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Welcome to April's edition of Health Link, where we're recognizing and celebrating the invaluable contributions of public health heroes! Last week was National Public Health Week, and April 7th was World Health Day. This year's theme, My Health, My Right, resonates deeply with the core principles of public health, emphasizing equitable access to healthcare for all. In light of World Health Day, we're spotlighting community partners who embody this theme by providing free and low-cost health services to everyone, uplifting health as a fundamental right rather than a privilege.
Additionally, we're covering Severe Weather Awareness Week, equipping you with vital information and actionable steps to make sure that you and your family are prepared for weather emergencies and stay safe if they occur.
We also want to highlight two important community events happening at the end of this month: Project Community Connect on April 25th and Community Conversations: Opioid Crisis in Steele County on April 30th. See below for more details!
Lastly, don't miss out on our monthly talk show, Health Talk, airing tomorrow, April 10th. Click the button below to tune into an important conversation about ongoing work in Steele County surrounding youth tobacco and vaping prevention and cessation!
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This month, we celebrate National Public Health Week, which has the theme Protecting, Connecting, & Thriving: We Are All Public Health. Given this theme, you may be asking yourself, how am I public health?
Public health is dedicated to keeping communities healthy and safe by preventing diseases, ensuring clean water and air, promoting healthy lifestyles, and making healthcare available to everyone. Whether you realize it or not, public health is affecting your life every day!
Public health professionals work with community members and partner agencies to gather data and identify specific health challenges in the community. Using methods backed by research, we create lasting effects in the community by changing policies, systems, and environments, building a community where everyone can live their healthiest life possible.
To find out more about how public health affects our world today, we invite you to watch the trailer for "The Invisible Shield." This documentary explains why public health is important, what it does, and what could happen if we don't support, appreciate, and understand it.
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This month, in line with the World Health Day theme, Steele County Public Health is spotlighting HealthFinders Collaborative, one of our partner agencies dedicated to providing free healthcare services to Steele County residents. HealthFinders is a nonprofit community health center offering comprehensive medical, dental, and behavioral health services in English and Spanish to underserved and uninsured families in Rice and Steele Counties. Additionally, HealthFinders employs Community Health Workers who work directly with clients to develop healthcare plans and address obstacles to healthy living, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and transportation barriers. All these services tie back to HealthFinders' belief that every person deserves access to affordable and high-quality healthcare, regardless of their income, race, or background.
The locations in Northfield (706 Division Street South) and Fairbault (1415 Town Square Lane) are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Meanwhile, the Owatonna location (134 Southview Street) is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, as well as Tuesday evenings from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Walk-ins are always welcome! For questions and appointments, feel free to contact HealthFinders by phone at (507) 323-8100, via email at Connect@HealthFindersMN.org, or by filling out the contact form on their website: https://www.HealthFindersMN.org/Contact.
To support and celebrate HealthFinders' efforts towards inclusive healthcare access for all, we invite you to attend the 2024 HealthFinders Gala on Saturday, April 27, at the Inn at Shattuck in Faribault. For more details, visit the gala website and follow HealthFinders on Facebook and Instagram (@HealthFindersMN).
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Another vital partner of Steele County Public Health and HealthFinders is the Center Clinic, a nonprofit organization focused on providing comprehensive healthcare services to teens and uninsured or underinsured individuals. These services, offered in English and Spanish, include STI testing, birth control options, family planning, medical care, mental health services, support groups, and educational resources. The Center Clinic aims to provide care in an open, non-judgmental, and holistic atmosphere that serves the healthcare needs of ALL, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, residency, or insurance status.
Operated mainly by volunteer medical professionals, the Center Clinic welcomes walk-ins and provides free and confidential services to teens. Healthcare services for adults are low-cost and confidential as well, with no insurance requirement. The Clinic does not refuse service to anyone unable to pay and can assist individuals in signing up for a waiver to cover all fees through the MN Family Planning Program.
The primary location in Dodge Center (14 West Main Street) is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and the Owatonna location (134 Southview Street) is open on Wednesdays from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. For more information, contact the Center Clinic at (507) 633-9200, via text at (507) 676-8857, by email at Contact@TheCenterClinic.org, or by filling out the contact form on their website: https://www.TheCenterClinic.org. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@TheCenterClinic) to stay informed!
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Severe weather can happen anytime, in any part of the country. Severe weather can include hazardous conditions produced by thunderstorms, including damaging winds, tornadoes, hail, flooding and flash flooding, and winter storms with freezing rain, sleet, snow, and strong winds.
To learn more about specific hazardous weather risks and how to prepare for them, visit these links:
Lastly, here a few ways you can take action now to prepare for a severe weather event:
1) Sign up to receive alerts about severe weather in Steele County through the Everbridge Citizen Alert Program.
2) Know the difference between a Watch (severe weather is possible) and a Warning (severe conditions have begun or will begin soon).
3) Create an emergency plan and practice it! For information on how to make a family emergency plan, visit this website: Ready.gov/Severe-Weather.
Be sure to follow the Steele County Facebook for daily posts with even more information about Severe Weather Awareness Week!
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Mark your calendars! Project Community Connect is on Thursday, April 25, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church (609 Lincoln Ave).
Over 30 Steele County service providers will be offering free information and resources for individuals and families. Enjoy complimentary lunch, haircuts, hygiene products, and more!
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 Community Conversations: Opioid Crisis in Steele County
Join us for Community Conversations on Tuesday, April 30, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Associated Church (800 Havana Rd).
Learn from public health experts, law enforcement officials, and treatment specialists as they present about Steele County's opioid crisis and the impactful work being done in treatment, education, and prevention for both youth and adults. Engage the panel during a Q&A session and enjoy complimentary refreshments!
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Steele County Public Health (SCPH) is dedicated to preventing disease, promoting wellness, and protecting the health of Steele County residents through a variety of services such as family health programs, immunization clinics, and home health care. SCPH also provides resources for radon and water testing, health education, and emergency preparedness to realize its vision of Healthy People in Healthy Communities. |
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