e-update resourcestm - may 11, 2014

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E-Update Resources is a trademark of Casey Jones. 2009-2014 Casey Jones, Transformation Initiative Building Healthy Communities Through Healthy Families. Allrights reserved. Permission is granted to individuals to copy and transmit this document in whole or part for personal,non-commercial use only for the benefit of other individuals and families.

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PRIMARILY FREE RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

UPDATED: May 11, 2014

Helping to Bridge the Gap Between the Wealth of Available Resources

and the Poverty Associated With People Not Knowing About Them___________________________________________________________________________

In an attempt to aid reader searches, new information that has been added in this updateis highlighted in yellow. As always, we are interested in receiving feedback in regard to

how we might improve our publications, content and convenience of use.

Information is believed correct at the time of insertion but are subject to change without notice.

Participants are encouragedto use contact information to confirm information to avoid disappointment.

Information on submission of resources is provided on the last page of this Resource Guide.Suggestions on how this effort might be improved are encouraged by e-mailing [email protected].

If you discover a broken link in this guide, we would appreciate it if you would let us know.

Information About Services For Individuals and Families

Categories of InformationE-Newsletters and Calendars

General Assistance (Area)General Assistance (State)

General Assistance (Federal)Emergency ResponseHealthFoodHousingFinanceParenting

EducationVeteransSenior CitizensLegal Assistance

Special ProgramsGeneral InformationEmployment Related InformationMiscellaneous Federal Resources


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E-Newsletters and CalendarsE-UpdateandCalendar of Events. Freeweekly e-newsletters published by Casey

Jones, Transformation Initiative - BuildingHealthy Communities Through HealthyFamilies through transformational versus

transactional results, shares informationabout workshops, seminars, events andother activities affecting families.E-Updateis available by sending an e-mailwith the word Subscribein the Subject line,along with your name, organization, com-munity and where you heard about thepublication to [email protected].

They also are posted weekly onlinethroughwww.facebook.com/TransformationIni.

ARConnections. A free monthly e-news-

letter from Arc of Chester County, providesinformation about available education,services, including an extensive list of sup-port groups, and advocacy for families,particularly those with disabilities. Thepublication, in its entirety and in sections,is available online atwww.arcofchestercounty.org/resources/arconnections.

General Assistance (Area)2-1-1. A telephone and online health andhuman services resource for the Greater

Philadelphia area, although information forVoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) numbers,governments, work locations, and pay-phones may only be able to access the sys-tem via a toll-free number.

The system, established by United Wayof Greater Philadelphia and Southern New

Jersey, in collaboration with North PennUnited Way and the United Ways of Bucks,Chester and Southern Chester counties,provides telephone assistance with inter-preter services in over 120 languages from8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with an online refer-

ence system available constantly atwww.211sepa.org.Individuals not able to connect through

the 2-1-1 number due to programming nothave been completed by individual provid-ers can telephone (866) 964-7922.

ReferWeb. An online database, in Englishor Spanish, maintained by Chester County

to aid in identifying health and human ser-vices providers for county residents isavailable at www.referweb.net/chesco.

Community Resource Guides

County-by-County Resource Guidepublished by theJuvenile Law Center:www.jlc.org/resources/county-resource-guide.

Josephs People Resource Guide forthe Unemployed and Underemployed:http://josephspeople.org/resourceguide

_march2012.pdf.

Chester County Community ResourceGuide:

http://dsf.chesco.org/ccdcd/lib/ccdcd/2012/community_resource_guide_2-29-

12.pdf.

Chester County Road to EmploymentResource Guide:http://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/4275.

Open Hearth Help Book IVServicesResource Guidein English and Span-ish for the Greater Phoenixville, SpringCity and Royersford areas, with manylistings also serving other parts ofChester and Montgomery counties:

www.openhearthinc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=6. It also can bedownloaded to a cell phone.

TriCounty Community Network(Northern Chester, WesternMontgomery and Eastern Berkscounties) Resource Guide:www.tcnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/TriCounty-Community-Resource-Guide.pdf.

Berks County Guide to Services:www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/HumanServ/Documents/crn_guide_to_services_2010

_%282%29%5B1%5D.pdf.

Delaware County Womens ResourceGuide:


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www.co.delaware.pa.us/depts/WomensresourceguideWW1.pdf.

Montgomery County Resource Guide:www.abington.k12.pa.us/pupil/Montgomery_County_Resource_Directory.pdf.

Montgomery County Parent andInfant Resource Guide:

http://webapp.montcopa.org/hhsapps/PIRGJuly08.pdf.

Community Caregivers Calendaras-sists both formal and informal caregiv-ers in identifying activities and trainingsto assist them in such tasks. Organi-zations holding free events and work-shops relevant to caregivers supportingparents or seniors in Western Mont-

gomery, Northern Chester and EasternBerks counties may request inclusion ofthe activity from the Caregivers SupportCommittee of TriCounty CommunityNetwork atwww.tcnetwork.org/programs/care or(610) 705-3301 x2.

Community Resource Guidepublishedby Montgomery County CommunityColleges Student Support & Referral

Team (SSRT):www.mc3ssrt.wordpress.com/communi

ty-resource-guide.

Montgomery County Day ServicesGuidepublished by the MontgomeryCounty Office of Developmental Dis-abilities lists providers for various ser-vices, from adult day services and reha-bilitation to employment athttp://ascendgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Day_Services_Guide.pdf.

Chester County Mental HealthServices Mappingassists the publicand services providers in understandinghow to access mental health services,including child early intervention andadults:www.chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=617.

Prison Re-Entry Resource Guide. PrisonRe-Entry Network of the Philadelphia areahas developed an online resource guide toassist individuals being released fromprison and those seeking to assist themduring the re-entry process.

In addition to resources, the initiativealso includes a Learning Center and Libraryand information on legislation, support andadvocacy, and a personal health record.

The website is available atwww.prisonsociety.org/#!prisonerreentrynetwork/c18y5.

Online Seniors Resource Guide. KennettArea Senior Center has developed an onlineresources guide for seniors in SouthernChester County that includes informationin three dozen categories, from groceries

and meal sites to healthcare, housing,transportation, day and other services.The guide is available atwww.kennettseniorcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=32&Itemid=37. The Center also hascompiled some national resources atwww.kennettseniorcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=33&Itemid=36.

Interactive Online Chesco Transit GuideChester County provides an online in-

teractive transit guide, both in English andSpanish, for passenger rail, bus, taxi andparatransit services in the County.

The tool is designed to aid county resi-dents in finding public transportation op-tions and a map for an area, including pro-cedures, schedules and fares. It also pro-vides information on discounted fares forseniors, the disabled and medical-relatedtransportation.

It is available atwww.ChescoRideGuide.orgwhere there alsois a downloadable, printable guide.

Chesco Information and ReferralServices. Chester County contracts withfive organizations to provide residents inlarger populations areas with assistance inaccessing services in a variety of situationsincluding, but not limited to, utility andrental assistance, health insurance, and


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transportation, housing and domestic vio-lence information.

Further information for both Englishand Spanish-speaking residents is availableat Maternal Child and Health Consortium,1003 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville, or

(484) 378-4030; La Communidad Hispana,731 West Cypress Street, Kennett Square,(610) 444-4545; Oxford Neighborhood Ser-vices Center, 35 North Third Street, Oxford,(610) 869-8557; Phoenixville Area Commu-nity Services (PACS), 257 Church Street,Phoenixville, (610) 933-1105; or HumanServices, Inc., 330 West Market Street,West Chester, (610) 429-3033.

County Phone Apps

Area counties have iPhone and Androidapps to assist individuals with obtaining

information on some county services.Chester Countycurrent links includeCounty government news, a calendar ofmeetings, events and health clinics, Countyparks and trails, courts information, emer-gency alerts through ReadyNotify PA, a di-rectory of social services, land use plan-ning, details and locations of all ChesterCounty government department offices,available County jobs, inspection reportsfor all restaurants and food handling op-erations, and links to Chester Countys so-cial media communication and YouTube

channel.Seasonal functions, such as electionresults, will be added during the year.

The free app is available for download inthe Apple App Store and Google Play Storeand can be found by Chesco or Chesco-CONNECT key word search.

Montgomery Countyhas a governmentapp, Go Montco, that includes News, Calen-dar, Parks & Trails, Staff Directory, Fre-quently Asked Questions, Requests for Pro-posals and Bids, Jobs and more.

A Lancaster County Exploration

Guidealso is available through the Penn-sylvania Dutch Country tourism program.

Montco Navicates. Combination naviga-tors and advocates serve MontgomeryCounty residents as a one-stop location forgovernment related needs.

Further information is available atcounty regional offices at 364 King Street,

Pottstown, (484) 941-5088; Human Ser-vices Center First Floor, 1430 DeKalbStreet, (610) 278-3522, Norristown; Court-house Annex, 102 North York Road, (215)784-5482, Willow Grove; and 421 WestMain Street, (267) 263-0048, Lansdale.

Further information also is available atwww.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1586or from Bonnie Johns at (610) 278-2924.

Interactive Community Profiles WebsiteChester County Planning Commission

provides an interactive Community Profileswebsite for resource data on people, hous-ing, open space and development, trans-portation, economic development, govern-ment, and community facilities for thecountys 73 municipalities and 12 publicschool districts. Information is available by

the entire county, a community which con-sists of one or more school districts, aschool district, or a municipality, with dataable to be displayed in tables, graphs, andmaps.

Information is available atwww.landscapes2.org/ccpc/profiles/communityprofiles.html#.

Delaware Valley Population ProjectionsThrough 2040. The Delaware Valley Re-gional Planning Commission (DVRPC) pro-vides population projects for the nine-

county Delaware Valley region, includingPhiladelphia suburbs atwww.dvrpc.org/OurRegion/pdf/DVRPC_2040_Population_Forecasts.pdf, with an inter-active web map available for viewing atwww.dvrpc.org/webmaps/PopForecast .

Local Gasoline Price Tracking. Twoonline tracking sites provide gas pricesonline:

GasBuddy.com, which also has a cellphone app(lication), uses volunteers togather information at various locations

which may result in reports with a fewminutes to a couple days lag time. Infor-mation is available at www.gasbuddy.com.

Motor Trendmagazine posts gas pricesdaily, based on credit card purchases whichmay not reflect posted pump prices if dis-count programs are involved. Informationis available atwww.motortrend.com/gas_prices.


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Online prices also are an indicator butmay not always reflect pump price changesthat occur during a day.

Area Services Cell Phone Apps. Chester,Montgomery and Lancaster counties have

developed apps for iPhone and Android toassist individuals with obtaining informa-tion on some county services and attrac-tions.

Free apps, available for download in theApple App Store and Google Play Store, in-clude

Chester County Government:Chesco or ChescoCONNECT.

Montgomery County Government:Go Montco.

Lancaster County Exploration Guide.General Assistance (State)Here to Help, hosted by the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania to assist residentsin learning about programs available to aidin difficult economic times. Information isavailable on employment, family services,housing, seniors, economic developmentand education at www.heretohelp.pa.gov.

HelpinPA.The Pennsylvania Departmentsof Insurance, Health, Public Welfare andAging highlights and shares informationabout health and human services pro-

grams, events and resources, includinghealth insurance programs, services forchildren and adults with special health careneeds, prenatal services, breastfeedingsupport, and services for older Pennsylva-nians on Facebook. Information is avail-able at www.facebook.com/HelpinPA.

Pennsylvania Health and HumanServices Resource Guide. Pennsylvaniapublishes a guide for health and humanservices programs and contact informationthrough

www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/775888/resource_guide_eng_rev_pdf.

Ask Here PA. A 24/7 live information re-source, a service of Commonwealth Librar-ies of the Pennsylvania Department of Edu-cation, provides a 24-hour a day, every day

of the year library reference service forquestions from children and adults.

The service is accessible through anonline chat system, with librarians usinginformation from the Internet and onlinedatabases to help provide answers to ques-

tions. Following a session, questioners re-ceive a transcript that includes links to Webpages and other resources used during thesession. Privacy is the same as with otherpublic library services.

Further information and access is avail-able at www.askherepa.org.

Office of Developmental Programs GoldBook. The Pennsylvania Office of Devel-opmental Programs has produced a re-source guide for Understanding the Office ofDevelopmental Programs in Pennsylvania:

Intellectual Disability and Autism Services,known as the Gold Book.The document and further information

in English is available atwww.temple.edu/thetrainingpartnership/puband in Spanish atwww.temple.edu/thetrainingpartnership/espanol.

State Adoption Mobile Website

Pennsylvania has launched one of thenations first adoption mobile websites toprovide easier access for those seeking to

adopt one of the nearly 2,500 childrenwaiting for a permanent home.With the new mobile site, potential

adoptive families who visitwww.adoptpakids.org ona smartphone will automatically be directedto the new mobile site.

State Financial and PerformanceAccountability. PennWATCH allows usersto view appropriations to agencies andfunds from the state budget, detailed in-formation on payments made by agencies,

including the name and address of the re-cipient, and the number of employees ineach agency, with information on their an-nual compensation.

The website also provides a variety ofsearch and reporting tools to allow users tofilter and save data they are seeking, andlinks to other state transparency resources,such as state contracts, lobbyist and cam-


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paign finance reports, Recovery Act spend-ing and state government websites. Penn-WATCH replaces the previous Open Gov-ernment website. It is available atwww.pennwatch.pa.gov.

Highway Safety Web Site. PennDOT hasunveiled a new highway safety web site intime for the summer driving season cover-ing topics from motorcycles to DUI. It ispart of the agency's goal to save at least100 lives on Pennsylvania highways each

year.Tips are offered on aggressive driving,

bicycles/pedestrians, child passengersafety, heavy trucks, engineering infra-structure, impaired driving, mature drivers,motorcycle and school bus safety, seatbelts, work zones and young drivers. Each

area is highlighted as part of an interactivequiz that allows motorists to test theirhighway safety knowledge.

The web site, Just Drive PA, atwww.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/Bureaus/pdBHSTE.nsf/BHSTEHomepage?openframeset&frame=main&src=InfoDriveSafe?OpenForm, also contains educational resources, in-cluding videos, radio public service an-nouncements and traffic safety brochuresalong with information on recently enactedtraffic safety laws such as Steer Clear andwiper and headlights statutes.

Pennsylvania FIX-ROAD Telephone Line

PennDOT has opened its toll-free main-tenance hotline and is urging motorists to

report potholes and other problems on state

roads, including missing highway signs,shoulder drop-offs, roadway washouts and

other potential hazards.Complaints can be reported at (800)

FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623) or at the De-partment's Customer Care Center atwww.dot.state.pa.us/penndot/districts/dist

rict6/d6ccc.nsf?opendatabase.Motors also may obtain the latest road

conditions, traffic and weather updatesthroughout the state at http://511pa.com.

Electric Rate Guide. Pennsylvania resi-dents can compare electric provider ratesthrough the state Office of Consumer Advo-cate at

www.oca.state.pa.us/Industry/Electric/elecomp/ElectricGuides.htm?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.oca.state.pa.us%2fIndustry%2fElectric%2felecomp%2fElectricGuides.htm&utm_campaign=House+Budget+Hearing

s+Continue, [email protected] (800)684-6560.

General Assistance (Federal)Official Federal Government Web Portals.U.S. government maintains portal websitesin English and Spanish to assist individualsin accessing government information.

www.USA.govis the English version,with www.GobiernoUSA.govbeing in Span-ish. Gobierno is Spanish for government.

Directory of Federal Departments and

Agencies. The A-Z Index of U.S. Govern-ment Departments and Agenciesprovidescross references to department and agencywebsites, any local or regional offices, andadditional information on more than 450entities from the Access Board to the Wood-row Wilson International Center for Schol-ars (there are no departments or agencieslisted for the letters K, Q or X through Z).

Additional features include informationon the President and Congressional repre-sentatives, governors and state legislatures,state and territorial contacts, military per-

sonnel locator, assistance to Americansabroad during a crisis, e-mail queries andlive online chat.

The guide is available atwww.usa.gov/directory/federal/index.shtml

The service also advises that individualscan obtain information on any questionabout government at (800) FED INFO (333-4636).

Social Security and Health BenefitsWebsites in Spanish

The Social Security Administration and

the federal Department of Health and Hu-man Services have Spanish language web-sites for Social Security and healthcare in-formation.

www.CuidadoDeSalud.govprovides con-sumers with both public and private healthcoverage options tailored specifically fortheir needs in a single tool. Similar to theEnglish version www.HealthCare.gov, the


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website offers an insurance finder, explainsthe Affordable Care Act in step-by-step de-tail and offers information for families withchildren, senior citizens, individuals withdisabilities and others.

The Social Security site, at

www.segurosocial.govorwww.socialsecurity.gov/espanol, includesavailable applications for retirement, Medi-care and Extra Help with prescription drugcosts in Spanish.

National Traffic and Road ClosureWebsite

The Federal Highway Administrationprovides an online resource guide for trafficand road closures information that can beused to help plan holiday travel.

Information is available at

www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/index.htm#WEAT.

Federal Consumer Information. FederalCitizen Information Center provides free orlow-cost reference material on a variety ofsubjects, including a free weekly e-maildigest of consumer related issues.Recent highlights, for example, include 12Riskiest Places to Give Your Social SecurityNumber, Top 10 Cyber Monday Tips forStaying Safe When Shopping Online, Fallinto Winter Checklist, Five Tips for Staying

Safe on the Roads Over the Holidays, FamilyHealth History Collect It, Get Smart: KnowWhen Antibiotics Work, and Finding a Trust-worthy Kennel to Board Your Pet.

Signups for the Digest, along with othere-mail consumer publications, is availableat www.pueblo.gsa.gov.

Database Assistance for CommunityAdvocates

A federal government website for commu-nity advocates enables them to connectwith programs and benefits for those they

wish to assist, including families, youth,seniors, students, the unemployed, personswith disabilities, and veterans.

Features include searching a publicdatabase of more than 1,000 governmentbenefits, personalizing the benefits searchthrough a pre-screening tool, discoveringlittle known benefits, creating, printing ande-mailing a customized list of benefits that

address an individuals specific needs, andhelping persons in need to use the system.

The Benefits.gov portal is atwww.benefits.gov/advocates/community-advocates.

Free Tips for Parents. Federal Center forDisease Control (CDC) has revamped itsParent Information website to gather infor-mation from across all of its websites to aidparents of newborns through teens witheverything from children safety at homeand within the community to immunizationschedules and developmental milestones.Subjects range from various illnesses anddevelopment issues to bullying and teendriving.Information, including online videos, isavailable at www.cdc.gov/parents.

Education Data and Resources for AllAges. The federal government has devel-oped a central website for education dataresources including high-value data sets,data visualization tools, resources for theclassroom, applications created from opendata and more. Datasets have been gath-ered from various agencies to provide de-tailed information on the state of educationat all levels from cradle to career and be-

yond.Information is available at

www.data.gov/education.

Resources for the Disabled. A federalDisability.gov website helps connect indi-viduals with disabilities and their familiesto resources and services. The Pennsylva-nia site, that includes links to other states,is available atwww.disability.gov/state/pennsylvania?go.y=20&go.x=2.

U.S. Census Releases 1940 CensusRecords. The U.S. National Archives has

released full access to individual 1940 cen-sus records, Census maps and descriptionsthat will aid in family history searches andother information gleaning.

The release, provided for by law 72years after collection, along with guides toassist in finding information, is available athttp://1940census.archives.gov.


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Emergency ResponseEmergency Alerts to Your Cell Phone.Emergency management agencies in Ches-ter, Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery andPhiladelphia counties has activated aReadyNotifyPA system that helps local offi-

cials in Southeastern Pennsylvania sendemergency text alerts of severe weather,homeland security and other emergenciesto an individual cell phone, pager, Black-berry, PDA and/or e-mail accounts.

There is no charge to sign up for Ready-NotifyPA, with an individual being able tochoose the type of alerts received. A wire-less carrier may charge a fee to obtain mes-sages on cell phones or wireless devices.Individuals can contact their carriers todetermine how much such messages maycost.

An individual may activate and deacti-vate the service at any time. It is particu-larly helpful as an alerting device for per-sons in charge of groups of children oradults both within homes and facilities andinvolved in outside activities. Additionalinformation and sign-up is available atwww.readynotifypa.org.

Im Safe App Available from Red Cross.The American Red Cross has launched aHurricane cell phone application that putslifesaving information in the hands of indi-

viduals living in or visiting hurricane proneareas, including one touch Im Safe mes-saging allowing users to broadcast reassur-ance to family and friends via social mediaoutlets that they are out of harms way.

The program, for use on both iPhoneand Android platforms, gives instant accessto local and real time information on whatto do before, during and after hurricanes,including location-based National WeatherService alerts for the United States and itsterritories that users can share on socialnetworks, location of Red Cross shelters,

emergency checklists and other informa-tion.The organization, which previously re-

leased a first aid app, encourages prepara-tion for the hurricane season that runsthrough the end of November.

Further information on the applicationsare available atwww.redcross.org/news/article/Help-is-at-

Your-Fingertips-with-Red-Cross-Apps, withapplication available by searching forAmerican Red Cross at the Google PlayStore for Android or the Apple App Store.

Pet First Aid Cell Phone App. American

Red Cross has added a pet first aid cellphone application to its list of free appsavailable for download.

The feature includes step-by-step in-structions for first aid emergencies, a petprofile for storing a tag ID, photo and medi-cal information, early warning signs forwhen to contact a veterinarian, an animalhospital locator, and how to include pets inemergency preparedness plans.

Additional apps are available for torna-does, wildfires, earthquakes, first aid,shelters finder, swim and flood emergen-

cies.Further information and download linksare available at www.redcross.org/mobile-

apps/petfirst-aid-app.

Registry to Aid Persons With SpecialNeeds in an Emergency. Chester, Bucksand Montgomery counties have developed asecure, web-based Special Needs Registryto better identify to emergency responderspersons of special needs who are most atrisk during a disaster.

Chester County Emergency Services de-

fines the special needs population as those"who cannot receive, understand or actupon emergency protective orders" includ-ing but not limited to those who are deaf,blind, bedridden, mentally impaired, with-out radio or television.

Persons within this population can beregistered with County Emergency Servicesso emergency responders can better plan toserve them in a disaster or other emergen-cies. Further information and registrationis available online athttps://specialneedspa.org/Signin?Return

Url=%2f.

Emergency Assistance Signups. Pennsyl-vania Department of Transportation (Penn-DOT encourages Pennsylvanians to sign upfor the Yellow Dot and Emergency ContactInformation (ECI) programs that are de-signed to save lives in emergency situationsin which victims are unable to speak.


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Participants in the Yellow Dot programfill out a program form with emergency andmedical contact and medical information,insert it into the program folder and thenplace it in a vehicles glove compartment,placing a yellow dot sticker on their vehi-

cles rear window. The sticker alerts emer-gency responders to check a vehicles glovecompartment for the folder, assisting emer-gency responders in providing specific careafter a crash.

The ECI program offers holders of Penn-sylvania driver licenses and PennDOT-is-sued IDs the opportunity to log into a se-cure database and list two emergency con-tacts in cases of emergency. Only law en-forcement officials can view information inthe system.

Information on the Yellow Dot program

is available at www.YellowDot.pa.govandindividuals can join the ECI program atwww.dot4.state.pa.us/mobile_emergency_contact/mobileecilogin.jsp#top?20130527151439563=20130527151439563.

NOAA Weather Radiohas more than 1,000transmitters nation-wide, including Hiber-nia Park near Coatesville and nearby coun-ties, that provide 24/7 Public AlertTMnotifi-cations of emergency weather conditions,including severe weather, hurricanes andtornados. Radios can be purchased for $20

to $100 and, depending on features, mayinclude both electric and battery-poweredoperation, emergency alerting, and motorvehicle adaptation. In addition to homes,weather radio alert systems often are usedin schools, day-care centers, and otherpublic facilities and businesses to warn ofhazardous weather situations that may bedeveloping in ones area. NOAA Weatherradio information is available atwww.weather.gov/nwr.

The National Weather Service and manyarea media also maintain websites, cus-

tomizable for direct access to local areas,that include updated weather conditionsand Doppler radar. The NOAA forecast siteis at www.weather.gov.

Free Flood Notifications. The U.S. Geo-logical Survey (USGS) can provide a Water-Alert via text or e-mail when waters arerising in rivers and streams near individual

locations, along with updates aboutgroundwater levels, water temperatures,rainfall, and water quality at sites whereUSGS collects real-time water information.

Further information and signup is avail-able at

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2919.

Online Weather Channels. Several onlinesites provide ongoing updates on currentand projected weather conditions and re-lated information, including:

National Weather Service:www.weather.gov

The Weather Channel:www.weather.com

AccuWeather:www.accuweather.com

Intellicast: www.intellicast.comAdditional weather information online isavailable from local news media sites.

511PAis Pennsylvania's official travel in-formation service, providing current trafficand weather information, including trafficweb cams, road closures and weather in-formation, as well as links to other trans-portation services. Information is availableat www.511pa.comor (877) 511-7366

Similar systems also are available insome other nearby states by substituting

the two letter abbreviation for the state inthe website address, such aswww.511nj.com, except for Delaware wheresuch information is available atwww.deldot.gov.

National Preparedness. The FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA)makes available many publications to assistindividuals, families including children, andbusinesses to prepare for potential disas-ters including severe thunderstorms, hurri-canes, floods and tornados. Information is

available at www.fema.gov.

Local Preparedness. The Regional Vulner-able Populations Project is offering freematerials on a first-come, first-served basisto organizations seeking to promote prepar-edness for disasters and other emergenciesin homes, workplaces and communities.Materials are offered in conjunction with a


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free training that provides emergency pre-paredness information to organization staffand clients. Further information is avail-able from Robyn Slater, regional vulnerablepopulations coordinator, [email protected], (267) 746-0685 or (610)

344-5022.

Emergency Preparedness Guide. Mont-gomery County has published an Emer-gency Preparedness Guidethat providesguidance as it relates to various types ofemergencies. A downloadable copy is avail-able athttp://dps.montcopa.org/dps/cwp/fileserver,Path,DPS/MontCo%20LEPC/PDF/2011EmerPrepGuide_booklet_Final4.pdf,assetguid,4d456eea-7a10-4c8b-b78a823b8048b90e.pdf

Homeowners Insurance. PennsylvaniaInsurance Department provides informationin regard to insurance losses under ahomeowners policy atwww.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/homeowners_insurance/9195.

After a Disaster. Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency (FEMA) publishes a guide,Recovering from Disaster, to assist individu-als with many types of issues following adisaster. It is available at

www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/recovering_from_disaster.pdf.

Personal Flooding Response. The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)notes that (d)uring a flood cleanup, the in-door air quality in your home or office mayappear to be the least of your problems.However, failure to remove contaminatedmaterials and to reduce moisture and hu-midity can present serious long-term healthrisks. Standing water and wet materialsare a breeding ground for microorganisms,

such as viruses, bacteria, and mold. Theycan cause disease, trigger allergic reactions,and continue to damage materials long af-ter the flood. Further information is avail-able at www.epa.govandwww.epa.gov/iaq/flood.

Emotional Supports. Hurricanes, floods,tornados, violence, health-related issues,

death of a loved one, separation or divorce,unemployment and more, occurring indi-vidually or collectively in ones life, canleave lasting effects, not only on oneselfpersonally but for family members, includ-ing children and the elderly, co-workers

and friends. Information on disaster recov-ery, including emotional coping is availableat:

Federal Emergency ManagementAgency:Coping with Disaster-www.fema.gov/coping-disasterImmediately After a Disaster-www.fema.gov/pdf/assistance/process/help_after_disaster_english.pdf

Federal Center for Disease Con-trol and Prevention:Maintain a Healthy State of Mind for

different populations and ages -http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/mindCoping with a Disaster or TraumaticEvent-http://emergency.cdc.gov/mentalhealth.

Red Cross:Taking Care of Your EmotionalHealth After a Disaster-

www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness

/checklists/EmotionalHealth.pdf The National Child Traumatic

Stress Network- www.nctsnet.org

Disaster Distress Helpline. National Dis-aster Distress Helpline (DDH) provides free,confidential 24/7 assistance for individualsexperiencing stress, anxiety and depressionthat are common reactions after all types ofdisasters.

The Helpline, staffed by crisis counsel-ors, provides crisis intervention for those inemotional distress, educational information

about identifying stress and its effects, tipsfor healthy coping, and disaster-specificlocal resources and referral information.

Further information about the Helplineand signs of stress is available atwww.distresshelpline.org. The Helplinemay be contacted at (800) 985-5990 or(800) 846-8517 TTY for the deaf or hearingimpaired, or text TalkWithUs.


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Caring for Pets and Animals. The FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA)provides tips for caring for pets and otheranimals during an emergency atwww.ready.gov/animals.

Use of Generators. Federal OccupationalSafety and Health Administration (OSHA)urges caution in use of portable generatorsduring a power outage and publishes a Us-ing Portable Generators Safelyguide, avail-able atwww.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/portable_generator_safety.pdf.

Lifeline Cell Phone Service for Low-Income Persons. Low-income householdsmay qualify for a free cell phone and up to250 minutes of free airtime per month un-

der a federal Assurance Wireless programwith Virgin Mobile. Persons receiving fed-eral public housing assistance/Section 8,food stamps, Low Income Home Energy As-sistance Program (LIHEAP), SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI), National SchoolLunch, Temporary Assistance for NeedyFamilies (TANF), Medicaid, or State BlindPension may already qualify. Others maybe accepted if total household income is ator below 135% of the federal poverty guide-lines, for example $14,702 annually for anindividual and $30,173 for a family of four.

The number of minutes also can be doubledfor a fee of $5 per month. Further informa-tion and application is available atwww.assurancewireless.com/Public/MorePrograms.aspx.

Exelon Nuclear Disaster Planning. Ex-elon Nuclear publishes a 16-page emer-gency preparedness guide, EmergencyPlanning for the Limerick Area, in event of anuclear incident, including emergencyalerting systems and evacuation proceduresand routes. It is available at

www.exeloncorp.com/assets/energy/powerplants/docs/Limerick/Limerick%20WebVersion%202010%20PIB.pdf.

Meteorologist Adventure for YoungPeople. PLAN!T NOWs YoungMeteorologist Program takes youth on anonline severe weather preparedness ad-venture in which they encounter lightning,

hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and winterstorms all while learning about severeweather science and safety.

Developed in partnership with the Na-tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Admini-stration/National Weather Service and the

National Education Association, the YoungMeteorologist Program is said to offer asafe, non-threatening learning environmentthat shows kids what they need to do toprepare now to protect themselves and helptheir families when a real storm comes.

The site, which also includes materialfor educators and information on how tobecome a meteorologist, is available atwww.youngmeteorologist.org/?page_id=18.

HealthMake 2014 Your Healthiest Year Yet!

Packet. U.S. Food and Drug Administra-tion (FDA) Office of Womens Health andUSA.gov are providing free packets of in-formation on how to Make 2014 YourHealthiest Year Yet!

Publications, available both in hardcopy or online in English and Spanish, pro-vide facts on some of the most commonhealth concerns that can impact individualsand their loved ones, such as high bloodpressure and sleep problems, and healthyways to manage them, recognizing andavoiding quick fixes and scams, and money

saving tips from the Consumer ActionHandbook.Further information is available at

http://promotions.usa.gov/healthy-2014.html?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

Ride For Health InitiativeThe Transportation Management Associa-tion of Chester County (TMACC) and thePhoenixville Community Health Foundationhave expanded their Ride for Health Initia-tive (RFHI) in Southern Chester County to

include trips for human and social servicesneeds in addition to the earlier healthcarefocus.

The service provides taxi or public tran-sit trips for eligible residents of Avon Grove,Kennett, Oxford and Unionville-ChaddsFord school districts to health and humanand social services sites, including those in


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Kennett Square, West Chester and Coates-ville.

Scheduled transportation is availablefrom 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Earlierinformation is available from partner agen-cies at

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102570574404-1419/RFHI+Flyer+%28English%29_8+23+13.pdf.

Information on a similar Phoenixvillearea initiative that has been in existencesince 2000 is available athttp://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102570574404-1464/ride+for+health+brochure.pdf.

Distracted Driver Prevention Campaign.Montgomery County Health Department

and a consortium of state, county and localorganizations have joined together in ayearlong campaign to reduce distracteddriving.

The awareness and prevention effortadopts the AT&T It Can Waitcampaign thatincludes community events, health fairs,high school and corporate outreach, andinvolvement in online and digital communi-cations.

Authorities said there were 1,224 motorvehicle accidents attributed to distracteddriving in Montgomery County in 2012, in-

cluding five involving fatalities and 614 withinjuries.Campaign features include an online

pledge to not text while driving and a tex-ting and driving simulator, available atwww.itcanwait.com.

Further information about theMontgomery County initiative is available atwww.montcopa.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1665, [email protected] (610)278-5117 x6787.

RoadMAPP to HealthWebsite. A website

of RoadMAPP to Health, the Chester CountyHealth Assessment, highlight efforts ofcounty health agencies and community or-ganizations that assess the countys health,identify major issues, and develop a Com-munity Health Improvement Plan to ad-dress them.

Further information is available at

http://webapps.chesco.org/webapps/health/cha/home.html, [email protected](610) 344-6633.

TriCounty Health Needs Assessment. Anupdated Health Needs Assessment for the

TriCounty area that includes WesternMontgomery, Northern Chester and EasternBerks counties provides information onPottstown Borough and the Pottsgrove,Daniel Boone, Owen J. Roberts, Spring-Ford, Perkiomen Valley and Boyertown ar-eas.

The full report is available atwww.pottstownfoundation.org/PDFs/Pottstown-CHNA-FINAL_to-print-copy-110513.pdf.

Pennsylvania Health Plan for Uninsured

with Pre-Existing Conditions. PA FairCare for adults with pre-existing conditionswho have been uninsured for the past sixmonths now is available on a first-come,first-serve basis.

The temporary plan, with a monthly pre-mium of $283.20 plus co-pays and coinsur-ance, will be available until federal healthinsurance reform takes effect in 2014.Persons are enrolled on a first-come, first-serve basis while funding remains, afterwhich a waiting list will be created.

Further information, including a down-

loadable poster are available athttp://dsf.chesco.org/ccdcd/lib/ccdcd/2010/pa_fair_care_fact_sheet_final_7_28_10.pdf, at www.PAFairCare.comor at (888) 767-7015.

Mental Health Public Access Mapping.Chester County Department of Human Ser-vices has mapped client services for ChildEarly Intervention and Mental Health Ser-vices, along with Adult Mental Health Ser-vices, to assist the public and services pro-viders in understanding how to access

them. The first System of Care initiativesinclude Supplemental Guides that provideadditional information about various as-pects of such services, including terminol-ogy.

The single-page maps and the supple-mental guides are available atwww.chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=617.


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Shingles and Other Vaccinations. HealthDepartments in Chester and Dalwarecounties offer free vaccinations to incomeeligible, uninsured and underinsured.

Chester Countys walk-in clinic is openat the Government Services Center,

601 Westtown Road, West Chester, at vari-ous times during the week and includesfree shingles vaccinations for individualsage 50 and older. Further information andschedules are available atwww.chesco.org/calendar.aspx?CID=24or(610) 344-6252.

The Delaware County State HealthClinic at 151 West 5thStreet, Chester, isproviding free shingles vaccinations for theuninsured and underinsured ages 60 andolder by appointment at (610) 447-3250.

Community Mammograms. Mammogramsare available for women and men 40 yearsof age and older who are uninsured or un-der-insured and live in the Greater Phoe-nixville area through a partnership amongthe Phoenixville Hospital, Community Radi-ology of the University of Pennsylvania, andPhoenixville Healthcare Access Foundation(PHCAF).

Further information is available atwww.phcafoundation.org/our-programs/mammogramor (610) 935-3165.

Wellness in the Workplace. ChesterCounty Health Department provides a sixmonths Wellness in the Workplace initiativeto help employers save health care dollars,increase productivity, reduce injuries, anddecrease absenteeism.

Employees have an opportunity to par-ticipate in physical activity classes, makehealthier food choices, and adopt newstress management skills.

The program includes two biometricscreenings, one at the beginning of the pro-gram and one at the end to track the pro-

gress made over six months, consisting of afinger-stick test measuring cholesterol (to-tal, HDL, ratio) and glucose, blood pres-sure, body composition (BMI, body fat %and hydration) checks, monthly educa-tional sessions, and special health initia-tives.

The program is free, with a $30 fee perparticipant if they chose to have the cho-lesterol and glucose screenings.

Further information and scheduling of awellness visit can be obtained atwww.chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=1814or

(610) 344-6441,

Womens Health Care Chartbook. TheKaiser Family Foundation has released anew Womens Health Care Chartbook thatdescribes key findings from its WomensHealth Survey. Among findings are that onein 10 women were caregivers to frail or illfamily members, with one in five of thesewomen spending more than 40 hours perweek in this area, with consequentialstrains on family finances.

The survey of women ages 18 to 64 pro-

vides a look at experiences of women in thehealth care system and presents a widerange of data on health issues of women 18to 64, including insurance coverage, afford-ability of and access to care, use of healthcare services, prevention, and family health.

The report is available atwww.kff.org/womenshealth/upload/8164.pdf.

Free Healthy Womens Action Kit. U.S.Food and Drug Administration's Office ofWomen's Health and the General Services

Administration's Federal Citizen Informa-tion Center has created a Healthy Women'sAction Kit with health information on a va-riety of issues, including managing choles-terol, blood pressure, and risk for diabetes,staying safe using cosmetics and gettingtattoos, recognizing and avoiding onlinehealth scams, talking confidentially to adoctor about menopause and hormones,and stop-smoking methods.

Further information about subjects andkit orders is available atwww.promotions.usa.gov/dearabby.html?W

T.mc_id=30714&source=govdeliveryor(888) 878-3256.

Low-Income Community HealthcareAccess in Lancaster County. Project Ac-cess Lancaster County (PALCO) provides ahealth care bridge for individuals with in-come too low to afford health insurance,but not qualifying for public assistance or


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Medicare. Anyone meeting program re-quirements may receive physician servicesby paying a copayment. When necessary,related health care expenses such as hos-pitalization, outpatient care, lab work, X-rays studies and rehabilitation medicine are

provided at no cost.The program is a coordinated volunteereffort from physicians, hospitals, pharma-cies and other health care providers to pre-vent treatable conditions from becominglife-threatening, and to reduce the use ofemergency rooms to treat non-emergentillness.

Further information as to eligibility andservices, along with applications for assis-tance, is available atwww.palcolancaster.org.

Breast and Cervical Cancer DetectionProgram. Free breast and cervical cancerdetection examinations, along with freetreatment in event cancer is detected, areavailable to eligible women through thePennsylvania HealthyWoman Program(HWP).

Services include clinical breastexamination, mammogram, pelvic exami-nation and Pap smear, education on breastself-examination, and follow-up diagnosticcare for an abnormal result, including freetreatment through the Department of Pub-

lic Welfares Breast and Cervical CancerPrevention and Treatment Program. Breastcancer is the second leading cause of can-cer death among women, with risk in-creasing with age.

Further information about the programand qualifying is available athttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/healthy_women/14172/healthywoman_program_home/557855%20?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2fportal%2fserver.pt%2fcommunity

%2fhealthy_women%2f14172%2fhealthywoman_program_home%2f557855+&utm_campaign=Legislative+roundupor (800) 215-7494.

Community Cancer Education Programs.

Two organizations are providing educationalprograms on risk factors associated withcancer and methods of prevention at work

sites, schools, and community and faith-based settings.

The Pennsylvania Department of Healthestimates that more than 60 percent ofcancer deaths could be prevented with earlydetection and modifying risk factors.

-- A program by the Chester CountyHealth Departmentdiscusses cancerssuch as colorectal, a leading cancer killeramong both men and women, ovarian thatcauses more deaths in women than anyother gynecologic cancer because it usuallyis not diagnosed until late stages, andprostrate, the second leading cause of can-cer deaths among men, particularly AfricanAmericans who have a higher risk.

Additional information, includingscheduling, is available from Danielle Bor-den, public health educator, at (610) 344-

6243.-- Fox Chase Cancer Centeris present-ing interactive English and Spanish cancereducation programs, with topics includingcolorectal, prostrate, ovarian and skin can-cer, with a goal of reducing the number ofpersons diagnosed with late stage cancer,ultimately reducing the number of deaths.

Further information and requests forscheduling English version programs areavailable from Armenta Washington [email protected] (215)214-3984 and for Spanish version pro-

grams from Rosa Ortiz [email protected] (215) 728-5592.

Freedom from SmokingClinics. Phoe-nixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Road, Phoenix-ville. American Lung Associations eight-session smoking cessation program, in-cluding nicotine replacement therapy, isheld from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdaysstarting in February, April, June, Augustand October, and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Thursdays starting in January, March,May, July, September and November.

Further information and required regis-tration is available at (610) 983-1021.

Cancer Insurance Co-Pay Assistance

The CancerCareCo-Payment AssistanceFoundation helps address the needs of in-dividuals who cannot afford their insuranceco-payments to cover the cost of medica-tions for treating cancer. It also is affiliated


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with CancerCare, a national not-for-profitorganization that provides free professionalsupport services including counseling, edu-cation, financial assistance and practicalhelp to people with cancer and their lovedones.

Further information is available atwww.cancercarecopay.org,[email protected], or (866)552-6729 toll-free.

Medicare Adds Heart Disease PreventionServices. The Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services (CMS) has added cover-age for a number of preventive services inan effort to help reduce cardiovascular dis-ease.

Under the coverage decision, CMS willcover one face-to-face visit each year to al-

low patients and their care providers to de-termine the best way to help prevent cardi-ovascular disease. The visit must be fur-nished by primary care practitioners, suchas a beneficiarys family practice physician,internal medicine physician, or nurse prac-titioner, in settings such as physicians of-fices. During these visits, providers mayscreen for hypertension and promotehealthy diet as part of an overall initiativeto reduce the burden of cardiovascular dis-ease in the United States.

Further information in regard to the ini-

tiative is available atwww.cms.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=4162&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&sr.

Chesco Healthcare Discount Program.

Chester County is making available a pro-gram to allow residents to obtain discountson vision care, LASIK and PRK vision pro-cedures, hearing aids and screenings, pre-paid lab work, prepaid diagnostic imagingand diabetic supplies, along with prescrip-

tions and dental costs.The initiative, through the NationalAssociation of Counties (NACo) in partner-ship with CVS Caremark, is said to savingson auxiliary healthcare services not in-cluded currently under the Affordable CareAct.

No annual limits are placed on use,with no waiting period or forms to fill out.

The plan starts at $6.95 a month or $69 ayear for individuals, and $8.95 monthly or$79 annually for families.

The initiative joins discount card pro-grams already in place for prescriptions anddental services, with the County reporting

that residents have saved nearly 118,000residents $600,000 through the prescrip-tion program in the past five years, with thedental program, which started in 2011,having saved participants between 20 to 50percent on services.

Further information on the new HealthDiscount Card, along with existing pre-scription and dental programs, is availablethrough the Chester County Health De-partment at www.chesco.org/health or

(610) 344-6225.

Information Source for Latino HealthCare. The federal Department of Healthand Human Services has a Minority Healthwebsite, in both English and Spanish tohelp connect minorities with new informa-tion and resources to improve access toquality, affordable health coverage. It islocated at http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov.andhttp://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/espanol.

Fitness Program for Adult CancerPatients. Kennett Area YMCA is conduct-

ing a free 12-week small group program foradult cancer patients who have recentlybecome de-conditioned or chronically fa-tigued from their treatment or disease.

Living Strong, Living Welltakes place forone hour, twice a week, and is designed tostrength the heart and muscles, improveflexibility and balance, and develop relaxa-tion techniques. Further information andregistration is available from Stacie Taylor,health and wellness director, at (610) 444-9622 x46.

Free Lyme Disease PreventionEducation. Chester County Health De-partment is providing free educationalpresentations appropriate for schools, worksites, and community groups about Lymedisease.

Chester County has one of the highestincidence rates in the state. Over 800 newconfirmed cases were discovered in the


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county in 2009, with Pennsylvania havingthe eighth highest rate in the United States.

The federal Centers for Disease Control andPrevention reports that children are more atrisk because they spend more time playingoutdoors and in high grass or leaves where

ticks that spread Lyme disease are found.Additional information on Lyme diseaseand scheduling a presentation available at(610) 344-6490.

Lead Poisoning Screenings, Check Kitsand Education Programs. Chester CountyHealth Department is seeking to overcomethe countys status of having the second-lowest lead screening rate in Pennsylvaniawith free lead level screenings for youngchildren and pregnant women, do-it-your-self lead check kits to test for lead in homes

and other locations, and lead poison pre-vention education programs for individualsand organizations dealing with children.

A major risk factor for lead exposure isspending time in buildings constructedprior to 1978, with more than 60% ofhomes in the county being built before thatdate. Symptoms of lead poisoning, such asirritable moods, learning and behavioraldifficulties, fatigue, appetite and weightloss, abdominal pain, vomiting and consti-pation, often mimic other conditions anddont show up until lead levels are danger-

ously high.Parents, services providers and day carecenters can check paint, toys, dishes, playareas and soil with the free kit. Programsto educate organizations and staff, alongwith other free services are available fromLindsay Himes at [email protected] at(610) 344-6778. Downloadable posters inEnglish are available athttp://dsf.chesco.org/health/lib/health/lead/leadfreeeng.pdf and in Spanish athttp://dsf.chesco.org/health/lib/health/lead/leadfreesp.pdf.

Lead-Based Paint Mitigation Funding.Chester County Department of Health pro-vides eligible homeowners and landlords atleast 90% of the costs for removing leadhazards in homes with children.

Home occupants meeting 80% of federalArea Median Income guidelines (up to$44,150 annually for an individual or

$63,050 for a family of four, as examples)may be eligible if a property is in ChesterCounty, constructed before 1978, and achild under the age of six lives in the home,is expected to live in the home, or visitsmore than six hours per week.

Further information is available athttp://pachestercounty.civicplus.com/Doc

umentCenter/View/16098 or from Kevin

Zeeger, lead hazard control program coor-dinator, at [email protected] or (610)344-6725.

Lancaster County Low-IncomeCommunity Healthcare Access. ProjectAccess Lancaster County (PALCO) providesa health care bridge for individuals withincome too low to afford health insurance,but not qualifying for public assistance or

Medicare. Anyone meeting program re-quirements may receive physician servicesby paying a copayment. When necessary,related health care expenses such as hos-pitalization, outpatient care, lab work, X-rays studies and rehabilitation medicine areprovided at no cost.

The program is a coordinated volunteereffort from physicians, hospitals, pharma-cies and other health care providers to pre-vent treatable conditions from becominglife-threatening, and to reduce the use ofemergency rooms to treat non-emergent

illness.Further information as to eligibility andservices, along with applications for assis-tance, is available atwww.palcolancaster.org.

Multi-Route Walking Program

Coatesville on the Move (COTM), acommunity collaborative designed to createa supportive environment to improve thephysical, mental and spiritual health ofresidents, has expanded its walking pro-gram started last year to five weekly times

and locations.Interested persons can join any of theweekday walking groups, with one startingon West Lincoln Highway and three startingon East Lincoln Highway, all in Coatesville,and a fifth in Thorndale.


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A downloadable brochure that lists thedays, times and starting locations is avail-able atwww.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=157945770937755&set=pu.157322914333374&t

ype=1 &theater.

Additional groups also are being encour-aged, with further information availablefrom Kathryn Spurlock at (610) 380-7111x16 or [email protected].

Pedestrian Safety Videos. PennsylvaniaDepartment of Transportation (PennDOT)has produced four videos focused on edu-cating children, motorists and parentsabout pedestrian safety due to 4,558 pe-destrian injuries and 743 deaths being re-corded in state traffic accidents in the pastfive years, with 33 percent of those killed

being 18 years or younger.The videos are available atwww.youtube.com/pennsylvaniaDOT.

Through October

Motorcycle Safety Courses.Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program

(PAMSP) for license and permit holders atall skill levels is being offered at differentlocations.

An Advanced Rider Course (RC), a one-day training session modeled after a mili-tary course for licensed motorcyclists

wishing to enhance their safety skillsthrough attitude and enhanced awareness,is available for the first time.

Further information, including locationsand schedules are available atwww.pamsp.com, [email protected] (800)845-9533.

YMCA Memberships for 7thGraders.Three area YMCA associations are offer-

ing free memberships for 7thgraders, withcurrent 7thgraders being eligible throughAugust 31, prior to entering the eighth

grade.The YMCA of the Brandywine Valley,with centers in Coatesville, Kennett Square,West Chester, Jennersville, Cochranville,and Elverson; Upper Main Line YMCA withcenters at Berwyn, Lionville and Eagleview;and the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinitythat includes centers in Media and Ard-more, are participating in the activity that

is part of a national focus on healthy life-styles for youth.

Further information is available atwww.ymcabwv.org/7GI/index.html,www.umly.org, andwww.philaymca.org/branches/rocky-

run/youth-teens, or at the local YMCAs.

Ultrasound and Pregnancy TestsChester County Womens Services at 17

South Street, West Chester, and 1028 EastLincoln Highway, Coatesville, provides freelimited ultrasound and pregnancy tests.

Further information and appointmentsare available at (610) 918-7088 for the WestChester office and (610) 383-0930 for theCoatesville office.

Breastfeeding Classes

The La Leche League holds monthlymeetings during which a continuous seriesof four classes provide mother-to-mothersupport, encouragement, information andeducation about breastfeeding.

Chester County groups include eveningsin Downingtown and Exton-Lionville andmornings in Glenmoore-Elverson, Kimber-ton and West Chester.

Classes include The Advantages ofBreastfeeding, Baby Arrives: The Familyand the Breastfed Baby, The Art of Breast-feeding and Avoiding Difficulties,and Start-

ing Solids, Weaning and Family Nutrition.Further information and schedules areavailable athttp://beanmom.com/laleche/#dtn.

In 2009, Acting Surgeon General StevenGalson, in highlighting the 25thanniversaryof the Surgeon Generals Workshop onBreastfeeding and Lactation, said that(b)reast milk is the best source of infantnutrition. The federal Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC) also says it iscommitted to increasing breastfeedingrates throughout the United States and to

promoting and supporting optimal breast-feeding practices toward the ultimate goalof improving the public's health.

As a result of the H1N1 pandemic, theCDC also has issued guidelines for nursingmothers that can be found atwww.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/infantfeeding.htm.


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Free Texting Information Service forPregnant Women and New Moms.

National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Ba-bies Coalition has developed a public-pri-vate partnership to provide pregnantwomen and new moms with information

they need to take care of their own healthand give babies the right start in life.Text4baby is a free mobile education ser-

vice to promote maternal and child health.Women who sign up for the free service willreceive free health text messages eachweek, timed to their due date and for up toa year after the babys birth. Enrollment isavailable by texting BABY (or BEBE for in-formation in Spanish) to 511411. Furtherinformation is available atwww.text4baby.org.

Helping Children with Emotional andBehavioral Problems. The Mental HealthAssociation in Pennsylvania (MHAPA) haspublished a PA Roadmap to Help for Fami-lies of Children and Youth With Emotionaland Behavioral Problemsthat describesresources to aid parents with children withspecial needs. It is available athttp://pachildrensnews.org/PDFs/Resources_Roadmap_Help.pdf.

Community Conversations About Mental

Health. U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS) hosts a resourceswebsite for information about mental healthissues, including signs of mental illness,how individuals can seek help, local, stateand national resources, and how commu-nities can host conversations about mentalhealth. It also features videos from a num-ber of individuals sharing their storiesabout mental illness, recovery, and hope.

The Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)also will be releasing a Toolkit for Commu-nity Conversations About Mental Healthto

provide consistent information and ap-proaches in support of communities inter-ested in holding discussions about mentalhealth. The Toolkit will include an Informa-tion Brief, a Discussion Guideand an Orga-nizing Guide.

The awareness campaign is designed tohelp dispel myths about mental illness andassist individuals in obtaining assistance.

HHS notes that mental health problems arevery common. In 2011, it reports, about:

One in five American adults experi-enced a mental health issue.

One in 10 young people experienceda period of major depression.

One in 20 Americans lived with a se-rious mental illness, such asschizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ormajor depression.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause ofdeath in the United States, ac-counting for the loss of more than38,000 American lives each year,more than double the number oflives lost to homicide.

A series of mental health myths andfacts are available atwww.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-

facts/index.html.The website is available at

www.MentalHealth.gov, with the Informa-tion Briefavailable athttp://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA13-4763?utm_source=PEPeblast&utm_medium=social&utm_term=#MentalHealthMatters&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=CommunityConversationsAboutMentalHealth.

Developmental Programs Guide. Aguidefor Understanding the Office of Developmen-tal Programs in Pennsylvania: Mental Re-

tardation & Autism Serviceshas been pub-lished by Vision for Equality and is avail-able atwww.visionforequality.org/pdf/goldbook201007.pdf.

Statewide Autism Resource Center. Astatewide autism resource center, includinga website, statewide toll-free telephonenumber and community outreach special-ists, provides information for an estimated30,000 Pennsylvanians and their familiesliving with autism.

The initiative, developed by the AutismServices, Education, Resources & Training(ASERT) Collaborative, offers informationabout local, regional and statewide events,professional training, community resources,services, current research and other infor-mation relevant to the autism community.


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The collaborative is a partnership ofmedical centers, centers of autism researchand services, universities, community or-ganizations, and other providers of servicesinvolved in the treatment and care of adultsand children with autism.

Further information is available atwww.PAautism.orgor (877) 231-4244.

Autism Resources at Chester CountyLibraries

All Chester County libraries have a newvariety of educational resources on autismas a result of a grant from West Pharma-ceutical Services in Lionville.

Further information is available at thelibraries or through the Find a ResourceCatalog section at www.ccls.org.

Autism WebinarsThe National Autism Resource and Infor-mation Center is hosting an extended seriesof webinars on Tuesday and Thursday af-ternoons to introduce or expand individualknowledge on various autism-related sub-

jects including early intervention, safety,social security disability insurance, andinformation pertinent to military families.

Currently-scheduled webinars, alongwith prior sessions, are available atwww.autismnow.org/about-us/what-we-do/webinars.

Stop Smoking KitsPennsylvania Department of Health is

offering four-week nicotine replacementtherapy (NRT) kits and counseling supportto individuals trying to quit use of tobaccowhile supplies last.

Further information is available atwww.DeterminedToQuit.comand free kitsand counseling support are available at(800) QUIT NOW (784-8669).

Teen Prescription Drug Prevention

ToolKitNational Council on Patient Informationand Education (NCPIE) has introduced anew online toolkit for Maximizing Your Roleas a Teen Influencer: What You Can Do toHelp Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse.

This resource includes a complete work-shop module, handouts and instructions,as well as real-life scenarios, information

about warning signs and symptoms, com-mon myths about teen prescription drugabuse, brochures and sample promotionalmaterials.

Federal reports indicate that prescriptiondrugs easily accessed in a family medicine

cabinet -- are now abused more than co-caine, heroin, ecstasy and methampheta-mines combined, with one in five teenshaving abused prescription drugs, one inthree saying there is "nothing wrong" inusing them "every once and a while." andnearly 2,500 teens abusing them every dayfor the first time.

Prescription drugs used for improperpurposes can increase blood pressure orheart rates, damage brain and other or-gans, result in overdose, poisonings, addic-tions, breathing disruptions, seizures and

death. Additional risks occur when mixingmultiple drugs or combining them withalcohol.

The downloadable toolkit is available atwww.talkaboutrx.org/maximizing_role.jsp.

Literature in both English and Spanishalso is available atwww.talkaboutrx.org/not_worth_the_risk.jsp.

Online Handbook Available to HelpParent Talk with Teens About Alcohol

Mothers Against Drug Driving (MADD)

has developed a new 48-page online guideto help parents start talking with theirteenagers about underage drinking.

The handbook is available throughhttp://support.madd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pop_reg.

Alcohol Consumption Screening ToolA free online screening tool to help indi-

viduals assess their own alcohol consump-tion patterns to determine if their drinkingis likely to be harming their health or in-creasing their risk for future harm is avail-

able through Join Together, a project of theBoston University School of Public Health.Through education and referral, the

website urges those whose drinking isharmful or hazardous to take positive ac-tion, and informs all adults who consumealcohol about guidelines and caveats forlower-risk drinking


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The tool is available atwww.alcoholscreening.org.

Assistance for Families AddressingAddiction Issues

Pennsylvania Recovery Organization

Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT )is hosting monthly Family Program gather-ings to assist individuals and families rec-ognize and address addiction problems in aspouse, parent, child or other loved one.

The information and support programs,facilitated by trained volunteers who havebeen in the same situation, are held for twohours on one evening a week for three con-secutive weeks. Program locations are at: Chester County 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on

the first three Wednesdays in Room 336of the Government Services Center, 601

Westtown Road, West Chester. Delaware County 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on

the first three Tuesdays at Holcomb Be-havioral Health Services, 126 East Bal-timore Pike, Media.

Montgomery County 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.on the first three Wednesdays at Crea-tive Health, 11 Robinson Street, Potts-town.Sessions are confidential, using only first

names. Further information and requiredregistration are available at (800) 221-6333or at [email protected].

National Drug Use and Health Report Anew report, Results from the 2008 NationalSurvey on Drug Use and Health NationalFindings, has been published by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services.It is available athttp://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm.

Training Manual for Brain InjurySurvivors and Families

The Acquired Brain Injury Network of

Pennsylvania (ABIN-PA) has published atraining manual, Building a New Life AfterBrain Injury: Peer to Peer Training by Survi-vors and Families for Survivors, Familiesand Friendsto encourage brain injury sur-vivors to identify their unique abilities, de-velop new interests, and create a confidentnew life.

The federal Centers for Disease Controland Prevention notes that traumatic braininjury are often missed or misdiagnosed inolder adults. ABIN-PA also reports thatbrain injuries often are misunderstoodwithin the general population. It says a

brain injury means a brain function wasdamaged by an event that decreased oxygenor blood to the brain. All brain injury isacquired (ABI) but some injuries result fromphysical trauma (TBI). These events are socommon that people take them for granted,never realizing problems accumulate.Eventually, damage may equal a disability.Any brain injury requires attention. Usecaution to prevent a second hit.

Potential causes of brain injury, accord-ing to ABIN-PA, can include alcoholism, an-esthesia, aneurysm, a beating or a punch,

bicycle crash, blow to the head, brain in-fection, brain radiation, surgery or tumor,cardiac arrest or surgery, a drug reaction,electric shock, explosion, gunshot, falling,high fever, impact, lightening, motor vehiclecrash, near drowning or suffocation, poi-soning, shaking, skateboarding or skiingcrash, a stroke or whiplash.

A downloadable copy of the manual isavailable at www.abin-pa.org/Presentations/Manualfor S & F Final 2009.08.23.pdf. Additional informationabout acquired brain injury, including

downloadable brochures to assist in iden-tifying these situations, is available atwww.abin-pa.organd atwww.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/index.html.

Suicide Prevention Training

Certified members of the Chester CountyYouth Suicide Prevention Task Force offergroup trainings to lay persons on suicideprevention techniques.

Hour-long QPR (QuestionPersuade.Refer) classes that teach a life-saving tech-

nique to apply when someone is feeling sui-cidal, are available to schools, businessesand other community groups.

Further information is available atwww.ccysp.organd scheduling is availableat (610) 363-6164 or (610) 334-5359.


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Agencies Partner with Facebook toPrevent Suicides

The federal Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration and the Na-tional Suicide Prevention Lifeline have de-veloped a collaborative with Facebook to

assist those in crisis and help prevent sui-cides in both the United States and Can-ada.

The service enables Facebook users toreport a suicidal comment they see postedby a friend to Facebook using either a Re-port Suicidal Content link or report linksfound throughout the site. The person whoposted the suicidal comment will then im-mediately receive an e-mail from Facebookencouraging them to call the National Sui-cide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK(8255) or to click on a link to begin a confi-

dential chat session with a crisis worker.The Lifeline is a toll-free suicide preven-tion hotline network comprised of 152 localcrisis centers. It is funded by the Sub-stance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration (SAMHSA) and administeredby Link2Health Solutions, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of the Mental Health Associationof New York City (MHA-NYC). The Lifelineprovides free and confidential crisis coun-seling to anyone in need 24/7 and has an-swered over 3 million calls since its launchin 2005.

Further information on the service isavailable athttp://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1112125820.aspx.

Helping Children Through a TraumaticEvent

Federal Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)publishes Tips for Talking With and HelpingChildren and Youth Cope After a Disasteror Traumatic Event.

Saying that adult support and reassure

is the key to helping children through atraumatic time, the four-page publicationdescribes possible reactions to a traumaticevent by various age groups, from infants toteens, and how parents, caregivers andteachers can support recovery, even if chil-dren and youth only are exposed to such anevent via media reports or general conver-sations. It also provides resources, in-

cluding hotlines, if additional assistance isneeded.

The adult assistance publication isavailable for viewing or download atwww.store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA12-4732/SMA12-4732.pdf. A February

2011 report on Traumas Impact on Child-hood Developmentalso is available atwww.samhsa.gov/children/social_media_feb2011.asp.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)The National Institutes of Health (NIH)

discusses seasonal affective disorder (SAD),a type of depression that occurs at a certaintime of the year, usually in the winter, andmay be caused by the lack of light. Furtherinformation is available atwww.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seasonalaf-

fectivedisorder.html.

Car Seat Checks in MontcoMontgomery County Health Departmentconducts free safety inspections and edu-cation programs for county residents on theproper way to install a child safety seat atLimerick, Norristown, Montgomeryville,with evening hours in Gilbertsville. Furtherinformation and schedules are available atwww.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1132or (610) 278-5119.

Free Opoid Overdose Toolkit.Federal Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)has published an Opoid Overdose Toolkittoequip communities and local governmentswith development of policies and practicesto help prevent opoid-related overdoses anddeaths. It includes information for com-munity members, prescribers, and thoserecovering from an opoid overdose, five es-sential steps for first responders and safetyadvise for patients and family members.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse

advises in regard to pain killers that(T)aken as prescribed, opioids can be usedto manage pain safely and effectively. How-ever, when abused, even a single large dosecan cause severe respiratory depressionand death.

Numerous area forums have suggestedthat unmanaged prescription drugs, oftentaken from medicine cabinets, have become


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the new drug of choice for youth and adultsand often leads to heroin use because of thelesser cost of heroin.

Further information on the Toolkit isavailable athttp://store.samhsa.gov/product/Opioid-

Overdose-Prevention-Toolkit/SMA13-4742.

Prescription Drug Drop BoxesNo-questions-asked drop boxes have

been installed at dozens of area law en-forcement agencies for year around collec-tion of unused prescription drugs.

The initiative is designed to help keepunauthorized prescription drugs out of thehands of children and adults and out ofpublic water supplies.

Prescription drugs are being describedas the gateway to heroin and other illegal

drugs, with youth and adults of all agestaking pills from unlocked medicine cabi-nets and ingesting them indiscriminately.When prescription drugs no longer areavailable, users turn to heroin because itcurrently is cheaper than prescriptiondrugs, officials report. Law enforcementsays the problem is particularly acute inwhite, middle and upper-income families.

Traces of drugs also are turning up inmunicipal water supplies according to thefederal Environmental Protection Agency,presumably due to persons disposing of

them in sinks and toilets.The Pennsylvania Department of Drugand Alcohol Services provides an online listfor local collection locations throughout thestate atwww.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1677241&mode=2&utm_so

urce=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2fportal%2fserver.pt%3fopen%3d514%26ob

jID%3d1677241%26mode%3d2&utm_camp

aign=Happy+New+Year.A downloadable brochure of 18 Chester

County collection sites that can be printedout and posted or distributed is available athttp://chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/17354.

FoodChester County Farm Products Guide

Chester Country Agricultural Develop-ment Council