St Lawrence County Health Initiative Inc

THE HEALTH INITIATIVE WAS CREATED OUT OF A COLLABORATION BY CANTON-POTSDAM HOSPITAL AND CLAXTON-HEPBURN MEDICAL CENTER. LEADERS FROM THESE INSTITUTIONS BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS - REPRESENTING A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICE, BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATINO - TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY. THE STEERING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED THREE HEALTH PRIORITY AREAS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED COUNTY-WIDE: ACCESS TO CARE; NUTRITION AND PHYSICIAL ACTIVITY, AND; SUBSTANCE USE, FOCUSING ON YOUTH TOBACCO USE. THE AGENCY WAS INCORPORATED IN 1999 AS A FREE-STANDING 501 (C)(3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TO SECURE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES

NAVIGATOR PROGRAM - PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO CONSUMERS, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO FIND HEALTH CARE COVERAGE THOUGH THE MARKETPLACE.

NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, CANCER PREVENTION IN ACTION AND ALL OTHER PROGRAM.

TEEN HELP - OVERSEES THE USE OF MULTIPLE EVIDENCE-BASED COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION CURRICULA THAT PROVIDE ADOLESCENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, MOTIVATION AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO REDUCE THEIR RISK OF UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AND CONTRACTING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

CREATING HEALTHY SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES (CHSC) IMPLEMENTING FOOD SERVICE GUIDELINES (FSGS) WITH WORKSITESS AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS IN MULTIPLE VENUES TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY FOODS. FSGS ARE SPECIFIC FOOD AND NUTRITION STANDARDS AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS FOR FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONS THAT CAN BE USED TO CREATE A FOOD ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKES HEALTHIER CHOICES EASIER FOR CONSUMERS. IMPROVING POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND ENVIRONMENTS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION IN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION (ECE) SETTINGS. GRANTEES MAY ALSO WORK TO IMPROVE POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND ENVIRONMENTS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SOME CACFP CENTERS AS IDENTIFIED BY THE DOH. IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INTERVENTIONS IN MUNICIPALITIES TO INCREASE SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS TO CONNECT SIDEWALKS, PATHS, BICYCLE ROUTES, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT WITH HOMES, EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SITES, SCHOOLS, WORKSITES, PARKS, OR RECREATION CENTERS BY IMPLEMENTING MASTER PLANS AND LAND USE INTERVENTIONS OR COMPLETE STREETS POLICIES OR PLANS. THIS IS ACHIEVED BY ESTABLISHING NEW OR IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, OR TRANSIT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THAT ARE COMBINED WITH NEW OR IMPROVED LAND USE OR ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.