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News from Montana Rural Health Initiative
Volume IV
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Spring Newsletter
| May 2010
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Brought to You By:
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What's New With the RHI?
New RHI Site to be unveiled soon!
The RHI site is currently in the process of being recoded, and we are hoping to unveil the new, updated website very soon! The new site will feature many additional elements, which will ideally prove to be more dynamic and user-friendly. The website will be a work in progress, and there will be many new features coming in the next few months; stay tuned!
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RHI Incubator Projects: Round 2
The Montana Rural Health Initiative (RHI) Incubator
is designed to help rural communities hatch and grow projects aimed at
improving community health through nutrition and physical activity efforts. The
intent of this program is to stimulate the creation of more prevention and
wellness activities across Montana, aiming to reduce the incidence of obesity
and related diseases while promoting health, wellness and overall fitness.
The RHI reviewed the second round of Incubator
applications in April, 2010. Nine programs were provided with Incubator support;
an increase of four from the first round. These programs included efforts to:
- Construct a community garden in Eureka, MT
- Implement a childhood program in Cut Bank, MT,
called Move Across Montana that
will encourage young children to be physically active
- Execute the second stage of a two part program
to identify health risks within the Big Horn County, MT, and use the
information gleaned from the screening and data as a source of motivation
for participation in a community-wide six week fitness program
- Implement a six week long educational and
fitness program in Miles City, MT, featuring a walking challenge using
pedometers and electronic tracking components
- To develop a county employee worksite wellness
pilot program in Forsyth, MT
- Execute an exercise and nutrition program in
Sheridan, MT to decrease the rising onset of type II diabetes
- Organize a day of health and fitness in
Boulder, MT, while surveying participants to assess the physical activity
needs of the community and determine a long-term plan
- Arrange for bone mineral density scans to be
offered at the Superior, MT health fair in June, 2010
- Expand the coordination of a local health and
wellness network in Florence, MT, and execute a day long event to
encourage an active, healthy lifestyle in June, 2010
The next call for Incubator applications will be
late 2010.
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Program Spotlight: Bozeman Ozone Bus
On April 19th, the Mobile Greenhouse, which has been in the works for 18 months, finally went mobile! The Bozone Ozone Bus (BOB) is fully operational thanks to the efforts and inspiration of Bozeman's youth via the Bozeman Youth Initiative (BYI). BOB is a greenhouse on wheels, an idea that grew out of a conversation between BYI
director, Greg Owens, and a local student. The bus, run on bio diesel, is on a mission to educate youth about
important environmental issues such as sustainability and alternative
energy and to simultaneously "encourage youth-to-youth mentorship."
In addition to the planned goals for the project, BOB has also proved to have many unforeseen effects on the community. The bus
has united such groups as the Montana Outdoor Science School, MSU
Horticulture Club, Gallatin Valley Farm-to-School, Bozeman High School
(BHS) recycling club, Hawk Tawk and TV, Irving School and even the BHS
metal shop class.
From an unlikely concept,
Bozeman's youth have once again proven that nothing is impossible for
those who dream big. The dream, a greenhouse bus that can travel around and
educate the entire community, will travel in the spring to local schools to plant tomatoes, basil,
cilantro, peppers and other key pizza ingredients, and in the fall
these ingredients will be harvested so local schools can have a fresh
take on the traditional pizza party.
As BOB
tours the local scene this summer, older and younger generations of
kids will bond over locally grown, fresh food.
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Livingston HealthCare Goes Local
Cooks at Livingston HealthCare in Livingston, MT have stopped merely reheating prepared foods and instead are slicing and dicing their way to wholesome, healthier foods. Not only has the hospital shifted its focus to whole foods, but
it's buying a large share of those foods from Montana producers. Led by Jessie Williams, the hospital's food and nutrition services
manager, the arrangement is a win-win for consumers and producers alike.
Though Williams still hears the occasional complaint - "why are
there only wheat buns for the hamburgers?" - she's noticed a
gradual change in eating habits and lifestyle choices. One employee
lost 50 pounds and two others quit smoking. In addition, local food has proved to be not only healthy for the body, but also healthy for the budget. To illustrate how cooking with local foods measures up, Williams
compares pre-made lasagna with one made from scratch. The former
runs about double the cost of just the ingredients with a sodium content that is through the roof.
The list of local producers has grow to several dozen, including lamb
from Wolfridge Lamb in Emigrant, sugar from Western Sugar
Cooperative in Billings, potatoes from Bausch Potatoes in
Whitehall, produce from Farms for Families in Livingston, flour
from Ace Hi Bakers in Billings and pasta from Country Pasta in
Great Falls. According to Williams, more than 50 percent of the
hospital's food can be traced to locally grown ingredients.
The hospital's new menu offers greater variety and seems to be a
hit with patients, staff and guests. Just one year into Williams'
project, the kitchen was serving 3,000 more meals than it had the
year before. In hopes of helping others who share her philosophy, Williams
has taken an active role with organizations close to home and
across the state, serving as a
resource for anyone contemplating a move toward local and whole
foods.
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Upcoming RHI Webinars
National Physical Activity Plan for the United States: why was it developed and what is the plan for the future?Join us May 14th at 10 am
The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan has a vision: One
day, all Americans will be physically active and they will live, work, and play
in environments that facilitate regular physical activity. Join us, May 14th at 10 am, to hear how
this first physical activity plan for the nation was developed, who are the
partners, and what is the plan for its use in the future. Cathy Costakis
is the Physical Activity Coordinator for the Montana Nutrition and Physical
Activity Program and was a participant in the development of this plan.
She is also on the board of directors of the National Society of Physical
Activity Practitioners in Public Health, one of the lead organizations involved
in implementing this plan.
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Upcoming Events:
When: June 9 and 10, 2010
What: The 4th Montana
HealthCare Forum Conference where stakeholders and decision makers will review
the federal health care reform bill, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(PPACA) and discuss specific impacts on Montana.
Where: Helena, MT at the Gateway Center
Who
should attend: Those interested in understanding and
providing input on PPACA, its impacts and how Montana should implement the
legislation, specifically legislators or those running for office, health care
stakeholders, employers, health care facilities, insurers, health care
providers, advocates, physicians, government officials, hospitals, and
students.
SPEAKERS: Liz Fowler, Chief Health and Senior
Counsel to Chair Max Baucus of the Senate Finance Committee; Monica Lindeen,
Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; and more Montana experts.
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Contact Info
Shalina Mirza, Project Coordinator
MT AHEC & Office of Rural Health
406.994.5310
shalina.mirza@montana.edu
Juli Louttit, Assistant Project Coordinator
MT AHEC & Office of Rural Health
406.994.6499
juli.louttit@montana.edu
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