In Allegheny County, it is estimated that 10 percent of adults live with asthma. Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs and can cause symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. There is no cure for asthma, but it can be controlled with medication and avoiding certain triggers.

Risk factors for asthma vary and include tobacco smoke, air pollution, dust, animal dander, other allergens, family history, allergies, obesity, occupational exposure, and poverty.

The Allegheny County Asthma Control Project began last June to improve asthma outcomes for children using an evidence-based approaches to reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations for asthma, increase asthma self-management skills, and impact asthma policy. One component of the Allegheny County Asthma Control Project is to make referrals for families with children with asthma obtain clinical and indoor air quality education and may help patients find funding to remove asthma triggers in their homes.

Rebuilding Together (RBT) – Pittsburgh, a partner in the project – serves families through funding from the Department of Human Services to help with health and safety repairs that do not exceed $2,000. For larger repair requests, RTP connect clients to other funding sources such as URA programming and County Zero Interest Loan Program.

If you have a family that you would like to refer, please contact Dr. Jim Weeden at [email protected].

By Dave Zazac, ACHD Administration

To celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, I interviewed the Administrator of the ACHD Dental Program, Dr. Sandra Thompson. Here are some excerpts from our conversation.

Why did you want to be a dentist and what brought you to us in public health? I became a dentist because I was interested in medicine and liked working with my hands. Shortly after my dental school graduation, I was hired as a part time contract dentist for ACHD. I found public health more fulfilling than private practice because it focuses on prevention of cavities. Starting with visits to WIC & FCH, parents receive education on how to prevent cavities. We have former patients who are bringing their own children to our clinics because they remember having a positive experience.

What about your staff? I believe you couldn’t do without them. You are certainly correct about my staff. PA licenses Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners (PHDHP) who are experienced dental hygienists with additional training who can practice in a public health setting, under the general supervision rather than direct supervision of a dentist. ACHD is fortunate to have 3 PHDHPs: Charmaine Rahamut-Ali Smith, Elizabeth Franz and Kattrina Ehn. ACHD also has dental assistants, like Ethel Lynn Tolliver, who keep the clinics running smooth. In the past, they’ve helped coordinate the Fluoride Varnish and Dental Sealant programs. Lastly, ACHD has several contracted dentists that provide services beyond the scope of the PHDHP, not only in our clinics but in the school programs as well.

How can we all celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month?  In the past, we used social media to promote our clinics during February. Our clinics are now booked for months, but unfortunately have a high “no show” rate. We’re hoping our social media and website can be used in an educational effort about good dental health to decrease this rate by getting children and their parents to keep their scheduled dental appointments.

Every year during March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics focuses its efforts on encouraging everyone to make informed food choices and to develop healthier eating habits through the National Nutrition Month campaign.

This year’s theme, Celebrate a World of Flavors, embraces the global cultural variety of foods and highlights the role that registered dietitian nutritionists play in helping people reach their health and nutrition goals while promoting inclusivity and celebrating individuals’ cultural foods and heritage. They have a wide variety of resources about nutrition that are translated into many different languages available at the following web site: https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/toolkit.

We do our part in Allegheny County to participate in the National Nutrition Month campaign by promoting Live Well Allegheny. The county-wide initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of all Allegheny County residents. We recruit and encourage local participants (communities, schools, restaurants and workplaces) to increase their physical activity levels, consume healthier foods and take an overall proactive approach to health. We encourage all the municipalities, school districts, restaurants and workplaces in Allegheny County to Gain Live Well status and join us in making Allegheny County a healthy place to live.

Live Well Schools pledge to make their student population healthier by implementing healthy eating policies during the school day. Pittsburgh Public Schools, the second largest district in the state of Pennsylvania, and a Live Well Allegheny School, has taken the initiative to collaborate with the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council and to include the Good Food Purchasing Program in their five-year strategic plan. For more information, view this link.

Nationally, only one in four adults meet national standards for combined aerobic and muscle strengthening. Active People, Healthy Nation^SM is a national initiative led by the CDC to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

To reach this goal, communities can implement evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity. Active People, Healthy Nation^SM is focusing on the following strategies:

• Activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations
• Access to places for physical activity
• School and youth programs
• Community-wide campaigns
• Social supports
• Individual supports
• Prompts to encourage physical activity
• Equitable and Inclusive Access

Live Well Allegheny strives to provide resources on increasing physical activity in our communities. To find local resources near you, check out our Live Well Allegheny Partners. For more information on the Active People, Healthy Nation^SM Initiative visit their website, “like” CDC Eat Well Be Active on Facebook, or join the conversation on twitter @CDC_DNPAO.

The Good Food Purchasing Policy (GFFP) was created by the Center for Good Food Purchasing. This policy helps institutions prioritize healthy, sustainable, regional, and fair foods in their purchasing contracts. The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is working with Pittsburgh Public Schools and other community partners to create, promote and help implement a “Good Food Purchasing Policy” in the district.

The GFFP emphasizes five fundamental values:

• Nutrition
• Environmental Sustainability
• Regional economics
• Valued workforce
• Animal Welfare

The Center for Good Food Purchasing works with agencies and institutions to commit to using language that promotes these values in their food contracts by adopting a purchasing policy.

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education passed the Good Food Purchasing Policy for the district. PPS is the second largest school district in Pennsylvania and serves over 23,000 meals daily with a food service budget around $15 million, primarily funded by meal reimbursements through federal programs.

“Nationally, initiatives like the Good Food Purchasing Policy and Program are designed to strengthen regional food economies and protect communities, workers, and buyers from the types of food supply chain shocks that we are now seeing as a result of the pandemic,” said Sarah Buranskas, Project Manager, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council.

The GFFP Coalition includes Pittsburgh Public Schools, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, Pittsburgh parents, Center for Good Food Purchasing, Allegheny County Health Department (REACH), UPMC Children’s Hospital, Adagio Health, PPS Food Service Department, Imagine PPS, PPS Obama 6-8, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture and Humane Action Pittsburgh.

View the press release.

The Good Food Pittsburgh Coalition meets on the second Monday of each month from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Buranskas or Jennifer Giovanniello with any questions at [email protected] or [email protected].