SLO County Health Access Update
Connecting Children ages 0-5 to Health Care
Don't Miss These!
2015 Maternal Wellness Forum, Transformed by Postpartum Depression: Women's Stories of Trauma & Growth
May 29, 2015, 9 am-3 pm
Download flyer.

Advocacy Training
June 9, 2015, 9 am-noon
How to advocate to policymakers for policies or legislation.
Download flyer
 
Counseling Resource for Families
The Women's Shelter Program is offering free counseling services for children (ages 3+) and adults impacted by domestic violence and abuse. Evening and weekend hours available, some bilingual clinicians.
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For More Information...
For general questions about health access and health care reform, contact Becca Carsel, Health Access Project Director, at 674-0776 or [email protected].

HNIndividual clients with children ages 0-5 can receive assistance from the First 5 Health Navigators.

Clients without young children should contact the appropriate Family Resource Center.

 
Health Access Information at SLOHealthAccess.org
Our website,
http://slohealthaccess.org,
has a wealth of information to help you help families, including local resources for:
* Special Needs
* Behavioral Health
* Dental
* Prescriptions
* Medi-Cal & Covered CA
* Transportation, and
* Parental Substance Use.

It also has resources to help parents advocate for services.

Don't see what you need? Let us know and we will find you the information you are looking for.

May 2015


1 in 3 of Our Preschoolers are Overweight/Obese

Here's how you can help reduce childhood obesity:

 

1. Rethink the drink. Are you concerned about a child whose weight may be unhealthy? First, ask permission ("is it ok to talk a little about your child's health?").   

 

If a family is under a lot of stress and you can only make one suggestion, make it this:       

Water, not soda.    

Even if a child can just cut back on soda consumption rather than stopping completely, it will make a difference. A typical 20 ounce soda contains 17 teaspoons of sugar.   

 

Contact the Health Promotion Division, SLO County Public Health, at 781-5564 for free Rethink Your Drink materials for educators and presentations for parents. 

 

 

2. Give simple, realistic advice. Parents can help their children by working on these five family behaviors:

  • Get up and play actively at least one hour a day.
  • Cut back on screen time to under 2 hours per day (no screen time for children under two).
  • Eat at least 5 helpings of fruits and vegetables a day (frozen and canned are fine, no sugar added). 
  • Eat a healthy breakfast daily.
  • Eat less fast food - cut back on the number of meals each week and/or the portion size.

 

3. Use gentle wording. Be mindful that words like overweight and fat are difficult for parents and children to hear. Stick with words that focus on health, not appearance, and are appropriate to children:

Instead of:
Replace with:
"Overweight," "fat," "chubby," "heavy," "obese"
"Unhealthy weight"
"Ideal weight," "normal"
"Healthy weight"
"Diet" or "bad food"
"Healthier food choices"
"Exercise"
"Activity" or "play"
Talking about focusing on weight
Talking about focusing on lifestyle
Talking about fixing the child
Talking about changing family behaviors

Poster
Download this handout in English and Spanish for your families.

Would you like this handout as a poster for your agency, in English or Spanish? Email Becca at: [email protected].

Additional handouts at:


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