Immigrant health forum, July 28

Immigration Flier July 2010 Rev

DC Environmental Health Collaborative Community Forum

There are thousands of reasons why Ward 1 residents, and especially parents, should be concerned about the myriad ways our environment negatively impacts the health of children.   Others, too, have a stake in the environment and how it affects health, given the high rates of asthma and other health problems experienced by the residents of Ward 1.   These health challenges limit work productivity, voluntarism, and the like.

Those who are concerned and even interested should plan on attending this community forum on Saturday, February 6 from 10:00 am - 1:30 pm at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library located at 901 G Street NW.   The purpose of the meeting is to engage community stakeholders in discussions about local environmental health concerns.   All participants will work together to create an action agenda to address key issues of concern such as drinking water in schools, healthy homes, asthma, and lead poisoning.

Those who attend the meeting will be treated to a warm lunch; activities for children will be available.   Transportation to the event is available for those in need.   Additional information, including the process to RSVP is found in this flier.

Want to know more about how the environment affects health?   Consider that in 2004 nearly 7% of Ward 1 residents had been diagnosed with asthma (DOH fact sheet).   According to Rebecca Morley of the National Center for Healthy Housing, "asthma is epidemic in the District of Columbia: over 16,000 children, or 15.2%, were reported to have had asthma at some point in their childhood, the third highest rate in the nation (behind only Delaware and Hawaii)."   (Rebecca Morley, Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing)   Or consider that close to 90% of the city’s housing stock pre-dates 1978 and 50% of the total was built prior to 1950.   (Rebecca Morley, Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing)   This means that the chances of lead poisoning are greater than in newer, post-1978 homes.   The District of Columbia Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning reports that Wards 1, 2 and 5 are considered to be "high risk" Wards for childhood lead poisoning.

HIV Prevention Project

Mary's Center for Maternal & Child Care, Inc.'s HIV Prevention Project provides effective culturally and linguistically age appropriate HIV/STD education and screening services to African residents of DC.   In addition, Mary's Center staff provide information and referrals and routine HIV screening.   All services are free and confidential.

More information is available by calling 420-7033 or emailing bmuleta [AT] maryscenter [DOT] org.

Help is out there for choosing a new Medicare Part D plan

Open season for Medicare Part D has started (November 15).   Medicare beneficiaries may need to choose a new Medicare prescription drug plan before December 31, 2009 to avoid cost increases or changes to their drug coverage that could happen beginning in January 2010.

The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia and the Whitman-Walker Clinic Legal Program have scheduled free walk-in clinics to help Medicare beneficiaries evaluate their current drug plans, and help them enroll in a new plan for 2010 if necessary.   Learn more about the Whitman-Walker open enrollment clinics here and the Legal Aid open enrollment clinic here.   Note that help from Whitman-Walker is available in Ward 1.

Catch some health care on the Mama & Baby Bus

The March of Dimes Mama & Baby Bus schedule for November 2009 is now online.   The bus stops many days during the month in Ward 1 so check out the dates.   The bus is made possible by the cooperation of the March of Dimes, Mary's Center, Washington Hospital Center, Office of Latino Affairs, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.