Welcome to the Health Promotion & Prevention Newsletter, released by Marion County's Health Promotion & Prevention Team! Each quarter we highlight selected programs, share information about events & resources, and share ways to increase the health of ourselves, our families, and our community. Together, we can connect to enhance the health of all communities in Marion County! Our hope is to increase communication with our many diverse partners, educators, parents, and communities.
What's in this Article: Table of Contents
Upcoming Trainings:
- June 1: Culturally Responsible Services for Youths of Color
- June 2: Returning from COVID: A Matter of Adjustment (Chemeketa)
- June 7: Preventing and Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities among LGBTQI2-S Youth and Adults
- June 6: Gardening for Mental Health (Chemeketa)
- June 7 & 14: The Ongoing Opioid Epidemic 2-Part Series
- June 8: Increasing Cultural Connection with Hispanic and Latino Clients
- June 10: Foundations to Support Future Prevention Policy Efforts
- June 15: Racial Disparities in Substance Use Prevention
- June 29 & July 28: The Nexus of Substance Misuse Prevention and Problem Gambling / Mental Health Promotion Series
Additional trainings can be found at:
Know of another organization that provides great trainings and want to share with our network? Let us know at MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
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June is UV Protection & Healthy Vision Month
Don’t forget to grab UV eye protection when you grab your sunscreen to head outside! Taking a few extra minutes to plan for sun exposure, water safety and remembering your limit when you are enjoying the sun can keep you having more fun and not leave you feeling burned. Click here for more information and tips to stay safe this summer!
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June 19: Juneteenth
Back in 1863 President Lincoln signed the 14th amendment which declared the end of slavery, however information traveled very slowly and it was not until June 19th, 1865 when the news reached Galveston, Texas and the last enslaved people were set free. June 19th then became a celebration of freedom and is often expressed as the true Independence Day, where all Americans were truly independent and free. Yet, this history was not acknowledged or taught which is why many did not know such celebration existed or its significance. In 2021, President Biden declared Juneteenth an official holiday recognizing the importance of this pivotal turn in our country and acknowledging the history that had been untold.
Things to do:
- Support Black Owned Businesses
- Attend Events Taking Place
- Educate a Neighbor
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June 27: Gilbert House Summer Block Party
Join the Gilbert House Summer Block Party from 10am-2pm. Enjoy a full day of activities as you learn about summer opportunities for your kids, play fun games, and take part in interactive demonstrations. Marion County Prevention will have a resource table too. Click here for more information!
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July 16: Race to Save the Harvest
The Race to Save the Harvest Fun Run is an event to raise funds for Salem Harvest, a local non-profit that gathers unused produce around Willamette Valley for hungry families. Join their modified in-person 3k or 5k run to help save the harvest in 2021. Click here for more information!
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August 19-21: Woodburn Fiesta Mexicana
Fiesta Mexicana in Woodburn is back! Fiesta history dates back to its first annual festivities which began in 1964 in the heart of downtown Woodburn in appreciation of farm worker workers and to celebrate the end of the harvest season. Click here for more information and a schedule of events!
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Katrina Mullins, Community Health Coalition Coordinator
Kat Mullins joined the prevention team in April. She has a Master’s in Public Health from Oregon State University. Her undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho is also in public health.
Before her time with Marion County, she was a coalition coordinator with Northwest Family Services in Portland, OR. There, her focus was substance misuse prevention among youth. Kat also worked at Mercy Corps Northwest providing support for incarcerated individuals as they as transition back to the community. Because of her professional and personal experiences, Kat is passionate about creating data-driven practices and interdisciplinary designs to empower, support and give voice to those vulnerable and marginalized. She is excited for this work and believes strongly in the role communities have in improving health outcomes.
As a long time Oregonian and lover of the great outdoors, Kat often spends time being adventurous in nature. She is also the full-time caretaker to 7 (yes, 7) houseplants that require her full attention.
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Silvia Arizmendi, Public Health Modernization Coordinator
Silvia Arizmendi joined the Prevention team in April. She recently graduated from Oregon State University in the Fall of 2021 with a degree in Public Health and an emphasis in Health Management and Policy.
Throughout her undergrad, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a local nursing home. She plans to continue her education by pursuing a degree as a Physician Assistant in the future. In the meantime, she has decided to take the opportunity to use her Public Health Degree and learn more in the field. She looks forward to really engaging with the community, working on addressing health inequities and getting the support and resources our community members need!
In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring hiking trails, and baking.
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We are excited that Silvia and Kat have joined our Health Promotion and Prevention Team!
Charlette Lumby, RN, CCRN has an Associates Nursing degree and National Critical Care Nursing Certification. She worked as an Intensive Care Unit RN at Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics for 14 years, until 2021. For the last 7 years she has also been the Trauma Injury Prevention Coordinator at Salem Health, where she fulfills a passion in providing education and resources to our community to promote healthy, safe living, and injury prevention. Among many other hats she wears, Charlette is also a member of the Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition and Marion County Substance Use Coalition. Charlette has received many awards throughout her career for Nursing Excellence, Practice and Teaching, and Recognition for Achieving Professional Excellence.
We are excited to have Charlette share her insights into injury prevention - including Salem Health's role in our community, successes, challenges, and takeaways for our readers.
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We would like to thank Charlette for her expertise! If you have questions for Charlette or want to nominate another expert to spotlight for our Fall 2022 Prevention Newsletter released in September, contact us at MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
Everyone working together can end homelessness! These are the parting words from the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance, an organization that brings individuals and agencies together to address homelessness across Marion & Polk counties. Recently, they have acquired multiple grants to grow, increase resources, and provide rapid-rehousing. The Alliance are great partners in our community and we are excited to share them as our community spotlight!
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Bridgeway Recovery Services opened Phase 1 of their new Bridgeway Recovery Plaza Monday, May 23rd in downtown Salem to better treat mental health, chemical dependency, and problem gambling. Within the next few years, Phase 2 (photo below) will build onto their campus a detox center and primary care clinic, bringing most of their services into one place. The goal: to increase access in downtown Salem where treatment for mental health and chemical dependency is "in full view" to reduce stigma of seeking help.
Michael, Scott, and Diana with the Prevention Team took a tour of their new facility. By using tranquil nature themes of forests and rivers, their new campus captures bringing gratitude and gratefulness to service. So far, clients have embraced the new location as warm, inviting, and enjoyable to visit. Below are a few photos:
Bridgeway Recovery Plaza, seen from their front entrance
 Inside Bridgeway Recovery Plaza, natural design elements of forests and rivers add a peaceful calm atmosphere for clients
 Left: River and Forest themes flow into group rooms; Right: Bridge plans to expand the Plaza's campus for extended services
Public Health Modernization in Oregon began in 2013 when it was passed by Oregon State Legislature. Modernization ensures basic public health protections for everyone with the goal of eliminating health inequities by 2030.
Built on 7 foundational capabilities and 4 foundational programs. The objective is to shift the way Public Health works by working more upstream and focusing on addressing the root problem of health inequities; such as institutional racism, discrimination, poverty, and social determinants of health.
This will be achieved by developing an emphasis on community partners, funding distributions used to address critical needs, and preventing/preparing before a health problem arises. It also ensures that Oregon’s public health system is well prepared and able to meet the needs of all its citizens.
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Mental Health in the Wake of Violent Events
We have witnessed much pain and death, from the massacre in Buffalo, to Orange County, to most recently, Uvalde, TX. These violent events can compound our anxieties. If you are feeling overwhelmed and are contemplating hurting yourself or know colleagues or students who are, we share the words of Nelba Márquez-Greene, LMFT, parent survivor of her child Anna Grace’s death (Sandy Hook):
“There is someone reading this and within my reach who is a short distance
from letting go. We live in a stew of horrible. I understand. I want to encourage
you to stay. Not because I can promise you better… but because not having
you here would make it worse.”
If you, or someone you know is in crisis, do not hesitate to reach out.
Call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK
More hotline resources can be found here: Hotline Resources - Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition (mvsuicideprevention.org)
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Join the next Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition Meeting
Join us for the next Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition Quarterly Meeting on July 19, 3 pm – 4:30 pm. Zoom meeting link: MVSPC Quarterly Meeting
This is an exciting time for us in the coalition because we’re looking at redefining what the goals and objectives of the coalition is and how best to serve our communities. We are inviting folks to participate in our Technology Needs Workgroup and Suicide Prevention Month Messaging Workgroup.
To learn more or join, please contact either:
Abby Warren, warren.abby@co.polk.or.us, or Scott Vu, svu@co.marion.or.us
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Mental Health Awareness Month Recap
Check out our Facebook page for a recap of May Mental Health Awareness activities. We will be listing out all the folks and organizations who gave their heart and time to bringing awareness that Mental Health is Health and should never be ignored.
The cool staff from Marion County District Attorney's Office Juvenile Division, showing they care, on May 25th on Center St.
June is national UV protection month and Healthy Vision month. Don’t forget to grab UV eye protection when you grab your sunscreen to head outside! Learn more about choosing sunglasses that will protect your eyes here. Living in the Pacific Northwest, we love to play outside, and stay connected to what makes Marion County special. Taking a few extra minutes to plan for sun exposure, water safety and remembering your limit when you are enjoying the sun can keep you having more fun and not leave you feeling burned.
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UV rays from the sun can cause DNA damage, leading to skin cancer and aging. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancer types and it is on the rise in past few decades. It is more than all other cancers combined with more than 5 million skin cancer cases diagnosed each year in the United States. Protect yourself and those you know from the risk of skin cancer by knowing your risk and protecting yourself from harmful UV exposure.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but be extra careful if you have natural blonde or red hair, have freckles, are fair skinned, spend a lot of time outdoors, have had skin cancer before, live in or travel to tropical climates or high altitudes, take medications that make you sensitive to light, have had a lot of sunburns and burn before tanning, have a condition that lowers your immune system, have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma, have a lot of moles or large or irregularly shaped moles (see www.cancer.org/moles).
Because kids tend to spend more time outdoors, they can be especially vulnerable to the sun and can burn easily. Babies younger than 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Grab your daypack with extra water to stay hydrated and following these tips from the Mayo Clinic to protect yourself from UV rays this summer:
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Wear protective clothing if you must be outside during peak sun hours. A rash guard at the pool, wide brimmed hat, or long sleeve shirt with long pants helps you avoid a burn and keep cool while outside. |
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Avoid sun exposure during peak hours (10am-2pm). Seek out the shade or indoor activities, as even cloud offer little protection from UV rays. |
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Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30+), even on cloudy days. Apply generously on all exposed skin, including lips, ears, hands, and neck. Reapply regularly, especially if sweating or getting in and out of the water. |
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Wear Sunglasses as UV radiation can burn your eyes, damaging the retina, lens, and cornea. Protect your eyes, don’t forget them! |
Algae Bloom Advisory, "When in Doubt, Stay Out"
As summer approaches, and more communities and recreational areas around the state begin reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reminds people heading outdoors to be on the look-out for cyanobacteria blooms that can produce toxins in Oregon lakes, rivers and, reservoirs.
Cyanobacteria are beneficial bacteria found worldwide in all freshwater. Under the right conditions—when weather, sunlight, water temperature, nutrients, and water chemistry are ideal—cyanobacteria can multiply into blooms in any water body. Many blooms are harmless, but some can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick.
Only a fraction of freshwater bodies in Oregon are monitored for cyanotoxins. Due to continued staffing and safety concerns related to COVID-19, OHA expects less frequent visual monitoring and sampling of affected water bodies than normal. For this reason, it will be even more important as more recreational areas open and the summer recreation season begins for people to visually observe any water body they choose to recreate in before taking the plunge.
OHA recommends that everyone stay out of water that looks foamy, scummy, thick (like pea-green or blue-green paint) or where brownish-red mats are present. If you are unsure, follow OHA’s guidance of “When in doubt, stay out.”
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Water Safety Tips for Parents
Remember water safety this summer when cooling off from the heat!
These basic tips come from Safekids.org where you can find more information and print up your own water watcher cards and remember, around pools and open bodies of water, give kids your undivided attention.
- Watch kids when they are in or around water keeping young kids within arms reach of an adult.
- Enroll children in swim lessons and teach them water survival skills.
- Install 4-sided fences around home pools.
- Teach children that swimming in open water is different from swimming in a swimming pool.
- Teach children to wear a US Coast guard-approved life jacket when boating.
- Learn what to do in an emergency without putting yourself at risk for drowning.
- Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills- you could save a life!
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Online Classes
The Red Cross has online water safety classes in English and in Spanish if you would like to find out more information about swim lessons and how to become a water safety ambassador online.
The becoming an ambassador for water safety course covers fundamentals of water safety, provides an orientation to Red Cross materials to teach water safety in a dryland, classroom-based setting and offers ideas on how to implement water safety education in your community. This online course is intended for teachers as well as adult and youth leaders in the community who are committed to sharing Red Cross resources to impact drowning rates, especially in places that are most at risk for drowning.
The water safety for parents and caregivers’ class is for developing awareness of the risks of drowning and how to minimize those risks, especially for young children. Teaches concepts of the circle of drowning prevention, water competency and the chain of drowning survival. Also provides guidance for applying water safety for common environments and situations where children are most at risk for drowning.
Both these classes are no cost. Drowning is the number one cause of preventable injury and death for children ages 0-4. You can take a safety step today to make those around you safer.
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Each year, the Oregon Health Authority hosts a statewide art contest for middle school aged students to raise awareness of problem gambling. 6 local winners are submitted to the state for consideration - and the results are in!
5 total Marion County winners have been selected as winners!
First Place Winner (tied): Lynsie Angelo of Sublimity
Top-12 Winners: Lily Braxton and Christopher Garcia Lopez of Salem, and Lorena Alverez of Mt. Angel and Kaleb Eder.
Honorable Mention: Noelle Miller of Salem
Winning artists will be getting a certificate and an Amazon Gift Card for their accomplishment. Congratulations to our winners, their "framed" artwork can be seen below. Our Health Promotion and Prevention Team is very proud! A special thank you to all 84 participating artists and teachers who help make this contest happen. We cannot do this without our wonderful teachers!
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Marijuana use during pregnancy can be harmful to a baby’s health and cause serious problems such as preterm birth and growth and development issues.
There is no amount of marijuana that has been proven safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Marijuana contains hundreds of chemicals, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), that pass through the placenta from mom to baby. This happens regardless of the form marijuana is consumed, including smoking, vaping, or eaten in food.
According to SAMHSA.gov, studies show that marijuana use during pregnancy may be harmful to a baby’s health and cause a variety of problems including:
- Fetal growth restriction
- A greater risk of stillbirth
- Preterm birth
- Low birth weight
- Long-term brain development issues affecting memory, learning and behavior
Marijuana use while breastfeeding may also harm the baby. THC and other chemicals can be passed through breast milk, increasing the baby’s risk for problems with brain development.
For more information visit: https://www.samhsa.gov/marijuana/marijuana-pregnancy
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The toolkit for Vive sin fumar, the Spanish-language tobacco prevention and cessation campaign, is now available for download. This valuable resource provides audience-specific social media messages, guides, downloadable graphics and videos to support Spanish-speaking Latino/a/x community members on their journey to quit tobacco. You can customize the messages and content as needed and share them within your network and with the audiences you want to reach.
The Vive sin fumar campaign was researched, created and produced entirely in Spanish to ensure that it reflects the cultural contexts and lived experiences of Spanish-speaking Latino/a/x people in Oregon. This culturally specific campaign was co-created with Latino/a/x community members in Oregon. The characters (student, mom, dad, grandmother and community leaders) are based on real stories shared with us. The themes of the campaign, which emphasize connection, community experiences, support and a sense of belonging, were informed by focus groups with Latino/a/x communities across the state — from Portland, Salem metro, Hermiston and surrounding areas.
The tools and information provided through the Vive sin fumar website are what communities told us they need most to support quitting and living a tobacco-free life. Like the Vive sin fumar website and campaign, the toolkit is available only in Spanish and reflects the cultural context and interests of the Latino/a/x community in Oregon.
A PDF version is also available for download.
For questions and suggestions regarding the use of the toolkit, please contact Rebecca Garza, rebecca.garza@dhsoha.state.or.us.
Thank you for helping share Vive sin fumar resources and information!
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Marion County Health Promotion & Prevention will be highlighting various programs and health topics to keep you connected to the most important Health Promotion Topics in Fall 2022. If there is a subject you would like covered, please let us know through the email below.
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