Access Health works with community partners to contribute to the health and well being of our communities through tobacco prevention & cessation, secondhand smoke reduction, physical activity & healthy eating promotion, chronic disease management, substance abuse prevention and lead poisoning prevention.
Local Collection Sites:
West Bath Fire Department ~ Richmond Senior Center ~ McClellan Building, Brunswick
Phippsburg Fire Department ~Harpswell Town Office ~ Topsham Municipal Facility
Drop your unwanted, unused and outdated household pills, ointments and drops
Can't make April 28? Visit www.MidCoastCASA,org for the locations of the big green
Medication Collection Boxes now located in our local Police Departments.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month Healthy Choices, Healthy Communities: Prevent Underage Drinking
Why are we concerend about underage drinking?
Alcohol is the number one drug of choice for America’s young people, more popular than tobacco or illicit drugs;
Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21;
Each day, 7,000 kids in the United States under the age of 16 take their first drink;
And, underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually!
Local resources, classes and support to prevent underage drinking can be found by visiting Communities Against Substance Abuse (CASA) - our local coalition working to keep kids safe from underage drinking and drug use.
Visit CASA this month for local events and stories that highlight what our community is doing to prevent underage drinking, or follow CASA's Mid Coast Parents Connect Facebook page for daily updates!
Mainers urged to monitor sodium intake
The average American adult eats about 3,300 milligrams of sodium each day. That is at least 1,000 milligrams more than people should be eating. There are many ways to eat less salt and sodium. Here are a few.
Fill up on fruits and veggies. They taste great and are low in sodium.
Use spices, herbs, or lemon to flavor your food instead of salt.
Look for "unsalted,” "low-sodium,” or "no salt added” options for deli meats, cheeses, soups, and snacks.
Limit premade sauces and condiments.
For more information on sodium and tips to cut back, visit the Maine CardioVascular Health Program's The Trouble with Sodium page.
Did you know. . .
Access Health has a monthly newsletter? Check out our April 2012 edition, and sign up for monthly updates!
You can get a personalized health scorecard by filling out a free, anonymous survey on KeepMEWell.org
Every day is a chance to improve your health, and the health of America. Watch this short video from the American Public Health Association (1:48 minutes) for some simple ideas.
Service Area
Access Health is one of 26Healthy Maine Partnershipsoffering local public health services arount the state of Maine. Our service area covers Sagadahoc County, Brunswick & Harpswell.
What is public health? Clean water, smoke free restaurants, sidewalks, bike lanes, farmer's markets and more! Watch This is Public Health for entertaining examples of public health in our lives.
Partners
Access Health partners with many community partners to encourage and support healthy choices, including:
Sagadahoc County Board of Health, Coordinated School Health Programs of MSAD 75 & RSU 1, Colleges, Faith Community, Fitness Centers, Healthcare Centers and Hospitals, Libraries, Local Businesses, Non Profit Organizations, Recreation Departments, Law Enforcement, Schools, Youth and more!
The Healthy Maine Partnership project is a collaborative effort among 26 local coalitions, the Maine DHHS (Maine CDC and Office of Substance Abuse) and DOE, supported primarily by the Fund for Healthy Maine with federal grants from the US CDC, SAMHSA, and DOE.
Mid Coast Hospital is the lead agency for Access Health
