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September 27, 2016 – Health at Work Peterborough is pleased to present the “Health at Work Breakfast Series” to be launched during “Healthy Workplace Month” this October.   The purpose of Healthy Workplace month is to increase awareness of the need for a comprehensive approach to workplace health in Canada that is influenced by the four elements of a healthy workplace:  Healthy Lifestyles, Workplace Culture and Mental Health, the Physical Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Taking place over 2016-17, this series will include important topics of interest to the business community regarding mental health in the workplace. The effects of mental illness costs the Canadian economy $51 billion a year.  About one-third of this cost is related to absenteeism and loss of productivity in the workplace. With one in four Canadians experiencing some kind of mental illness over their life, ultimately mental illness affects us all.  Stuart Harrison, President and C.E.O. of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce states, “This is a terrific initiative. Business owners are looking for tangible ways to be supportive. This series will go a long way to showing how it can be accomplished.”

Locally, the Peterborough Health at Work Committee has a mandate to support workplaces in creating healthy work environments with an emphasis on psychological health and safety. The committee includes representation from Peterborough Public Health, The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR), Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) and Dr. Fergal O’Hagan, Assistant Professor, Trent University and Director of Research at Adaptive Health Care Solutions.

In 2013 the Mental Health Commission of Canada released voluntary National Standards on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. These voluntary standards include 13 factors that impact the psychological health and safety of employees including organizational culture; leadership; civility and respect; job fit; growth and development; recognition and reward; involvement and influence; workload management; engagement; life balance; psychological support and protection and physical health and safety. The good news is that many businesses are already implementing policies and practices around these standards. These workshops will further support HR professionals, managers, labour relations organizations and front line workers to gain a better understanding of the opportunities to promote and improve mentally health workplaces.

Dates and topics of the Breakfast Series:

October 26, 2016       Mental Health Works: The Essentials

Jack Veitch, Health Promoter with CMHA HKPR will provide a one hour presentation introducing “Mental Health Works.” After the presentation, participants will be able to consider mental health as embedded within overall health; understand mental health and common mental health problems in terms of work-life balance and understand the impact of stigmatizing language and beliefs.  These are all essential elements needed to create psychological supports—one of the 13 psychosocial factors necessary to create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace.

January 25, 2017        Job Analysis for Psychosocial Risk

“Psychological demands” is another psychosocial factor that contributes to the mental health of employees.  In our more brain-based economy, psychological fit is as important as assessing the physical demands of a job. Understanding what the psychological demands are will assist you in such areas as hiring, training and performance management.  In addition, job analysis is an essential tool when modifying jobs to ensure a better fit for employees.  Dr. Fergal O’Hagan will present information and strategies that will help you analyze a job for psychological fit.

April 26, 2017             Critical Incident Response and the Value of EFAPs

The CSA Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace addresses “critical event preparedness” for the individual and the organization.  Whether you have implemented the Standard or not, it is important to have a plan in place on how you will deal with a critical incident in your workplace.  As Manager of Counselling at the Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC), Kirsten Armbrust oversees the EAP program of fseap Peterborough.  Kirsten will present information on developing a critical incident response.  She will also discuss the types of programs and services available through employee and family assistance programs (EFAPs).

The breakfasts will be held at Peterborough Public Health, 185 King Street, breakfast served at 8:00 a.m. and the presentation from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. Registration is $10 per person. Registration is now open for the October breakfast and closes Wednesday, October 19, 2016.

Other events may be added to this Series as opportunities arise.

For more information and to register please visit www.healthatworkpeterborough.ca and search Education/Training.

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For further information:
Monique Beneteau, Peterborough Public Health
Chair, Peterborough Health at Work Committee
705-743-1003 ext. 309

mbeneteau@peterboroughpublichealth.ca

 

September 23, 2016 – Expert Prenatal Advice and Newborn Parenting Tips!

Expectant parents and their families are invited to a fun and informative night out to attend the Prenatal Health Fair hosted by Peterborough Public Health at the Holiday Inn on Monday, October 3, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

This FREE must–attend evening of resources, support and information on “everything pregnancy and baby” is open to anyone with an interest in learning how best to prepare for having a baby, and what’s available in the Peterborough area.  The Prenatal Health Fair features interactive displays and demonstrations on a wide variety of topics such as nutrition for baby and mom, becoming a parent, baby’s development, and much more.

Car seat experts from the Peterborough and Area Car Seat Committee will share tips and answer questions about how to safely buckle up your baby, a massage therapist will demonstrate infant massage techniques, a chiropractor will recommend ways to prevent back pain in pregnancy and hospital staff will share the many ways they provide support to get families off to a good start.  Fathers-to-be won’t want to miss trying on the “Empathy Belly” and visiting the fathering display.  You might even win the door prize of a gift card to shop for baby at Lansdowne Place!

For more details, please call Kris Hazlitt at the Peterborough Public Health at (705) 743-1000, ext. 254.

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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391

September 22, 2016 – School Food Boxes Support Farmers While Helping Students Start the Day Ready to Learn

Screen Shot 09-22-16 at 10.53 AMThis week as part of Local Food Month this September, the first of more than 500 food boxes featuring local foods made their way to area schools to support student nutrition programs run by Food For Kids.

“Connecting schools with our local food producers not only nourishes students so they learn better, but it teaches them where our food comes from and how important farming is to our community,” said Lauren Kennedy RD, Public Health Nutritionist with Peterborough Public Health.  “It feels great knowing this important program is also benefiting local farms that produce some of the healthiest foods out there.”

Now in its third year, 48 schools in Peterborough City and County received a school food box this week which happens to coincide with Local Food Month, a celebration of local food and our farm community.  Each food box supports school breakfast programs and this week included 20 lbs of apples, 5 lbs of carrots, 2 heads of celery, and a 2.5 lb brick of cheese.  Food is sourced from local growers and producers such as Martin’s Fruit & Vegetable Farm, Allin’s Orchards, and Empire Cheese. RJ’s Fresh Produce packs the boxes and delivers them to schools in the city and county.

Food for Kids aims to include more local food in programming.  Since starting the initiative in 2013, breakfast programs have noted a significant impact.  “The school food box helps stretch our food budget so that we can serve a greater variety of healthy food,” said Deb Strain, coordinator and principal from Kawartha Heights Public School.  “It saves precious volunteer time, otherwise spent purchasing and driving food to the school.  Plus, it allows our program to serve more fruits, vegetables and cheese to students.”

Student nutrition programs are a positive way for all students to start their day with the good nutrition they need.  In 2015-2016, 588 school food boxes helped to feed breakfasts and snacks to 17,364 students who ate over 2.5 million healthy breakfasts and snacks.  School Food Boxes delivered 20,470 lbs of Ontario grown and produced food to student nutrition programs.  These programs were supported by more than 1,000 volunteers who gave an average of 1,100 hours each week to local programs.

This school food box initiative is made possible by generous community donations to Food for Kids, including contributions from the United Way, Kawartha Credit Union, the Ministry of Child and Youth Services, and the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, Community Foundations of Canada, the government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast.

If you are interested in volunteering at a breakfast program near you, or making a donation, visit www.FoodforKidsPtbo.ca or call 705-743-1000, ext. 233.

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For further information, please contact:

Lauren Kennedy, MScFN, RD
Public Health Nutritionist
705-743-1000, ext. 233

 

 

September 16, 2016 – To view the meeting summary for the Sept 14 Board of Health Meeting click image below:

Screen Shot 09-16-16 at 12.32 PM

September 7, 2016 – Board of Health Meets September 14 at 5:30 p.m.Location: J.K. Edwards Board Room, Peterborough Public Health,

Jackson Square, 185 King St., Third Floor

Media and the community are advised that the Board of Health will meet on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 5:30 p.m.

To download the agenda and the online board package, please visit:

http://www.pcchu.ca/about-us/about-us-2/board-of-health/meeting-agendas

The meeting is open to the community and members of the media.  Guests are asked to use the buzzer located on the wall to the right of the main front doors to alert Peterborough Public Health staff when they arrive.  The board room is located on the third floor of Jackson Square, 185 King St. Free parking is available after 6 p.m. on the street or across the road at the King St. Parkade.

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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391

September 7, 2016 – Kawartha Truth & Reconciliation Support Group Quilton Display at Peterborough Public Health

160908-Twitter-QuiltA quilt created by the Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group (KTRSG) is prominently on display at Peterborough Public Health until September 23, 2016.

“We are honoured to provide a public location to this beautiful quilt that was created by KTRSG as a response to the history of residential schools in Canada,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health.  “This quilt is strongly connected to public health as the stories it holds are intended to support healing and good health by honouring this difficult part of our national heritage so we can move forward as a country that respects all First Nations.”

At 8’ wide by 6’ tall, the quilt is comprised of 24 squares that each represent an individual KTRSG member’s response to the legacy of residential schools.  The quilt was created to circulate throughout our wider community to acknowledge the pain and suffering inflicted on Indigenous peoples by this brutal system and to promote the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) 94 calls to action.

“Local public health agencies are working with Indigenous partners across Ontario to develop local strategies that address the health inequities experienced by many First Nations people,” said Dr. Salvaterra. “Our own board of health takes the TRC’s calls to actions very seriously and is privileged to have leaders from Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations serving on the board for the benefit of everyone’s public health.”

Members of the public are encouraged to view the quilt hung on the second floor outside the elevators at Peterborough Public Health at Jackson Square on 185 King St. during business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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For further information, please contact:

Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391