North Slope Borough Every single day North Slope communities are healthier than the day before. Our mission is to promote the health and well being of North Slope residents in a culturally appropriate manner. —Department of Health & Social Services— September 2014 Volume 4, Issue 3 5200 Karluk St PO BOX 69 Barrow, AK 99723 Phone: (907) 852-0366 Fax: (907) 852-0389 Arctic Women in Crisis (AWIC) 1-800-478-0267 Ph: (907) 852-0261 Fax: (907) 852-2474 Children & Youth Services Ph: (907) 852-0263 Fax: (907) 852-0463 Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Ph: (907) 852-0256 Fax: (907) 852-3571 Eye Clinic Ph: (907) 852-0273 Fax: (907) 852-6098 Gathering Place Ph: (907) 852-0402 Fax: (907) 852-6210 Integrated Behavioral Health Ph: (907) 852-0366 Fax: (907) 852-0268 Matsutani Community Resource Center Ph: (907) 852-0288 Fax: (907) 852-4229 Public Health Nursing Ph: (907) 852-0270 Fax: (907) 852-2855 Senior Program Ph: (907) 852-0276 Fax: (907) 852-9903 Prevention Program Ph: (907) 855-8501 Fax: (907) 852-2855 Veterinary Clinic/ Public Health Office Ph: (907) 852-0277 Fax: (907) 852-0477 Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program (WIC) Ph: (907) 852-0410 Fax: (907) 852-3766 Our Programs Doreen Leavitt, RN Director Justina Wilhelm, BA, CDC1 Deputy Director Integrated Behavioral Health Jennifer Brower, LMSW Deputy Director Community Health Service Grace Ng Deputy Director Administration September National Recovery Month Healthy Aging Month National Suicide Prevention Week 7-13 National Suicide Prevention Day -10 National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Fruits & Veggies - More Mattes Month October Domestic Violence Awareness Month National Bullying Prevention Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month November American Diabetes Month Great American Smokeout - 20 December Safe Toys and Gifts Month World AIDs Day - 1 January National Birth Defect Prevention Month Cervical Health Awareness Month - National Health Observances - National Suicide Prevention Day falls on September 10 th . The Prevention Team set up a table at Barrow High School to inform students about local statistics, indicators, warning signs, protective factors, and available resources. BHS students took the time to learn about suicide prevention and some students even volunteered to help with passing out informational brochures. National Suicide Prevention Day September 10 th Lucy Aiken is the North Slope Borough Employee of the Month. Lucy is a van driver for the Senior Center. She exhibits the type of hard working attitude that the North Slope Borough strives to bring out of each and every employee. Keep up the good work Lucy! Prevention Corner Comprehensive Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Services (CBHPEI) were created to focus on data from communities in the North Slope to effectively prevent health concerns with positive and measurable outcomes. The Prevention Coalition has been gathering individuals who are a part of their community to be active members in efforts to tackle substance abuse. To help expand the Prevention Coalition’s knowledge of how to approach these issues Rose Elbert, a Counselor III at integrated behavioral health, was selected to attend a Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training that was held in Anchorage. Rose brought back with her new ideas and concepts that the coalition would be able to utilize throughout the year. In order to educate the residents of Barrow on National Suicide Prevention Day, September 10 th , the Prevention Team partnered with local restaurants and created placemats to commemorate the occasion. Northern Lights, Sam & Lees, Niggivikput (Top of the World restaurant) were great contributors in reaching out to the community. The placemats focused on facts concerning suicide in the North Slope and an emotional poem written by someone who considered committing suicide. The prevention team is also working with the Northern Regional Coalition. Members in the NRC include a Tobacco Prevention Specialist from the Nome Community Center and the Tobacco Prevention Manager of Maniilaq Association. The team is currently upgrading the NSBSD policy to a Gold Star based on Mission 100 standards. They are also creating a PowerPoint presentation that will be exhibited at each Health Fair and schools across the North Slope. Tobacco Quitline information is always available, just call 855-8501. It is part of the Inupiat values for people to come together and solve issues, in or- der for that to happen they must communicate their feelings and work as one, to make a dream part of reality.