Health EducationTeens Against Tobacco Use: TATU's main goal is to help teens remain tobacco free. But teens also gain experience and skills that will help them in a wide range of adult activities. TATU concentrates on the following five components designed to prevent tobacco use: 1) Develop skills to teach younger children about tobacco use and become advocates for a tobacco-free community, 2) Understand and identify the positive aspects of being tobacco free and realize that the majority of teens and adults do NOT smoke, 3) Understand how tobacco advertising and promotions deceive youth, 4) Understand how getting hooked on tobacco destroys youth’s freedom and control over their personal lives, and 5) Develop self-confidence.Smoking Policies for Area Businesses: Through the Chronic Disease Prevention Program health educators work with area businesses to develop written policies about the use of tobacco on their property. This goal of this program is to protect both employees and customers from exposure to second hand smoke. Field Days: Health Educators and our Field Day Trailer are available for community events with an educational aspect to celebrate positive lifestyle choices and to encourage physical activity. Walking Clubs: Health Educators actively work with schools and community leaders to develop safe places for residents to walk. They also work with clubs who want to set goals and track progress on their path to physical fitness. Nutrition Works: A monthly education class is held at the Ava Community Center for people who are interested in learning to control their health through positive lifestyle choices. Guest speakers provide education and a grant from the Delta State Rural Development Network provides a healthy cooking demonstration and door prize. Child Care Health Consultation: Health consultation services are available to all child care providers in order to enhance child care health and safety practices. Topics are chosen based on health risks identified for Missourians. ATV Safety Education: Our purpose is to reduce intentional and unintentional injuries among infants, children, and adolescents in Missouri related to All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) accidents by raising awareness. Car Seats: Car seat is provided to Douglas County children less than 8 years old who do not have access to a car seat that meets safety standards for their age and size. Our purpose is to reduce intentional and unintentional injuries among infants, children, and adolescents related to motor vehicle accidents. Caregivers must complete a specialized training and demonstrate the ability to properly install the car seat. Project Lifeguard: We coordinate community partners in an effort to get Ava High School students to "buckle up" before leaving the school parking lot. Volunteers stand at the exits and hand out incentives donated by the community to students who are properly seat belted. Student Health Newsletter: Each month during the school year health educators prepare a newsletter specially designed for students K-8. Students at Ava Elementary, Ava Middle, Plainview, and Skyline Schools receive the newsletter. DCHD Newsletter: Each month DCHD staff compile education and current events to create our 7 page, full color newsletter. The newsletter is mailed to 338 homes. Health educators then distribute 601 of them to area businesses. To subscribe to the newsletter contact us at newsletter@dchd.org. |
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Copyright 2008 Douglas County Health Department |
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