Healthy Washington County, co-chaired by leaders at Meritus Health and the Washington County Health Department, has successfully partnered with the Collaboration for Healthier Lives, a key initiative of The Consumer Goods Forum, since September 2017, on a private-public project called “One For Good,” recently highlighted in a published report: https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/empowering-US-shoppers-to-make-healthier-choices-final.pdf

Aimed at supporting and empowering citizens to adopt healthier diets and lifestyles, program leaders selected Hagerstown/Washington County as the target region of the U.S. chapter’s pilot program. More than 50 planned events at retail and community locations have generated more than 30,000 interactions so far. Events have included healthy cooking demonstrations at the YMCA of Hagerstown, support during senior days at Walgreens and Walmart Wellness Days and healthy food sampling events at Martin’s.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis response team met weekly to allow retailers, manufacturers, health professionals and community representatives share updates on the needs of the community and make targeted donations to help meet those needs. Through the “One for Good” initiative, 200 thermometers, 5,000 gowns and 2,000 surgical masks were donated to Meritus Medical Center and several government organizations; 4,000 cloth masks were provided to local organizations; and shelf-stable food products for 3,500+ home-delivered meals were given to the community.

“It has been amazing to see these diverse groups working together to improve health,” says Allen Twigg, co-chair of Healthy Washington County and the executive director of behavioral and community health at Meritus Health. “The One for Good initiative helps us all make healthier choices each day … and we’re really just getting started!”

Going forward, the partnership is focused on supporting the Go for Bold initiative to lose one million community pounds by the year 2030. More information on Healthy Washington County and the Go For Bold initiative is available at healthywashingtoncounty.com.

Stay informed about the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and visit the page we have created dedicated to COVID-19 resources for the community

Coronavirus (COVID 19) Resources

Additional Resources and Updates can be found at:

• Washington County Health Department
• Maryland Department of Health
• CDC

Meritus has created an email COVID-19@MeritusHealth.com and phone number 301-790-9170 for questions about COVID-19 and has implemented some visitor restrictions.

Visit Meritus

Take the Survey

Suicide consistently ranks among the top ten causes of death in the United States, impacting people of all backgrounds. We believe that suicide can affect anyone, but that EVERYONE can be a part of the effort to prevent it. By taking the time to complete a short survey, you can help us assess our community’s knowledge about suicide and suicide prevention, identify barriers to those seeking help, reduce stigma, and empower community members with resources, information, and strategies to assist those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. This is part of the Healthy Washington County initiative.

Please complete the short survey and share the link with other in the community and encourage them to complete the survey too!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

 

Sign up for the 2020 Healthy Business Challenge!

The Washington County Health Department is collaborating with the Hagerstown YMCA, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and Meritus Health to host the 2020 Healthy Washington County Healthy Business Challenge. Healthy Washington County is the county’s local health improvement coalition and is open to any organization or individual interested in improving the health of the community. Our goal is to challenge all Washington County employers to implement initiatives to improve the health and well-being of their employees. Since employees spend much of their time at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to implement initiatives to improve the health of community members.

Businesses sign up for the challenge then track their activities from January 1 – June 30, 2020. Activities are divided into three categories: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Overall Wellness. All businesses achieving a minimum of 10 points per category will receive a Healthy Business designation. After the challenge, awards will be presented to those businesses achieving the highest number of points in each size category and that go above and beyond in creating a healthier business environment.

Learn more and register

A kickoff meeting will be held at the Washington County Health Department on Friday, November 22^ndat 8:00 am for businesses who have signed up or are interested in learning more about the challenge. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP to hannah.person@maryland.gov.

If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Person at hannah.person@maryland.gov or 240-313-3357.

 

Sign up for the 2020 Healthy Business Challenge!

The Washington County Health Department is collaborating with the Hagerstown YMCA, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and Meritus Health to host the 2020 Healthy Washington County Healthy Business Challenge. Healthy Washington County is the county’s local health improvement coalition and is open to any organization or individual interested in improving the health of the community. Our goal is to challenge all Washington County employers to implement initiatives to improve the health and well-being of their employees. Since employees spend much of their time at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to implement initiatives to improve the health of community members.

Businesses sign up for the challenge then track their activities from January 1 – June 30, 2020. Activities are divided into three categories: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Overall Wellness. All businesses achieving a minimum of 10 points per category will receive a Healthy Business designation. After the challenge, awards will be presented to those businesses achieving the highest number of points in each size category and that go above and beyond in creating a healthier business environment.

Learn more and register

According to CDC, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than 1 year old in which the cause was not obvious before investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area. Sudden unexpected infant deaths include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation in a sleeping environment, and other deaths from unknown causes.

A parent’s worst nightmare is for something bad to happen to their baby. The good news is that there are things parents and caregivers can do to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. Following the ABCs of Safe Sleep is a good way for caregivers to remember how to create a safe sleep environment for their babies:

• Alone – The safest way for babies to sleep is alone in their own bed and not sharing a bed or co-sleeping with their parents, other children, or animals. There should be no pillows, blankets, toys, clothing, sleep positioners, bumper pads, or other items in the baby’s sleep area.
• Back – Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs every time they are put to sleep! This is important for naps, nighttime sleep, sleep after feedings, and when other caregivers are putting the baby to sleep. A baby who normally sleeps on its back but is then placed on its stomach to sleep is at an especially high risk of SIDS.
• Crib – Babies should be placed to sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib. The mattress should only have a fitted sheet on it. Babies should never sleep in adult beds, on couches, or anywhere that is not a safety-approved crib or bassinet.

For additional ways on how to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths visit www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sids/conditioninfo/reduce

Since 2010, there have been 25 infants who died while sleeping in Washington County. 19 of those infants were not in safe sleep environments. Half of those babies were co-sleeping on the same surface as adults. In at least 75% of the cases in Washington County, one or both parents abused substances including opioids, alcohol, or marijuana. Using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs while pregnant or when taking care of a child can increase the risk of SUID. If you need help to stop smoking or to find treatment for substance abuse, contact the Washington County Health Department Division of Behavioral Health at 240-313-3310.

No one wants babies to die of SUID or SIDS. Many of these deaths can be prevented! How can you help? Parents and caregivers can follow the Safe Sleep guidelines to ensure their babies stay safe and tell babysitters and other caregivers how to put their babies to sleep safely. Pregnant women and new parents can join the health department’s Healthy Families program to learn positive parenting strategies; sign up by calling 240-313-3270. Everyone can share information about Safe Sleep with others and participate in the #SafeSleepSnap photo activity by sharing photos of babies in safe sleep environments on social media and tagging them with #SafeSleepSnap. Follow the Washington County Health Department on Facebook at https://facebook.com/WashHealth for tips on how to prevent SUID throughout the month of October.

To learn more about Safe Sleep, visit https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov.

This article was originally posted at https://washcohealth.org/october-is-sids-awareness-month/.