Welcome new members of Live Well Allegheny!

Congratulations to the Township of O’Hara and Shaler Township for committing to making Allegheny County the healthiest county in the nation! In May, we designated the townships as our newest Live Well Allegheny Communities. With the addition of these municipalities, we’re now up to 57 municipal governments which have committed to making health a top priority for their residents.

It is finally summer! As the days get longer and temperatures increase, opportunities for “living well” pop up all around the county. From bike trails to farmers’ markets, there are plenty of ways to stay active and eat healthy in the summer months. You can check out more local resources by searching our list of community partners here.

While summer is the perfect time to be active, it’s important to be safe and prevent injuries. Did you know that June is National Safety Month? Injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 40. Luckily, everyone can get involved to help prevent injuries. This June, we encourage you to learn more about important safety issues like preventing poisonings, transportation safety, and slips, trips, and falls. Live Well Allegheny encourages communities, workplaces, schools, restaurants, and individuals to identify and report safety hazards.

Do you have an event coming up? Please let us know so we can add it to the Live Well Allegheny event calendar. Contact Marie Fontelo ([email protected]) with details. Please check the partner resources page of the web site for additional resources.

Finally, the Health Department is on Facebook! Check out the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Facebook page here. Like us on Facebook to stay up to date on all the ACHD news.

Karen Hacker, MD, MPH
Director, Allegheny County Health Department

It is now easier than ever to sign up to become designated as a Live Well Allegheny Restaurant and Workplace! Restaurants and workplaces can commit to Live Well Allegheny through our new electronic commitment forms that take just minutes to complete. Fill out the new form here to be recognized with the other restaurants and workplaces working to build a healthier Allegheny County.

Are you working with kids who may be at risk of concussions? Contact our Live Well Allegheny staff about Concussion Wise Live Education program! Concussion Wise Live is an in-person education program that covers the four critical phases of concussion management: Prevention, Preparation, Response, and Recovery/Return to Play. Our Live Well Allegheny staff is trained to present this training to coaches and parents.

For more information contact Marie Fontelo at [email protected].

OpenStreetsPGH is back for the summer! Organized by Bike Pittsburgh, the 2018 series brings three free events, extended routes, and one brand new route. OpenStreetsPGH is a series of city-transforming events that invite Pittsburghers to reimagine streets as places for people. OpenStreetsPGH offers something for everyone from kids’ activities to fitness workshops.

The 2018 farmers’ market season has begun! As the farmers’ markets open, remember that you can use SNAP (Supplemental Food Assistance Nutrition Program), or food stamps at some of the markets in Allegheny County. Just Harvest’s Fresh Access program enables SNAP, or food stamp recipients to use their benefits to purchase fresh, locally-grown food. Through the Fresh Access program, SNAP users can also get Food Bucks. Food Bucks provide an additional $2 voucher to spend on fruits and vegetables for every $5 spent in SNAP. Fresh Access is available at 21 farmers’ markets throughout the county.

Planning on spending summer days riding your bike around town or on the trails? Check out Bike Pittsburgh’s educational videos on all things bikes! Watch the videos to ensure that you and your family are safe and prepared for all your biking adventures.

The Rite Aid Foundation is accepting letters of interest for their KidCents Regional Grant Program. Funding is available to nonprofit organizations that serve children in need, from newborn to 18 years of age, and improve the quality of life in Rite Aid communities. Nonprofits that are selected will receive between $15,000 and $30,000. The grants focus on three areas for improving the health and well-being of children: healthy eating, active living, and education. For the current cycle, projects may include out-of-school time programs that improve nutrition, physical fitness or academic success. Letters of interest are due June 22^nd.

The Allegheny County Home Visiting Network Get Ahead of Lead Seminar is being held on June 6^th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Monroeville. The seminar will impart invaluable knowledge, understanding, and resources related to childhood lead issues. Attendees will learn about the new Universal Blood Testing Regulation, the health impacts of lead in target populations, community resources that support safe and healthy environments, and lead remediation. Participants will learn how to talk with parents about difficult subjects and the importance of early intervention.

The American Lung Association hosts the LUNG FORCE Expo on June 7^th! This one-day event features expert presentations on lung cancer and other lung diseases. This event gives patients, caregivers and healthcare providers a chance to connect and learn ways to stay healthy.

Mark your calendars! Voucher distribution day for the 2018 Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is June 12^th! The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides $20 in vouchers to a limited number of qualifying, local adults over 60 years of age on a first-come-first-served basis. The vouchers are issued as four checks worth $5 each. The vouchers can be redeemed at local farmer’s markets for locally grown produce. Vouchers are redeemable through November. Click here to find a distribution site near you!

Registration is now open for the PA LGBTQA Health Conference! The conference is being held on June 12-13th at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry. The two-day conference will address LGBTQA health disparities based on emerging data.

Attention Live Well Allegheny Schools: the 3^rd annual Wellness4Schools Summer Symposium is on June 13^th at the CCAC Allegheny Campus!  The symposium is for teachers, school administrators, business managers, and school nurses. Learn how to integrate components of wellness into programs for students and staff. Get ideas about developing and funding wellness programs at your school. ACT 48 credit hours will be awarded.

Join the Sustainable Community Development Network (SCDN) on June 26th for the SCDN Forum: Equitable and Inclusionary Policies to Benefit All Communities. The forum, facilitated by Sustainable Pittsburgh and Local Government Academy will be an informative evening about the numerous advantages of fostering a diverse workforce and how communities can achieve success through inclusionary and equitable policies. The forum will host a group of regional experts who focus on issues of racial, gender, age, religious equity and more.  They will discuss how to assess your community development work as it relates to social equity and to create policies for your workforce and community that include goals and measurable outcomes. The forum will be held Tuesday, June 26th from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the City of Duquesne Municipal Building. Refreshments will be provided.

Join United Way’s fitUnited initiative and Live Well Allegheny Community, Borough of Homestead for a morning of painting, planting and cleaning up McLean Park! fitUnited hosts the 2018 Day of Action on June 16^th from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at McLean Park in Homestead. Sign up to volunteer and help create an updated play space for the community. Grab your friends and family, get involved and get your hands dirty!

Did you know that June is National Safety Month? Injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 40. The good news? Everyone can get involved to help prevent injuries. This June, we encourage you to learn more about important safety issues like preventing poisonings, transportation safety, and slips, trips, and falls. Make a difference this month by spreading the word about ways to reduce the risk of injuries. Live Well Allegheny encourages communities, workplaces, families, and individuals to identify and report safety hazards. Use the toolkit below for more ways to be involved in National Safety Month!

The Summer Food Service Program is starting soon! The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a national program of the USDA that provides free meals to kids in the summer months. SFSP ensures that low-income children receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Through the program, local sponsors like churches and community organizations provide meals and activities to children ages 18 and under. There are numerous summer food sites throughout Allegheny County. To find a site in your neighborhood, text FOOD to 877-877 or call 211 for the United Way hotline. You can also visit USDA’s website to find a site in your community.

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh is a free, two-day dental clinic for underserved people in Allegheny County. The clinic recruits local dental professionals and clinical and non-clinical volunteers to provide dental treatments. Treatments offered include, diagnoses, minor restorative fillings, extractions, and cleanings. All services at the clinic are free of charge. The 2018 clinic will be open Friday, June 29^th and Saturday, June 30^th at PPG Paints Arena. Doors open at 6:00 a.m., clinic opens at 7:00 a.m. No appointments or registration required. Treatment is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

In April, staff from the Allegheny County Health Department was part of the Allegheny County team that attended the 4th annual Step It Up!: Action Institute to Increase Walking and Walkability. The course, also known as the Walkability Action Institute, helps interdisciplinary teams develop and implement Walkability Action Plans that benefit their regions. The event highlighted the importance of active transportation, and developing systems that support opportunities for physical activity.

The Recess Advocacy Team is a group of organizations dedicated to health and wellness, education, and play with a focus on recess practices and policies in Pre-K through 6th grade in Allegheny County. To gather information on school recess practices throughout Allegheny County, the Recess Advocacy Team has created a brief survey for parents/guardians. Parents/guardians please complete one survey per child for children in 6th grade or under.

This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. Please find a variety of information that will be helpful to you in your efforts, and can also be shared within your own networks. As always, you can find a great deal of information on our website at: www.livewellallegheny.com including partner resources which are available here: https://livewellallegheny.com/about-us/live-well-allegheny-participants/partner-materials/.

We now have 57 communities, 14 school districts, 167 community partners, 42 restaurants, and 14 workplaces united in our efforts!