Author: ACHD

About ACHD

Created in 1957, the Allegheny County Health Department is charged with protecting the environmental and public health of 1.2 million County residents through Pennsylvania Act 315 , the Local Health Administration Law.

University of Pittsburgh Designated as Live Well Allegheny Workplace

April 19, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that the University of Pittsburgh has committed to Live Well Allegheny by becoming a Live Well Allegheny Workplace. The announcement was made at the University of Pittsburgh’s MyHealth@Work Health and Wellness Center in celebration of the facility’s one-year anniversary.

“I’m thrilled to have the University of Pittsburgh join us in our effort to make our county healthier,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “It’s not surprising that the university is a good fit as a Live Well Allegheny Workplace with its focus on health, athletics, nutrition and so many other things that are the foundation to healthy living. I congratulate Chancellor Gallagher and all of the administration, faculty, staff and students on this designation and thank them for their involvement in the program.”

The University of Pittsburgh has committed to several action steps as part of its faculty and staff wellness program to be designated as a Live Well Allegheny Workplace.

“We are so excited to have the University of Pittsburgh join our Live Well Allegheny efforts” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director Allegheny County Health Department. “Our Live Well Allegheny Campaign continues to grow and we know that employers play a significant role in promoting the health of their employees. It is organizations like the University of Pittsburgh that can make a real difference in the health of our county’s population by providing opportunities, incentives, and support for employee health improving activities.”

In the spirit of the University of Pittsburgh’s initiatives, the MyHealth@Work for the University of Pittsburgh Health and Wellness Center was created to provide free medical services, treating both acute and chronic conditions, for University faculty and staff regardless of insurance coverage. In addition to opening the MyHealth@Work Health and Wellness Center, the leadership has committed to faculty and staff wellness by hiring two staff positions, including a Wellness Specialist and part-time onsite Health Coach. The Wellness Specialist assists with the development of a wellness committee and creates recommendations for wellness initiatives appropriate to University faculty and staff. Currently, the University offers free health coaching in five lifestyle programs (weight management, nutrition, tobacco cessation, physical activity, and stress management). Learn more about the programs offered by visiting www.hr.pitt.edu/wellness.

“The University has top-down support for its wellness efforts. We have a responsibility to take advantage of the world-class expertise on campus, UPMC Health Plan’s experience, and the University community’s enthusiasm for the programs,” said John Kozar, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Human Resources. Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Cheryl Johnson added, “At the University, we are cultivating a wellness culture, which will provide additional incentives for all of us to become more involved in making healthy lifestyle choices.”

The University of Pittsburgh has been long committed to free preventative services and offers incentives to faculty and staff for participation in health improvement activities, including biometric screenings and preventative physical exams as well as completing an online health risk assessment.

The University also developed the Healthy Lifestyle Institute under the direction of Dr. John Jakicic, Distinguished Professor of Health and Physical Activity, which aims to improve community health by examining how biological factors like genetics can influence lifestyle behaviors, and how those factors impact chronic diseases and negative health outcomes, and translating evidence-based initiatives to programs focused on healthy lifestyle practices that target the University of Pittsburgh faculty, staff, and students are a key component of this initiative.

Participants in the Live Well Allegheny campaign work with Health Department’s staff. While monetary resources are not part of the initiative, participating workplaces can receive materials, information and collateral items to promote the campaign and their individual efforts to live well.

Live Well Allegheny was launched in January 2014 by County Executive Fitzgerald as a comprehensive, innovative strategy on wellness that embraces a broad concept of living well to include physical health, mental wellness, personal and community safety, prevention and preparedness, and much more. The effort is being led by the Board of Health and Health Department Director Dr. Karen Hacker.

Live Well Allegheny Welcomes Four Municipalities, Phipps Conservatory

April 11, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that the Borough of Bellevue, Borough of Sharpsburg, Borough of East McKeesport, and the City of Duquesne were designated as Live Well Allegheny Communities and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is the newest Live Well Allegheny Workplace.

“I’m thrilled to see the Live Well Allegheny program continue to grow and expand,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “With today’s announcement, we now have 41 municipalities, 10 school districts, 35 restaurants – some having multiple locations, and 10 workplaces all committed to working together to improve the health and wellness of county residents. What’s even more excited is that we have room to welcome even more and encourage residents to learn more about the initiative.”

The Borough of Bellevue committed to action steps intended to improve the health of residents including promotion of wellness campaign events to employees and residents, developing indoor and outdoor wellness trails that are accessible to residents of all abilities and to offer incentives for employees who walk or bike to work. In addition, Bellevue will promote healthier options in vending machines with nutrient content listed and promote smoke-free building and perimeters.

“It is so exciting to see more and more communities and workplaces join our Live Well Allegheny effort,” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “We are committed to engaging all 130 municipalities in this effort and we are well on our way. With this announcement, we have 41 Live Well Allegheny Communities. These efforts to surround citizens with healthy options can make a big difference in the health of our County.”

The Borough of Sharpsburg committed to several action steps in order to become designated as a Live Well Allegheny Community. The municipality will promote participation of employees and residents in wellness campaign events and activities. Sharpsburg is committed to multi-modal transportation for residents by providing facilities or adopting policies that encourage walking and bicycling. In addition, the community will disseminate health information about physical activity, nutrition, and smoking cessation using websites and social media and support local farmers’ markets and smoke-free spaces.

The Borough of East McKeesport has been designated as a Live Well Allegheny Community for committing to the health of residents. The community will utilize social media tools as a way of communicating health messages and promote participation in wellness events. East McKeesport intends in developing walking maps as well as indoor and outdoor wellness trails, which are accessible to residents of all abilities. The borough will provide employees incentives to walk or bike to work as a way to promote multimodal transportation and also host an OpenStreets event on June 3^rd, 11am-2pm. The community will support farmers’ markets and work with vending machine companies to add healthy food options. Smoke-free environments are a priority for the borough as well.

The City of Duquesne joins the Live Well Allegheny campaign by committing to partner with the Steel Valley Trail Council to promote the use of the trail by city residents as well as apply for funding to improve pedestrian and bicyclist access to the trail system. Duquesne will also promote and support farmers’ markets by partnering with the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and promote smoke-free buildings, playgrounds and perimeters.

The newest Live Well Allegheny Workplace, Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, PA) has already implemented many of the goals of the campaign as part of a workplace wellness program that started in 2013. Its mission is to provide opportunities for employees to engage in physical activity, attend educational classes on health and wellness and to access information on health and wellness during the work day. As part of its commitment, Phipps will expand their employee wellness program including the addition of on-site yoga and employee fitness center, expand programs which work within local communities such as Homegrown and Let’s Move Pittsburgh, Map a safe walking route starting and ending from the workplace or in vicinity and set up a walking group mid-day.

American Heart Association, Allegheny County Team Up to Build Culture of Health

March 14, 2017

Challenge: BP Aims to Raise Awareness and Lower Blood Pressure of Residents

PITTSBURGH – The American Heart Association (AHA) and Allegheny County, through its Live Well Allegheny initiative, have partnered to present Challenge: BP, an effort designed to encourage communities, organizations and workplaces to help control high blood pressure of county residents.

“We are recruiting and working with workplaces and community based organizations to provide them with evidence-based tools and resources to empower their employees and members to take control of their blood pressure. This community-wide challenge builds the idea that we are all in this together, and that we can achieve our goals together as a community,” said Deb Banks, Executive Director of the American Heart Association, Greater Pittsburgh Region. “We are encouraging communities, organizations and workplaces to take on this challenge to live healthier, and managing your blood pressure is a good first step.”

Nearly 80 million adults have high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension). HBP has no symptoms and is often referred to as the silent killer. High blood pressure is one the leading risk factors of cardiovascular disease and stroke. In Allegheny County, the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease is higher than the state and national average.

“When we launched Live Well Allegheny, it was with the idea that our stakeholders and partners could help shape and guide the efforts that we were undertaking through their own interests and expertise. That is certainly the case with this partnership with the American Heart Association,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “Working cooperatively with the AHA and all of our stakeholders, partners, communities, schools and workplaces to talk about the need to be aware of high blood pressure and the steps that we can all take to reduce that risk is an important part of a healthy community.”

The goal of Challenge: BP is to empower participants to take ownership of their cardiovascular health, and to lower blood pressure by 10 points on average as a community.

“We know that hypertension is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Some of our communities are disproportionately impacted,” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “This collaborative effort with the AHA will encourage communities and workplaces to participate in improving the culture of health. It’s the hallmark of the Live Well Allegheny campaign.”

According the American Heart Association, a normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. While there is no cure for HBP, using medication as prescribed and making positive lifestyle changes can help enhance your quality of life and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and more.

Companies already participating in the inaugural year include Gateway Health who will be offering blood pressure management programs to their members; and Giant Eagle/Market District pharmacy locations, where you can take part in their blood pressure management programs. Other workplaces engaged in this challenge so far are CCAC, MARC USA, Teletech, Veteran Leadership Program of Western PA, all of which will be offering blood pressure management programs to their employees.

Workplaces and community organizations can sign up free of charge to participate in Challenge: BP until March 31, 2017. This challenge period is from March through November 30, 2017. A new cycle will start in 2018. The American Heart Association will provide free tools and resources to assist your group with the challenge. Participating entities will be recognized at the end of the program, and they will be able to nominate an outstanding member who made significant changes in their lifestyle to improve their health.

For more information on Challenge: BP, visit www.heart.org/Pittsburgh or the Challenge: BP page. To register your organization or workplace, email the American Heart Association at ChallengeBP@heart.org.

Follow the conversation and stay connected using #challengeBP, #AHAPGH and #howdoyoulivewell

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About the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association:

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
444 Liberty Avenue │ Suite 1300 │ Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-208-3550

Steel Valley School District, Seven Mon Valley Communities Commit to Live Well Allegheny

February 28, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that the Steel Valley School District is the latest school district to be designated as a Live Well Allegheny School and that the Township of Elizabeth, Borough of Glassport, City of McKeesport, Borough of Munhall, Borough of Port Vue, Borough of West Homestead and Borough of Whitaker are the newest Live Well Allegheny Communities.

“This is exciting news,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “These communities have always been known for their willingness and ability to work together to benefit their residents, and I have no doubt that their involvement with the Live Well Allegheny campaign will help those Mon Valley communities, and their citizens.”

The Steel Valley School District passed a board resolution committing to Live Well Allegheny and has pledged to make a commitment to a comprehensive healthy schools program, offer fresh fruits and vegetables at all meals and provide 2% milk instead of whole milk, utilize web sites and social media to provide information on physical activity, nutrition, stress management tobacco cessation and other health and wellness initiatives, and promote drinking water.

Four of the Mon Valley communities are part of County Council District 9. The Township of Elizabeth, Borough of Glassport, Borough of Munhall and Borough of Port Vue are all encouraging participation in voluntary wellness campaigns for employees and residents, promoting smoke free buildings and perimeters and develop walking maps and outdoor wellness trails that are available to residents. Elizabeth Township recently was also awarded silver certification as part of the Sustainable Community Development Network.

“We are excited to welcome our new school and community partners to the Live Well family” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “It is very rewarding to see the continuing momentum we have in our efforts to build healthier communities and improve the opportunities for our residents”

Part of County Council District 11, the City of McKeesport will promote recreational programming that encourages physical activity, designation of smoke-free children’s play areas in partnership with Tobacco Free Allegheny, further development of the William Lickert Jr. Memorial Walking Trail in Renziehausen Park, and utilization of the city’s web site and social media to increase awareness of wellness opportunities offered. The Borough of West Homestead has committed to sharing wellness information, developing walking maps, encouraging multi-modal transportation, promoting farmers’ markets, promoting smoke free buildings and perimeters, and utilizing web sites and social media to provide wellness information.

In County Council District 8, the Borough of Whitaker committed to share wellness information with residents, encourage involvement with community and volunteer activities and to promote smoke-free buildings and perimeters.

The communities are also in the footprint for participation in the Live Well Allegheny Mon Valley Initiative that is supported with funding from the Jefferson Regional Foundation. Its key objectives include increasing the number of people with access to smoke-free and tobacco-free environments, healthy food and beverage options, and physical activity opportunities. Partners include the Allegheny Health Network, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, the Steel Valley Council of Governments, the Human Services Center Corporation, Tobacco Free Allegheny, Just Harvest, Allegheny County Economic Development and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Live Well Allegheny was launched by the County Executive in January 2014 as a comprehensive, innovative strategy on wellness that embraces a broad concept of living well to include physical health, mental wellness, personal and community safety, prevention and preparedness, and much more. The effort is being led by the Board of Health and Dr. Karen Hacker.

Newest Live Well Allegheny Restaurants Announced

February 14, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that four more restaurants have received the Live Well Allegheny Restaurant designation. They are:

Spirit Restaurant, 242 51^st Street, Pittsburgh 15201
Apollo Café, 429 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15219
Tender Bar + Kitchen, 4300 Butler Street, Pittsburgh 15201
Shab’s Grill, 339 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh 15222

Each of the restaurants has indicated the intent to work with the county to accomplish the goals of the Live Well Allegheny campaign, and has outlined the steps the facility intends to take. At a minimum, the leadership at each establishment has committed to eliminated trans-fat oils, being smoke-free, and not selling tobacco products. Each has also committed to four additional action steps that are responsible business practices, and will provide healthy options for patrons. Finally, each has also received various designations as part of the Sustainable Restaurant Program. To learn what each restaurant is doing to “live well,” visit the Live Well Restaurants page.

“We are glad to welcome these restaurants into the Live Well Allegheny family. They are providing great healthy options for the residents of our county” said Director Dr. Karen Hacker.

Township of Pine and Four Employers Commit to Live Well Allegheny

January 19, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that the Township of Pine is the latest community to be designated as a Live Well Allegheny Community and Adagio Health, Babb, Inc., No Crayon Left Behind, and the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania are the newest Live Well Allegheny Workplaces.

The Township of Pine committed to action steps intended to improve the health of residents. Information about wellness events and volunteer activities are shared with the community to encourage the voluntary participation of residents. The community also promotes smoke-free buildings and perimeters. The Township of Pine will encourage physical activity by developing wellness facilities and programs accessible to all residents of all abilities and creating walking maps that measure the distance and encourage residents to meet goals and will encourage multi-modal transportation of residents by providing facilities or policies that encourage walking and bike riding.

Adagio Health (Pittsburgh, PA) committed to the following action steps to be designated as a Live Well Workplace: providing healthy food options during company meetings and functions including fruits and vegetables as well as gluten-free options, offering vending machines with healthy food options and water coolers are accessible on every floor of the office. Adagio Health is a tobacco, smoke-free environment and offers smoking cessation programs through their employee benefits program. The organization is also a proponent of breast feeding and they allow employees to pump at work in designated, private areas. Employees are offered comprehensive and affordable health insurance, which includes free dental and eye coverage, and all preventative co-pays are free. They also encourage employees to use the well-lit stairwells instead of elevators.

Babb, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) has been designated as a Live Well Workplace by committing the several action steps including strong leadership support, the company offers a robust wellness program for employees such as annual health risk assessments, weigh-ins, condition management programs, and biometric screenings. The office is equipped with a relaxation room with monthly chair massages, an on-site fitness center, and healthy snacks provided through the SnakWell Initiative. Babb, Inc. is developing a safe walking routes map for employees, encourages the use of stairs through visible prompts, and offers a membership to a local spinning/yoga studio. The company provides comprehensive health insurance with vision and dental care as well as employee flex hours for wellness activities. The organization also provides opportunities for financial wellness, tuition reimbursement for continuing education credits, and the Babb Gives Back program to support the Northside community.

No Crayon Left Behind (Sewickley, PA) has already implemented many of the goals of the campaign including provide a water dispenser for hot and cold water that is available to employees. The workplace also encourages the use standing desks, provides a communal fridge stocked with fresh vegetables, fruits, and cheeses that is for everyone at the office. In addition, the organization will bring in big batches of salad to keep in the fridge for employees to eat during the week. Walking meetings are used both as physical activity and stress relief. Employees are also encouraged to take breaks for stretching during the work day. Additionally, the workplace intends to begin yoga classes twice a month for all employees at a local yoga studio. The organization also aims to participate and sponsor fun-runs or team building physical activities hosted by the Borough of Sewickley. Lastly, No Crayon Left Behind intends on providing the office with a HappyLight to help employees that suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA (Pittsburgh, PA) The organization promotes physical activity by hosting yoga once a week in the office, encouraging staff to walk campus during lunch breaks, and encouraging participation in active events such as the Crucible and 335 Miles for Veterans. The Maintain Not Gain program during the holidays provides an opportunity for weekly weigh-ins and trading healthy recipes on an office message board. Monthly seminars on health topics such as stress management are held after staff meetings. In addition, the workplace is equipped with a kitchen for staff to bring in healthy lunch options and often staff will share items from their garden. Healthy choices, including several vegetarian and vegan options, are provided at company functions. Lastly, the organization offers a comprehensive healthcare plan with dental and vision coverage at a low cost to employees.

Live Well Allegheny was launched in January 2014 as a comprehensive, innovative strategy on wellness that embraces a broad concept of living well to include physical health, mental wellness, personal and community safety, prevention and preparedness, and much more. The effort is being led by the Board of Health and Health Department Director Dr. Karen Hacker.

Shaler Area School District Designated as Newest Live Well Allegheny School

January 17, 2017

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that the Shaler Area School District is the latest school district to receive designation as a Live Well Allegheny School. The announcement was made during the district’s professional development day in front of all staff and employees. The district’s participation raises the number of school districts participating in Live Well Allegheny to nine.

“We’re thrilled to have another district join us in our efforts to become the healthiest county,” said County Executive Fitzgerald. “Schools play an important part in this effort because they not only can exhibit healthy actions, but can also teach them to our youth, making health decisions something that they do each day without thought.”

Shaler Area School District hosted a professional development day at Shaler Area High School for all 300 employees and staff including a wellness fair with 10 different vendors and a cooking demonstration provided by the food service provider.

“Live Well Allegheny is about surrounding Allegheny County residents with healthy choices and that means healthy options at school, at work and in local communities,” said ACHD Director Dr. Karen Hacker. “I am so pleased that the Shaler Area School District is extending their commitment to Live Well Allegheny to improving the health of students, staff and also their community.”

“I am glad that Shaler Area School District is taking the leadership to be designated as the first Live Well School in District 3,” said Council Member Kress. “By taking advantage of the resources offered by Live Well Allegheny they are taking steps to improve the health of staff and students.”

To be designated as a Live Well Allegheny School, Shaler Area School District has already taken many steps to support the health and wellness of its students and employees. They have committed to the following additional steps as part of their commitment:

Encouraging staff wellness by providing a healthy cooking demonstration for staff, kicking off a 10,000 step challenge for all staff and conducting an employee wellness fair.
Improving student wellness by encouraging healthy food snacks during class parties and reducing food waste through nutrition improvement efforts in the cafeterias.
Focusing on community wellness by providing access to athletic fields and tracks during non-school hours to the community, hosting a community event to bring awareness about the prescription opioid epidemic and hosting a 5K race/walk for the community as a fundraising event for the Shaler Area Education Fund.

“Shaler Area School District is honored to be recognized as a Live Well Allegheny school district. We believe there is a strong connection between a healthy body and a healthy mind, and we are committed to creating and promoting a culture of wellness across our district,” said Superintendent Sean Aiken.

Students and employees in the Live Well Allegheny campaign work with Health Department’s staff. While monetary resources are not part of the initiative, participating workplaces can receive materials, information and collateral items to promote the campaign and their individual efforts to live well.

Propel Schools Receives Live Well Allegheny School Designation

December 16, 2016

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced Propel Schools, a not for profit organization, as the newest Live Well Allegheny School. Dr. Tina Chekan, Superintendent/CEO at Propel Schools, accepted the designation for all eleven schools and two additional set to open in the Fall of 2017 in Allegheny County.

“We are excited to see so many schools and organizations taking on the challenge to help us become the healthiest county by being designated as part of the Live Well Allegheny campaign and then taking that message to their students, residents, members, partners and more,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “It is only through such thoughtful, collaborative efforts that we can make real progress. We’re excited to have Propel Schools on board and look forward to seeing their students, faculty and staff becoming healthier with all of us.”

Propel Schools hosted a school assembly with Sterlen Barr at Propel Homestead called “Fun, Food and Fitness” about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices. This program teaches kids the importance of healthy food and fitness in a fun and engaging way.

“Schools can play a significant role in promoting health for their students, whether it is enhancing healthy food options, increasing opportunities for physical activity or providing education on a variety of health behaviors” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “I commend Propel Schools for addressing all of these areas and joining the Live Well Allegheny campaign. They are finding fun and interactive ways to promote health in their schools.”

To be designated as a Live Well Allegheny School, Propel Schools has committed to the following action steps to support the health and wellness of its students and employees:

Increased physical education to include 7 physical activities.
Preferred meals meet USDA’s Healthier US Schools Challenge Silver level for nutritional requirements.
Preferred meals never contain aspartame, saccharin, bleached or bromated flour.
Every Preferred Meals is free from certain artificial colors and flavors, MSG, bromated vegetable oils, high fructose and corn syrup.100% of all grain produce are whole grain.
Milk provided by Preferred Meal is rBST hormone-free.
Plant and harvest from their own garden in one location (Homestead).
Wellness program for students including dating violence, grief awareness and general teen wellness.

Superintendent/CEO, Dr. Tina Chekan, is spearheading the effort, with plans to emphasize the importance of the family dinner, nutrition and exercise to all constituencies. “Experiencing wellness is necessary for our students to be able to learn and grow academically. As Propel focuses on redefining school and defying expectations, we want our students and their families to know more about how to fuel learning through healthy eating and active lifestyles.”

Fuel & Fuddle and Square Cafe are Newest Live Well Allegheny Restaurants!

December 8, 2016

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced that two restaurants, both in the City of Pittsburgh, are the latest restaurants to receive the Live Well Allegheny designation.

The two new Live Well Allegheny Restaurants are:

Fuel and Fuddle, 212 Oakland Avenue, Pittsburgh (Oakland neighborhood)
Square Café, 1137 South Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh (Regent Square neighborhood)

Both restaurants have also received designations as part of the Sustainable Pittsburgh Program, as well as having indicated the intent to work with the county to accomplish the goals of the campaign. Specifically, Fuel and Fuddle and Square Café have committed to offer and promote menu items that are low in calories, vegetarian/ vegan fare, healthy side dishes including fruits and vegetables and healthier beverage options.

Both restaurants offer brown rice and other whole grains as an alternative to white rice and white bread and will use plant-based oils for cooking and baking, provide healthier beverage options. The children’s menu they provide will adhere to the Kids Live Well criteria as established by the National Restaurant Association. Square Café has also committed to offer half portions, provide low calorie salad dressings and offer low fat or skim milk. Both restaurants provide a location to store bicycles at or near their location.

“We are happy to add additional healthy dining options to Live Well Allegheny”. said Health Department Director Dr. Karen Hacker. “More restaurants are coming on board offering customers healthier options and we hope that the public will take advantage of them.”

Learn more about Live Well Allegheny Restaurants.

Eat’n Park, Hello Bistro Designated as Newest Live Well Allegheny Restaurants

December 5, 2016

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) today announced Eat’n Park Restaurants and Hello Bistro, subsidiary establishments under the parent company Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, are the newest Live Well Allegheny Restaurants. Jeff Broadhurst, President and CEO at Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Inc., accepted the designation for both establishments at Eat’n Park Hospitality Group’s corporate office in Homestead, PA.

“Eat’n Park has been a part of our region since 1949. Having its leadership, both with the Eat’n Park restaurants and Hello Bistro, commit to being part of the Live Well Allegheny campaign is a significant step,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “We are grateful to have so many corporate, municipal, school and other partners join us in working towards making Allegheny County a healthier county.”

Participants in the Live Well Allegheny campaign work with Health Department’s staff. While monetary resources are not part of the initiative, participating restaurants can receive materials, information and collateral items to promote the campaign and their individual efforts to live well.

“I am pleased to recognize the steps taken by Eat’n Park Hospitality Group to offer healthy options to their customers,” said Dr. Karen Hacker, Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. “This commitment greatly expands the reach of Live Well Allegheny Restaurants to many Allegheny County communities and residents.”

To achieve Live Well Allegheny status, restaurants must commit to eliminating trans-fat oils, be smoke free, not sell tobacco products, and commit to additional action steps. Eat’n Park Restaurants and Hello Bistro have met these criteria and also provide the following:

Eat’n Park:

low calorie menu items and side dishes designated as Eat’n Smart, as well as low-calorie dressing options.
half or smaller portions on select entrees.
vegetarian options on their Soup, Salad and Fruit Bar and a vegetarian hamburger option.
bike racks when possible.

Hello Bistro:

vegetarian/vegan options through their Build Your Own Salad and a vegetarian hamburger alternative.
Low-calorie dressing options for all salads.
Options for low-calorie entrees or sides across menu categories.

“Health and wellness has always been an important part of our culture at Eat’n Park Hospitality Group,” said Jeff Broadhurst, President and CEO of Eat’n Park Hospitality Group. “We’re proud to do what we can to help make Allegheny County a healthier region.”