Health community
Crook County CHIP program addresses health care needs
On a sunny day in mid-June, children at the Boys and Girls Club in Prineville took part in one of many events aimed at improving the community’s health. The girls and boys eagerly chewed pink tablets, creating a foam that stuck to places they had missed when brushing their teeth. After learning how they could improve their brushing technique, the children swished with a fluoride rinse to build healthy enamel.
Dental health is just one of four areas the Crook County Community Health Improvement Partnership has chosen to focus on this year. The CHIP program, which is a joint effort between Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University’s Oregon Office of Rural Health and the Oregon Rural Practice-Based Network, is also working to improve mental health care, encourage healthy lifestyles and promote health prevention.
More than 100 rural communities nationwide use the CHIP model, including Jefferson County’s CHIP program housed at Mountain View Hospital in Madras. Committee members volunteer from throughout the community to identify health care needs and to develop projects to address them.
In Prineville, the prevention committee put together the first CHIP event in February, a teen health fair held at Crook County High School. Twenty-nine exhibitors were present and participants had the opportunity to have their blood pressure and pulse oxymetry measured, while learning the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
“I loved doing the health fair, and it was a huge success thanks to many people,” said Sharon Vail, CHIP program coordinator for PMH. “The kids’ interest level was high at each booth, because all the exhibitors did such a fantastic job presenting interesting and relevant information.”
The dental health committee debuted two programs in Prineville during the summer months. It started with the children’s fluoride rinse program at the Boys and Girls Club, which will expand into the elementary schools this fall. The process will begin through a baseline survey to document the current state of the students’ teeth.
And, in August, Dr. Tony Ramos of Ochoco Family Dental Clinic, mentored the community’s first dental intern from Oregon Health & Science University. Ramos said mentoring students benefits the community because it gives medical students a chance to learn what Prineville is all about.
Other CHIP committees are continuing activities throughout the coming months as well. As part of the mental health initiative, a training for health care professionals and members of the business community will be held in October on how to deal with people in crisis. And, a Community Health Fest is slated for Saturday, Sept. 13.
The event will be held in conjunction with the Farmers Market and will include more than 20 exhibitors, drawings, live music and healthy foods at the Prineville City Plaza. For more information on the Crook County CHIP activities, contact Sharon Vail at 541-447-6254, ext. 380.