Provided photos: (Left) Rhonda Woody is shown at work in cardiac services at Medina Memorial Hospital. She was recently recognized by Buffalo Business First. (Right) Representatives of Buffalo Business First are shown with Rhonda Woody, lead sonographer and technical director of echocardiography at Medina Memorial Hospital, after naming her one of their 25 “Excellence in Health Care” recipients.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 June 2023 at 9:08 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced one of its employees has been recognized by Buffalo Business First as one of their 25 “Excellence in Health Care” recipients.
Rhonda Woody, lead sonographer and technical director of echocardiography, recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with Orleans Community Health.
“It’s important to me to make sure all my patients feel heard, relaxed and comfortable,” Woody said. “We are a close-knit group where everyone works for a common goal. My department director is an added bonus. She is always willing to help, always supports her employees and is family oriented.”
Medina’s cardiac service offers more than echocardiograms, Woody said. They offer exercise and nuclear stress testing, halter monitors and they can set a patient up with a cardiologist right in the building.
“I want everyone to know that we’re a hidden treasure,” Woody said. “We have an exceptional diagnostic department who are all certified or registered in each of the modalities they work in, providing exams that the community may not even be aware of.”
Woody also is a constant face at the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute Cardiology Clinic with Dr. Harry McCrea, which is currently at Medina Memorial Hospital on Wednesdays. She has been a leading figure in helping to grow that one-day-a-week service for the community.
In addition to serving the community with Orleans Community Health, Woody, an Albion resident, enjoys gardening, watching her daughter compete in horse competitions and the entire Christmas season (especially baking cookies).
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
The New York State Department of Health recommends that with the reduced air quality, everyone should limit their outdoor activities to reduce exposure.
Masks will be available to the public at the following locations in Genesee and Orleans counties on Thursday, June 8, during normal business hours until supplies last.
Orleans County (Business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411
Genesee County (Business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Emergency Management Office, 7690 State Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020
Old Courthouse, 7 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020
The New York State Department of Health provides the following tips to stay safe:
Limit time outdoors
Keep windows and doors closed
Avoid strenuous activities outdoors, especially for those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory health issues
Avoid prolonged exposure outdoors, especially for those with health vulnerabilities, such as cardiovascular disease or lung disease, and those who are pregnant
For those that must be outside for a prolonged period of time, wear a tight fitting mask
Exposure to the reduced air quality can pose negative health risks, including:
Irritation to eyes, nose, or throat
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Individuals with symptoms or related health concerns should contact their healthcare provider.
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
KNOWLESVILLE – The Air Quality Index for Orleans County is now listed as “Very Unhealthy.” At this level, everyone may experience more serious health issues when they are outside.
Conditions may continue to deteriorate before they improve, so the Orleans County Health Department has cancelled the Anti-Rabies Immunization Clinic that was going to be held this evening from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Orleans County Fairgrounds.
The anti-rabies clinic will be rescheduled as soon as possible and a press release will be issued.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The sun sets after a hazy day locally due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. This photo was taken from the courthouse lawn in Albion.
Posted 6 June 2023 at 9:28 pm
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
The New York State Department of Environmental Conversation (DEC) has issued an air quality health advisory for Wednesday for Genesee and Orleans counties due to fine particulate matter. According to the Air Quality Index, the outdoor air quality for both counties may be near 123. The higher the air quality index value is, the greater the health concern.
The New York State Department of Health recommends that when air quality conditions are elevated, individuals should limit their time outdoors and avoid outdoor strenuous physical activity to reduce adverse health effects. Children, older adults and people with respiratory health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and asthma should especially be careful while the air quality conditions are elevated.
Individuals may want to keep their windows and doors closed to limit the amount of outside air entering their home. Anyone with symptoms or related health concerns, may want to contact their healthcare provider.
To monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation website (click here). Residents can also call the New York State Air Quality Hotline at 1-800-535-1345 for more information.
The Covid-19 pandemic delayed important screenings and checkups. Let’s fix that.
By Shelby Rojas, NP, Speaks Spanish & English, Oak Orchard Health Batavia
If you’ve put off seeing a provider because of Covid-19, you’re not alone. Even though life looks a little closer to normal now, a lot of people are still holding off seeing their medical providers, or dentist, or getting important health screenings. But it’s important to make sure you’re headed in the right direction with your health.
Get screened to manage your conditions.
By checking in with your Oak Orchard Health provider, you can make sure that your medications are doing what they’re supposed to do and screen you for serious diseases. In some cases, it’s important to check in every three to six months, depending on your age and your challenges. For instance:
Over 40? You may be overdue for cancer screenings like mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopies, or others.
Diabetic? It’s important to get blood work done more frequently so we can assess your numbers. Especially if you’re on insulin. You also need to be checked on a regular basis for Diabetic Retinopathy, a condition that can affect your vision.
That’s also important for patients who have high cholesterol or thyroid disease. Know your numbers!
If you’re on blood pressure medication, it’s crucial to be checked on a regular basis.
Mental health is equally important. If you haven’t checked in with your provider or therapist, don’t wait any longer to make an appointment at Oak Orchard Health. We want to make sure you’re doing okay.
Keep your smile healthy, too.
Many folks couldn’t get regular dental checkups during the pandemic and now it’s time. Just know that dentists and dental hygienists are trying to catch up, too. So, when you make an appointment, they may not be available right away. And if your checkup is months away, make sure you mark your calendar, so you remember to keep your appointment.
We’ll help with your other healthcare needs, too.
Get a ride to your appointments—If it’s hard for you to keep appointments because of transportation, we can help. Oak Orchard Health can arrange a ride for you. Did you know we have our own van? We can help you get to appointments and to labs for bloodwork. And if you’re on Medicaid, there are transportation resources for you, too.
Connecting you to specialty providers—Your Oak Orchard primary care provider can do more than see you for a physical or sick visit. They can make sure you’re getting caught up on other important care, like routine eye exams, foot care for diabetics, and mental health support. Even if we don’t offer the service at one of our facilities, we can connect you to someplace that does. And if you have financial concerns, we can work with you to afford the care you need, too. Call (585) 637-3905 and ask for a facilitated enroller at your nearest OOH office.
Connecting you to community resources—Our staff are connected to other organizations in the community that can help you in different ways, from the Office of the Aging to Social Security to Medicaid. And if you don’t have health insurance, we can help you find the coverage you can afford.Contact the Patient Engagement Services at Oak Orchard Health at (585) 589- 5613 ext. 1062.
No judgment—just encouragement.
Covid-19 has been hard on everyone. People don’t always like to confide in others about their health problems. Whether it’s a history of drug use, a change in your weight, or some other sensitive personal issue, there’s no reason to feel embarrassed when you’re getting healthcare. Providers aren’t here to judge, we’re here to help.
Get started today.
Call your local Oak Orchard Health office to set up an appointment to get caught up. And if you’re in the Batavia area and your first language is Spanish, I’m a Spanish-speaking provider and I’m happy to communicate with you in Spanish. It can make the visit easier.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Nick Zarcone, regional manager for Virtu-Well, sets up a virtual reality experience for a senior who wants to go to Japan. The program was introduced recently at the YMCA through efforts of Dean Bellack of Medina.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 May 2023 at 8:15 am
MEDINA – The Health Foundation of Western and Central New York created the Health Leadership Fellows program in 2004 as one strategy to accomplish its mission of improving outcomes in the communities served by the foundation.
Since the program began more than 300 leaders in Western and Central New York have graduated and 47 team projects have been implemented.
One of the projects currently being implemented was introduced to Orleans County recently through the efforts of Dean Bellack. He is part of a team with Dave Zapfel of Gerard Place, Buffalo; Millie Tomidy Pepper from the YWCA in Batavia; and Jana Capaccio from Horizon Health Services.
Bellack’s sessions started in March 2022 and will conclude in September. Their program design develops skills to create community connections, learn project development and how to work with diverse backgrounds and personalities.
“Our team is testing whether virtual experiences have merit to help with social isolation and loneliness,” Bellack said. “The National Academies of Sciences 2020 report found approximately 24 percent of people 65 years and older are considered to be socially isolated. This same group reports 43 percent of them feel lonely.”
(Left) Carol Bellack looks through a book listing the hundreds of places and events a senior can experience through virtual reality. (Right) Dean Bellack, a participant in a Health Leadership program, explains the new questions a senior is asked to answer before and after taking part in a virtual reality experience. The program was introduced a week ago at the YMCA.
Recently, more than 30 seniors were invited to the YMCA to try a virtual reality experience.
Nick Zarcone, formerly of Batavia and the regional manager for Virtu-Well, set up the program at the YMCA. Seniors were given a list of 20 questions to answer, relating to how they felt, if they were often depressed or ever felt alone and excluded. After having their virtual experience, they were asked to answer the same questions again.
Overall, the theory behind Virtu-Well is if a senior is happy and doing things they enjoy, he/she will be healthier.
A book, with pictures of hundreds of places and experiences, is provided for seniors to choose what they would like to do. A senior named Sandy wants to travel the world and chose to “visit” Japan. As she sat with the virtual reality goggles on, she gestured with her hands and looked around the room, presumably seeing the sights in Japan.
The Rev. Vince Iorio has always wanted to visit the Pyramids and Sphinx. He gets his wish here at the recent Virtu-Well experience at the YMCA.
Mike Goheen of Lyndonville became a fighter pilot, and like all the experiences, as he sat with the goggles on, his experience was shown on a big screen for the audience to share.
“I always wanted to fly in a fighter plane,” Goheen said after his experience. “It was very realistic, and I wasn’t dizzy.”
Diane Fry of Basom came with her husband Clayton. She went swimming in a coral reef.
“I’ve tried snorkeling before in the Bahamas, and I was scared,” she said. “This was pretty neat.”
The Rev. Vince Iorio has always wanted to visit the Great Pyramids and see the Sphinx in Egypt.
“That’s on my bucket list,” he said.
He sat mesmerized during his virtual visit.
“I wanted to see more,” he said, after removing his goggles. “It was good, but too short.”
Experiences were limited to five minutes a person because of the large turnout of volunteers who wanted to try it.
As an example of the many things to “do,” choices include many large cities and states, swimming with dolphins or sharks, swimming with turtles in Hawaii, visiting the North Pole, attending the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, exploring the coral reefs in the Philippines, sky diving and much more.
When the team completes their project later this summer, their findings will be submitted as a project paper. These projects will be used to further study or action by the Health Foundation to invest in more research or funding for programs.
Farm markets, fresh market vendors sought for new effort
Provided photo: Amanda Mrzywka, owner of Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses, is pictured with Marie Gabalski, Nutrition Program Coordinator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County.
Press release, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee and Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension are seeking farms, markets, and other fresh market vendors to participate in accepting FoodRX vouchers as part of phase two of the Stone Soup Project, supported by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York Blue Fund.
FoodRX vouchers will be provided in collaboration with Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital to people who have health concerns and have difficulty accessing fresh food due to low income.
FoodRX vouchers will be given at the discretion of participating medical providers within the Orleans Community Health System with a projected start date of July 1. Vouchers can be redeemed for local produce, dairy, meat, eggs, food producing plants, or a CSA/food program.
The goal of the program is to help those who receive vouchers manage certain conditions – such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity – through improved access to locally produced and nutritious food. Grant funding for this program will allow for $200 per family/household.
Amanda Mrzywka, owner of Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses, which is a participating vendor, expressed enthusiasm and excitement for the new program. She said that many families could use the vouchers towards their CSA/Box subscriptions.
For those interested in being included on the list of participating vendors, farmers and growers, reach out to Marie Gabalski by June 9 at 585-798-4265 x139 or by email at meg365@cornell.edu. Additional vendors may join after June 9, but they will not be listed on the FoodRX voucher.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
You can’t see it. You can’t smell it. But breathing in high levels of radon can increase your risk of lung cancer even if you don’t smoke.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and it is estimated to cause over 20,000 deaths each year in the United States. This is the reason it is so important to get your home tested for radon.
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that seeps into your home through cracks in the foundation, walls and joints. It can be found in well water and in dirt floors. Whether your home has a basement, sits on a slab, is brand-new or old, radon can build-up and go undetected.
Testing your home with a short term radon test kit is a quick and easy way to determine if there are high levels of radon in your home. The Genesee County Health Department has a limited number of short term test kits available free of charge for Genesee County residents. These test kits are easy and quick to use.
“Testing for radon is one of the easiest preventative health measures you can take,” stated Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “If your radon levels are low, we suggest you test every couple of years. If your radon levels are high, we can give you information about how to mitigate the radon. Either way, you have made an important step to keep your family safe.”
For more information about radon and how to receive a free radon test kit in Genesee County, contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health@co.genesee.ny.us.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
According to the 2023 County Health Rankings, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Genesee and Orleans Counties rank 42nd and 55th respectively in overall Health Outcomes. The rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
“Each year we look at the County Health Rankings to get an overview of our health and factors that influence our health,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “The county with the lowest score (best health) gets a rank of #1 for that state and the county with the highest score (worst health) is assigned a rank corresponding to the number of total counties ranked in each state. New York State has 62 counties.”
According to the rankings, the five healthiest counties in New York State starting with most healthy are Putnam, followed by Saratoga, Nassau, Rockland and Tompkins. The five counties in the poorest health, starting with least healthy are Bronx, Cattaraugus, Sullivan, Chemung and Montgomery.
The rankings are broken into two main categories: Health Outcomes, which include length of life and quality of life, and Health Factors, which include health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment.
The 2023 County Health Rankings findings for Genesee and Orleans counties are:
Orleans County
Ranked 55/62 in Health Outcomes compared to 54/62 counties in 2022
Ranked 57/62 in Health Factors compared to 55/62 counties in 2022
Genesee County
Ranked 42/62 in Health Outcomes compared to 38/62 counties in 2022
Ranked 22/62 in Health Factors compared to 16/62 counties in 2022
“As Chief Health Strategists, we collaborate with our partners and community members to provide quality training, education and referrals as well as develop coalitions to explore the best way to help our county residents thrive and improve health factors,” Pettit stated.
As referenced below, both Genesee and Orleans counties have health factors that could be improved specifically with local access to physicians, mental health providers and dentists along with excessive drinking, adult obesity, and adult smoking.
Access to care significantly impacts and drives the rankings for both counties. Additionally, it is a substantial barrier for residents and ultimately, has an impact on not only an individual’s physical, social and mental health, but their overall quality of life.
Chart from Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
This year, the focus area of the rankings was the connection between civic health and the health of the community. The factors that were added included Voter Turnout (Genesee at 64.3%; Orleans at 56.9%) and Census Participation (Genesee at 64.3%; Orleans at 54.0%). Voting and participating in the U.S. census are both examples of civic participation, which can help influence residents’ quality of life and help improve the health of our community.
The rankings have become an important tool for communities that want to improve health for all. Working collaboratively with community partners in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties (GOW), Genesee and Orleans counties have completed the GOW 2022-2024 Community Health Assessment and are working on the chosen priorities in the Community Health Improvement Plan over the next three years.
We analyze the rankings along with New York State data and community input from the Community Health Assessment survey and Community Conversations to determine these priorities.
For the 2022-2024 Community Health Improvement Plan, prevent chronic disease, promote well-being, and prevent mental and substance use disorders were selected as the priority areas that will be the focus moving forward.
For more information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:
Photos by Ginny Kropf: More than 40 current and retired nurses attended the first ever nurses’ recognition brunch Friday morning at Medina Memorial Hospital.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 May 2023 at 8:32 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health stepped up to show their appreciation of nurses, by honoring them at a brunch Friday morning at Medina Memorial Hospital.
More than 40 current and retired nurses attended the event, which surgical nurse Kim Gray says will be an annual event.
Former Medina resident Jane Punch came from Florida. She was director of nursing during her career at the hospital. She started working at the hospital through BOCES in 1973 and 1974.
“I loved every minute of it,” Punch said. “This is the gang that kept it all together all those years.”
Rebecca Mannella first came to work at the hospital in 1993 as director of cardiac services. She left and returned in 2015 when she became director of nurses for the North Wing and employee health nurse.
(Left) Debbie Guild, Charlie Smith and Mary Williams were classmates in nursing school. They all went on to work at Medina Memorial Hospital. They shared memories at the nurses’ brunch Friday morning. (Right) Mary Dunn, a nurse on the surgical floor, hugs Dorothy Casey, who worked 42 years as a nurse at Medina Memorial Hospital.
Elaine and Charlie Smith are both registered nurses. She worked in maternity for 20 years and Charlie is still employed there. He has done just about everything, from working in the ER, as ICU/ER supervisor and occasional shifts on the North Wing.
Dorothy Casey started at the hospital as a nurses’ aide and went on to become a licensed practical nurse. She would have 42 years of service when she retired in 2005. She continued as a nurse for Dr. Thomas Madejski several years after that.
Three registered nurses who attended went to nursing school together. Then, after graduating in 1973, Mary Williams, Debbie Guild and Charlie Smith all ended up working at Medina Memorial Hospital.
Williams’ daughter Kate Brauen is currently director of pharmacy at the hospital. Williams was born at the hospital, she said.
Another nurse who attended was Brenda Sidari, wife of Medina mayor Mike Sidari. During her 30 years there, she worked in every department, including supervisor of the ER.
Everyone had such a good time and the turnout was so great, they will definitely be making this an annual event, according to Gray.
(Left) Joanne Bracey of Medina and Jane Punch of Florida share old times at the nurses’ recognition brunch Friday morning. (Right) Four nurses at Medina Memorial Hospital enjoyed catching up at the brunch Friday morning to honor nurses. From left are Leighann VanAuker, Darlene Etheridge, Dorothy Casey and Joanne Bracey.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 May 2023 at 6:29 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has been celebrating Nurses Week May 6 to 12 and Hospital Week from May 7 to 13.
During the past week, teams at Medina Memorial Hospital, Albion Healthcare Center, Dialysis centers in Medina and Batavia and the Middleport lab draw station have been acknowledged with special events.
“Hospital Week provides an opportunity to showcase all of our teams throughout Orleans Community Health,” said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Community Partners. “A schedule of events has been scheduled for departments to take part in during the week, all centered around the ‘Spirit Week’ theme.”
There are also opportunities in which the community can participate, Robinson said. Burger King donated a portion of their proceeds to Orleans Community Health Foundation from purchases made on Wednesday.
Additionally, everyone is welcome to attend a Vendor Fair and Farmers’ Market from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the parking lot of Medina Memorial Hospital. A food truck will be on site. Vendors will include Catherine Street Bakery, Baker Farms (eggs, dehydrated garlic and meat), Flower Fields Forever (bouquets and flowers), Jeannie Wodo (wreath orders), Judy Szulus (Tupperware), Gardner’s Garden (artisan salts, fudge, jam, popcorn and teas), Blue Groove Coffee, Making it Right Reiki Services and Human Farms (plants and flowers).
Nurses Week will conclude with a celebration to honor Florence Nightingale on her birthday. This year, Orleans Community Health is hosting a brunch for current and former nursing team members. The brunch will provide an opportunity to not only recognize dedicated individuals of today, but honor those who served the community in previous years, Robinson said.
“There’s a reason we call our hospital team ‘healthcare heroes,’” Robinson said. “They spend every day trying to make the community better for everyone. Whether it’s through their involvement in organizations, or assisting those who come through our doors, these individuals are truly some of the best.”
As the federal public health emergency declaration for Covid-19 expires today, the New York State Association of Counties is commemorating the county role in fighting the pandemic while warning of challenges that remain for local governments that continue to experience significant workforce shortages.
“County officials played a crucial role in responding to the public health and economic crisis, working tirelessly to protect residents and preserve our way of life,” said NYSAC President and Clinton County Administrator Michael E. Zurlo. “They kept local services functioning, maintained critical infrastructure, administered elections, provided emergency medical services, and performed other essential jobs, sometimes at great personal sacrifice and risk. For county governments, it truly was both our darkest and finest hour.”
While the end of the public health emergency is a significant milestone, Covid-19 remains a threat. Coronavirus was the fourth leading cause of death in the United States in 2022, and it will likely remain a leading cause of death in 2023, especially for our most vulnerable residents.
Adding to the lingering threat posed by Covid and other infectious diseases is the significant depletion of the public workforce that counties have suffered in the wake of the pandemic, down 3% (40,000 workers) since March 2020.
The drop has been most acute among local health departments. A study conducted by the NYS Public Health Officials Association found that New York State’s local health department workforce saw a 26% decline in the number of full-time staff employed between 2019 and 2021.
Compounding the existing staff shortage, all LHD respondents, regardless of size, reported high impending retirements, with 990 FTEs (almost 10% of the current workforce) planning to retire within the next three years. Since the start of the pandemic, 31% of LHD leaders (Commissioners/Directors) have retired or left their departments.
The end of the public health emergency will have tangible consequences for counties’ ability to respond to this threat. Healthcare providers will have less flexibility, over-the-counter tests will be more difficult to access, telehealth coverage may be limited, and many Americans will see a decrease in social safety net benefits.
“As we close this chapter of the pandemic, we are reminded of the fear, struggle, and pain county officials faced every day at the height of the outbreak and the triumph they experienced in working to protect the public,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen Acquario. “Moving forward, counties will continue to innovate and adapt to protect their communities and help them recover from the economic devastation that the pandemic caused. As we honor our local leaders for their courage and dedication in responding to the pandemic, we must also renew our dedication to supporting and strengthening the public workforce, investing in emergency preparedness, and rebuilding trust in our institutions.”
Local rural health departments want to address and prevent adverse childhood experiences
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, and Wyoming County Health Department
Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming County Health Departments, in collaboration with Rochester Regional Health at United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), Orleans Community Health (OCH), and Wyoming County Community Health System (WCCHS), have announced the completion of the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
Every three years, health departments, local hospitals and community partners come together to complete a comprehensive assessment about the community’s current health status and needs. This process includes collecting quantitative data, qualitative data, and community feedback related to health in our community. Much of the data looks beyond the traditional medical definition of health to examine the social determinants of health such as housing, income, employment, education, and access to healthy food, all of which play an integral role in health outcomes.
“With the help from the public and our community partners, we were able to collect a total of 2,094 survey responses between March and June 2022,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “The Community Health Assessment compares the data trends in the GOW region and guides the selection of priority areas for the Community Health Improvement plan.”
The Community Health Improvement Plan is an interactive document that is continuously updated based on the needs of the community. It is a strategic plan for local health departments, hospitals and community partners to work on over a three-year period to address the priority areas identified in the Community Health Assessment, and to improve the community’s health.
In the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Improvement Plan, the community survey and community conversations helped inform some of the public health initiatives that the local health departments and hospitals will focus on in the coming years. The 2022-2024 priority areas are:
Prevent Chronic Disease
Prevent initiation of tobacco use
Increase cancer screening rates
Improve self-management skills for individuals with chronic diseases
Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
Prevent opioid overdose deaths
Prevent and address adverse childhood experiences
“We look forward to collaborating with community partners throughout the GOW region to address these local public health issues and improve the health of the communities we serve,” stated Laura Paolucci, Wyoming County Health Department Public Health Administrator. “By working together to address these priority areas, we can increase access to public health programs and services to meet the needs of our residents.”
To access the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan, visit your respective health department website: GO Health Website (click here) and Wyoming County Health Department (click here).
To provide comments on the GOW Community Health Assessment, complete this feedback form.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 May 2023 at 7:59 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Community Partners, talks with Randi Ingersoll about the Day of Remembrance she is organizing Sunday at Oak Orchard Assembly of God.
MEDINA – Day of Remembrance was a tradition organized by nurse Deb Cook at Orleans Community Health, until her retirement. Then Covid hit and the event was dropped.
This year, nurse Randi Ingersoll has agreed to take over and revive Day of Remembrance, which honored all the patients of Orleans Community Health who passed away during 2022.
In preparation for the event, Ingersoll has been meeting regularly with others at Orleans Community Health who have the same passion as she does for this event.
All patients lost who were associated with Orleans Community Health will be recognized with prayer and a candle lighting ceremony. This includes patients of the dialysis units in Medina and Batavia, Emergency Room, Medical/Surgical Unit and North Wing, said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Community Partners.
Invitations have been sent to each family member and the hospital would love for families to come receive their condolences, Robinson said.
Guest speaker for the event will be the Rev. Randy LeBaron, a pastor who serves with Supportive Care of Orleans.
The service is scheduled at 3 p.m. Sunday at Oak Orchard Assembly of God on Ridge Road.
Provided photos: Participants in Wednesday’s MOUD Anti-Stigma and Awareness Town Hall at the Genesee County Office for the Aging are, from left, Dr. Samantha Gray, Randi Johnson, Reilly Climenhaga, moderator Paul Pettit, Kate Gregory, Daniel Hauck and Scott Davis.
By Mike Pettinella, GCASA Publicist
BATAVIA – Treating someone struggling with substance use disorder can take many paths, but the road to recovery can become much easier to navigate with the help of specific clinically proven medications.
That premise was brought to light on Wednesday night by six professionals in the substance use field – including two who have experienced the pain of addiction – who participated in a “MOUD Anti-Stigma and Awareness Town Hall” event at the Genesee County Office for the Aging.
The session was sponsored by the HEAL Initiative and Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force, with Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee & Orleans Health Departments, serving as moderator. About 45 people attended.
“I have sustained healthy sobriety for just under three years, and one of the tools I used to get that sobriety in my toolbox of recovery is buprenorphine,” said Reilly Climenhaga, a detox technician at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, who said he has fought the substance use battle in his life for more than 20 years. “My issues and those of many others go much deeper than just the use of a chemical. There are many paths to sobriety for someone addicted to opiates, but I truly believe that using MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) greatly increases a person’s chances.”
The Food & Drug Administration has approved buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone to manage opioid use disorder, and those medications are available through local agencies such as GCASA, Horizon Health Services and Rochester Regional Health.
Pettit pointed out that opioid use disorder has been recognized as a chronic disease and these medications work by relieving withdrawal symptoms, addressing psychological cravings and lowering the risk of return to use and overdose death.
“And that is the goal of The HEALing Communities study (a countywide initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health and Columbia University) – to reduce opioid deaths by 40 percent,” he said, noting that data shows that Genesee County has one of the highest opioid overdose death rates in New York.
Dr. Samantha Gray, PhD, an advanced practice clinician at Horizon Health Service’s Batavia location and an adjunct professor at the University of Buffalo, emphasized that MOUD not only helps with substance use disorder but also with the mental health aspect that usually is a key part of the treatment process.
“Over at Horizon, we are an integrated clinic. So, we assess for both substance use and mental health,” she said. “For those of you who are familiar with this population, those two things generally go hand in hand.”
Randi Johnson, a physician assistant at GCASA who works at the agency’s detoxification facility and Albion outpatient clinic, said MOUD, despite what people may think, is not a matter of trading one drug for another.
“I think we’ve probably all heard that at one point or another. But the important thing to remember is that we are treating this like a disease,” she said. “So, if you go to your primary care physician, you have high blood pressure, you have diabetes, you have any number of other common complaints, we’re going to give you a medication to help treat that.
“The beauty of MOUD is that we can use this to take away any withdrawal symptoms for patients. This allows them clarity … it gives them a good baseline that they can function at, so that they can work with the counselors to change the behavioral aspect of this.”
Johnson said she has utilized buprenorphine micro-inductions – a gradual process – to successfully initiate many patients on buprenorphine.
About 45 people attended the two-hour session that explored the issues surrounding medication for opioid use disorder.
For Daniel Hauck, a clinical supervisor at Hope Haven Inpatient Rehabilitation, RRH Chemical Dependency unit in Batavia, medication for opioid use disorder has evolved over the years, leading to his acceptance of the practice.
“As I’ve seen it evolve, I’ve seen that there’s better access to those medications. And as we really see better outcomes, it becomes much easier to engage a patient who feels hopeless in that moment, to actually be willing to come into that first appointment and come back to that second appointment,” he offered. “Oftentimes, that hopelessness comes from times where they have tried and feel like they failed.”
Hauck, along with panelist Kate Gregory, a licensed master social worker who manages the chemical dependency unit at RRH and Hope Haven, said they have made great strides in expanding services locally.
Gregory said it was a matter of figuring out how to serve patients better by developing immediate access.
“We launched a community-based care where we were able to go out and really serve patients, where they are literally meeting patients where they’re at – figuring out how not to let the EMR (electronic medical record) stop us from getting creative, and instead really expanding our services to meet the patient at any stage in their recovery,” she said.
When RRH added peer recovery advocates, that was a game-changer, she said.
One of those peers is Scott Davis, who also took part as a panelist at the public forum. Davis is in his second year as a recovery coach and certified peer advocate with RRH and is in recovery after many years of substance use.
In and out of legal trouble, including stints behind bars, Davis said that MOUD as prescribed by a physician was a key factor in his recovery.
“When I went to inpatient (treatment) in 2019, fentanyl was everything in my life,” he said. “I had cravings in rehab but I chose to go to a higher dose (of MOUD). I talked to my doctor, he had a plan, and when I got out I went to the Atwater (Community Residence) halfway house.”
It was there that Davis said he finally found the support system he needed, and eventually went to work for GCASA as a peer, before joining RRH as a recovery coach.
The panelists also shared their thoughts about the stigma attached to substance use disorder – perceptions among friends, family members and the community that can affect a patient’s self-worth.
“I think that, as a mental health or addiction therapist, it’s really important to just acknowledge that that exists. That validation alone can be huge,” Gregory said. “It’s also really important to infuse the culture of your agency with the right language and with the right education and with the right trainings and expectations around what creates a welcoming environment for people.”
She acknowledged the differing views of community members, and said that continuing education through public forums such as this town hall meeting will help to change perceptions.
Johnson said a major hurdle is that patients tend to believe the negative things that are said about them.
“As much as the community stigmatizes them at times, they come in and they believe that so wholeheartedly,” she said. “And so, one of the conversations I usually have with my patients, because almost every single one of them will come in and say I failed my urine test today, that it’s not pass or fail. We have that education in the visits with them because I don’t want them to feel like one use constitutes a failure.”
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According to the 2023 County Health Rankings, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Genesee and Orleans Counties rank 42nd and 55th respectively in overall Health Outcomes. The rankings are available at 
