Last February, in recognition of Cardiovascular Awareness month, ACTION Health hosted a Dress Red Luncheon. This sold-out event featured a keynote address, heart-healthy lunch, and a Red Fashion Show. This year, the ACTION Health Adult Wellness Task Force is at it again!

The Heart to Heart Luncheon is scheduled for February 11, 2011 at Country Cupboard in Lewisburg from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Both men and women are encouraged to attend this exciting event and dressing in red attire is requested but not required! A keynote address will be provided by Dr. Donald Nardone, Geisinger Interventional Cardiologist currently serving patients at Geisinger Health Systems and Evangelical Community Hospital. There will also be a heart-healthy lunch, a Red Fashion Show and door prize giveaways!

Tickets go on sale January 7, 2011 and are expected to sell out quickly! Adult tickets are $20 each and meal choices are Broccoli Quiche or Lemon Pepper Chicken. Children will be served grilled chicken tenders with applesauce and tickets are $10 each. All proceeds from this event benefit ACTION Health Adult Wellness Task Force programs.

Hurry and get your tickets now! All tickets must be purchased in advance and they will sell out quickly! To order your tickets today, contact ACTION Health by calling (570) 275-9150 or see any member of the Adult Wellness Task Force.

Do you go grocery shopping? Do you usually pay with cash or check or maybe even your credit card? Why not try shopping with a gift card from Weis or Giant? ACTION Health is currently selling gift cards for Weis and Giant as an ongoing fundraising initiative. Customers pay the face value of the card and a portion of each sale goes back to ACTION Health. By purchasing a gift card, you are still spending the same amount on groceries, however, you’re supporting ACTION Health and its mission of providing free health outreach and education programs. It’s also safer than carrying cash, quicker than writing a check, and there are no credit card finance charges.

With the holiday season coming up, these gift cards also make great gifts for family, friends, and coworkers. They can be purchased in any denomination and can be used at any Weis or Giant grocery store location. To order your Weis and Giant Gift Cards or learn more about this program, simply call ACTION Health at (570) 275-9150, Monday through Friday. Weis and Giant gift cards are a great way to shop, a great gift to give, and a great way to support ACTION Health!

Over 130 community leaders, social service workers, healthcare providers and administrators gathered together Thursday, September 30 to discuss regional health needs and concerns at the Community Health Regional Summit hosted by ACTION Health.

The event, held at the Degenstein Campus Center at Susquehanna University, featured the findings of the recent community needs assessment conducted by ACTION Health and the Geisinger Center for Health Research as well as information on local impacts of health care reform.

Sharon Larson, Ph.D., Research Investigator and Co-Director of the Rural Health Policy Institute at Geisinger Center for Health Research, was the principal investigator for the community needs assessment and also was the keynote speaker at the summit.

“This was a tremendous opportunity to bring together a number of partners to do meaningful, what we call now in both healthcare and in sociology, ‘action health’ or ‘community-based participatory research,’” explained Larson. “And this is a wonderful model because what it does is it brings together all of the constituents to help identify what the problem is, if there is indeed a problem, and then to think very actively and creatively about how to fix some of the issues in the community.”

As part of her presentation, Dr. Larson provided information and statistics gathered during the assessment including the most pressing health needs in the region. The assessment had three phases and was conducted in the five-county region of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties. The project began with focus groups and then personal interviews and finally household surveys.

Through these three phases, a plethora of information was gathered. Dr. Larson and her team of investigators and student interns compiled the data to determine the most pressing issues with the region. These issues included healthy eating, dental care, community resources and preventive care.

“It’s so critically important that we spend some time on prevention,” said Sen. Robert P. Casey (D-PA), in a statement submitted via DVD. “As we look down the road going forward all Americans will have access to free preventive services under their health insurance plan. This is a tremendous and significant improvement for people across our country… So we want to make sure that we make prevention a key goal and major priority.”

Lisa Davis, MHA, Director of the PA Office of Rural Health also spoke at the Summit. She discussed national health care reform and its impact on local communities.

Davis gave a brief history of health care reform and explained that September 23, 2010 was a milestone in the implementation of the current health care reform bill.

She noted that several consumer protection provisions in the healthcare bill began on this date. These include:

• Allowing children to remain on their parents’ health plans until age 26
• No denial of coverage for children under age 19 who have pre-existing medical conditions
• Removing lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits
• Giving people a right to appeal to an external party if denied coverage for a treatment
• Preventing insurers from dropping coverage of people when they get sick
• Limiting the use of annual spending limits of health plans
• Allowing consumers to use OB/GYNs in their networks without needing a referral
• Prohibiting extra charges for using emergency care that is out of network
• Guaranteeing full coverage of many preventive services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, without a co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible

There is some resistance to these provisions. Davis explained that “some major insurers will sidestep the children under age 19 with pre-existing medical conditions provision” and that “republicans are pushing to repeal the law or block funding for key provisions.”

To help those in attendance understand the health care reform bill, Davis presented a video created by the Kaiser Family Foundation. It explains many aspects of the bill and how it will affect all populations. To view this video, please visit http://healthreform.kff.org/The-Animation.aspxFollowing.

Following the informative presentations of Larson and Davis, were afternoon break-out sessions addressing several needs identified in the community needs assessment including transportation, mental health/substance abuse, coordination of community referrals, and child care. Each of these break-out groups included representatives from many community and health-related organizations.

According to Allison Clark, executive director of ACTION Health, the overall goal of these sessions was to bring together healthcare providers, social services workers, and other organizations in the community to impact community health in a positive and meaningful way.

Susquehanna University President Dr. L. Jay Lemons said, “I hope that in the course of today, that you will have an opportunity to dig into issues that are vitally important to each and every one of us.”

Along with discussing the community issues, each break-out group created action plans to tackle these issues presented. Each group also agreed to continue meeting to discuss these concerns and how their organizations are working together to help the communities within the region.

“The summit was a huge success,” said Clark. “Through the collaborative efforts of the organizations represented, the health needs and concerns within the region are being addressed. We are confident that the action plans created will be fundamental in tackling the needs of our region and creating healthier communities.”

ACTION Health will be releasing additional information from the community needs assessment on a periodic basis. Continue checking the ACTION Health website for additional information.

To see more picture of the Summit, please visit our Photos page by clicking here.

ACTION Health is hosting a Community Health Regional Summit on Thursday, September 30, 2010 from 8:30am – 3:30pm at the Degenstein Campus Center at Susquehanna University. This conference is a wonderful opportunity for health care providers & administrators, social service workers, community leaders and community members to enhance their knowledge regarding community health and initiate action to address health needs.

At this event, we will be presenting the findings of our recent Community Needs Assessment. “Rural Pennsylvania Counts: An Assessment of Need in Central Pennsylvania” was conducted in 2009 to assess the health and human service needs in our 5-county service region, which includes Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties. This event will be your opportunity to receive the most comprehensive presentation of these findings.

In addition, we will be presenting information regarding local impacts of healthcare reform. The afternoon will include break-out sessions to create action plans to address local needs. The break-out session topics include Transportation, Mental Health/Substance Abuse, Coordination of community service information & referrals and Child Care.

We are hopeful that you will join us for this exciting and informative event. The cost is only $20.00/person (student rate of $15.00/person), which covers our cost of lunch and other refreshments. The deadline for registration is September 24, 2010. This event is open to anyone, but pre-registration is required. To download the registration brochure, click here.

This event is made possible through grant funds from the Degenstein Foundation and in-kind support from Susquehanna University and Geisinger Center for Health Research.

ACTION Health has started a new fundraising initiative called Dress Down for ACTION Health.  This is geared to help support the ongoing health programs provided by ACTION Health.  Simply sponsor a Dress Down Day for your employees.  Each person who wishes to participate in the Dress Down Day will make a small contribution.  By participating, your business and its employees will be making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our communities!

Choose the date you would like to dress down.  It can be held weekly, monthly, or yearly.  Your company will be joining many others in the Central Susquehanna River Valley in an effort to provide the continued free health programs for children, families, adults, and seniors that ACTION Health provides.  Dress Down for ACTION Health is a fun and easy fundraiser that costs your company little to nothing.  Dress Down Day will be enjoyable for your employees, and helps support ACTION Health!

Contact ACTION Health at (570) 275-9150 to learn more about this initiative or to schedule your Dress Down Days and receive your Dress Down Fundraiser packet.

ACTION Health and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania have worked together effectively on numerous health programs and events for several years. This partnership is now expanding into Bloomsburg University’s formal sponsorship of ACTION Health.

ACTION Health is a nonprofit agency which, through the support of sponsoring hospitals and universities, provides a wide variety of free community health outreach and education to Susquehanna River Valley communities. Bloomsburg University joins the other ACTION Health partners, including Berwick Hospital Center, Bloomsburg Hospital, Evangelical Community Hospital, Geisinger Health System, Shamokin Area Community Hospital, Sunbury Community Hospital, and Susquehanna University, in improving the health of local residents. Partners pay membership dues to support ACTION Health and representatives from each institution provide delegates to serve on the ACTION Health Board of Directors.

This partnership provides new opportunities for community and academic engagement for Bloomsburg University. Students, faculty, staff and members of the Bloomsburg community will have access to free health and wellness information and programs, and assist in the promotion of improved community health. Administrative representatives from Bloomsburg University will have a direct impact on the programs and services provided to the community by serving on the ACTION Health Board of Directors. BU’s students will have expanded opportunities for internships, work study positions and service-learning experiences.

Robert Marande, dean of BU’s College of Science and Technology, and Christine Alichnie, chair of the nursing department, recently joined the ACTION Health Board of Directors and will be working directly on organizational initiatives.

“Bloomsburg University is pleased to partner with ACTION Health to promote initiatives leading to better health for residents of communities throughout the region,” said BU President David Soltz. “We are delighted to be represented on ACTION Health’s Board of Directors by Dr. Marande and Dr. Alichnie, both of whom are involved in our university’s ongoing efforts to serve the health-related needs of our extended community and increase health awareness. We look forward to an active, engaged partnership.”

“This new partnership with Bloomsburg University enables us to further expand our programs and services to the college community,” said Allison Clark, executive director of ACTION Health. “We are looking forward to working with Dr. Alichnie and Dr. Marande on the board of directors, as well as working with additional faculty and staff to aid in the promotion of safe and healthy lifestyles.”

Find Bloomsburg University online at www.bloomu.edu.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 9,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.

ACTION Health’s Community Wellness Task Force has been focused for nearly 2 years on a project called Spring into Action for Healthy Nutritious Foods.  The goal of the project is to increase awareness, knowledge and access to healthy foods (specifically fresh produce) for residents in our area that utilize food banks. In our changing economy, food banks are being utilized more frequently by residents and the need for fresh produce to be included in their food allotment is increasingly evident. Therefore, our project aims at getting local farmers and growers to donate their excess produce to food banks.

Our project started with a comprehensive survey of local food banks, which enabled us to collect all the vital information about these facilities, including their hours of operation, average number of participants, and ability to store perishable food items. This information was compiled into a database and distributed to local farmers, asking them to donate their excess produce to local food banks. In addition, flyers and media releases have been distributed both last year and this year to encourage local gardeners to donate their excess produce. Despite these efforts, donations have not significantly increased.

Our project also includes educational components for the food bank recipients. Produce cards have been created to teach participants how to store and prepare local produce, so that no healthy foods go to waste.

In addition, we’ve reached out to local grocery stores inquiring about their protocols related to produce that is no longer eligible for sale, but could still be classified as usable nutritious food. Unfortunately, there is no designated recipient for these items to be donated and instead they are disposed of. As members of the Community Wellness Task Force of ACTION Health, we are trying to find ways to make this project work.

At the June meeting, limitations to the project were discussed and several challenges were identified. First, local food banks are only open for small windows of time throughout the month, making distribution of perishable produce quite difficult. In addition, delivery of the produce from donors to the food bank can prove difficult, given the limited shelf life of the produce and the limited hours of the food banks. Once the produce is actually available at the food banks, it is difficult to get food bank recipients to pick it up if it is not a regular food distribution date. In addition, local farmers have growing financial obligations and donations can be challenging for them.

We would like to take this opportunity, with the aforementioned limitations in mind, to invite you, the reader, for input or thoughts you may have on this project. We have compiled the data from the local food banks and feel this project could have a significant impact in our community. But with these limitations, we need support from the community to find a way to increase donations and access to healthy foods for residents in our area that need it the most.

Our program extends from May through September (our local growing season).  If anyone has questions, thoughts or feedback concerning where to drop off produce, how to increase produce donations, how to participate in the program, or any other suggestions, please call ACTION Health at 570-275-9150.

ACTION Health is adding Susquehanna University to its network of partners that provide community health outreach and education to residents of the Susquehanna Valley. The university joins the six area hospitals already in the network–Berwick Hospital Center, Bloomsburg Hospital, Evangelical Community Hospital, Geisinger Health System, Shamokin Area Community Hospital and Sunbury Community Hospital—in addressing unmet health and wellness needs. 

This partnership provides new opportunities for community and academic engagement for Susquehanna students, faculty and administration. Students will have access to numerous health-related programs during the fall 2010 semester, as well as unique internship and service-learning opportunities. Faculty will have the opportunity to work directly with ACTION Health’s recent needs assessment data, “Rural Pennsylvania Counts,” which can supplement existing research initiatives focused on health care needs in the central part of the state.

Ed Clarke, director of foundation and government relations at Susquehanna, and Terry Winegar, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences and professor of psychology, have recently joined the ACTION Health Board of Directors and will be working directly on organizational initiatives.

“Susquehanna is excited to partner with ACTION Health,” Clarke said. “We recognize the value they bring to the region and look forward to the many opportunities for collaboration that we hope will ultimately strengthen programs benefitting children, families and seniors in our communities.”    

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work more closely with Susquehanna University,” said Allison Clark, executive director of ACTION Health. “This new partnership expands our ability to reach out to new populations, including students and faculty, as well as increase our research initiatives and build new programs and partnerships.”

ACTION Health has worked with Susquehanna in the past at health-related events.  This coming year will establish more programs hosted by ACTION Health and its four task forces.  The presentations will be for students, faculty, and the community. The programs are free and offer important information on health and wellness.

Founded in 1858, Susquehanna University is a national liberal arts college that prepares students for achievement, leadership and service in a diverse, interconnected world. Academic excellence, study away and service learning, student-faculty collaboration, and rich opportunities for creative and personal growth are hallmarks of a Susquehanna University education. Susquehanna students come from 36 states and 13 countries, and more than 90 percent of them find jobs or pursue graduate study within six months of graduation. The university is located in central Pennsylvania, in the town of Selinsgrove, along the banks of the scenic Susquehanna River and about three hours from major East Coast cultural, financial and recreational centers.

To learn more about Susquehanna University, visit Susquehanna_University’s_website.

ACTION Health is proud to announce that the results of our recent Community Needs Assessment have been compiled and are now posted on this site! The Executive Summary of “Rural Pennsylvania Counts: Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties” can be found by clicking here: Executive_Summary

Here you will find a summary of the methods and process used and some of the most striking results found. In addition, ACTION Health will be highlighting a different topic area monthly and providing additional results, data, tables and/or graphs. So please check back on our website often to learn even more about the needs of our community.

A special thank-you goes out to the following individuals, without which this project would not have been possible:

• Sharon L. Larson, PhD, Geisinger Center for Health Research and Principal Investigator
• Carl Milofsky, PhD, Bucknell University and Co-Investigator
• Heather Feldhaus, PhD, Bloomsburg University and Co-Investigator
• Chelsie Hauer, Geisinger Center for Health Research and Project Coordinator
• Administration & staff of the Geisinger Center for Health Research
• Nicholas Szumigraj, Bloomsburg University Intern
• Christine Kearns, Bloomsburg University Intern
• Christopher Damiano, Bucknell University Intern
• Steven Schmaltz, Bucknell University Intern
• Sonja Blazekovic, Bucknell University Intern
• Focus group participants
• Insight interview participants
• Survey respondents
• ACTION Health Board of Directors, Oversight Committee, and staff

When: Monday May 17, 2010, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Where: Evangelical’s Educational Training Center (next to Staples in Lewisburg)

ACTION Health’s Aging & Wellness Task Force and Evangelical Community Hospital are partnering to bring you this informative session.  The purpose is to educate families, friends and anyone interested in learning more about the similarities and differences of Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD) and Asthma. 

The evening will begin with welcoming and refreshments, followed by a presentation by keynote speaker Deb Sanders, PhD, RN, GCNS, BC, “The ABC’S of COPD and Asthma.”  Following the presentation, Deb will join a discussion panel of several professionals from the field of respiratory health to answer questions audience members may have concerning COPD and/or Asthma.  The respiratory panelists will include:  Deb Sanders, PhD, Susan Sidler, RT, and Dr. Sutton, Allergist. Concluding our program, there will be a great door prize drawing at 8 PM (winner must be present to win).  To register, call (570) 522-2693 or go to www.evanhospital.com.  Walk-ins are welcome as well.