The Partnership Progress Report

Fall 2017

Lots has happened already this year - and we're excited to share these updates with you in this newsletter. Assessment work is underway, and we are looking ahead to identifying and developing the next set of priorities to help in continuing to make Delaware County the healthiest county in our state. Our work in all of the priority areas is consistent with global health goals, as well - and we'd like to invite you to a panel and community discussion that looks globally and locally at quality of life, community and health equity. The event will take place on the OWU campus on Thursday Nov. 2 at 7pm. We hope to talk about the strengths of our county in this area, and build new connections that will address some of the opportunities we face in growing the Partnership vision - a vision in which Delaware County is a community where we keep working together to provide opportunities for complete health and well-being for everyone!

Be well,

Chris Fink, PhD
Partnership Co-Chair
Associate Professor/Department Chair
Department of Health & Human Kinetics
Ohio Wesleyan University

Paramedicine Expands in Delaware County

The Delaware City Fire Department has expanded their FIRST (First in Response Service Team) program in collaboration with SourcePoint. Service Coordinators employed by SourcePoint are located at the firehouse and can now provide assistance and referrals to Delaware City residents in need and of all ages. Additionally, other city departments, such as the Delaware City Police and Code Enforcement, can also make referrals to the Service Coordinators. These program expansions began in late June. Chief Donahue reports great interest in this pilot project from other agencies.

Service Coordinators from L to R: Angie Lucas and Emily Stockton

Delaware County Opiate Action Plan Reviewed

At the Sept. 15 quarterly workgroup meeting, the CHIP Alcohol Abuse and Drug Abuse workgroup met and reviewed the draft Delaware County Opiate Action Plan, which was then released at a community meeting on Oct. 6. The Health District, Mental Health Board and the Sheriff’s Office hosted the October meeting. Short briefings on drug efforts were given by Mike Schuiling and Aaron Jennings from Emergency Management Services, Jack Sudimack from the Coroner’s Office, Deanna Brant from the Delaware Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Sheriff Russ Martin and the Health District’s Heather Lane. The plan highlights five strategies to tackle this public health epidemic: education and prevention, monitoring and disposal, enforcement and supply reduction, treatment and harm reduction. Deanna Brant also announced the creation of an Opiate Hub, which is a centralized program to combat opioid addiction to be housed at the Mental Health Board.

Click here to view the logic model of the Opiate Action Plan.
Click here for more information on current drug overdoses in Delaware County.

Naloxone Carried by Law Enforcement

As part of the CHIP strategy to ensure that Naloxone is available to all first responder agencies and at-risk community members, the opioid reversal drug is now being carried by law enforcement agencies in the county, most recently by Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies in August and Delaware City Police to begin soon. They join four fire departments, two EMS and three other police departments. Community members can obtain Naloxone by calling Maryhaven’s Families in Recovery Program at 740-203-3800 and through the Health District’s Naloxone Program at 740-203-2040.

Berkshire Community Park & Born Learning Trail

On Sept. 24, Berkshire Township held a grand opening for their new park and Born Learning Trail which was sponsored by the United Way of Delaware County and the Women’s Leadership Network of United Way. The Trail is a series of 10 interactive signs that offer fun, active learning activities for young children and their families. It helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality engagement opportunities when out on a stroll or visiting a local playground.

Strengthening Families Toy Library

Children learn from the time they are born, and there is no better way to grow than through play! This toy lending library provides opportunities for families and education providers to engage with toys and games centered around:

•   Fine motor skills
•   Sensory
•   Vocal recognition
•   Balance
•   STEM education
•   Dramatic play

Since the program began, 66 families have been served and 171 individual toy check outs have occurred. Through creative play, children from birth to five will have the opportunity to connect and learn!

HOURS:
Tuesday: 11 AM - 3 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM - 3 PM
Thursday: 3 PM - 7 PM
Located on the second floor of the Willis Education Center, 74 West William Street, Delaware.

Strengthening Families Calendar

Find out what is happening with Strengthening Families at the Willis Education Center. Click here to access the calendar of events and special programming.

Benefit in the Barn a Success!

This year’s Delaware County Farm Bureau’s Benefit in the Barn supporting the Delaware County Hunger Alliance raised over $35,000 to help end hunger in Delaware County!

The money raised will provide more fresh produce for families and children struggling with food insecurity through local farmer’s markets. Children will also have better access to nutritious, easy to prepare meals on the weekends through the weekend meal backpack program.

Thank you to all who attended and donated to this great cause!

Click here for Delaware County Hunger Alliance 3rd Quarter Report
Click here for Hunger Action Month Letter to the Editor

Delaware County Railroad Crossing Safety Task Force Recognized

In honor of National Rail Safety Week, the Delaware County Railroad Crossing Safety Task Force was recognized with a proclamation by the Delaware County Board of Commissioners at their Sept.18 meeting for their efforts to provide railroad crossing safety information to our residents and to improve safety devices at railroad grade crossings in Delaware County. The Task Force was formed by the Delaware County Board of Commissioners in 1998 and has facilitated the improvement of safety devices at all but three of Delaware County’s 64 grade crossings.

Click here for copy of the Resolution

7th Annual Suicide Prevention Walk

The Delaware County Suicide Prevention Coalition hosted the 7th annual prevention walk on the campus of OWU in September. Close to 170 walkers attended the event which was themed CONNECT to encourage anyone who may be struggling with mental health issues to connect to something to prevent death by suicide. The event hosted several community organizations promoting services to help lead healthy, balanced lives and connect folks to resources right here in Delaware. This event is in honor of National Suicide Prevention Month which is a month-long health observance celebrated each September. For more information on how you can get involved or help a person in crisis, visit Helpline.

Obesity Workgroup Learns about Delaware County Trails

In anticipation of future CHIP obesity prevention planning with an emphasis on physical activity, the CHIP Obesity Workgroup met in late September and Scott Sanders, Executive Director - Delaware County Regional Planning Commission educated the group on the Delaware County Trail Plan.

Scott led the group through the formation of the Delaware County Trail Committee in 2016, showed maps of existing trails and discussed the overall challenges in closing trail gaps—honoring local jurisdiction needs, juggling state and local regulations and getting local home owners on board.

Thinking about future strategies that help increase physical activity, the group discussed how promoting the trails through a social marketing campaign could become a future CHIP strategy – walking and physical activity campaigns have been shown to be evidence-based. The group also discussed completing trail usage counts and surveying residents on trail awareness and trail use to help boost physical activity on all Delaware County trails. You can find more on the Trail System Master Plan (still a work in progress in draft form) on the Delaware County Regional Planning Commission website

Complete Streets in Delaware City, Tech Assistance to Start Soon

Ted Miller, City of Delaware Parks and Natural Resources Director and DGHD’s Abbey Trimble discovered a Complete Streets policy for Delaware City was a perfect fit for the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan 2027, and as a strategy for the Delaware County Creating Healthy Communities grant 2017-2018.

Because Complete Streets policies improve street access for all, they also promote increased physical activity within communities, another perfect fit for CHIP obesity prevention in 2017. CHIP progress on this new strategy includes Abbey Trimble completing train-the-trainer Complete Streets coursework and the discovery of a MORPC grant for Complete Streets technical assistance. The City of Delaware applied for the grant, received their notice of award in August and the technical assistance for implementing a Complete Streets Policy in the City of Delaware will start soon.

Preservation Parks Adventure Mud Run Draws in 200 Participants

On the last Saturday in July, Preservation Parks of Delaware County hosted their first free family-friendly Adventure Mud Run and over 200 participants came out for the event held in Gallant Woods Park off Buttermilk Hill Road. The Health District and the Ohio Wesleyan University Cooking Matters Program helped support the event with 5321AlmostNone Bags, education handouts and water bottles, as well as funding and preparation of free healthy smoothies and yummy protein bites with recipes-to-go for all.

SourcePoint and Drug-Free Delaware are offering a free class starting in November for any adult 55 or older looking to learn how to stay healthy. To register call Jean Bednar at 740-369-6811 ext. 130 or email jean.bednar@rprdm.org.

Bowl for Kids Sake is a fundraiser for the Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS)
Program. BBBS is a partner in the Strengthening Families Initiative this
year. The funds raised from this event enables BBBS to positively impact
the lives of children through quality mentoring relationships, touching the
lives of children who are most at-risk, and inspire them to become
confident, competent and caring individuals in our community. For more
information, call 740-369-2447.

To learn more about The Partnership click here. If you wish to become involved, please contact Lori Kannally at 740-203-2029 or email at lkannally@delawarehealth.org.

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