2023

STATEMENT OF RECORD RELEASE

December 21, 2023
Contact: Emily White, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 484-336-0731

PHMC Board of Directors Appoints Michael Pearson as President and CEO

PHILADELPHIA, PA— The Board of Directors of Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has voted unanimously and approved Michael Pearson as President and CEO. Pearson has been leading the organization as Interim President and CEO since July 1, 2023.

“Since being named Interim President and CEO, Mike has deeply integrated himself within the enterprise to focus on improving operational efficiency and creating a clear vision for sustained growth,” said Sam Patterson, PHMC Board Chair. “Mike has showcased an unwavering dedication to PHMC’s mission over the last decade, and we are confident his transition into this permanent leadership role will support PHMC’s continued success and impact across the region.”

Since his appointment in July, Pearson has been committed to visiting PHMC program sites and hearing directly from PHMC colleagues to deepen his understanding of the enterprise.

“I’m honored the Board feels the organization is continuing to move in the right direction,” Pearson said. “I look forward to working with PHMC’s executive team and all partners, colleagues, programs and subsidiaries to maintain and expand PHMC’s long legacy of meaningful and critically important work.”

Pearson has served on the PHMC board since 2011, holding several leadership roles, including Treasurer, Vice Chair and Board Chair. As PHMC Board Treasurer, Pearson helped to increase organizational sustainability by supporting the implementation of financial planning and budgeting requirements for PHMC’s programs and subsidiaries, allowing each subsidiary to carry out its mission more effectively and deliver services more efficiently to the community. Pearson also played a vital role in launching PHMC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Governing Council in 2020 and the 2023 release of Embracing Diversity, Fostering Equity, Achieving Inclusion, PHMC’s first DEI report.

In addition to his accomplishments on PHMC’s Board, Pearson has been a well-regarded business and community leader in Philadelphia for the past two decades. He founded Union Packaging, LLC and provides consulting services to Econsult Solutions. Pearson strongly believes in giving back to his local community and supporting the underserved, and is actively involved on several boards, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Foundation, and the Philadelphia Zoo. He was also appointed Chairman of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority by Governor Tom Wolf.

Additionally, Pearson previously served on the boards of Evident Change, now known as National Council on Crime and Delinquency; Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation; William Penn Foundation; OIC Philadelphia; the Committee of Seventy; ACHIEVEability; the Economic and Community Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce; the Governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council for Pennsylvania; the U.S. Small Business Administration National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board; the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey; the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; and St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children, among others. Additionally, Pearson served on the City of Philadelphia’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council and Steering Committee, Pathways to Reform, Transformation & Reconciliation.

Pearson has received numerous awards and accolades for his business leadership, including most recently being named to Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2023 Veterans in Business and the 2023 Metro Philadelphia Health Care Power Players. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and served in the United States military as a combat duty Army Officer in the Persian Gulf War, where he received the Bronze Star.

About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.

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STATEMENT OF RECORD RELEASE

NOVEMBER 1, 2023
Media Contact:
For Public Health Management Corporation
Veronica Mikitka Reed, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 484-241-0473

Public Health Management Corporation Receives Funding Extension for Child First
Funds will support voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services to women during pregnancy and to parents with young children.

PHILADELPHIA – Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, announces its Child First program received a Maternal and Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grant from the State’s Department of Human Services that doubles its previous funding.

Child First is a home visiting program providing evidence-based early childhood mental health services to children ages 0-5 and their families impacted by trauma, abuse, poverty, and other adversities. This integrated psychotherapeutic intervention embedded in an early childhood system of care is designed to improve child and parent mental health, promote school readiness, and decrease child abuse and neglect. As the first provider of the Child First program in Pennsylvania, the program has provided services to families since November 2022.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to inform our professional community about infant mental health, while also delivering life-altering therapeutic services to parents and babies through our Child First program,” said Program Director Bentley Eskridge. “We are excited to continue our work and expand our impact across Philadelphia.”

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, even with the support of family, some children need a mental health professional trained in evidence-based trauma treatment to help both the children and their families. This program fills a critical need for infant and early mental health interventions for families and communities and holds the potential to disrupt intergenerational trauma and cycles of generational poverty in Philadelphia.

To make a referral to Child First, please contact Program Director Bentley Eskridge at (445) 776-4574.

About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices and evidence-based guidelines to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance, and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.

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June 26, 2023
Contact: Veronica Mikitka Reed, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 484-241-0473

PHMC Board of Directors Appoints Michael Pearson as Interim President and CEO; announces new Treasurer and board member

PHILADELPHIA, PA— The Board of Directors of Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has voted to appoint Michael Pearson as Interim President and CEO. Pearson will lead the organization, starting July 1, until a permanent CEO is identified.

“Michael is exceedingly qualified for this interim role having deep knowledge of the organization through his extensive board experience. In addition, he is an important convener in the Philadelphia business and philanthropic communities, an important skillset for this position,” said Sam Patterson, PHMC Board Chair. “We are fortunate to have Michael step into this role given his tireless advocacy for public health in our region.”

In late 2022, PHMC President and CEO Richard J. Cohen announced his retirement plans following 42 years of service in that role. Cohen officially transitions to leading PHMC’s foundation, the Public Health Fund, on July 1.

Pearson has served on the PHMC board since 2011, holding a number of leadership roles including Treasurer, Vice Chair and Board Chair, a position he held from June 2015 to June 2019. Under his guidance as PHMC Board Treasurer, Pearson helped to increase organizational sustainability by supporting the implementation of financial planning and budgeting requirements for PHMC’s programs and subsidiaries, allowing each subsidiary to carry out its mission more effectively and deliver services more efficiently to the community. Pearson also played a vital role in launching PHMC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Governing Council in 2020 and the 2023 release of Embracing Diversity, Fostering Equity, Achieving Inclusion, PHMC’s first DEI report.

In addition to his accomplishments on PHMC’s Board, Pearson is a business and community leader. He founded Union Packaging, LLC and provides consulting services to Econsult Solutions. Pearson is Board Treasurer of Evident Change, a national nonprofit that uses data and research to improve social services, and serves on the board of Wash Cycle, Inc. and Tompkins Community Bank - Pennsylvania, and Urban Engineers. He is a past board member of the National Council for Crime and Delinquency, the United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey, the Committee of Seventy, and William Penn Foundation. He has held leadership positions with the U.S. Small Business Administration National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board, ACHIEVEability, the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, Philadelphia Safe and Sound, the Big Picture Alliance, and the Team Pennsylvania Foundation. Pearson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and served in the United States military as a combat duty Army Officer in the Persian Gulf War, where he received the Bronze Star.

PHMC’s Board of Directors also announced the appointment of Christopher Cullom to Board Treasurer. Cullom, President of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic South Region has been a member of the PHMC Board of Directors since 2022; he replaces Steve Fera, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Government Markets for Independence Blue Cross, who most recently served in the role. Also, John C. McMeekin II has joined the PHMC Board of Directors. McMeekin is a partner with Rawle & Henderson LLP in Philadelphia and is the son of PHMC founder, Jack McMeekin. The Executive Committee of PHMC’s Board of Directors expects to engage in a President and CEO search in the coming months.

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STATEMENT OF RECORD

AUGUST 8, 2023
Media Contact:
For Public Health Management Corporation
Emily White, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

VNA Philadelphia’s Hospice Inpatient Unit Opens at PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar

State-of-the-art facility is the latest addition to PHMC’s innovative and integrated public health
campus in West Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (August 8, 2023) – Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) subsidiary The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia (VNA Philadelphia) today opened its Hospice Inpatient Unit at the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar in West Philadelphia. The new 15-bed inpatient unit will replace VNA Philadelphia’s former facility at 3300 Henry Ave.

The 9,000-square-foot facility is designed to stabilize terminally ill patients and provide 24/7 monitoring by nursing staff with daily rounds by the patient’s medical director. The state-of-the-art unit also offers respite services for caregiver relief, social and spiritual support, and private rooms and dedicated space for families, including a bereavement room and cafeteria.

“Every individual in Philadelphia deserves high-quality end-of-life care,” said Michael Pearson, interim President and CEO at PHMC. “Welcoming VNA Philadelphia’s family-centered, holistic hospice services to the Cedar Campus is an important addition to our continuum of care as we strive to provide West and Southwest Philadelphia with robust, patient-centered health care and social services.”

“We have been serving the Philadelphia community for decades, and families throughout the region can expect the same high-quality, compassionate care VNA is known for at our new facility,” added Karen Sinclair, Executive Director at VNA Philadelphia. “The move to PHMC’s Cedar Campus offers a new and improved care setting that provides a calm, comfortable environment for our patients and families. Whether the patient is admitted for treatment of uncomfortable symptoms or for respite services, our medical and nursing staff provide round-the-clock expert treatment during a critical time.”

VNA Philadelphia is the oldest and largest nonprofit home health, palliative and hospice provider in the region. In addition to the inpatient unit, VNA provides hospice services across all settings, including home care, continuous care and respite care.

The PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar offers a host of programs and services designed to serve the West and Southwest Philadelphia community, including primary care through the PHMC Health Center on Cedar, a Federally Qualified Health Center, serving adults and children; an emergency department; inpatient hospital care and psychiatric care by the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; and more. The Campus will also soon offer additional services from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The unit will begin admitting new patients on Friday, August 11. VNA’s Hospice Inpatient Unit is located at 501 S. 54th Street, 5th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19143. To contact VNA Philadelphia, please call 215-473-0772 or visit www.vnaphilly.org.

About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices and evidence-based guidelines to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.

About VNA Philadelphia
The mission of The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia, through its dedicated staff, is to provide a continuum of home health, palliative, and end-of-life care of the highest quality to all people, regardless of their financial circumstances. For more information, visit www.vnaphilly.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Veronica Mikitka Reed This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 484-241-0473

PHMC’s Public Health Mayoral Forum Highlights Key Public Health Issues in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (April 7, 2023) Seven mayoral candidates addressed critical public health issues in front of more than 200 people at Public Health Management Corporation’s (PHMC) Public Health in Philadelphia: A 2023 Mayoral Forum, held Tuesday at PHMC’s headquarters in Philadelphia.

Former Philadelphia City Council members; Allan Domb, Derek Green, Helen Gym, David Oh; Warren Bloom; Jeff Brown; and former City Controller of Philadelphia Rebecca Rhynhart participated. Maiken Scott, WHYY host and producer of The Pulse, moderated the event.

As PHMC joins institutions across the country to celebrate National Public Health Week, the candidates addressed three key public health issues facing Philadelphians: gun violence, drug and substance use, and behavioral health. These issues contribute to the safety and security of Philadelphia citizens and neighborhoods. As America’s poorest big city, these issues are all underscored by poverty. All of this poses a significant challenge and opportunity for the candidates in this election.

“As the region’s Public Health Institute and leader in public health, PHMC was honored to convene Philadelphia’s mayoral candidates in a discussion on critical public health topics impacting our city and communities,” said Michael K. Pearson, PHMC Executive Board Member and past Board Chair. “May and October 2023 are critical moments in Philadelphia’s electoral history, thought leaders from multiple sectors must align to create impactful public health dialogue with the candidates vying to be the next mayor. We look forward to hear what they’ve learned through our mayoral forum and how they resolve to build a sustainable continuum of care to address the behavioral and mental health challenges in our city.”

Candidates discussed how public health is a critical issue encompassing the election, from poverty to social determinants of health and substance use and gun violence. Candidates acknowledged the depth of public health and social service subject matter expertise from leading universities, law firms, nonprofits, health care institutions, and public health advocates in the room, expressing the need to listen and learn to help inform their policies.

The key issues discussion from the forum included:

Gun Violence:
Gun violence is a public health crisis that affects everyone. Especially in Greater Philadelphia, this epidemic disproportionately harms communities of color and those experiencing poverty, housing insecurity and a lack of access to health care. In Philadelphia, gun violence is concentrated in a handful of city blocks where the poverty rate and rate of vacant housing is higher than the city’s average. In 2021, the year the city set a record for overall homicides, the number of juvenile homicide victims was more than three times that of juveniles killed in 2015.

To hear how the candidates addressed gun violence challenges, please click here to view their responses, starting at 6:25 in the video.

Drug and Substance Use:
The substance use epidemic affects a growing number of families in Philadelphia, with more individuals dying annually from overdoses than from shootings. In 2021, Philadelphia reported the highest number of unintentional overdose deaths on record: 1,276, a 5% increase from 2020. Of those, 82% involved opioids.

To hear how the candidates addressed drug and substance use challenges, please click here to view their responses, starting at 25:50 in the video.

Behavioral Health:
Community mental health programs and secure, affordable housing are critical for improving mental, social, and emotional well-being in children and families. Equally important is coordinating care across agencies, departments, and organizations. Access to mental and behavioral health services is necessary for building safe, healthy communities. Those with untreated severe mental illness are involved in at least one in four, and as many as half of all fatal police shootings nationwide.

To hear how the candidates addressed behavioral health challenges, please click here to view their responses, starting at 46:00 in the video.

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