A meeting of Partners for a Healthier Community was held on Friday, April 9, 2004 at South Coast Hospital. Chairperson David Weed called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM.

The minutes of the March 12, 2004 Steering Committee were circulated in advance.

VOTED to approve the Minutes of the March 12, 2004 meeting of Partners for a Healthier Community as circulated.

Financial Report

The Financial report for April, 2004 was presented.

VOTED to approve the Financial Report for April 2004 as presented.

REPORT OF WORK GROUPS

Access to Health Care

Viewed the video with Paul Martin to make the appropriate changes. We have made payment for the revision and work should be completed soon. Some additional changes were made to the survey and it is in the process of being translated into Portuguese, Spanish and Khmer. Four different grocery stores will be targeted, probably completing one per week. We are hoping to get at least 200 responses. We hope that the data will tell us what percentage are going to a PCP, and if not why are they not going. This will tie in nicely with the video. It is important at this point to figure out just who we will be sharing this information with, as others can certainly benefit from it. MBHP is funding a project to assist people in getting to the doctor. The information that we will be gathering may help such a group.

Healthy Lifestyles

The group did not meet last month. It is expected that there will be some media coverage in the near future highlighting the Durfee physical education project and the screenings that have been done on the tenth grade class.

Healthy Youth

Planning continues for the second annual Mayor's Youth Summit on May 1st from 10:00 - 4:00. The steering committee will be sponsoring the t-shirts. We will be looking for adult volunteers to help the youth facilitators with the breakout groups. We will be having the poster contest after our June 11th Steering Committee Meeting. This meeting will be held tat the Marine Museum. They have an adequate facility for us, and the hope is to generate some publicity for the museum. The theme for the contest is "Making Good Choices" (i.e. eating healthy, exercise, friends, violence, etc.). We only have four groups signed up to participate so far and are looking for two more. If no one else signs up, we will take this to the local elementary schools. The group is also working on a resource card that will be given out to students in the middle and high school. The next Workgroup meeting will be on April 28th at 3:30 at the Admin. South Building.

Health City Initiative

The Forum went very well. There were about 150 - 200 in attendance throughout the day. The breakout sessions were viewed as very positive. One of the most important things to come out of this is to increase connectedness. There are about 239 different activities going on throughout the city, and most groups are unaware that the other exists. Forty of these activities will be getting special attention. We should have an action plan completed by June 2004. Participants at the forum were notified about a $500 micro-grant application. The purpose of the grants is to stimulate new community involvement. A reminder notice will go out in about one week.

Announcements

Katy Dutille has joined the Fall River area Southeast Center for Healthy Communities. Katy will be working with both the CHNA and the Healthy City Initiative.

Substance abuse funds are being threatened. We receive a federal grant for treatment and prevention services. The State needs to match this grant, or the Federal money will be lost. In the past, we have qualified for a waiver, but it is not clear if we can do this again. If these funds were to be lost, SSTAR, Steppingstone PYCO and many other agencies will face dramatic cuts. We will be sent information on this very shortly.

On April 13th at 11:00 there will be a rally at the State House - "United We Stand For Public Health"

There is a statewide initiative targeting heroine prevention. Heroin use in Fall River is very high. There will be an RFP soon giving money to a municipality to target prevention.

The Cardiovascular Initiative will be meeting on April 26th at the Beachwood in Worcester. We will receive an email with further information.

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m. The next meeting for Partners for a Healthier Community will be held on Friday, May 14th, 2004 - Jackson Conference Room - Charlton Memorial Hospital

minutes 3-12-04.html

minutes 2-13-04.html