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"Salute to Health" helps you eat better and exercise more. January 2004 issue is available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Inside This Issue:

  • Articles, p.1,2
  • Meeting Minutes, p. 2-4
  • Did You Know That…, p. 4
  • Calendar, p.5

 

 

THE ADVOCATE

The Newsletter of the Greater Taunton Health & Human Service Coalition (GTHHSC) and the Greater Attleboro Taunton Health & Education Response (GATHER)

Volume XIII, No9                                                                                                                                                                           September 2003

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE CELEBRATIONAL G.A.T.H.E.R. GENERAL MEETING

Monday, September 22, 2003

3:00-4:30

Margaret Stone Conference Room

Morton Hospital & Medical Center

88 Washington St., Taunton

                     Refreshments will be enjoyed

R.S.V.P. to Lorraine Rosa, 508-823-4822,

No Later Than 9/16/03

GTHHSC Monthly Networking Meeting

Next Meeting: 9/16/03

9:00, A.H.S., 29 Broadway, 3rd Floor

Funding for the GTHHSC, GATHER, The Advocate, and Staffing are critical. Please attend this important meeting, and

Please remember to submit your FY04 dues: our only funding resource

DATA ANALYSIS WEBSITES

 

Massachusetts Department of Education

·         Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

·         Youth Tobacco

·         High School/Students and Sexual Orientation

http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/program/youthrisk

 

MDPH Massachusetts Community Health Information Profile (MassCHIP)

·         Prenatal Care

·         Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

·         Teenage Birth Rate

·         Percentages of Current Smokers

·         Public School Expenditures per Student

·         http://masschip.state.ma.us

MDPH Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

·         A Profile of Health Among Fall River/New Bedford Adults, 1997-1999

·         Healthy People 2010

·         Healthy People 2000

www.state.ma.us/dph/bhsre/cdsp/brfss/brfss.htm

 

Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD)

·         Vision

·         Growth Management

·         Transportation

www.srpedd.org

 

WEBSITES FOR SOUTHEAST REGION SERVICES

 

AIDS Service Organizations in the Southeast Region

www.state.ma.us/dph/aids/services/guide

 

Growth Management Organization of the Southeast Region – Vision 2020

www.srpedd.org/descrip

www.semassachusetts.org/centerprop

 

Local Emergency Management Directors

www.mass.gov

 

State and National Crime Data

http://db.state.ma.us/msp/select.asp

 

Department of Public Health

www.state.ma.us/dph

 

 

COALITION/COMMITTEE MINUTES

GATHER Domestic Violence/Violence Prevention Committee. 8/26/03, 9:30, AHS.

Discussion Highlights:

Membership – Future meeting dates and times will be changed in order to increase attendance.
 
Data – New Hope data is indicative of domestic violence issues in the GATHER area as a whole, with court cases, 
restraining orders, and service contacts. For Taunton specific data, the police department would be the best resource. 
Increased contact with the Taunton Police Department, and sharing of statistics of the past year, would enhance grant 
applications of both groups greatly, by demonstrating that DV and substance abuse are a problem in the community. 
Unified crime reports are filed monthly, but do not at this time include DV and alcohol arrests among the nine index 
crimes. Data sharing between this committee and the Taunton Police will show collaboration, and increase the 
likelihood of both groups to receive future grants. This is even more important given recent budget cuts.
 
Parent Programs – A bullying prevention training was proposed to help parents raise bully-proof children. 
Representatives of 21st Century, the District Attorney’s Office, and Department of Social Services would be helpful 
resources. GATHER already has access to three science based programs.
 

Next Steps:

Contact listserve for best date for future meetings.

 

Contact and invite the new domestic violence police officer and the police department grant writer to DV meetings.

 

Next Meeting: 9/18/03, 3:15, A.H.S.

 

Contact Person: Lorraine Rosa, 508-823-4822

GATHER/GTHHSC Substance Abuse Committee. 8/20/03, 3:00, High Point

Discussion Highlights:

Committee History – The Committee welcomed Tom of Norcap Lodge. Discussed were the collaborative relationship of GATHER and GTHHSC, the joint substance abuse committee, substance abuse round tables, Community Drug Education, the Community Crisis Intervention Team, and other initiatives and projects.

 

Norcap Lodge started in 1974. Currently it has two doctors, nurses, counselors, 43 beds, 24 hour admissions, and is a detox mostly for heroin. They emphasize aftercare with intensive outpatient services. It provides life skills and anger management, from 6-9 p.m., and is popular with criminal justice clients.

 

Dual Diagnosis Clients – Individuals with developmental disabilities/substance abuse issues have many levels of functioning, so detox can work. Severely challenged individuals tend to be less exposed to substance abuse risk, because they are based more in their homes, rather than the general community. Less challenged individuals are able to be part of the community, and therefore are exposed to the same risks as other community residents, including substance abuse issues. These individuals have a large support system when involved with Community Partnerships, Inc and other agencies. They may need extra patience, and if unable to read, they can listen and learn. 

 

Next Steps:

Discus facilitation, Substance Abuse Roundtable and Youth Endorsing Legal Lifestyles at the next meeting.

 

Next Meeting: 9/17/03, 3:00, High Point, Crocker Building, 4 Court St.

Contact Person:

Phil Shea, 508-824-7224.

GTHHSC Community Health Education & Wellness Committee. 7/16/03, 9:00, Morton Hospital & Medical Center

Discussion Highlights;
Galligan Project – Parents participate in events that included children, but not parent-only educational programs. 
Many have lost weight on the weight management program, held Mondays, 4:00, at the Friedman Clinic. State 
representatives are encouraged to support a bill to ban junk food and soft drinks from public schools. At Galligan, 
when healthy snacks were substituted for less healthy, sales increased, as in the case of the removal of soda from 
Friedman Middle School vending machines. Consumption of water, juice and sports drinks increased significantly.
 
Breast Cancer – Funding exists in the ’04 state budget for the Women’s Health Network program. Additional 
referrals are coming from the Friedman Clinic.
 
Oral Health – The center received $300,000 to add oral surgery services. 
 
Access to Primary Care – Through the end of June, 27 patients, aged 18-68 were seen. Primary reasons were sore 
throats, sinus infections, earaches, rashes and physical exams. Several were referred to Dr. Monteiro. Blue Cross 
Blue Shield Foundation was impressed with the Friedman Clinic at their July 7th site visit.
 
Information Sharing:
·         Chairperson Sought for a community wide overweight / inactivity initiative. 
·         Health Status Indicators have been compiled for service area towns.
 
Next Steps:
Contact funder to continue Galligan Project at Friedman
Contact legislators to support healthy snacks legislation
Invite Taunton Oral Health Center representative to the October meeting.
Continue to promote the health clinic, and request continued funding
Identify a chairperson for obesity initiative
 
Next Meeting: 10/15/03, 9:00, Smith Conference Room, Morton Hospital.
 
Contact Person:
Dori Bingham, 508-828-7016.

Greater Taunton Mayor’s AIDS Consortium. 8/13/03, 9:00, Morton Hospital Café Annex.

Discussion Highlights:
Lead Agency Report:
·         There were two client deaths in August, and one new client.
·         MDPH budget is down from 51.1 million in FY01, and now starts at 31.9 million. Many programs have been 
eliminated.
·         A joint consortia collaboration meeting with Brockton, Quincy and Plymouth was held in July.
 
Walk Committee – Volunteers are needed.
 
Next Meeting: 9/10/03, 9:00, Morton Cafe Annex.
 
Contact Person:
Monica Antunes, 508-884-8264.

Did You Know That…?

Morton Hospital & Medical Center “Partners in Health” Fall Health Fair will take place on 9/20/03, 12:00-3:00, Silver City Galleria.
For information, please call Lisa at   508-238-0376.
 
Voices Against Violence local events include a community candlelight vigil, 10/6/03, 6 pm, Taunton Green, then First Parish 
Church, and National Make a Difference Day Celebration, 10/25/03, 1-4 pm, First Parish Church on the Church Green. 
 
Children Ages 9-13 Report Little After-School Physical Activity -

A survey of children aged 9-13 years and their parents found that 61% of children of those ages do not participate in any 
organized physical activity during their after-school hours or on weekends, and 23% do not engage in free-time physical activity
during those hours. For information, log on to http://www.healthinschools.org/2003/aug25_alert.asp



9th Annual Massachusetts Fire and Life Safety Education Conference: Seasons of Change: Life Safety Through the
Generations, will be held 9/23/03 – 9/24/03, at the Mansfield Holiday Inn, Mansfield, Massachusetts. For information, please 
call Jennifer at 978-567-3380.
 
DPH Injury Prevention and Control Program offers the following materials in their fall mailing: Halloween Safety Fact Sheet or 
brochure, Senior Citizen Safety Checklist in English or Spanish, The Only Soft Touch Your Baby Needs is YOU Fact Sheet, 
Thrift Store Safety Checklist, Fire Safety Tips Brochure, PREVENT Candle Fires Fact Sheet, and Rape and Sexual Assault in 
Massachusetts 2001 - 2002 Information Sheets. For information, call 617-624-5070. 
 
Moving Together 2003: Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Conference will be held 10/22/03, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 
Worcester, MA. $30. For Information, call 413-545-2604.
 
New Web Site for the MDPH Injury Prevention and Control Program features Safe at Home, Safe on the Move, Safe at School, 
Work and in the Community, Training and Education Opportunities, Data and Research, and Related MDPH Programs. For 
information, please call Cindy Rodgers, Program Director, at    617-625-5070.