News

Education plays a role in health and life expectancy

Exercise, eating healthy, and regular medical appointments are well-known factors in a person’s overall health; however, a surprising factor – education – has been studied and is now included as a factor of life expectancy. The County Health Rankings interactive model identifies education as a Social and Economic Factor, which accounts for 40% of a [...]

September is dedicated to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness

Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which can be physical, behavioral, or intellectual disabilities and last a lifetime. FASD is often a mix of disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are preventable if a developing baby is not exposed to alcohol [...]

Supporting those you supervise: Meet CHW Supervisor Samantha Graham

Tell us about yourself I grew up in Geistown most of my life. I went to a private Christian high school where I met my husband. We reconnected in college and have been together 14 years and married for 8 years. We have two kids (ages 7 and 5) and a Rottweiler mix that we [...]

September is dedicated to Suicide Prevention Month

*If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call or text 988 Although it’s important to address suicide prevention year-round, September is set aside as a dedicated month to address the very difficult topic. At the local level, the County Health Rankings (data from 2016-2020) show that Cambria County experienced 126 deaths by [...]

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day

Raising community awareness and remembering those who lost their lives to an overdose is the goal of International Overdose Awareness Day, which falls on August 31. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), it’s “the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose and remember those who died without stigma and acknowledge the grief [...]

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

National Immunization Awareness Month is observed annually in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for everyone, especially children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.” Extensive lab testing is done before vaccines [...]

Community Health Summit held for local groups to review area needs

In an all-day conference August 9, social service organizations, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and non-profit groups from Cambria and Somerset counties gathered at the Living-Learning Center on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s campus for a Community Health Summit, as part of the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process. The summit featured morning sessions [...]

Economic Stability affects all aspects of health

Economic stability is a major domain of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) affecting nearly every aspect of a person’s health. “Poor families and individuals are most likely to live in unsafe homes and neighborhoods, often with limited access to healthy foods, employment options, and quality schools,” writes Healthy People 2030. According to Healthy People 2030, [...]

CHWs can open an Employment Pathway for participants

When a Community Health Worker (CHW) visits with their participant, the Employment Pathway is one of the 21 Pathways that can be identified as a need. Once the participant recognizes that Employment is necessary and wants to find a job, the CHW opens the Pathway. A participant can list many reasons they are looking for [...]

July is National Minority Mental Health Month

While mental illness can affect people of any race, ethnicity, or background, racial minorities often face unique struggles. To understand those struggles better, Minority Mental Health Awareness Month began in 2008 and has taken place every July since. This year’s theme “Beyond the Numbers” calls attention to the history of minorities and how their resilience [...]

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