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New non-profit groups can receive help from program, The Athens (OH) Messenger, December 30, 2004 Thinning the ranks: After school programs more aggressive in pushing children away from obesity, The Columbus Dispatch, December 5, 2004 Specially Equipped Playground Opens at Colerain Elementary, ThisWeek Newspapers, December 2, 2004 Northwest Counseling receives grant to expand Kids With Character program, ThisWeek Newspapers, November 18, 2004 Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Supports What Works, Columbus State Community College's Support What Works Newsletter, Fall 2004 Calling All Nurses: Groups Align for Healthcare Recruiting, Columbus C.E.O. Magazine, October 2004 Foundation’s $10,000 Gift Lifts Habitat for Humanity, The (Wellston, OH) Telegram, September 30, 2004 Family Fitness and Fun, Thanks to $25,000 Grant, The (Wellston, OH) Telegram, September 24, 2004 Wanted: Nurses – Columbus Makes its Pitch to Fix Nurse Shortage before it Gets Worse, The Columbus Dispatch, September 22, 2004 Osteopathic Foundation Grant will Assist Seniors and Youth, The (Wellston, OH) Telegram, September 9, 2004 Foundation Grant Helps People in Medical Crises, The (Wellston, OH) Telegram, September 2, 2004 Foundation Grant to Assist the Home-Bound Elderly, The Wellston (OH) Telegram, August 12, 2004 Vertebral Reality: Computer Project Simulates Feel of Palpation, The D.O. Magazine, Vol. 45, No. 7, July 2004 Doctors Hospital Receives Grant: $18 Million Gift Will Provide Boost to Osteopathic Program, Columbus Dispatch, July 14, 2004 Shapedown Program Pays Off for Children, Mount Vernon (OH) News, May 13, 2004 Students Learn How to Eat Well through YMCA Program, Mount Vernon (OH) News, April 27, 2004 Judges, Juvenile Offenders Square Off in Basketball, Athens (OH) Messenger, April 3, 2004 OHF Supports Holistic Health, Children’s Hunger Alliance’s HungerLINE, April 2004 Dental OPTIONS Connects Patients to Treatment, FIRSTLINK’s Get Connected, Spring 2004 Library System Kicks Off Dental Program, The Athens (OH) News, February 12, 2004 Health Department Receives Grant for Obesity Program, Mount Vernon (OH) News, January 28, 2004 Fighting Childhood Obesity is Priority for Health Panel, Columbus Dispatch, January 22, 2004 More Limits Sought on Soda Sales in Schools, Columbus Dispatch, January 9, 2004 Grantee Spotlight (CHAP), Cap Community Website, December 2003 New non-profit groups can receive help from program
New non-profit groups will be able to get a financial boost to help them serve their communities, thanks to a collaboration between two Nelsonville organizations. The Appalachian Ohio Mini-Grants Program has been formed by the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville. The program will target grant resources to new and emerging non-profits that have strong potential for success and which may be in the early stages of their development, according to organizers of the new program. Grant requests will be accepted from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and public or accredited educational institutions located in the 29 counties of Appalachian Ohio. However, priority will be give to non-profits located in 16 counties that have not produced competitive applications for other grant programs of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. Priority counties in this area include Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Ross and Washington. "We are excited about this partnership of two regional foundations, because we hope to attract a new audience of grant applicants from among new and emerging organizations, and help those organizations create access to opportunities for those in underserved areas of the region," said Leslie Lilly, president and CEO of the Appalachian foundation. The two foundations each contributed $25,000 to fund the grants program, which will provide awards ranging from $500 to $2,000. "This collaborative effort leverages community resources and it is designed to enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the region," said Terri Donlin, director of programs for the Osteopathic foundation. The grant program will address quality of life issues in four interest areas: Children, youth and families; economic and community development; education; and leadership. "We're interested in opportunities and benefits for populations in need that are an important challenge and that might otherwise remain unfulfilled, including access to experiences that add to a community's quality of life," Lilly said. Appalachian Ohio Mini-grants guidelines are available on the Web at www.appalachianohio.org, or by calling 753-1111. Grant proposals must be post-marked by Jan. 21, or hand-delivered by 5 p.m. on Jan. 24 to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio's headquarters, 36 Public Square in Nelsonville. Reprinted with permission from The Athens Messenger.| top | Thinning the ranks: After-school programs more aggressive in pushing children away from obesity
By Dennis Fiely Some new words have crept into the vocabulary of Taylor-Jo Parsons. ''I like 'high knees,' '' the 8-year-old third-grader said. ''But I don't like 'crunches.''' Taylor-Jo, a student at Tiffin Elementary School in Chillicothe, issued her opinions as beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She had just completed almost an hour of group exercise in the Tecumseh program, a Ross County initiative to prevent childhood obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies 15 percent of Americans ages 6 through 19 as overweight, based on body mass indexes. In response, Tecumseh represents one of the most ambitious Ohio efforts in a national movement to boost fitness training and nutrition instruction in after-school programs. The Central Ohio YMCA, Capital Kids in Columbus, Care After School in Worthington and Project Boost in Vinton County also deliver health components on weekday afternoons. The Adena Health System of Chillicothe assumed control of the 5-year-old program two years ago, after public financing expired. With support from eight community partners, it spends $150,000 a year to operate Tecumseh in southwestern Ohio -- where the adult-obesity rate of 23 percent in 2001 stood at almost 2 percentage points above the state average. ''Ohio's highest rate is in the south, where populations tend to be less active, have poorer diets and smoke more,'' said Jane Snider, health-education consultant at the Ohio Department of Health. ''There is a direct correlation between the rate of obesity and income, education and race.'' Children of overweight parents have up to an 80 percent chance of becoming overweight, she added. About 120 third- through fifth-graders from three schools participate at three Tecumseh sites: Tiffin and Mount Logan elementary schools in Chillicothe; and Bainbridge United Methodist Church, 15 miles southwest of Chillicothe. Adena Health taps its staff of dietitians, diabetes educators and counselors to enhance the project. "This is not a homework-assistance program,'' said Judy Harness, Adena's director of community health programs. "It is very structured, and some kids don't like that. They want a place to hang out, but we keep them busy and working.'' Each Monday, the Chillicothe Transit System buses students to Triple Crown Sports, a recreation and fitness center in Chillicothe, where Taylor-Jo moves through a series of training stations that require her to run, stretch and lift -- much to her grandmother's delight. "She's a lot more active here than she would be at home,'' said Jody Luckett, who is helping her divorced daughter, Christy Parsons, raise Taylor-Jo. "If she came home right after school, she would do her homework, watch TV and wait for dinner to be served.'' The services are especially vital in light of a budget-cutting proposal to eliminate physical-education teachers in Chillicothe schools. "Phys ed may be canceled, so I think this is especially good for the kids,'' said Bobbi Smith, mother of Derek, a 10-year-old participant. Tecumseh staff members measured the students' body mass indexes and found about half of them to be overweight, including Taylor-Jo. "Obesity runs on both sides of her family, so any exercise she can get is helpful,'' said her grandmother. Historically focused on keeping children supervised and safe, after-school care has become health-conscious. Some examples:
The program promises 30 to 45 minutes of physical activity a day from trained fitness leaders in structured classes that depart from the recreational free time common in many after-school venues. "Most programs focus so much on fun and games, they forget about fitness,'' said curriculum designer Christopher Haverlock. "I want these kids to know they are exercising.'' Wayne and Susan Strohacker have two daughters -- Amber, 8, and Shelly, 6 -- in the program. "We've had them in other programs where they were watching television when we picked them up,'' Mrs. Strohacker said. "Now they come home and show me some of the exercises they learned, and we do them together.'' The National Association for Sport and Physical Fitness recommends at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of physical activity a day for children 5 to 12. Safety concerns, sit-and-click entertainment technology, time-challenged working parents, the pervasiveness of fast food and academic test-score mandates are some of the forces that contribute to childhood obesity, according to experts. After-school programs deliver a captive audience in a two- to three-hour block flexible enough to meet all or part of the association's demands. "It is the perfect time,'' said Becky Ciminillo, the YMCA's director of child care, "to make sure kids become involved in a physical activity.'' Reprinted with permission from The Columbus Dispatch. | top | Specially Equipped Playground opens at Colerain Elementary
By Sue Hagan That their new playground is special was evident as Colerain Elementary School kids came outside to dedicate it on Tuesday. Several dozen kids in wheelchairs led the way, helped by therapists and other school staff. The wheelchairs lined up three deep as principal Doni Jackson thanked those who made the playground possible. It was paid for by a $70,000 grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation , based in Columbus. Snider & Associates, Inc., out of North Royalton near Cleveland, did the construction. What resulted is a red and yellow structure, in plastic-coated steel, covering 3,000 square feet. Ramps lead to playing platforms from all directions and the base is a rubber and urethane composite built up to three inches thick to absorb impact. Metal rings dangle from support posts, set at the right height for a wheelchair-bound child to grab hold and pull. And block-and-wheel and steering toys on the platforms are placed so that wheelchairs can slide up under them and kids -- still sitting in their chairs -- can reach. Cheryl Mobley said the new playground helps her third-grade daughter, Charlotte Daniels, play safely. "With the rubberized floor, if she falls, she won't be hurt," said Mobley. "And it's not slick, so her crutches don't slip." Jackson said the playground works for both the disabled and "typical" kids; Colerain's 180 students are about half and half. "It's a good blend of a playground that meets the needs of children with disabilities and without," Jackson said. The old playground was not accessible to the kids in wheelchairs, and Jackson said the school had started to raise funds for a new one. "But it's hard for us to have fund-raisers," she said. "We can't go door to door since half our kids have disabilities. ... It would take us years and years to save." Enter the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation and its director of programs, Terri Donlin. Donlin was "principal for a day" last year, during the Columbus Public School District's annual event. "During the day, we went out to the playground," she said. "It had wood chips, and the kids in wheelchairs were not able to access it. "I saw how nurturing the school was with its kids and I thought we might be able to help." Donlin took a proposal to the foundation's board, which last December voted to give $70,000 to Colerain for a new playground. Donlin said the playground --the first the foundation has funded -- fits its mission, which is improving health and quality of life through education, research and services. "We are so pleased to be a part of this," she said. And the kids clearly are thrilled. They were all smiles as Jackson and representatives of the foundation and construction company cut a big red ribbon and unveiled a plaque mounted next to the playground to thank the benefactors. Then those kids who could do so raced up and down the ramps, at the same time making way for classmates slowly wheeling their way up. "This is great for all the kids," said Mary Ey, executive director of educational services for Columbus schools. "What I especially like is seeing them playing side by side. That's what it's about for me." Reprinted with permission from ThisWeek Newspapers. | top | Northwest Counseling receives grant to expand Kids With Character program
By Chris Bournea Northwest Counseling Services, 1560 Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington, was one of 28 central Ohio nonprofit organizations that received grants totaling $1.5-million from the Columbus-based Osteopathic Heritage Foundation last week. Northwest Counseling received a $35,382 grant to assist with its Kids With Character program. The agency was selected to receive a grant because "they serve the target list toward vulnerable populations, which is the uninsured and underinsured folks, senior citizens, minorities and children," said Rick Vincent, foundation president. "It fit right into the criteria," he said. "Northwest Counseling is a very good organization. (The grant is) for mental health and substance abuse counseling, which is a big need in the county, especially for youth." The grant will help Northwest Counseling expand the Kids With Character program, which is administered to elementary and middle school students whose families reside at two low-income apartment complexes on Columbus' West Side, said King Stumpp, CEO at Northwest. "These kids go to Hilliard schools, but they don't have a lot of opportunities for after-school programs," he said. "These are at-risk children. What we're trying to do is lower the risk threshold for them." Kathy Yokum, Northwest Counseling's prevention director, said the program provides drug and alcohol prevention education as well as academic tutoring four days a week to about 60 students. The program also has a character education component that "teaches them respect and how to connect with their community," she said. Cultural and linguistic services are provided to Somalis and other immigrants who reside in the complexes, Yokum said. "It's bridging that gap between the home and the school," she said. The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation also awarded a 10-year, $18-million grant to support improved patient care access and osteopathic post-graduate medical education at OhioHealth's Doctors Hospital. The grant is the largest award the foundation has made in its history and the largest gift ever received by an OhioHealth facility or program. "The foundation is advancing its mission of improving community health and supporting osteopathic medical education," Vincent said. "(The grant) enables Doctors Hospital to enhance its services to the community and solidify its position as a premiere physician-training center." In addition to supporting and expanding resident-physician clinics for the under-served and facilitating the addition of faculty positions, Doctors will use the grant for online learning resources for physician trainees, a skills lab for training and evaluation, and a program to assess the trainees' interpersonal skills, said hospital president Kreg Gruber. "The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation's pace-setting award to OhioHealth's Doctors Hospital enables many of our community's needy residents to receive the care they need, helps raise the quality standard for osteopathic post-graduate medical education, and serves as a cornerstone for encouraging additional grants and contributions to support osteopathic medical education," Gruber said. Reprinted with permission from ThisWeek newspapers. | top | Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Supports What Works
The Columbus-based Osteopathic Heritage Foundation (OHF) is providing $347,000 through "Support What Works" for expansion and improvements to Columbus State's health care training facilities. The funds will help accommodate huge increases in nursing program enrollment over the past three years. "The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is proud of its role as a catalyst for bringing together educational, health care and business representatives with a commitment to addressing Columbus' needs for health care professionals," said Rick Vincent, OHF president. "Columbus State is grateful to the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation," said Matt Kelly, Executive Director of Development at Columbus State. "Their gift is critical to Columbus State's 'Support What Works' campaign, and will allow us to expand our nursing program this fall to accommodate 260 new nursing students." | top | Calling All Nurses:
By Ty Marsh The Central Ohio community is taking some necessary steps to address the growing demand for more health-care workers. The Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations (OHF) and the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA), is working with the four competing, local hospital systems to develop innovative and collaborative workforce solutions for the region. To elevate Central Ohio as a leading destination for health-care professionals, a collaboration of organizations including the chamber, OHF, OHA and the four hospital systems – Columbus Children’s Hospital, Mount Carmel Health System, OhioHealth and Ohio State University Medical Center – has launched the Only In Columbus recruitment campaign. The Only in Columbus campaign complements the hospital systems’ current recruiting efforts, which promote great jobs at each of the individual systems. The Only in Columbus campaign primarily emphasizes Greater Columbus as an ideal destination to live and work and as a destination with significant health-care employment opportunities. It targets health-care professionals, with an emphasis on nurses nationwide, through placements in trade publications, journals and web advertisements. The 16-month creative campaign – announced in September – directs health-care professionals to the first central source of health-care employment and lifestyle information for the area – a website at www.columbushealthcare.com. The web portal promotes Central Ohio as a premier destination for the expansion and growth of health-care careers and for health-care professionals to work and live. It includes information about the four nationally ranked and recognized health systems, with links to their employment websites; the region’s efforts to advance its biotech and life sciences assets and a link to Omeris’s Ohio Bioscience Resource Directory; and the Central Ohio community as a whole with a link to the chamber’s “Welcome to Greater Columbus” website (www.columbus.org). This unprecedented collaboration breaks ground in uniting industry competitors to solve community workforce needs. Why Now? The health-care industry is one of the key employment growth areas for the U.S. economy. As a result of this national industry growth, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations reports that the United States will have a shortage of 400,000 nurses by 2020. In Columbus, health-care employment has grown 34 percent since 1990. Just this year, all four health systems have created new state-of-the-art facilities. From a $151 million biomedical research tower to an $83 million cardiac care center, these expansions will result in thousands of new health-care positions in the region. As this industry continues to burgeon and our hospital systems continue to expand, it is imperative that we attract talent to fill these positions. Implementation of community solutions such as the Only In Columbus campaign is only one example of how this collaboration is addressing the needs facing health-care employers. Through the leadership of the chamber’s Columbus Healthcare Workforce Center, the collaboration has been delivering community solutions since 2002, including: researching the employment picture of the Columbus hospital industry; assessing the current recruitment efforts of health-care workers; enhancing programs and capacity in local nursing schools; and creating educational forums to inform high school counselors and interested high school students about health-care professions. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to increase the region’s health-care workforce in Greater Columbus by increasing the number of individuals pursuing health-care careers, expanding the capacity of educational programs and attracting more health-care professionals to Central Ohio. Why the Chamber With a mission to lead and support economic growth and development, it was imperative that the chamber collaborate with its community partners to address this crucial, impending need. With expertise in developing community solutions for workforce issues in other local industries, a track record in impacting educational pipelines for industry and the ability to secure funds and partners to create innovative workforce programming, the chamber was a natural partner in the collaboration. In addition, the health-care industry is one aspect of the chamber’s Regional Economic Growth Strategy to grow more high-skill, high-wage jobs in Greater Columbus. The strategy leverages the region’s existing, unparalleled assets in three targeted areas – life sciences, advanced logistics and Downtown/creative services – to attract more jobs and investment to the region. The region’s life sciences assets include the four hospital systems, one of the nation’s foremost research universities (Ohio State), the world’s largest, private nonprofit research institute (Battelle) and a communitywide partnership to develop and commercialize new treatments to improve health and lower costs. As a catalyst for community collaboration, the chamber is committed to working together to meet the employment needs of the region’s leading employers and secure prosperity for Central Ohio. Reprinted with permission from the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and Columbus C.E.O. magazine. | top | Foundation’s $10,000 Gift Lifts Habitat for Humanity
Early summer of 1994 brought the first united effort to launch a Jackson-Vinton chapter of Habitat For Humanity. The International organization was founded in 1976 to work in partnership with people and business to built decent, affordable housing. These houses are sold, at no profit and with no interest, to the residents. The non-profit ecumenical Christian organization also seeks to build families by helping new home owners gain self-reliance, self-esteem, and new skills through "sweat equity" during the building process and nurturing throughout. By December 1994 about a dozen churches were on board to draft articles of incorporation, set up by-laws, and join the International. By late ‘95 cash donations were coming in from such places as Pillsbury, Goodyear, National City Bank, and Presbyterian Church of Jackson. Donations of services came from the likes of A. J. Stockmeister. Summer of 1996 was set as target date for the first home. As this September, Habitat is completing its 8th home and poised to begin another in 2005. Habitat’s reputation for "people caring for people in a practical way" and tackling the problem of substandard housing in the two county region caught the eye of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville. Its mission is to support programs and initiatives designed to improve community health and quality of life in 10 southeastern Ohio counties. The Foundation presented current Habitat President Norman Gillfillan with a check for $10,000 earlier this year to assist in continuing to build new homes for needy families. Gillfillan thanked Vincent for the "generous contribution" and is pleased that the Foundation is deeply concerned about the "safety and welfare of area residents." Gillfillan noted that Habitat is still seeking a family for the Hamden home just reaching completion. Any interested party is urged to call 596-4087. The next home is tentatively slated for the south end of Wellston with construction due to start next Spring. Habitat moves forward thanks to the dedication of its volunteers. You need not be a carpenter to help. All sorts of skills are needed. You must have a good heart. If you are interested in helping to build lives one family at a time, contact Bob Peterson at 286-1377 and he’ll get you started. Reprinted with permission from The (Wellston, OH) Telegram. | top | Family Fitness and Fun Thanks to $25,000 Grant
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville has awarded $147,328 to seven program designed to improve health and quality of life for residents of Jackson and Vinton Counties. $25,000 has been given to the Vinton County Local School District for a program involving families that encourages physical activity and good nutrition. Coordinator Jan Rhea is bubbling over with excitement as the first event is scheduled for Thursday, October 7, between 6 and 8 P. M., on the grounds of McArthur Elementary School on Jefferson Avenue. Rhea says this the first of 10 events to be held during the school year, 2 at each of the 5 elementary schools. Future events will be at Hamden, Zaleski, Allensville, and Wilton. She is eager to bring students and their families back to school for an evening of fun combined with good health. Skateboards, roller skates, pogo sticks, jump ropes, and bicycles are all welcome, Rhea says. The concept is too enjoy fellowship with others while participating in events leading to a healthy life style. There will be healthy gifts given to participants every half hour. They will include pedometers and water bottles. Healthy food will be served, including sandwiches, vegetables, fruit, and juices. Of course, lots of information brochures on healthy eating and exercise will be available. There will also be competition among classes, with prizes for classrooms with the highest number of participants. " Many times when parents visit schools," Rhea notes, "it’s for negative reasons. We want to promote fun reasons for whole families to come to school." " We thank the Foundation," Rhea says, "for giving Vinton County the opportunity to create some positive programs for staying fit. We feel there is a strong correlation between staying fit and academic excellence." Rhea thinks this grant activity can snowball into something that will carry over into summer. She envisions programs that teach a healthy life-style including gardening, cooking, food preservation, growing herbs, and drying flowers. Listen to Rhea and you’re bound to catch her enthusiasm. Turn out on October 7 and have a ball. Reprinted with permission from The (Wellston, OH) Telegram. | top | Wanted: Nurses
By Mike Pramik Fearing a significant shortage of nurses in a few years, Columbus' four major hospital systems have united to recruit them to central Ohio. Columbus Children's Hospital, Mount Carmel, OhioHealth and Ohio State University Medical Center are spending more than $300,000 on a recruiting campaign titled "Only in Columbus.'' The effort will use trade-journal ads and an interactive Internet site to help attract medical workers. " If we can get somebody here for a visit, if they have a family, they're likely to want to work here,'' said Thomas N. Hansen, chief executive of Children's Hospital. "The toughest thing is getting people here for that first look.'' Joining the hospitals in the campaign are the Columbus-based Osteopathic Heritage Foundation and the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, which produced a Web site that pitches the area's strengths. The campaign grew out of research compiled by the osteopathic foundation and the Ohio Hospital Association, which examined the area's need for medical professionals. "It's important that we're planning ahead, 10 years out,'' chamber President Ty Marsh said. The greatest need is for nurses. The research shows that the number of registered nurse jobs in central Ohio is expected to be 21.5 percent higher in 2010 than it was in 2000. " We need to do all we can to assure an adequate number of professionals, concentrating primarily on nurses,'' said Rick Vincent, president of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. A 16-week advertising campaign will highlight the process. Ads touting Columbus and promoting the Web site will appear soon in publications such as The American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Spectrum magazine and the Ohio Board of Nursing publication Momentum. Visitors to the Web site will find information on central Ohio's life-science and biotechnology companies, as well as a section promoting Columbus as a place to live. " Anything we can do to bring someone who might not think about Columbus to Columbus gives us a big edge on everyone else,'' Hansen said. After that, it's up to the individual hospitals to draw employees. The site also has links to job openings at each hospital. It's the first time central Ohio's major hospital systems have come together to recruit workers. The program is unique in the country, said Edie G. Hutton, with Bonacare, a health-care industry recruiter based in St. Louis. Hutton's company recruits nurses and other medical professionals from South Korea. She said none typically is attracted to cities as small as Columbus. That's why the campaign seems promising, she said. " What's unique is the strong support it has at the CEO level,'' Hutton said. "That's the model.” Reprinted with permission from the Columbus Dispatch. | top | Foundation Grant Will Assist Seniors and Youth
“Each program provides an important service to improve health and quality of life in southeastern Ohio,” said Terri Donlin, director of Programs for the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville. The Foundation recently granted $16,931 to the University of Rio Grande and Gallia-Jackson-Vinton Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) for two programs to assist in disaster preparedness. “ We look forward to seeing the benefits the community reaps from them,” Donlin told RSVP Director Susan Rogers as the Foundation presented a total of $147,328 for programs in Jackson and Vinton counties this summer. Rogers explained that both programs through RSVP are aimed at disaster preparedness. She counts flooding and ice or snow storms as the most likely in our region. The Senior component of the program seeks to assess situations in the homes of the most frail and elderly who are still living independently. Danny Wise will head up the effort in Jackson County, and Sarah Fiala is working on Vinton County’s program. Both are using the home delivered meals program of the Boards On Aging as a springboard to identify these seniors. The goal is to assist these folks in being ready for an emergency. They will start with education, especially electrical safety. For example, if there is no power, the seniors will be encouraged to use battery operated devices rather than candles for safety sake. Danny and Sarah will work with the elderly to develop a plan which will include compiling a list of emergency numbers, packing a bag with such essentials as medication and clothing that can be grabbed if it is necessary to evacuate. Also important is developing a store of goods to be used if the senior must shelter at home with no electricity for 2 or 3 days. A wind-up radio, blankets, flashlights, drinking water, and simple rations are among items on that list. The second component of the grant focuses on youth through the development of a Youth Citizens Corps Council. Sarah is working with Seth Fannin to recruit about 30 youth, ages 14 and up, in Vinton County for the Council. They’re visiting faith-based groups, 4-Hers, Scouts, and others to find young people eager to become positively involved in their community. Council members will begin with training as a Community Emergency Response Team. The teens will learn about disasters, fire suppression, search and rescue, terrorism, team organization, disaster psychology, and medical operations. Sarah promises that the training will include a lot of hands-on exercises that will appeal to youth. Once the training is under their belts, the youth are expected to meet monthly. They will continue their own education and will spread out through the community taking their expertise to younger children, PTOs, and business groups. Rogers expressed the gratitude of RSVP to the Foundation for funding their programs to enhance disaster preparedness. She is grateful for the Foundation’s attention to the needs of rural citizens. The Foundation’s goal is to increase access to oral health care, enhance health care services and facilities, improve housing, and support nursing careers in 10 southeastern Ohio counties. Other grants went to Jackson County Health Department, Jackson-Vinton Community Action, Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Vinton County Local School District, Shepherd’s House, and Habitat for Humanity. Reprinted with permission from The (Wellston, OH) Telegram. | top | Foundation Grant Helps People in Medical Crises
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundations, headquartered in Columbus, has built a reputation as the nation’s leading foundation boosting osteopathic healthcare, research, and education. Ten southeastern counties are served through the Foundation in Nelsonville. Recently grants totaling $147,328 were awarded to improve health and the quality of life for residents of Jackson and Vinton Counties. Receiving a $25,000 award is Jackson-Vinton Community Action. Health and Community Services Director Vicki Storm told The Telegram that the one year program is directed at filling a need for the uninsured public of both counties who are under the 150% of poverty guidelines, established by the federal government. Storm noted that the program got underway in August and is open to anyone who fits the criteria above. "People don’t necessarily need to be patients of the Community Action Health Clinic to use this service," Storm commented. The program is designed to respond to a medical emergency where other avenues of resources are not available. There is a cap of $300 per specific medical problem, Storm said. She listed many instances in which a patient could access the program. If, for example, a patient is a diabetic, that is a chronic illness but crises can arise. A patient might be advised, by a physician, of the need for particular testing supplies or a monitor or an antibiotic. That need could constitute a crisis and be outside the standard realm of treatment. The grant could provide the needed assistance to get the patient back on track. Storm went on to say that patients are often sent home after surgery or from the emergency room and told to change dressings daily. These are expensive and may be beyond the financial reach of the patient. The Foundation grant can lend a hand. Non narcotic prescription medications, diagnostic testing referred by a physician, dental emergencies, and specialized health care visits are other instances Storm gave of the grant’s scope. Over the years, Storm said, Agency personnel have observed need among patients with nowhere to turn. "This grant," she said, "has the flexibility to respond to a patient’s need on an immediate basis." She advises anyone who believes they may be eligible to call 384-3722, extension 35 or 1-800-686-4339. In thanking the Foundation for its generosity, Storm said, "Over the past few years, Jackson-Vinton Community Action has seen the loss of funding for many supportive services to help the underinsured. We sincerely appreciate this opportunity from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville to be able to help meet the medical needs of people in crisis." Reprinted with permission from The (Wellston, OH) Telegram. | top | Foundation grant to assist the home-bound elderly
A simple presentation ceremony in McArthur on July 28 ushered in a new wave of programs designed to improve health and quality of life for citizens in Jackson and Vinton Counties. The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville carefully reviewed proposals received last January and selected seven programs that work to improve life for the underserved. A total of $147,328 in grants was awarded. Many of these programs are already underway. But this new funding will allow for expansion, thus serving a broader range of clients more fully. Jackson County Health Department received $25,000 to assist in a Home Care Plus program. Health Commissioner Gregory A. Ervin told The Telegram that a Home Health Care Agency closed in 2000 due to funding constraints. However, the need remained constant and a program of non-skilled personal care did continue thanks to Jobs and Family Services through the federal Title XX Home Care Program. Three Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) travel to area homes anywhere from 1 to 5 times per week visiting with the home-bound elderly and clients with disabilities. Ervin says the case load averages 35 clients. The CNAs provide services that include bathing, grooming, range of motion exercises, and light meal preparation. This assistance allows many to remain in their own homes rather than going into a nursing facility. The Plus part of the program is being funded by the Foundation’s grant. It will, pending Board approval, bring Alisha Lloyd Kamer, RN, BSN, on board in a part-time capacity. She should start on August 16. Kamer is a Public Health Nurse who will expand the depth of services provided to the clients. She will make initial assessments when new clients enter the program. With her medical training, Kamer will be key to helping clients understand their medications and how to take them. It is not unusual, Ervin said, for elderly clients to face a battery of medications, each with a different set of instructions on how and when to take them. These instructions, he added, can be confusing. Kamer will record medications on digital camera to give clients a pictorial record of what to do and when. The CNAs will still be the "eyes and ears" of the program, reporting back to Kamer any observable changes in behavior. Kamer can follow up, assess any situation, and serve as liaison with the physicians. These services are provided at no charge to clients. "We sincerely thank the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville," Ervin said, "for the confidence they’ve placed in the Jackson County Health Department to enhance the quality of life for our residents with this expanded program. We think additional nursing time will make a real difference in the quality of life for our clients." Reprinted with permission from The Wellston Telegram. | top | Vertebral reality: Computer project simulates
By Patrick Sinco, Staff Editor Anyone who has felt the mechanical rumble of a video game controller is already familiar with haptic interfaces. When your running back is tackled or your race car bumps into another car, the game controller vibrates, providing an immediate tactile response to the game situation. Researchers at Ohio University in Athens are working on applying the same technology to osteopathic medical training. Using sophisticated, forcefeedback fingertip controllers wired to a computer, students testing the technology appear to be touching only air, but their hands are experiencing the sensations of the bumps and divots felt when palpating a patient’s back. Part graphical simulation and part sensory touch—or haptic—simulation, the Virtual Haptic Back Project has the potential to be a “flight simulator” for palpatory diagnosis, says the device’s co-developer John N. Howell, PhD, an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-COM). "Students will be able to palpate specific back dysfunctions simulated by the Haptic Back,” Dr Howell says. “That’s something they can’t do in the traditional osteopathic manipulative treatment labs because they just practice on each other. There may or may not be somebody with that particular dysfunction.” Furthermore, he notes, even if someone did have a dysfunction, by the time a few students have palpated that person’s back, the condition may have changed. Dr Howell believes the development team is on to a better method of helping students learn the fluid, subjective process of palpatory diagnosis. “The computer doesn’t change,” he says. “It’s reproducible, so everybody is feeling the exact same thing.” Co-developer Bob Williams, PhD, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio University, concurs. “We are trying to add a component of science to this art of palpatory diagnosis,” he suggests. Student training "You feel resistance when you get to where the virtual back is,” Dr Howell says. “You can move your fingers up and feel, ‘Oh, there’s a bump there.’ And as you move farther up, you feel another bump. It feels like you’re feeling the spines on the vertebral column of a human.” The developers have programmed a few training exercises into the simulation. In one, the student is tasked to identify a stiff vertebra. The student runs a finger down the virtual vertebral column, pushing on each transverse process to induce movement in a vertebra. One of them will feel stiffer than the others. If the student decides that the fourth thoracic vertebra, for example, is the stiff one, he or she keeps a finger on the spot and presses a foot switch. The computer then indicates whether the student is correct. “ It’s randomized for each successive trial,” Dr Howell says. “It may be T4 one time, may be T8 the next time. So it varies throughout the 10 thoracic vertebrae that we have simulated.” In addition, three levels of stiffness have been modeled. “It’s harder to sense the more moderate and mild dysfunctions. It takes some practice,” Dr Howell says. Mindful of osteopathic medicine The Virtual Haptic Back, however, is the first haptics endeavor intended specifically for osteopathic medical training. “Because of our osteopathic medical orientation, we started with the back. That’s the first thing students are trained to palpate in the OMT labs,” Dr Howell says. In fact, the idea for the device sprung from the treatment for a back problem Dr Williams was experiencing. He says he has been a “big believer” in osteopathic medicine since he was successfully treated for chronic back pain about 10 years ago. "I thought: Wouldn’t it be great if we could teach physicians to better take care of people like me by training them on virtual patients before they get to real patients?” Dr Williams explains. “It was very personal for me.” DO input "At first, the osteopathic physicians just loved the Virtual Haptic Back. They thought it was the greatest thing,” Dr Williams says. “Then, once they got over the shock of the technology, they realized that there are some deficiencies.” "Certain aspects of it are very good, and certain aspects are still being worked on. But they’re getting better every day,” observes Janet M. Burns, DO, an assistant professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine at OU-COM, who has been testing the project. “That’s where we come in. An engineer might think it’s great, but to a DO who has a very subtle palpatory sense—who can tell to the millimeter if something is crooked— it’s different. Certain things don’t feel right to us. Then we tell that to the engineers, who fix it.” Although the development team is working with what they consider the best haptic interfaces available, the technology still is not as far along as they would like. The simulation still occasionally feels too “spongy,” Dr Williams says. Industry has been slow to develop new haptic interfaces because the market for this technology is small, driven mostly by demand from research laboratories. But Dr Williams believes that emerging interest in the gaming industry may give a boost to commercial development of the technology. If the system does become sufficiently realistic, Dr Howell envisions it being used to test the palpatory diagnosis skills of DOs. “If osteopathic physicians can agree that this is a good simulation and that it can be used to test how good somebody is at palpation, it would be the first objective measure of palpatory diagnosis skills that we have,” Dr Howell says. Likewise, Dr Burns believes that standardizing the palpatory diagnosis skills of physicians will be a boon for osteopathic medical research—and the profession itself. “Part of the problem is: How can you tell if Dr A, Dr B and Dr C all have the same skill level and are reliable? If you use three physicians to administer a manipulation treatment for a study, how do you know if those doctors are all on the same page?” Dr Burns asks. “ Some of what we do with palpation looks mystical or magical,” she continues. “Some of it’s very subtle, and the more subtle areas of touch tend to be the ones that are misunderstood. If we can digitize and program those subtle areas of touch, a lot of the doubts about our profession will dissolve in the hard light of science.” Reprinted with permission from the D.O. Magazine, American Osteopathic Association. | top | Doctors Hospital receives grant: $18 million gift will provide boost to osteopathic program
Osteopathic hospital officials say they sometimes are overlooked when big grants for postgraduate education and research are awarded. Reprinted with permission from the Columbus Dispatch | top | Shapedown program pays off for children
MOUNT VERNON — Children ages 7 to 13 have notoriously short attention spans. But 12 children involved in the Knox County Health Department’s Shapedown program have put in a terrific amount of effort over the past eight weeks, and that effort has paid off in more ways than one. Shapedown was begun over 20 years ago by faculty members of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. Since then, it has proven to be an effective weight management program for children and adolescents. Participating children and their parents work together, completing informational workbooks, meeting with facilitators once a week and creating a healthy lifestyle at home in order to help the child achieve a healthy weight. Over the 10-week program, both parents and children increase their daily level of activity, keep track of their food intake, learn healthful habits and spend more time together as a family. The program is funded by a grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. Caree McAfee and Dina Herald are the health department’s program facilitators. “ They are learning on their own and practicing during the week,” McAfee said of the program’s participants. “We kind of encourage them each week.” At one of the last few Shapedown meetings May 6, McAfee greeted the participants and their mothers and Herald checked workbooks to see that activity and food-intake charts had been completed. The program, Herald explained, emphasizes family exercise, family activities and permanent lifestyle and behavior changes. Parents have their own workbooks and charts to complete. There is no set diet in Shapedown, only an effort to moderate intake and try to select “light” or “free” foods — those low in calories and saturated fat, as opposed to “heavy” or “junk” foods. There are no radical or restrictive changes in behavior or diet. “ I would say the biggest change is the increase in activity level, and just thinking more about what they’re eating and why they’re eating it,” Herald said. Possible reasons for eating, she said, might be that they are angry, bored or have been watching TV all day and don’t know what else to do. One of the specific weekly goals participants can concentrate on is eating only when they are hungry. “Guess what we’re doing today?” McAfee asked Lindsay Boyles, the first participant to arrive on Thursday evening. “Step-tests!” As they arrived, each child stepped up and down on a high aerobic step for three minutes. McAfee then calculated their heart rates. She explained the children had done this activity on the program’s first day. While it still wasn’t easy, many of them were proud of their increased endurance. Each participant sets an exercise goal for the week, a certain number of minutes to try and attain. Another goal of the program is to decrease sedentary time, especially time in front of the television, and increase family time. Lisa Boyles of Mount Vernon said she has noticed “a good change in eating habits and awareness” for her whole family as a result of Shapedown. They have also done more outdoor activities such as biking together, she said. Lindsay, 7, said that jumping on her trampoline is one of her favorite ways to exercise. Holly Hanna of Mount Vernon said that one of the program’s results for her and her daughter, Shelby, 9, was that they communicated more often and exercised more frequently. “We’re not couch potatoes. We do more activities outside together that don’t involve food,” she said. Shelby said that she was happier and getting more exercise. “I’ve got more stuff to do than just sit around the house,” she said. She especially enjoys playing volleyball. Kathy Eichner of Utica said that she and her son, Jordan Skeen, 13, have seen several improvements at home as a result of the program. “We exercise more,” she said. “Our eating habits have definitely changed.” Jordan also communicates openly with her, something she realizes is unusual for a 13-year-old boy. “This is a new thing,” she said. Jordan said he enjoys learning something new every week at the Shapedown meetings. To meet his goals, he said, “I lift weights and run.” He and his mother also make healthy chip dips and other “light” foods at home, he said. "I’m just glad that they have it to offer, because there was never anything around like this,” Eichner said of the program. Karri Shira, 13, of Mount Vernon attends the program with her mother, Jana. Karri said that she exercises more than she used to in order to meet her weekly goal. Her favorite activity is bike-riding, while her mother’s is walking. Several of the children, including Karri, said that they enjoy the parent-child exercise “challenges” — relays, races and games the group sometimes plays at the weekly meetings. Thursday’s meeting included outdoor exercises, a lesson from the workbook and discussion of each child’s weekly goals. “ Fruits and vegetables for snacks, guys,” Herald told the group after praising their work over the past week. As their food charts indicated, many of them had added more fruits and vegetables to their diet. “Real good idea, especially at this time of year.” Herald said that she hopes the program will continue to influence participants after its 10 weeks are up. “We give them the tools to try to handle the slipups,” she said. “They’ve had to practice for 10 weeks. ... All I can do is just hope they continue it.” A study of 66 adolescents in California, the program’s home state, offers encouraging news. Shapedown Validation Results, published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association, Vol. 87, No. 3, indicated that the program does produce significant long-term outcomes, including decreased relative weight and improved weight-related behavior, self-esteem and knowledge. The health department has planned another Shapedown session for the fall. This session is intended for young adults ages 13 to 18. Meetings will be held once a week for 10 weeks, and typically last two to 2 1/2 hours. The first meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 13, at the health department. For children or teen-agers to qualify, their weight must be in the top 5 percent of their age group. They must also receive a physician’s recommendation. There is no fee. For more information, call Dina Herald at 392-2200. Reprinted with permission from the Mount Vernon News | top | Students learn how to eat well through YMCA program
CENTERBURG — “Have you ever seen a panther?” Lisa Gallion asked the crowd of Centerburg students seated on the gymnasium floor. It was 9:15 a.m. April 22, and the Centerburg Elementary School first-, second-, third- and fifth-grade classes were anxious for the program to begin. “ Yes!” most of them called. “Have you ever seen a blue panther?” No one had, but everyone wanted to. At Gallion’s suggestion, the children began calling for Pump-it-Up Panther, the mascot for the YMCA program Eat Smart, Play Hard. Pump-it-Up, played by Nick Clark, is a large blue panther sporting red-and-blue sneakers and a backward red baseball cap. He sauntered through the crowd, giving high-fives and encouraging participation. Gallion, program director at the Mount Vernon YMCA, began the program by talking with the students about what kind of healthy foods they liked to eat. “How many like broccoli?” she called, and most of the children waved their hands excitedly. They gave examples of fruits and vegetables and talked about their favorite healthy foods. "What can you do to make sure you eat some breakfast?” Gallion asked. She gave the children a few examples: They could pack some of their favorite cereal and a carton of milk to have in the car or at the bus stop, or bring a peanut butter and banana sandwich, yogurt or a fruit smoothie. One student suggested bringing apples. Others chimed in, suggesting oranges, grapefruit and bananas. Gallion then talked about sports and exercise. Students gave karate, kickball, baseball and soccer as some of their favorite activities. Several children were selected to demonstrate sit-ups and jumping jacks with Gallion and Pump-it-Up. To end the program, Pump-it-Up tossed several program T-shirts into the audience, and Gallion gave each child a pamphlet on eating well and exercising as well as a temporary Eat Smart, Play Hard tattoo. There will be five more Eat Smart, Play Hard programs at Centerburg Elementary School between May and December. Funds for the program are supplied by the Knox County Health Department as part of its Get REAL (Right Eating & Active Lifestyle) Program. A $100,000 grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation funds Get REAL, which also includes the pedometer project and the Shapedown program. Centerburg students received pedometers in their physical education classes on Thursday and Friday. Keeping track of how many steps they take each day helps increase students’ awareness of exercise and movement. “ They’re excited, they’re enthusiastic, they listen,” said Gallion, passing out information and temporary tattoos as the students left the gymnasium. “I love this age group. ... They still like to have fun.” Future Eat Smart, Play Hard programs will teach students more about healthy eating, exercise and other ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. Reprinted with permission from the Mount Vernon (OH) News | top | Judges, Juvenile Offenders Square Off in Basketball
NELSONVILLE — As college basketball prepares for the Final Four, Nelsonville began a new tradition of basketball rivalry Friday with a game between local judges and a boys rehabilitation center. As part of Hocking Valley Community Residential Center's celebration of its new fitness center, a group of area judges, their employees, probation officers and center staff — dubbed the "Robes" — challenged the center's teenage residents — the "Shirts" — to a basketball game. The center is a residential rehabilitation center for male juvenile offenders. Valerie Roth, the center's program coordinator, said the game was to mark the opening of a new fitness center at Hocking Valley Community Residential, which was made possible by a $25,000 wellness grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation in Nelsonville. Ruth Dudding, of the Athens City-County Health Department, helped by forming the boys into committees to help with the center. The celebration included refreshments after the game, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the facility. But the main event was the basketball game. The Shirts took an early lead over their older opponents with a swarming defense that included stealing several long passes the Robes attempted. The Shirts also were able to use their speed to create fast breaks and easy scoring opportunities. But the Robes countered with their size and were able to get the ball deep inside the Shirts' defense and grab offensive rebounds. Combined with some good three-point shooting, the Robes were able to cut the deficit to one point with less than one minute remaining. The Shirts were able to extend the lead 50 to 47 with a short jumper with about 17 seconds remaining, and the Robes missed a desperation three-point attempt that would have tied the game. Shirts player Josh Irvin was pleased with the victory, but he felt the team could have posted a more impressive win with more practice and working more as a team. Part of the reason for the Robes' comeback, Irvin explained, was because of several Shirts substitutions which put players on the court who were not used to playing with each other. Still, Athens County Probate-Juvenile Court Judge Robert Stewart conceded the Shirts were more prepared. "They were better organized and better coached," Stewart said. To reduce the fatigue factor, Stewart said, the Robes were able to negotiate a running clock and substitutions while the ball was in play. The Robes were tired when the game ended, but the Shirts continued to shoot around the court. The game had a March Madness atmosphere, complete with referees and a scoreboard provided by the Athens Community Center, the Ohio University mascot and fans — including center Director Sally Barr, who cheered for both teams depending on who had the ball. Roth said the game will be annual event with a trophy on the line. This year, the trophy and a photograph of the winning Shirts will be on display at Hocking Valley Community Residential Center to commemorate their victory. Reprinted with permission of The Athens (OH) Messenger | top | OHF Supports Holistic Approach
COLUMBUS - The osteopathic philosophy views health as an essential part of a person’s quality of life, where the physical body cannot be separated from the whole. By addressing health in social, environmental, family and individual terms, osteopathic physicians seek to enhance each individual’s sense of well-being. Children’s Hunger Alliance uses a similar holistic approach in breaking the cycle of childhood hunger by focusing on the whole child through child care, education, nutrition, and fitness. The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation (OHF) was founded in the early 1960s to support the key principles of osteopathic medicine: disease prevention, health promotion, holistic medicine; and the interrelationship and interdependency between the body’s structure and the body’s function. The mission of the Foundation is to improve the health and quality of life in Central Ohio through education, research and service consistent with the osteopathic philosophy and principles. Children’s Hunger Alliance recently received grants from OHF, in support of two programs: Ohio Action for Healthy Kids and the development of a Community Plan to fight childhood obesity in Central Ohio. According to Shelly Roth, Youth Development Director for Children’s Hunger Alliance, OHF was very responsive to recent data, generated in part by OHF’s 2002 Franklin County Health Assessment, in which obesity was determined to be one of the most urgent health needs of children in Central Ohio. Roth said, “They’re very supportive of work being done in the community and are contributing to successful outcomes of community efforts.” Children’s Hunger Alliance and OHF’s common philosophy and interest in ending the problem of childhood obesity are based on their shared perspective that future generations will benefit from the care and concern we demonstrate for our children today. “The Foundation looks forward to successful results from the recently funded programs at Children’s Hunger Alliance. The awards are designed to help facilitate community collaborations around the issue of overweight/obesity in Franklin County. The ultimate goal is to reduce the prevalence of overweight children and families in our community,” said Terri Donlin, Director of Programs for OHF. Children’s Hunger Alliance acknowledges the OHF as an admirable philanthropic force within Central Ohio. For more information about the osteopathic philosophy and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation please visit www.osteopathicheritage.org. Reprinted with permission of the Children’s Hunger Alliance. | top | Dental OPTIONS Connects Patients to Treatment
FIRSTLINK is in its sixth year of administering Dental OPTIONS (Ohio Partnership To Improve Oral Health through access to Needed Services), a program offered by the Ohio Dental Association with financial assistance from the Ohio Department of Health. OPTIONS serves as a clearinghouse for primary oral health access programs and links clients with volunteer dentists or dental clinics where they can receive care at either reduced rates or free of charge. “Dental OPTIONS improves access to dental care for Ohio’s poor, working poor, low-income seniors and people who are medically, mentally or physically challenged,” Joyce Ray, FIRSTLINK Director of Resources and Programs, said. In FY 2003, 380 people were connected to oral health care services through the Central Region of Dental OPTIONS, with oral health professionals and laboratories donating services valued at more than $295,000. Since the inception of Dental OPTIONS in 1997, more than 3,100 Central Ohio residents have received necessary oral health treatment. To increase oral health care services for Central Ohio residents last year, FIRSTLINK secured additional monies to assist Dental OPTIONS clients. The agency received funding from The Columbus Foundation to pay lab fees for eligible Central Region clients who qualified for discounted services. The grant award eliminated the hardship placed on clients who might be required to pay $320 for a set of dentures and $50 for a diagnosis before beginning treatment. As a result, the number of clients who withdrew from the Dental OPTIONS program due to inability to pay decreased and the length of time enrolled clients remained in the program was reduced. FIRSTLINK also received additional monies to design, produce and distribute a quarterly newsletter to 210 oral health professionals participating in Dental OPTIONS. The newsletter highlighted program outcomes, relayed community information and fostered a sense of appreciation toward participating dentists. In an extension of the grant received from The Columbus Foundation, The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation recently awarded grant funding to FIRSTLINK to establish an Indigent Fund for enrolled Dental OPTIONS clients. The fund will remove current barriers to oral health care for households with annual incomes of 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and below, seniors on a fixed income and individuals with medical, mental or physical challenges. The program will lead to an overall increase in the quantity of clients who receive oral health care and contribute substantially to the overall well-being of Ohio residents. The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation supports community health and quality of life – primarily in Central Ohio – as well as osteopathic medical education and research throughout the nation. Since 1999 the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations have approved funding awards totaling more than $34 million, with nearly $15.5 million of the total supporting community initiatives. Funding awarded through The Columbus Foundation and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations assists in eliminating the disparity low income Central Ohio residents face in accessing needed oral health care treatment. Individuals who formerly delayed treatment while they saved funds to pay for diagnosis, multiple visits, dentures, or crowns now can receive immediate assistance. In addition, volunteer dentists are able to accept new clients for treatment through Dental OPTIONS. The programs contribute to the alleviation of pain caused by periodontal disease, improve health and wellness due to better oral health, and inspire a sense of satisfaction from oral health professionals who are able to make a difference in their communities. Reprinted with permission from FIRSTLINK. | top | Library System Kicks Off Dental Program
The Nelsonville Public Library System will kick off its dental health-care program in conjunction with "Dental Health Month" in February. Funding for the program was made possible from a $6,000 grant received from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville. The library has used $2,000 of the grant to purchase dental kits, according to Lauren Miller, writer of the grant. In a news release, Miller, who serves as the assistant library director and outreach coordinator, said, "Some of the money was used to purchase toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss. The dental kits will be given to children and adults attending the various story times in February, as well as to those children and adults who attend Summer Book Camps held at the libraries." The remaining $4,000 will be used as matching funds to support the Summer Food Service Program that is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Education. The Food Service Program, which offers free lunches to children ages 1 to 18 at Chauncey, Coolville, Glouster and Nelsonville public libraries, is entering its seventh year. Story times where the dental kits will be passed out include: Coolville Public Library, Nelsonville Public Library, Feb. 17 at 10:30 a.m.; Glouster Public Library, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.; Wells Public Library (Albany), Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.; Athens Public Library, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m.; and The Plains Public Library, Feb. 25 at 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact Miller at 753-2118. Reprinted with permission of The Athens News | top | Health Department Receives Grant for Obesity Program
MOUNT VERNON — How many steps does an average student take each day? A thousand? Ten thousand? You probably have no idea, but your child soon will. The Knox County School-based Pedometer Program is one component of the Knox County Health Department’s childhood exercise and nutrition initiative, which will run from the beginning of March to the end of December. Partners in this endeavor include the YMCA; the Community Health Access Project; Women, Infants and Children; Knox Community Hospital; and the Knox County Career Center. The health department and these agencies will staff a number of new and expanded health programs. Funds for this new endeavor were awarded as a year-long $100,000 grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to the Knox County Health Department. Area schools are also devoting time and resources to these programs, which together make up the Initiative to Reduce the Prevalence of Overweight Children. Physical education teachers are partnering with the health department to implement the pedometer program. Caree McAfee, the health department’s grant programs coordinator, said that every elementary, middle and high school in the county will be supplied with pedometers as part of an initiative to increase students’ exercise awareness. According to the Presidential Active Lifestyle guidelines, 11,000 to 13,000 steps are an ideal daily goal for children ages 6 to 17. This equals a distance of approximately 4.5 miles. As part of an Ohio Department of Health pedometer program, about 30 Knox County Health Department employees wore pedometers for six weeks. “ It was kind of interesting, because you realize how sedentary you are,” said Pam Palm, director of health promotion services. For adults, at least 10,000 steps a day is recommended. Paying attention to the number of steps they take, Palm said, encourages students to pay attention to other aspects of their health, including fat and calorie intake and the amount of water they drink. “ It’s an awareness thing,” she said. The KCCC will also participate in this program through its health technology class. For the most part, the new exercise and nutrition programs will be introduced in connection with existing programs, such as phys ed classes and after-school programs, to increase participation. Palm and McAfee explained that parents and children often find it difficult to add new classes or programs to their daily schedules. The grant is intended to improve exercise and nutrition awareness, and thereby to encourage maintenance of a healthy weight and fitness level. Encouraging healthy eating habits early in life is the initiative’s primary goal, but that doesn’t mean that parents won’t be involved. As the primary shoppers in most households and the planners of family activities, parents have a great affect on their children’s eating and exercise habits. Families involved with WIC and the CHAP will receive special nutrition classes beginning in February. CHAP’s community care coordinators will conduct one-on-one nutrition education to families and encourage fun physical activity. Nutrition and fitness presentations will also be introduced to afterschool programs currently being held in Fredericktown and Mount Vernon. These presentations will be held once a week for 20 weeks. KCCC will participate in this program by conducting quarterly recipe contests in which students can enter nutritional recipes. Principles of cooking will be one of the focuses of the WIC and CHAP programs. “ People don’t cook anymore ... so sometimes you do have to start at square one in teaching them recipes, creative snacks and the importance of not giving kids pop and sugared juices,” Palm said. “There are other snacks out there that you can feed kids that they like just as well, and if they start having them when they are younger, they will get them once they are older.” McAfee described another function of the after-school and family-based nutrition programs: Encouraging a greater number of homemade, healthy meals and snacks and discouraging frequent prepackaged, instant or fast food consumption, especially by children. Visual aids such as test tubes of sugar and fat representing the amounts found in common instant or fast foods educate children about the food they choose to eat by helping them understand what the numbers on the side of their cereal box or plastic-wrapped microwave burrito really mean. Preparing healthy meals without spending too much time in the kitchen will be one topic of discussion in the WIC and CHAP nutrition program. Lack of time to prepare meals, McAfee said, is a major reason that parents sometimes opt to take shortcuts that can lead to compromised nutrition. “ They’re trying to do stuff that’s pretty time-efficient,” McAfee said. The program, she added, is intended to let parents know that “they don’t have to spend an hour preparing a meal for their family.” Another program, “Move Into the Future,” will be launched in March by the YMCA. “Move Into the Future” is a fitness program for Centerburg students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Education presentations will be given in Centerburg classrooms beginning in March. YMCA staff will direct and promote the program with assistance from a health educator with the health department. SHAPEDOWN is a family-based behavior modification program intended for children who are experiencing medical problems with weight control. KCH and the health department will coordinate this program, which accepts families referred by local physicians or health agencies. SHAPEDOWN focuses on improving family habits instead of limiting positive change to a single family member. In most other areas where this program is implemented, there is a fee for attendance. Grant money will allow the health department to offer it free of charge for those who qualify, either by a physician’s recommendation or by evaluation at the health department and subsequent recommendation. A key part of the initiative is the evaluation of these programs by an outside examiner and student surveys. A Kenyon College sociology class led by professor Jan Thomas will prepare pre- and post-program surveys of students, discussing eating habits with focus groups of sixth-graders before drawing up the surveys. These surveys and the outside evaluation of the programs will hopefully reflect an improvement in exercise and nutrition among Knox County children. The program will also fund the collection of local data on the number of overweight children in the county. At present, Palm said, no such data is available. All of the partner agencies have shown enthusiasm about the planned programs. “ We’re excited about it because it allows us to fund a program element that we’ve never been able to do,” said Palm, referring to the grant’s focus on nutrition. Usually, she continued, grants for nutrition and other preventative health programs are rare. In recent years, however, poor nutrition and exercise habits in children have received greater public attention. Sedentary activities and poor nutrition have contributed to an increase in childhood weight problems. The new countywide initiative will help fight this trend if it can meet one of its main goals: To show Knox County students and families that exercise and good nutrition can be fun and convenient as well as healthy. Reprinted with permission from the Mount Vernon News. | top | Fighting Childhood Obesity Is Priority for Health Panel
Childhood obesity threatens to shorten the life expectancy of today's children to less than that of their parents' generation. Local health and hunger experts yesterday announced a plan to reverse this unhealthy trend. Dianne Radigan, chief operations officer for the Children's Hunger Alliance, said yesterday at a forum that her group has received a $55,000 grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to meet with local experts to identify community resources, conduct research and develop a three- to five-year plan to lower obesity rates. The experts will include doctors, educators, nutritionists and restaurant owners. Dr. Robert Murray, a professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University, said the issue must be dealt with soon -- obesity is causing health problems in children commonly seen in adults, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. " If a child develops type 2 diabetes at age 10, that can shave almost 20 years from their life and the quality of life will be affected,'' Murray said yesterday during the forum at the Columbus Metropolitan Club. Nationwide, 300,000 deaths each year are associated with obesity and the economic cost of obesity to the country was about $117 billion in 2000, according to data from the surgeon general's office. In Franklin County, 25 percent of children are obese, according to a Columbus Health Department and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation study completed last year. And nationwide, the number of overweight children has tripled in the past two decades, according to the surgeon general's office. Murray said the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Ohio Dietetic Association will establish guidelines for childhood development, including appropriate weight ranges, exercise amounts and nutrition recommendations. Richard A. Vincent, president and chief executive officer of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, said his organization has set aside $1 million for research and programs to address childhood obesity. About $400,000 has already been awarded. The Children's Hunger Alliance's program, Ohio Action for Healthy Kids, will get a $74,739 grant to increase participation in school breakfast programs and ensure adequate physical-activity programs are available. The alliance will join with schools to develop school health advisory councils. Radigan said the alliance is interested because obesity among poor children is a complex but common issue. " Sometimes they don't have enough food, and when they do it's not the right food,'' she said. "Healthier foods cost more, grocery stores may not be in neighborhoods, nutritional knowledge may be lacking.'' The YMCA of Central Ohio will launch a pilot fitness program, Y Kids are Fit, with a $87,538 grant for programs before and after school. The foundation has also awarded $20,000 to the Columbus Health Department for educational materials for weight management for children 5 years or younger. A healthy weight program will be held Jan. 29 at the Columbus Health Department auditorium at 240 Parsons Ave. from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Call 645-1667 for details. Reprinted with permission of The Columbus Dispatch | top | More Limits Sought on Soda Sales in Schools
Turrell Morris, a freshman at East High School, drinks two or three sodas a day at school because the caffeine gives him energy. "It's there, and you get thirsty,'' said Turrell, 15. "If you have one in class, you don't have to worry about leaving to go to the water fountain.'' Turrell's drinking habits could change if a medical association and an Ohio senator succeed in further limiting soft-drink sales in schools. A Senate bill introduced this week would put more milk, fruit-based drinks and 100 percent fruit juices in vending machines and limit soda sales to a half-hour before school and a half-hour after school. Sen. Ray Miller, a Columbus Democrat and sponsor of the bill, said students need fewer soft drinks loaded with empty calories, sugar and caffeine. "It's a shame that you see young people drinking colas in the mornings,'' he said. "Years ago, it would be milk.'' This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended restricting the sale of sodas in schools, citing health hazards from excessive consumption, including tooth decay and obesity. The academy linked soft-drink consumption to the increase of childhood obesity. One in four children in Franklin County is obese, according to a Columbus Health Department and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation study. One 12-ounce soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, and sweetened drinks are a primary source of added sugar in children's diets, according to the academy. Between 56 percent and 85 percent of school-age children in the United States drink at least one soda a day. Although federal law prohibits the sale of sodas during lunch near cafeterias, some districts place other limitations. Bob Thiede, superintendent of Pickerington schools, said most soda machines in his district operate only after school. But he wouldn't object to more noncarbonated drinks. "As long as they can continue to have the juices and the bottled water, it would be a step in the right direction,'' he said. Jeff Warner, spokesman for South-Western schools, said soft-drink machines at the intermediate schools sell sodas only after school. Parents also must set restrictions on soda consumption at home, Warner said. Soda vending machines are a source of income for schools. The Pickerington district has a 10-year contract with Coca-Cola, which expires in 2007, that brings in $35,000 in cash annually plus commission. The South-Western district has a 10-year contract with Coca-Cola that will generate $2 million for the district by the time the contract expires in 2006. Eastmoor Academy, the first Columbus public school to sign an exclusive agreement with a soda company, last year renewed a contract with Pepsi that will earn it $75,000 over five years, said school-district spokesman Michael Straughter. Columbus schools collectively reap about $400,000 a year from drink-machine sales, including water, juice and sports drinks. Miller said the bill could cause a potential loss of revenue for schools, but that student health outweighs financial loss. "We are selling our kids to pay for their sport and band uniforms,'' said Dr. Shirley Kindrick, a dietitian with the Ohio State University Medical Center. "If we don't make a change now, those kids are going to pay for it down the line in their own health care.'' But sodas, like all drinks and foods, should be consumed in moderation and not be blamed for the nation's obesity problem, said Jim Finkelstein, executive vice president of the National Soft Drink Association. "The simple truth is that young people are taking in too many calories and not getting enough exercise,'' he said. "It's the couch, not the can.'' Reprinted with permission from The Columbus Dispatch | top | Grantee Spotlight: State of Ohio, Department of Health
The Healthy Communities Access Project (HCAP) Grant is helping Ohio develop the infrastructure of the innovative Community Care Coordination model. The State of Ohio/ Department of Health (ODH) received its initial CAP grant in 2001 which has supported the development of standardized competencies for Community Health Workers (CHW) and their supervisors, training, accountability tools, and evaluation. In addition, the grant has helped to foster the formation of the Community Care Coordination Collaborative. This collaborative brings together programs from across the state that use and support the Community Care Coordination model. This forum, allows for Community Care Coordination programs to network and work towards solutions for sustainability and certification. The Community Health Access Project (CHAP) has been working with ODH as a partner in the HCAP grant. CHAP developed college level CHW training that has now been used to train over 200 individuals across the state. The CHAP program based this beginning CHW curriculum on experience with a similar program in Alaska, which had a tremendous impact on infant mortality and birth outcomes, particularly in economically disadvantaged communities. Integrated with the training and outcome focus is the outcome production model of "Pathways," which are standardized care processes. Pathways allow health and social services to utilize an outcome production methodology to increase accountability, and overall production of positive health and social outcomes. Pathways specifically identify a problem or issue that a family is facing and works through independent steps to a measurable successful outcome. Through the grant, four programs, representing 12 community-based outreach sites, have adopted the Pathways approach to outcome production. Positive outcome production for at-risk families is being measured across the CAP sites and has steadily increased since implementation. The outreach model in Ohio has made further significant progress with passage of Ohio's budget bill (House Bill 95) in July that brought into being a new profession - Community Health Workers (CHWs). Sponsored by Senator Bill Harris, the legislation spells out the process through which the Ohio Board of Nursing will certify CHWs as well as functional guidelines. The legislation includes provisions that encourage CHWs to advance their careers if desired, including the ability to apply some of the course work to nursing or social work, and spells out the qualifications, responsibilities and supervision of persons in this position. The Community Care Coordination model in Ohio has been significantly supported and developed by The Ohio Department of Health, Federal Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), The Osteopathic Heritage Foundations, The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, The Center for Sustainable Health Outreach and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The key developers of the model, however, are the Community Health Workers themselves. CHWs have traveled from multiple programs across the state of Ohio to convene, define and further develop their profession. CHWs are hired and trained to identify individuals with health and social risk factors and then help them link up to critical medical and social services in an environment of often limited resources and in communities with the poorest health outcomes. Many come directly from the very neighborhoods where they work and address issues and barriers to access such as long bus rides, less than courteous appointment clerks and traveling far outside their own culture and community to reach critical services that can make the current health care system far more difficult to access for culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged families. A Community Health Worker will work with a woman on a one-to-one basis to make sure that she has insurance, a medical home and is compliant with scheduled prenatal appointments. Once the child is born, CHWs help to educate families about the importance of well child care, immunizations, lead screening, developmental screening, and other issues. Major outcomes of the Community Care Coordination programs are the significant improvement in low birth weight and other basic health indicators directly related to this community-based access approach. The Ohio Community Care Coordination model hopes to achieve the same kind of statewide improvements in basic health outcomes that Alaska has demonstrated through improved integration of the community with the medical and technical aspects of health care service. Ohio's experience reemphasizes the importance of engaging, understanding and empowering communities to play a role in improving health and social outcomes. For more information about this program, please contact Mark Redding of CHAP at reddingz@worldnet.att.net. Reprinted with permission from Healthy Communities Access Program grantee: Bureau of Community Health Services and System Development, Ohio Department of Health, and HCAP consortium member Community Health Access Project (CHAP) | top | |
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