rehabilitation support and education - in 2023, the Miller-Dwan Foundation continued to provide grant dollars in support of direct care for those with medical physical disabilities. Foundation funding supports medical rehabilitation on campus (535 patients), at the polinsky medical rehabilitation center (4,636 patients) and in the community with education grants given to promote prevention and to maintain and improve patient care and aftercare for long-term success.

Solvay hospice house - the Miller-Dwan Foundation continues to own solvay hospice house, a 12-bed medicare certified hospice home. The home, which opened in 2007, was designed to be a warm and welcoming environment coupled with exquisite care for those facing the end of life and their families. In fy 2023, 229 were admitted and cared for at solvay. Of those, 76 were respite patients, who returned home after their loved ones enjoyed a five-day break from their caregiving duties. On average, patients are at solvay 7.9 days before passing away or discharged to home or another facility. Most patients admitted to solvay qualified for financial assistance through the Miller-Dwan Foundation's compassionate care fund - a fund developed to ensure patients who would benefit from care at solvay would be able to, regardless of their financial circumstance.the Miller-Dwan Foundation contracts with essentia health to provide medical care. Miller-Dwan Foundation does not charge rent to essentia health for use of the facility.

Ongoing development - building and sustaining relationships with supporters is of paramount importance to our organization, as they are truly the catalyst in improving health care. Staff keep in frequent contact with supporters and use sophisticated software to ensure supporters' gifts are recorded, directed and recognized correctly and appropriately.

When a new health care need is identified in the region or on the medical campus, the Foundation will focus attention and resources to help meet that need. Some of these needs can be met in the short term and can change from year to year. Response to these needs can take a variety of forms."