Cassandra D. Jenkins

Your Turn

AI-assisted summary A proposed partnership between Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare aims to create a new academic health center.

The author, Cassandra D. Jenkins, argues the center is a transformative change needed for the community’s health and well-being.

The center is also expected to expand education, increase care for underserved communities, and stimulate economic growth.

I have dedicated my life’s work and career to providing community service and enhancing the quality of life for children, families, and underserved communities – locally, statewide and nationally.

I have extensive experience as an administrator and chief executive in the fields of criminal and juvenile justice, public policy, program planning, management, training and education, and advocacy. I have witnessed first-hand the multitude of problems that unhealthy individuals and their families experience, and the life-long impact when individuals are not provided with appropriate health care services, treatment, and support to increase their odds of not just surviving but thriving.

I have read with great interest about the issues surrounding the proposed partnership between Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to create an academic health center. During my tenure working within the law enforcement and criminal justice arena, I realized that it is not enough to just talk about reforms and make a few changes, we must be willing to make transformative changes and appropriately support and fund systems and services that are interrelated and interconnected with many of the issues confronted by our communities and health care system – physical health, mental health, education, child welfare, substance misuse, criminal and juvenile justice, public safety, quality affordable housing, employment and livable wages, community and economic development.

I truly believe the proposed FSU-TMH Academic Health Center would be a win-win for the Tallahassee/Leon County community and all its residents, as well as this region of the state. It’s imperative that we look at the bigger picture, leverage our resources, and foster innovation in ways that would benefit the most people to improve the quality of life in our community and the surrounding areas.

Some benefits include:

Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.

· Better Access to Healthcare: Eventually patients will no longer have to travel outside the region for various specialized treatments.

· Cutting-edge treatments: Research indicates that academic health centers bring the newest therapies and technologies directly to patients.

· Improved outcomes: National studies show patients treated at academic health centers have higher odds of survival compared to non-academic hospitals.

· Education and training: Opportunities would be created for future doctors and nurses, as well as students in business, accounting, information technology, engineering, social sciences, arts and humanities.

· Expanded access: Will expand care for underserved and rural communities across North Florida by reducing barriers to specialized treatment and training local providers.

· Economic growth: Will attract top medical talent, create new health care jobs, and fuel long-term economic development.

I fully support the proposal to create an academic health center in Tallahassee and applaud everyone who has worked hard to bring it before the city commission for their thoughtful consideration. I urge our elected city officials to move forward in support of this proposal for the benefit of our community.

Cassandra D. Jenkins is the owner and manager of CD Jenkins, LLC, which provides an extensive range of consulting services focusing on organizational management and oversight, planning, process improvement, program development, and community relations and outreach.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing.Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK.