Central Maine Community Health Corporation

CMCH ACTS AS THE FISCAL AGENT FOR HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN, A COMMUNITY BASED PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY THAT PROVIDES ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY AREA.

HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN'S SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EDUCATION (SNAP-ED) COORDINATORS ASSISTED IN PROVIDING 94 FAMILIES WITH MEALS EVERY DAY OVER THE SCHOOL SUMMER BREAK. A COMMUNITY FOOD RESOURCE GUIDE WAS CREATED AND UPDATED EVERY MONTH SO THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED WOULD HAVE THE MOST UPDATED INFORMATION ON FOOD RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING MEALS AND RESOURCES, PRE-RECORDED EDUCATION VIDEOS AND VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS WERE PRODUCED AND DISSEMINATED THOUGH THE HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO UTILIZE. AN ONLINE REGISTRATION WAS DEVELOPED FOR NUTRITION CLASSES, INCLUDING POSTERS WITH THE LINK DISPLAYED IN FAMILY PRACTICE AND PEDIATRICIAN OFFICES. THE ANDROSCOGGIN GLEANERS WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY AND COLLECTED ALMOST 17,000 LBS. OF FRESH PRODUCE, EQUALING ABOUT 70,700 SERVINGS, WHICH WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.THE LET'S GO PROGRAM OFFERED GRANTS TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN AIM AT ADDRESSING HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING. SOME WAYS IN WHICH GRANTS WERE USED BY THESE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL SUPPLIES FOR EACH CHILD (SUCH AS WATER BOTTLES); PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EQUIPMENT LIKE LAWN GAMES, BALLS, AND JUMP ROPES; ACTIVITY BAGS TO TAKE HOME; AND FRUIT INFUSION SYSTEMS FOR WATER PITCHERS.THE SUBSTANCE USE AND TOBACCO PREVENTION SERVICES PARTNERED WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT/CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF MAINE, AND THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER TO EDUCATE ASYLUM AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON CANNABIS USE AND THE FEDERAL LAW, SUBSTANCE MISUSE AMONG YOUTH, AND RESOURCES FOR PARENTS. HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN PROVIDED EDUCATION ON AN ASSORTMENT OF TOPICS TO A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES INCLUDING THE LEWISTON AREA METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LOCAL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THE 2021 COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS OF AMERICA NATIONAL FORUM. IN ADDITION, HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN ASSISTED IN CREATING AND/OR UPDATING SMOKE AND TOBACCO-FREE POLICIES AT THE DEMPSEY CENTER, MULTI-UNIT HOUSING COMPLEXES, ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND TWO CHILDCARE/PRE-SCHOOL SETTINGS.HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN (HA) SHARED INFORMATION ON HOW WE ACCESS LOCAL LEAD DATA AND IMPLEMENT OUR LEAD WORKPLANS WITH RIVER VALLEY HEALTHY COMMUNITY COALITION, RUMFORD HOSPITAL, AND THE TOWN OF RUMFORD COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF. HA SHARED POISONING, SCREENING, AND HOUSING DATA FROM THE EPH TRACKING NETWORK SPECIFIC TO RUMFORD AND OXFORD COUNTY AND DISCUSSED HOW TO ADDRESS LEAD IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. HA PROVIDED THE CITY OF LEWISTON WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR PERMITTING LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES OR ENCOURAGES THE LEAD RENOVATION, REPAIR, AND PAINTING PROGRAM (RRP) CERTIFICATION NUMBER TO BE SUPPLIED ON PERMIT APPLICATIONS, AS WELL AS A PROCESS FOR CITY STAFF TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION TO PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE RRP RULE AND LEAD PREVENTION AS PART OF UNIT TURNOVER. A PRINT AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN (NEWSPAPER ADS, BUS ADS, AND FACEBOOK POSTS) WAS CONDUCTED IN THE SPRING OF 2021 TO RAISE AWARENESS OF LEAD POISONING PREVENTION, HOME RENOVATION REQUIREMENTS, LEAD DUST TESTING RESOURCES, AND LEAD BLOOD TESTING FOR CHILDREN. HEALTHY ANDROSCOGGIN (HA) SUPPORTED THE LAUNCH OF THE GOOD FOOD BUS AT CENTRAL MAINE MEDICAL CENTER, CREATED A POWERPOINT TO USE FOR TRAINING CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL STAFF AT RUMFORD HOSPITAL ON ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, AND EXPANDED HUNGER VITAL SIGNS TO ADDITIONAL OUTPATIENT PHYSICIAN OFFICES. FINALLY, HA CREATED, STREAMLINED, AND IMPROVED AN ONBOARDING PROCESS FOR CLINIC VOLUNTEERS TO WORK AT SHIFTS AT COMMUNITY COVID-19 VACCINE CLINICS.