Community Partnerships Help the Health Department
Spread the Word
As a part of its continuing mission to protect the health and
safety of residents in the St. Louis area, the City of St. Louis
Department of Health has been actively sharing health messages
internally, locally and regionally.
In light of increased health challenges and decreasing dollars
for public health, the department continually seeks new ways
to get the word out in a competent and cost-effective manner.
To that end, the department has been leveraging a variety of
community partnerships to communicate health and safety messages.
Three recent community events highlight this strategy.
The Bureau of Environmental Health Services, Food and Beverage
Control hosted its 1st Annual Food Safety Session on Sept. 18
in the new Community Education Room at 1520 Market Street. This
event was conducted in partnership with the S.T.O.P Organization
and other partners including the Health Institute. The goal was
to update food production businesses and food service operations
on the latest information related to food safety. It covered
a variety of topics including the role and responsibilities of
public health, how to prevent H1N1 flu, hazard analysis and critical
control points (HACCP) for food service agencies, and the new
food code requirements. Representatives from both corporate and
independent food operations attended, as well as many Health
Department staff members.
By far one of the most memorable sessions of this training was
provided by the S.T.O.P Organization. They were able to “put
a face” on the deadly nature of food borne illness and provide
a strong motivation to put effective food handling practices
in place. This organization provides support for families who
have lost relatives to food borne illness as well as survivors.
The organization is active in educating government, industries
and consumers about food borne illness prevention. For more information,
see their website at www.safetables.org.
The Department of Health’s Health Institute participated Sept.
26 in a regional health event at the Grand Marais Golf Course
in Centreville, IL. (While the venue itself was outside the City,
it actually attracts people from many of the surrounding counties
including St. Louis City.) The event was planned and conducted
in partnership with the owners of Grand Marais, St. Charles County
Health Department and East Side Health District. Participants
received important health information related to H1N1 flu, emergency
preparedness, nutrition, sexual health, and oral health. In addition
to health information, participants were also treated to free
samples of a turkey chili and vegetarian chili, and had the opportunity
to taste test different snack bars. As a part of this event,
experienced golf instructors held a putting clinic and swinging
clinic. Participants had the opportunity to learn some of the
basics associated with the game of golf by improving their golf
swing and putting abilities.
This event represented the first of many activities under the
“N2 Health 4Life” program housed within the Health Institute.
This program was designed to introduce people to new forms of
activity and highlight non-traditional activities to promote
increased participation in physical activity.
Nutrition Services recently partnered with Pete’s Shur Sav Markets
and Marketing Concepts by Harriett to host an in-store cooking
demonstration and presentation in mid-October at the Pete’s location
on Union and Page. October was National Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, so cancer prevention was a timely topic. Nutrition Service’s
dietitian, Leslie Bertsch, prepared salmon patties and black
beans and rice and spoke to people about how they can change
their diet to reduce their risk of cancer through increased fruit
and vegetable consumption and decreased consumption of red meat.
The recipes can be found at Pete’s Shur Sav Markets website at
www.petesshursavmarkets.com.
Nutrition Services, a community service provided through the
Health Institute, will continue its partnership with Pete’s Shur
Sav Markets, and will hold two more in-store cooking classes
on Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. For times and location, visit their website
at www.petesshursavmarkets.com.
The City of St. Louis Department of Health is constantly seeking
other community partners to ensure health and safety needs are
met. If you would like to partner with the Department of Health
to provide health or safety-related education or training, please
contact the Health Institute at 314-657-1480.
Pat Mahoney from the Health Department talks about food safety.
Harold Bailey from the Health Department observes a golf instructor
giving a putting lesson to a community member.
Registered dietitian Leslie Bertsch from the Health Department
and Saint Louis University intern Kaitlin Cloud interact with
a health fair visitor.
