Press Releases
Year
Kids are Encouraged to Participate in Parents’ Daily Work Activities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2021
Contact
Patricia Robinson, Director Of Human Resources
(217) 531-4257 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Kids are Encouraged to Participate in Parents’ Daily Work Activities
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Participates in the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Program
Champaign, IL – On April 28, 2011, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
(CUPHD) will participate in a national public education program, Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work®. This year’s theme is “Invent the Future”. According to the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation, more than 35 million youth and adults participate at over 3 million workplaces each year.
This will be the seventh year for CUPHD to participate in this interactive program. Over 20 children, ranging in age from 4-16, will join their CUPHD parents at work to participate in this annual event. The day will begin with a healthy breakfast and an agency tour with the Administrator, Julie Pryde. In addition to a “business lunch”, the group will participate in activities including hand washing, Petri dish experiments, dental health, physical activity, and gardening.
In addition to the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® program, April 28th is the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. This is the first comprehensive regional activity to increase awareness among citizens of the actual threat of a severe earthquake in our area. The drill will take place at 10:15 AM and will be incorporated into the kids’ day of activities.
“The day will be focused on wellness activities that will teach fun ways to fit daily exercise and nutrition into their routine. Our group will also participate in the 10:15 AM regionwide Great Central U.S. ShakeOut’s “Drop, Cover and Hold On” program to increase awareness of the threat of a severe earthquake in our part of the Midwest,” said Patricia Robinson, Director of Human Resources.
The Ms. Foundation for Women launched Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® 18 years ago in 1993, to allow parents to share their work lives with their children, specifically with their daughters, and to stimulate discussion about the challenges of finding meaningful work while also dedicating time to address the needs of both family and community. In 2003, the program expanded to include boys in its’ learning activities. The program not only encourages daughters and sons to participate in the Day but also grandchildren, nieces, nephews, Godchildren, neighbors, and friends.
For more information on CUPHD’s Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work®, please contact Patricia Robinson, Director of Human Resources at (217) 531-4257.
For more information on other CUPHD programs and services, please contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Water Fluoridation is a Cost-Effective Strategy Behind Good Oral Healthcare
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2011
Contact
Alicia Ekhoff, Dental Program Coordinator
(217) 531-4538
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Water Fluoridation is a Cost-Effective Strategy Behind Good Oral Healthcare
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Supports Water Fluoridation
Champaign, IL – Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reduced the optimal levels of recommended fluoride in drinking water to 0 .7 parts per million, fluoride remains the most cost-effective way to combat tooth decay. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) Children’s Dental Clinic continues to support water fluoridation and encourages both children and adults to drink tap water to help prevent decay. Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in most water supplies. It helps improve the quality of life through less tooth decay; reduced time lost from school and work; and less money spent to restore, remove, or replace decayed teeth.
According to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) peer-reviewed clinical journal, the controlled addition of a fluoride compound to public water supplies is considered to be the most cost-effective way to prevent cavities and fight tooth decay. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that studies show that for every $1 invested in the prevention measure of water fluoridation, it yields $38 of savings in dental treatment costs.
Illinois communities have practiced water fluoridation for more than 60 years and fluoride continues to prove beneficial in the battle against tooth decay. In fact, drinking fluoridated water from birth can reduce tooth decay by 40 to 65 percent. “Tooth decay in children can lead to long-term problems as adults and water fluoridation is a proven way to prevent it and improve the overall oral health in both children and adults,” said Alicia Ekhoff, Dental Program Coordinator for CUPHD.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s Dental Clinic, located at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign, provides treatment for children ages one to 18 who live in Champaign or Urbana and have healthcare coverage through All Kids or Medicaid. Appointments are available Monday thru Friday; 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM by calling (217) 531-4279.
Children enrolled in early childhood, kindergarten, 2nd, or 6th grade in the ChampaignUrbana School District can receive dental care at their school by CUPHD dentists and dental hygienists. Children enrolled in the Urbana School District may also be seen at the Urbana School Health Center (USHC) located in the Urbana High School at 1002 South Race Street. Call 217-239-4220 for an appointment.
For more information on the importance of fluoride in drinking water or any CUPHD service, please call (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Area Teachers Get on Board with the CATCH Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2011
Contact
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-2914
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Area Teachers Get on Board with the CATCH Program
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Helps Teachers to Model Healthy Behaviors for Students
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is helping schools in Champaign County implement CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health). The CATCH program is a multi-component program that promotes positive healthy behaviors in students and emphasizes the need for a healthy lifestyle to improve both living and learning. A coordinated approach to promoting wellness involves modeling healthy behaviors. In order to model those behaviors, area CATCH schools have challenged each other to change their behavior for the better. Fisher Grade School, Thomasboro Grade School, Unity West Elementary School, and Carrie Busey Elementary School are competing in the first-ever CATCH Staff Challenge: A New Year A New Beginning.
The premise of the challenge is that students can not be expected to make healthy choices if the staff is not. In an effort to encourage healthy behavior change as opposed to weight loss, behaviors are rewarded, and people are on the honor system. Participants earn points for their school as they drink water, engage in physical activity, and eat their GO foods: fruits and vegetables. Each week, participants turn in their logs; points are tallied, and posted. “Some of the teachers are really into it. One of them went down a jean size. You should see the jug of water she carries around,” said Roxann Nuss, Teacher at Fisher Grade School.
“We’re getting great feedback. One participant has been working on weight loss for a while, and said the thought of checking off boxes gets her out of bed to keep moving. She carries around a before and after picture of herself. It’s amazing,” said Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator for Wellness and Health Promotion at CUPHD.
For more information about CUPHD's programs and services, visit www.c-uphd.org.
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