Press Releases
Year
Local Partnership to “Give Kids a Smile” by Offering FREE School Dental Exams for Illinois Children!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2009
Contact
Alicia Ekhoff, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-4538
Nancy Greenwalt, Executive Director, SmileHealthy
(217) 390-5365
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Local Partnership to “Give Kids a Smile” by Offering FREE School Dental Exams for Illinois Children!
SmileHealthy, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, and Illini District Dental Society to provide a FREE Oral Health Fair at Marketplace Mall.
Champaign, IL – On Saturday, February 7, 2009, SmileHealthy, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), and Illini District Dental Society will be providing FREE School Dental Exams by local volunteer dentists for Illinois school children at the Marketplace Mall in Champaign. These exams will be available from 10:00am – 4:00pm in the Marketplace Mall by Macy’s.
The simple 5 minute exam will be available for all children ages 3-17. This exam can be used to satisfy the State of Illinois mandated exam, due by May 15, 2009, required for all children in grades Kindergarten, 2nd and 6th. Children identified with dental issues will be referred to SmileHealthy, the CUPHD Dental Division, other partnering agencies, or their personal dentist for appropriate treatment. All participating children will receive a free dental care kit consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. Appointments are not necessary; however, a parent or legal guardian must accompany their child.
The Oral Health Fair will feature a variety of free interactive activities for participants including:
- Delta Dental Tooth Wizard Shows (11:00am & 2:00pm)
- Dental Hygiene Counseling
- Face Painting
- The Tooth Fairy
- Healthy Food Bingo
- Dental Care Kits
- Infant Finger Toothbrushes
- Coloring Contest
- Nutrition Counseling
- All Kids Information and Application Assistance
- MUCH MORE!!!
"We expect to provide 200 dental exams at the event, but what is most exciting is the opportunity to get families set up with a dental home with our private practice dentists, CUPHD's Dental Program and SmileHealthy,” said Nancy Greenwalt, Executive Director for SmileHealthy. "I encourage people to come by even if you don't need an exam. It will be a chance to ask a registered hygienist that nagging question or participate in healthy food bingo or any of a number of activities. There will be lots to do and it is all free."
SmileHealthy is a local non profit that provides dental care for underserved Champaign County children for the County Health Department, for Head Start enrolled children and their families, and mobile dental clinics at Champaign county schools. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 217-359-7404 or visit www.smilehealthy.org.
“Basic Dental Care is an important part of a child’s overall health care. All children deserve the opportunity to receive regular, preventative dental care and restorative dental care when needed. No child should have to suffer with tooth pain,” said Alicia Ekhoff, Dental Program Coordinator for CUPHD. “All Kids provides all children with dental care coverage regardless of their household income and is accepted at Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for children age 3-18 living in Champaign or Urbana and still attending public school. Families interested in All Kids can begin an application at this event and complete the application process with assistance at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District”.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s Dental Division offers general dental treatment at their 201 West Kenyon Road location in Champaign. Appointments are available Monday thru Friday; 8:00am – 4:00pm by calling 217-531-4279. Children enrolled in the Urbana School District may also be seen at the Urbana School Health Center located in the Urbana High School.
Appointments are available Monday thru Friday; 8:00am – 4:00pm by calling 217-239-4220. Mobile preventative dental clinics are also provided at all Champaign and Urbana public elementary and middle schools.
For more information about the Give Kids a Smile Oral Health Fair, please contact SmileHealthy at 217-359-7404 or on the web at www.smilehealthy.org. Additional information may be obtained by contacting CUPHD at 217-352-7961 or on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Responds To Increased Public Concern About Tuberculosis (TB) By Offering Special Testing Clinic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2009
Contact
Candi Crause, Director
(217) 531-5372 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Responds To Increased Public Concern About Tuberculosis (TB) By Offering Special Testing Clinic
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to Provide TB Skin Testing for Interested Community Members
Champaign, IL – Due to the increased community concern generated by the recent isolation of a local CU resident with active Tuberculosis (TB), the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be providing a TB Skin Testing Clinic on Saturday, January 24 from 9:00am – 12:00pm at 201 West Kenyon Road. The cost for the test is $5.00, and test results will be read on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 201 West Kenyon Road. CUPHD has set up a telephone hotline with recorded information regarding TB. This hotline number is: (217) 366-0292.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis which usually attacks the lungs. TB is spread through airborne droplets when a person with the infection coughs, sneezes, or talks. It is unlikely that a person will become infected with TB by a random encounter with an infected person. You need prolonged exposure in a closed environment with an infected person before becoming infected yourself.
Not everyone infected with TB becomes sick. These individuals who do not feel sick and do not have any symptoms have latent TB infection. Latent TB infection cannot be spread to other people. However, some people with latent TB go on to get active TB disease.
People with active TB displays symptoms of TB, feel sick, and spread the disease to other individuals that they have been in contact with over a prolonged period of time. Active TB is treatable with medication. It is extremely important to take the medication as prescribed for the entire length of treatment.
Symptoms of TB include:
- A cough lasting longer than 3 weeks
- Unintended weight loss
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Chills
- Loss of appetite
- Coughing up blood
- Pain in the chest
You can be tested for TB very easily. A Mantoux test is one method used as a tool to detect TB. A small amount of a substance called PPD is injected within the skin of your inside forearm. Within 48-72 hours a health care professional will check your arm for a local reaction to the injected material. Depending on your response and risk factors, the test is diagnosed as positive or negative.
Champaign-Urbana Health District TB Clinic at 201 West Kenyon Road, Champaign:
Skin Tests & Result Readings: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays: 8:00am – 4:00pm
For more information, please contact CUPHD, Division of Infectious Disease Prevention & Management, (217) 239-7827 or visit the CUPHD website at www.c-uphd.org.
ADDITIONAL TB INFORMATION
http://www.medicinenet.com/tuberculosis/article.htm
www.cdc.gov/tb/faqs/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tuberculosis.html
www.dhpe.org
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CUPHD Provides Tools And Support For “New Year…New YOU” Resolutions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2009
Contact
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-2916
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
CUPHD Provides Tools And Support For “New Year…New YOU” Resolutions
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Creates New Program to Give Champaign County Families the Skills to Succeed in 2009.
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has created a new innovative program to help Champaign County families keep their New Year’s resolutions and successfully meet many of their goals. The new “Total FITNESS (Family Improvement Through Nutrition, Education & Skill Support)” is a fun-filled five session workshop dedicated to providing information and hands-on training in healthy eating and active living for families.
CUPHD will be holding the first five week session starting Tuesday, January 13, 2009 in the new “CUPHD Teaching Kitchen” at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign. Sessions will be from 6:00pm – 7:30pm and are scheduled for January 13, 20, 27 and February 3 & 10. The cost for this workshop is $20, and participants that complete at least four out of five sessions will receive a $10 gift card. Those interested in participating in the first workshop beginning on January 13 or any future workshops are required to call 217.531.2914 to register.
Through “Total FITNESS” participants will discover:
- Basic Nutrition Information
- Nutritious Meal Planning
- Cost-Effective Shopping
- Farmer’s Markets & Community Gardens for Lower Cost Fruits & Vegetables
- Healthy Cooking
- Goal Setting
- Exercise & Food Tracking
- MUCH MORE!
“Many people make New Year’s resolutions, but are unable to keep them more than a few weeks,” said Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator for CUPHD, “The goal of Total FITNESS is to provide the tools and support necessary for participants to not only keep resolutions, but to successfully set and meet future goals as well as a team. Many times families want to make changes together, but do not know how to include children in the kitchen or how to engage them in active fun. We hope to help them with that.”
For more information about Total FITNESS workshops at CUPHD, or any other CUPHD programs and services, please call 217-352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.cuphd.org.
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