North Slope Borough

Every single day North Slope communities are healthier than the day before.

Our mission is to promote the health and well being of North Slope residents in a culturally appropriate manner.

—Department of Health & Social Services—

September 2014 Volume 4, Issue 3

5200 Karluk St

PO BOX 69

Barrow, AK 99723

Phone: (907) 852-0366

Fax: (907) 852-0389

Arctic Women in Crisis (AWIC)

1-800-478-0267

Ph: (907) 852-0261

Fax: (907) 852-2474

Children & Youth Services

Ph: (907) 852-0263

Fax: (907) 852-0463

Community Health Aide

Program (CHAP)

Ph: (907) 852-0256

Fax: (907) 852-3571

Eye Clinic

Ph: (907) 852-0273

Fax: (907) 852-6098

Gathering Place

Ph: (907) 852-0402

Fax: (907) 852-6210

Integrated Behavioral Health

Ph: (907) 852-0366

Fax: (907) 852-0268

Matsutani Community

Resource Center

Ph: (907) 852-0288

Fax: (907) 852-4229

Public Health Nursing

Ph: (907) 852-0270

Fax: (907) 852-2855

Senior Program

Ph: (907) 852-0276

Fax: (907) 852-9903

Prevention Program

Ph: (907) 855-8501

Fax: (907) 852-2855

Veterinary Clinic/

Public Health Office

Ph: (907) 852-0277

Fax: (907) 852-0477

Women, Infants & Children

Nutrition Program (WIC)

Ph: (907) 852-0410

Fax: (907) 852-3766

Our Programs

Doreen Leavitt, RN

Director

Justina Wilhelm, BA, CDC1

Deputy Director

Integrated Behavioral Health

Jennifer Brower, LMSW

Deputy Director

Community Health Service

Grace Ng

Deputy Director

Administration

September National Recovery Month Healthy Aging Month National Suicide Prevention Week 7-13 National Suicide Prevention Day -10 National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Fruits & Veggies - More Mattes Month October Domestic Violence Awareness Month National Bullying Prevention Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

November American Diabetes Month Great American Smokeout - 20 December Safe Toys and Gifts Month World AIDs Day - 1 January National Birth Defect Prevention Month Cervical Health Awareness Month

- National Health Observances -

National Suicide Prevention Day falls on September 10th. The Prevention Team set up a

table at Barrow High School to inform students about local statistics, indicators, warning

signs, protective factors, and available resources. BHS students took the time to learn

about suicide prevention and some students even volunteered to help with passing out

informational brochures.

National Suicide Prevention Day September 10th

Lucy Aiken is the North Slope Borough Employee of the Month. Lucy is a van driver for the Senior Center. She exhibits the type of hard working attitude that the North Slope Borough strives to bring out of each and every employee. Keep up the good work Lucy!

Prevention Corner Comprehensive Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Services

(CBHPEI) were created to focus on data from communities in the North Slope to effectively

prevent health concerns with positive and measurable outcomes. The Prevention Coalition

has been gathering individuals who are a part of their community to be active members in

efforts to tackle substance abuse. To help expand the Prevention Coalition’s knowledge of

how to approach these issues Rose Elbert, a Counselor III at integrated behavioral health,

was selected to attend a Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training that was held in

Anchorage. Rose brought back with her new ideas and concepts that the coalition would

be able to utilize throughout the year.

In order to educate the residents of Barrow on National Suicide Prevention Day,

September 10th, the Prevention Team partnered with local restaurants and created

placemats to commemorate the occasion. Northern Lights, Sam & Lees, Niggivikput (Top

of the World restaurant) were great contributors in reaching out to the community. The

placemats focused on facts concerning suicide in the North Slope and an emotional poem

written by someone who considered committing suicide.

The prevention team is also working with the Northern Regional Coalition.

Members in the NRC include a Tobacco Prevention Specialist from the Nome Community

Center and the Tobacco Prevention Manager of Maniilaq Association. The team is

currently upgrading the NSBSD policy to a Gold Star based on Mission 100 standards.

They are also creating a PowerPoint presentation that will be exhibited at each Health Fair

and schools across the North Slope. Tobacco Quitline information is always available, just

call 855-8501.

It is part of the Inupiat values for people to come together and solve issues, in or-

der for that to happen they must communicate their feelings and work as one, to make a

dream part of reality.

Jalene Kanayurak -

Public Health Nursing

Daira Pico -

Public Health Nursing

Keisha David -

Public Health Nursing

Amy Leavitt -

Public Health Nursing

April Phillip -

Prevention Program/

TPC

Mariah Young -

Vet Clinic

Meet Our Interns

North Slope Borough

Fun Friday was introduced throughout the Health Department as a change

of pace within the workplace. Themes are chosen a week in advance and

the Fun Friday Competition takes place on every other Friday. The teams

pictured below were winners on previous Fun Fridays; themes were (top

left clockwise to bottom right) Blinged Out Day, Cultural Day, Superhero

Day, Vision & Mission & Values, and Jersey Day.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Joint Health Board Meeting

9/29 & 30

9:00-5:00

Heritage Center

Health Fairs 10/10 - PIZ 10/11 - PHO 11/8 - BRW 11/14 - ATQ 11/15 - AIN 11/21 – KAK 11/22 - NUI 12/5 - AKP

Vet Travel

9/23-25 - AKP

9/29-10/1 - ATQ

10/6-8 - PIZ

10/13-17 - KAK

10/20-22 - AIN

10/27-30 - NUI

Weekly Health

Department Radio

Show Topics

9/11 - Recovery Month

9/18 - TB 9/25 - Colon Cancer 10/2 - Domestic Violence 10/9 - Breast Cancer Awareness Month 10/16 - Bullying Prevention 10/23 - Marijuana Education

—Department of Health & Social Services—