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ChildrenHealth
2917 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219
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Board Member

2917 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45219
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Our board Board Role
  • The Board of Directors maintain ultimate responsibility for ensuring that MedMentor fulfills its mission in the community. The board works closely with the CEO to ensure that MedMentor maintains program effectiveness, quality and integrity.
  • The board provides future vision for MedMentor, supplying the wisdom, tools, and direction to help perpetuate the organization and ensure we continue to effectively meet the needs of children, teens, and young adults who need positive adult support and opportunities to learn new skills and engage in meaningful relationships. The board is dedicated to program growth to make a difference in the lives of Greater Cincinnati patients and their families.
Position
  • Board Member. Board members are the fiduciaries who steer MedMentor towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure we have adequate resources to advance our mission and achieve our vision.
  • Mission. To create life-changing relationships between children and adults facing the same chronic illness.
  • Vision. That every child lives a full, meaningful life undefined by disease.
Desired skills
*required		 Branding, Coaching, Digital Marketing, Graphic Design, Multimedia, Social Media
When Monthly (see Board Requirements for more information)
Where Phone and in-person
Commitment 3 to 5 hours/month
Donation We strive for 100% board giving, but have no strict guidelines around financial contributions.
Requirements
  • Each member attends at least 75%, or 3 out of 4, in-person board meetings. Virtual meetings occur from 4:30-5:30 PM on the third Monday of every January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November.
  • Each member attends at least 75%, or 6 out of 8, virtual board meetings. In-person meetings occur from 4:30-6:30 PM on the fourth Thursday of every March, June, and September and the third Thursday of every December. These meetings are held at the Katz Teller Cincinnati Law Firm.
  • Each board member sits on at least one committee. Standing committees include the Internal Affairs Committee, External Affairs Committee, Governance Committee, and Executive Committee. Ad hoc committees are formed to meet ongoing needs and issues identified by the board.
  • Each member agrees to a two-year term. The maximum is five (5) consecutive terms. This allows for an option of ten (10) years of board involvement before a Director retires, during which MedMentor can reap the benefits of each Director’s mature judgement and deep knowledge of the organization’s programs, history, and ethos.
On-boarding
  • Step 1. Our CEO has an initial phone call with the prospective board member. During this call, he reviews the organization's history, vision/mission, goals, and progress to date. Our CEO also learns about the personal and professional background of the candidate and why he or she wishes to join the board.
  • Step 2. The candidate then meets in-person with our Vice President of Governance (VPG). During this meeting, our VPG reviews our internal processes, governance structure, leadership style, etc.
  • Step 3. The MedMentor Board of Directors votes on whether to invite the candidate to the board. The candidate is then notified via email. If the decision is made to invite the candidate to join the board, he or she will be officially welcomed at the next in-person board meeting. The member will sign the Board Member Agreement and be presented with a New Member welcome packet at this time.
Our mission
Additional Info Program Description
  • Background:
Have you ever wondered what it’s like for a child to grow up with a chronic illness? Imagine how your own childhood would have been different if you had been afflicted with a chronic illness. Do you know at least one person who is facing this challenge right now? Children with chronic illnesses face significant emotional and psychological challenges because of their condition. Many patients feel different, stigmatized and socially isolated and often become restricted in their activities. These feelings often lead to problems at school. A child with chronic illness may also experience recurrent fear and pain. If these emotional difficulties are not dealt with, the child’s health, attitude and emotional state can worsen. Sadness, depression, anxiety, withdrawal, rebelliousness, and/or a decreased interest/attendance in school often occur. In the past 20 years, the rate of chronic illnesses among children in the U.S. has nearly doubled to one in five children. In Cincinnati’s Hamilton County, over 37,000 children are living with a chronic disease. By 2025, chronic illnesses will affect an estimated 164 million Americans – nearly half (49%) of the U.S. population. Children often do not report the negative feelings they may regularly face. Instead, they withdraw and quite often engage in rebellious, self-destructive behaviors, such as interfering or disregarding their medical treatments. They are also much more at risk for other damaging behaviors such as experimenting with alcohol, drugs, or early sexual activity. They may even contemplate suicide or perhaps run away from home.
  • Solution:
At MedMentor, it is our number one priority to help children with chronic illnesses overcome emotional and psychological problems. Therefore, we have recreated the multifaceted, evidence-based mentoring program seen at Big Brothers Big Sisters and applied it to healthcare, targeting children with chronic illnesses between the ages of 10-19. Our program uses the traditional 1-to-1 mentorship model that is common in the general population and known to improve social and emotional outcomes for at-risk youth. Mentors have the same chronic disease as their mentees and therefore become confidants and sounding boards for kids while providing understanding and support in a way that family members or medical professionals cannot. Matches agree to a minimum one-year commitment, face-to-face contact at least once per month, and weekly communication by phone. The relationship helps the child normalize and destigmatize their disease and has a positive impact on emotional and psychological issues (i.e. stress, anxiety, depression, social isolation, and altered self-image). By partnering with parents, volunteers, and others in the community, we are accountable for each child achieving: a) an increased ability to manage their health, b) better relationships, greater confidence, and enhanced quality of life, and c) avoidance of risky behaviors.