CPH staff attended 2024 Community and Public Health Conference

Center for Population Health staff members Kimberly Roberts, Leann Lovejoy, Amy Bunn, and Allie Byers traveled to State College at the beginning of April to attend the 2024 Community and Public Health Conference.

Kimberly and Leann spoke at the event during the morning educational sessions. Their presentation "Improving Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Pennsylvania Through Community Health Workers: The Impact of the Community Care HUB" highlighted the community health workers and how the HUB aims to reduce disparities and improve outcomes in high-risk populations.

During the conference, staff attended other educational sessions to learn more about public health and how to integrate other programs into Center work.

Above: Local Food Systems Coordinator Nan McNinney tabled at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, and St. Francis University to assist college students who may be affected by food insecurity sign up for SNAP benefits. She also explained which food resources are available.

Below: McNinney attended the PA Nutrition Education Network PA (NEN) conference in Lancaster. At the conference, nutrition educators, SNAP-Ed providers, and public health professionals gathered to share research, best practices, challenges, and insights into SNAP-Ed in Pennsylvania.

Newsletter

Highlights

CPH staff attended Pennsylvania Rural Community and Public Health Conference

PA Homeowner Assistance Fund accepting applications

First week in April is Public Health Week

Black Maternal Health Week takes place in April

Local Food Systems Coordinator does outreach at local colleges

PAHAF accepting applications

The Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund (PAHAF) is a house-related program funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury to assist Pennsylvania homeowners facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides financial assistance to homeowners for qualified mortgage and housing-related expenses to address delinquency and avoid default, foreclosure, or displacement.

For more information visit https://pahaf.org/.

First week in April is National Public Health Week

The first week in April is National Public Health week (NPHW) and is dedicated to the people, services, and systems that work tirelessly to promote health in every community across the United States.



Center for Population Health (CPH) has implemented a variety of initiatives to strengthen public health and educate Cambria County and Somerset County residents on preventing illnesses.

Black Maternal Health Week

As we aim to improve overall health outcomes, health equity needs to be at the forefront of those conversations, especially when it comes to maternal health and low birth weight disparities.

In Cambria County, 20-percent of Non-Hispanic Black babies were considered low birth weight versus 8-percent of Non-Hispanic White babies.

CPH staff members Allie Byers and Amy Bunn attend the monthly Cambria County Health & Welfare Council meetings. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month so attendees were asked to wear blue to support the cause. Cambria County Child Advocacy Center Outreach and Development (CAC) Associate Nina Licastro passed out pinwheels for the photo. CAC sells the pinwheels as a fundraiser.