Press Releases
Year
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Helps the Students of Carrie Busey Elementary School “CATCH” the Spirit of Good Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2012
Contact
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-2914
Wendy Starwalt, PE Teacher
Carrie Busey (217) 351-3811; (217) 898-6449
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Helps the Students of Carrie Busey Elementary School “CATCH” the Spirit of Good Health
Sustainable Events Promote Active Living
Champaign, IL – Carrie Busey Elementary School has partnered with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) to implement a Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH). CATCH is a multi-component initiative that promotes healthy behaviors in students and gives them the opportunity to practice them. CATCH emphasizes the need for a healthy lifestyle to improve both living and learning. CATCH has four core components – nutrition, physical activity, health education and family/community involvement. This is Carrie Busey’s fourth year implementing CATCH.
Each year, CATCH schools offer a family event to reinforce the CATCH philosophy. On Saturday, September 22, 2012 from 8:30-9:30 AM, Carrie Busey Elementary School will be kicking off this year with a CATCH celebration including a family 3K walk/run. The CATCH celebration will encourage the students and families at Carrie Busey to engage in physical activity by making physical activity FUN! Families will be able to participate in a variety of activities including yoga and Zumba®. The CATCH celebration is open to the community.
“CATCH is a fun, well-rounded effort that affords students the ability to excel through a series of consistent messages from a variety of sources,” said Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator of Health Promotions for CUPHD. “CATCH builds an alliance of children, parents, faculty, staff and community members to teach and model skills and behaviors associated with maintaining healthy lifestyles.”
For more information about CUPHD's programs and services, visit us on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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We Choose Health Grant Awarded to Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2012
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
We Choose Health Grant Awarded to Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
Community Transformation Initiative Focuses on Obesity and Tobacco Prevention, Healthier Children and Workforce to Address a Public Health Emergency
Champaign, IL –The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has been awarded a portion of the We Choose Health Community Transformation Grant. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is awarding $3.5 million to communities in 60 counties in Illinois and CUPHD will receive $211,922 for the first year. We Choose Health is a multi-year IDPH initiative to encourage and support obesity and tobacco prevention in Illinois communities. IDPH received a Community Transformation Grant (CTG) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with communities to implement proactive health programs.
“Smoking and obesity are threatening our community’s health and future. This is a public health emergency that must be addressed now,” said Julie A. Pryde, Administrator of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
According to the CDC, in the State of Illinois, 25-29 percent of individuals who selfreported their height and weight in 2009 were obese. Tobacco use, which is recognized as a significant risk factor in developing several chronic diseases, has increased in Champaign County from 17 percent in 2002 to almost 20 percent in 2009.
“It is important that we all work together, area organizations, schools, local health departments, municipalities and others, to improve the health of people in our communities,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck said. “I want to congratulate the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District on receiving one of 21 We Choose Health grants and encourage everyone in the community to get involved in the exciting new programs coming your way.”
CUPHD will work with multiple community partners to achieve the goals of the We Choose Health initiative. CUPHD and community partners will focus on three areas of change: Coordinated School Health; Smoke-free Communities for creating smoke-free public places and multi-unit housing; and Worksite Wellness.
Champaign Coordinated School Health will focus on making the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) universal throughout Champaign County Schools. This initiative is to reduce childhood obesity and will work in conjunction with CU Fit Families. The goal is to make Champaign-Urbana more fit through focus on better nutritional options and choices as well as increased options for safe physical activity.
Champaign Smoke-free Communities will focus initially on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and its over 43,000 students and 12,000 faculty and staff as they explore how to become a smoke-free campus. While coordinating with the U of I Wellness Center, the Champaign County Tobacco Prevention Coalition (CCTPC) will work with off-campus property owners to explore creating smoke-free housing options. CCTPC will also explore community readiness for non-campus smoke-free multi-unit housing options.
Champaign Worksite Wellness will focus initial efforts on government employees. City government staff in Champaign, Urbana, Rantoul, Mahomet, Savoy, Fisher, Tolono and Savoy, as well as employees of the Park Districts, CUPHD and Champaign County Government will be targeted to participate in the “Two Ton Challenge” to lose an accumulated 4,000 pounds by “Cutting Government Waist”. CUPHD will partner with Carle, Provena Covenant Medical Center and Health Alliance to expand the program. CUPHD will evaluate the organizations’ implementation of their own employee wellness programs and develop a program that can be implemented by smaller employers.
CUPHD and their Community Partners will begin the We Choose Health initiative in September 2012.
For additional information on the We Choose Health grant initiative, go to http://www.idph.state.il.us/wechoosehealth/index.htm and www.c-uphd.org.
Like CUPHD and Champaign County Prepares on facebook for the latest news, activities, resource information and much more.
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Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes from Southwest Indiana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2012
Contact
Sabrina L. Miller (312) 814-8194
Public Health Alert – Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes from Southwest Indiana
141 persons from 20 states affected; 17 cases in Illinois
CHICAGO –The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is alerting the public to an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to cantaloupes grown on one farm in southwestern Indiana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating in an ongoing multistate investigation to identify all possible sources of contamination and prevent additional cases of illness.
A total of 141 people in 20 states have been infected with Salmonella, associated with this outbreak, with illness onset dates ranging from July 7, 2012 to August 4, 2012. Among the 17 reported Illinois cases—representing 11 counties—eight people have been hospitalized.
CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are continuing to investigate, and as a result of the initial investigations, cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana is a likely source of this outbreak.
“Illinois consumers should check for and ask about the origin of recently purchased cantaloupe, and discard any cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana,” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “Anyone who becomes ill after eating cantaloupes grown in southwestern Indiana should seek medical attention immediately.”
Many cantaloupes have the growing area identified with a sticker on the fruit—if the sticker indicates the cantaloupe was grown in southwestern Indiana, discard it immediately. If no sticker is present, consumers should contact the store where they purchased cantaloupe to ask about its origin.
Signs and Symptoms
Most people infected with Salmonella bacteria develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, for some people, diarrhea may be so severe that the person requires hospitalization. Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to
Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/IDPH.Illinois or follow us on Twitter @IDPH. have a severe illness from Salmonella infection. Among these and other high-risk groups, Salmonella infection may spread and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.
Recommendations
IDPH recommends that consumers discard any recently purchased cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana, and to seek medical attention immediately if exhibiting any symptoms of Salmonella infection. Retailers and food service operators should not sell or serve cantaloupe from southwestern Indiana.
Additionally, the FDA recommends consumers routinely rinse raw produce such as fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting or cooking. Even if the produce will be peeled, it should still be washed first. Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel. Separate uncooked meats and poultry from vegetables, cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross contamination.
For more information on Salmonella and updates on the current investigation, visit http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-cantaloupe-08-12/index.html
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