Press Release, Oak Orchard Health

Michelle Okonieczny

MEDINA — Oak Orchard Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Okonieczny, DNP, from the Medina office as its new Director of Advanced Practice Providers.

“She has proven herself to be an exceptional leader with unwavering dedication to our organization and the field of family medicine,” said Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead, Oak Orchard’s chief medical officer. “Michelle brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, having recently achieved her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).”

Okonieczny’s dedication to expanding the capabilities of our advanced practice providers (APP) which includes Family Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Practitioners, and her deep understanding of family medicine, make her the perfect choice. In her new position, Okonieczny will be responsible for overseeing and guiding the growth of our APPs, providing mentorship, and ensuring all APPs have the resources they need to excel in their roles. Michelle will be under the leadership of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mead.

“Michelle has a deep commitment to our mission and values and will continue to see patients in the Medina office in addition to her new responsibilities,” Dr. Mead said. “We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to our team and the communities we serve. Together, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care and making a difference in the lives of our patients.”

About Oak Orchard Health

Originally founded in 1973, Oak Orchard has grown from a migrant health project into an integrated health center with multiple locations providing health care services for everyone located in the communities we serve. Oak Orchard currently serves over 30,000 patients at eleven locations in the towns of Albion, Alexander, Batavia, Brockport, Corfu, Hornell, Medina and Warsaw.

By Lauren Rogers, PA, Oak Orchard Health in our Albion and Batavia Health Centers.

Hard to believe that the summer is fast coming to a close. The first indication of that is parents thinking about preparing their kids (and themselves) for going back to school. In this article, I want to give you a few tips on making those early weeks more successful and throughout the school year.

Kids do get sick more, especially during the first few months.

It’s true, kids do get sick more in the first few months of school. How do you prevent it? Be sure they wash their hands often, have them get enough sleep, and try not to send them to school if they are sick – unfortunately, that’s how germs get spread.

Often kids have runny noses, sneeze, and get chills. How do you know if it’s allergies or a cold, or something else? The symptoms can be very similar.  Children experience congestion, itchy eyes, and a runny nose with allergies, but he/she generally feels all right. Cold symptoms include fever, chills, and achiness all over. If your child has a fever for more than 24 hours or you have any concerns about them, contact your pediatrician.

And if you think it could be Covid-19, over-the-counter tests are readily available at your local store. Take an at-home test and if positive, then contact your provider. It’s probably a good idea to have some of those tests at home.

The school physical

Often schools require that children get a physical so please make an appointment now if you haven’t. Here’s your opportunity to be sure kids are up to date on immunizations. It’s also a great time to discuss health conditions that can hinder school performance such as vision and hearing screens.

During a physical, we also screen for anxiety, depression, and behavior issues. These are important topics that need to be addressed and we need to develop a course of action.

To be successful at school, nutrition, sleep patterns, exercise, and screen time all play a role. Ending screen time an hour or more before bedtime will help them get better sleep.

Of course, we capture height and weight and discuss nutrition. According to the Centers for Disease Control, children and adolescents aged 2-19 in 2017-2020, obesity affected 14.7 million nationwide.

Nutrition

Another great way to keep kids healthy is to give them healthy foods and snacks. Easier said than done, right? It’s always best to eat something rather than skip a meal. Also, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day for kids. If they don’t eat nutritious foods or skip breakfast, they’re likely to be less attentive in school and that will affect how successful they are. Some good options for kids are eggs (even hard-boiled), cheese sticks, bananas with peanut butter, toast with nut butter, and yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt, are healthier choices. Try to avoid foods that come out of a package. Cereal is always easy but unfortunately, your child will be hungry an hour or two later.

Car Seat Safety

Back to school often means more drop-offs and pick-ups. Car seat safety is extremely important because motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children 4 years and older (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics).

Car seat safety can be a complex topic but it’s so important. Be sure to read your specific car seat manual. Keep in mind that straps need to be as close as possible to the body of the child. Big puffy coats and Halloween costumes can often get in the way. Think about strapping your child in and then adding the coat or keeping a blanket in the car.

Did you know that New York State law requires that:

•all children under the age of 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat.

•all children under the age of 4 ride in child safety seats.

•all children ride in child restraint systems until their 8th birthday.

If you have any questions on these topics, please call your medical provider or pediatrician. Oak Orchard is always here to help.

By Erica Chutko

Did you know breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? As a result, the American Cancer Society recommends women over the age of 40 should at least consider getting yearly mammograms. Mammograms can help prevent breast cancer, which can be credited with one of the reasons that the 5 – year survival rate is can be as high as 90% plus. It’s all about early detection. Did you also know that not only is lung cancer the 2nd most common form of cancer in the United States, but it’s also the leading cause of cancer related deaths? Knowing this, is there an imaging test that can help detect lung cancer? Thankfully, the answer is yes – a CT scan.

What is a CT scan?

Commonly referred to as a CAT scan or computed tomography scan, CT scans produce a number of detailed and efficient computerized x-rays of the body. If contrast dye is ordered by the physician, the technologist with use a small needle to place an intravenous line into the arm. For those not familiar with the test, patients lie down and enter through what looks like a tunnel, sometimes even doughnut-shaped. Even though the machine is large and makes humming noises, it will not touch your body during the scan. A radiology technologist will operate the scanner. During the test, a low dose of radiation is used to take images that are then sent to a computer for a more detailed look at different portions of the body.  The computer puts the images together to make a 3 dimensional (3D) image. The dose of radiation is low and safe as possible, but still gives the best quality for the images.

What can a CT scan detect?

The minimally invasive test can diagnose, detect, and evaluate a host of diseases and injuries. A CT scan is often used to investigate head injuries or acute neurological symptoms, evaluate chronic sinus symptoms or hearing loss. It can diagnose appendicitis and evaluate masses.  Your doctor may request a CT scan to obtain specific diagnostic information that is not provided by or is complementary to other imaging technologies. Those include x-ray, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Whether your doctor is looking for muscle disorders, broken bones, internal injury, bleeding, or for the purpose of this discussion the location of tumors, including cancer.

What are some general guidelines to follow when having a CT scan?

1. Notify the radiology department of any illness such as cold, cough, fever, diarrhea, or vomiting. They may need to reschedule your appointment if you are an outpatient.

2. Notify the radiology technologist about all allergies or any previous drug reaction that may keep you from receiving contrast if needed.

3. Notify the radiology technologist if you have severe kidney disease or are on kidney dialysis due to risks from the contrast.

4. Dress in comfortable clothing with no metal snaps, belt buckles, or zippers. In the case of CT scans of the head, metal hair clips and jewelry must be removed.

Prevention is the key.

How well do you know your body? Only you will know when chest pain is different, wheezing or a cough is more than allergies, and other symptoms just won’t subside. These symptoms and others are why it’s so important to have a good relationship with your primary care provider. An annual physical will allow you the opportunity to continue a dialogue and bring up concerns or simply questions you might have. If these symptoms develop throughout the year, even if you’ve already had your annual physical, you should contact your primary care provider immediately. Early detection is crucial, and it’s one of the reasons the 5 – year survival rate for lung cancer is so low, because detection is typically not found until the later stages.

What should you be looking for? You’ve probably guessed it already and can assume many of the early symptoms of concern center around your chest and throat. Chest pain, shortness of breath, a worsening cough, and even a hoarse voice might be signs that you need to call your doctor.

In fact, the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung cancer screening for people those at high risk. These would be individuals who smoked 1 pack per day for 20 years and still smoke or who quit in the last 15 years and are age 50 – 80. The annual surveillance has demonstrated some success in catching lung cancer very early. This early detection can lead to higher survival rate.

Now that you know a CT scan can help detect lung cancer, you should also know how to avoid it in the first place. By now you’ve probably seen an ad that discusses smoking and its dangers. That’s because smoking tobacco products causes 8 to 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer. While radon, a family history of lung cancer, and asbestos are said to be some of the other causes, so is secondhand smoke. If you want to be serious about avoiding lung cancer, you have to be serious about avoiding tobacco products altogether.

Erica Chutko is the director of radiology and cardiac services at Medina Memorial Hospital. Community Health Resource is a monthly informational feature by healthcare providers at Orleans Community Health – MMH.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

Provided photo: A Health Department official uses tick dragging to try to collect of host-seeking ticks

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) encourage residents to protect themselves, their children and their pets from tick-borne diseases.

Not all ticks can cause disease and not all bites will make you sick, but as ticks become more widespread, there is a higher risk the ticks will carry disease. It is important to learn how to prevent a bite, how to check for ticks, how to remove a tick and what to do if you think you could have a tick-borne disease.

“Lyme disease is endemic (widespread) throughout New York State,” said Brenden Bedard, Director of Community Health Services for GO Health.

“Lyme disease is also the most common disease spread by ticks in New York, but there are other serious diseases ticks spread including Anaplasmosis, Erhichioisis, Babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever,” Bedard said. “There are many different species of ticks, but locally the most common is the deer tick. The deer tick is a vector (carrier) for several diseases (Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis) and received the name because of its habit of living and feeding on white-tailed deer, however ticks acquire Lyme disease by feeding on infected mice and other small rodents.”

According to the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, Genesee and Orleans counties have had 36 local cases of Lyme disease between 2018-2020, said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health.

“Ticks are here locally and you can’t tell which are infected by disease or not,” he said.

Ticks are found in many types of settings such as woodlands, tree stumps, lawns and gardens, around stone walls, nature trails, outdoor summer camps, and playing fields. Ticks do not jump or fly, they attach to their host when a human or animal makes contact with something that a tick is on, like tall grass, shrubs, or an animal.

The risk of human infection with Lyme disease is greatest in late spring and summer, but ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing.

“We know the ticks that cause Lyme disease are in Western New York, that is why it is so important to make sure you do regular checks for ticks while outdoors and when you first get home,” Pettit said. “It is also important to check pets for ticks after they spend time outdoors.”

GO Health started conducting local tick surveillance in both counties this month. Tick dragging is a widely used technique for active collection of host-seeking ticks and is done by dragging a cloth over the top of vegetation and regularly checking it for the presence of ticks. The collected ticks are sent to the laboratory and tested for the presence of tick-borne diseases. Over the next few months, health department staff will continue tick dragging in local parks and public places.

To prevent tick-borne illness exposure while outdoors, you and your family can do the following:

• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently while outdoors.
• Use insect repellent with 20-30% DEET. Follow use instructions.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Avoid dense woods and busy areas.
• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
• Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
• Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.

Additional prevention tips to create a tick-free zone in your backyard to keep you, your family and pets safe from tick exposure include:

• Keep grass mowed, along with clearing tall grasses and brush.
• Remove brush and leaves around stonewalls and woodpiles.
• Keep woodpiles and bird feeders away from your home.
• Keep family dogs and cats out of wooded areas to reduce ticks brought into your home.
• Place swing sets, sand boxes, decks and patios in a sunny spot away from yard edges and trees.
• Place a 3-foot wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment.

Removing a Tick

To properly remove a tick, you should use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the ticks by its mouthparts, as close to the surface of the skin as you can. Carefully pull the tick straight up without twisting.

Do not touch the tick. Do not squeeze the body of the tick (it may increase your risk of infection). Clean your hands and the areas on your skin where the tick was.  Watch the site of the bite for rash (3-30 days after bite).

Removing a tick within 36 hours of attachment to the skin can lower the risk of contracting Lyme disease. You can view a video to learn more about what you can do if you find a tick attached to you. (Click here to see it.)

To learn more about ticks, Lyme disease and other diseases ticks can spread visit the New York State Department of Health, click here.

For more information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

• Orleans County: 585-589-3278
• Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555

Wilson, a Medina native and television host for Channel 7 in Buffalo, is a breast cancer survivor

Provided photo: Mercedes Wilson, author, host of 7Life with WKBW Channel 7 and breast cancer survivor, will be the guest speaker at Orleans Community Health’s For Women Only, scheduled Oct. 5 at White Birch in Lyndonville.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health is excited to announce the return of For Women Only, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at White Birch in Lyndonville.

For Women Only was an annual event which always sold out until Covid forced its cancellation in 2020, according to Scott Robinson, director of marketing, communications and outreach for Orleans Community Health.

In addition to raising funds, the event also provided educational information to attendees and entertainment.

“Everyone knows someone who has had their lives affected by cancer,” Robinson said. “Bringing back For Women Only allows us to bring survivors, fighters and supporters together for an evening of stories, information and uplifting times.”

When Covid forced a change in plans in 2020, several tickets and sponsorships were sold, Robinson said. These will all be honored in October. Anyone who believes they had already purchased tickets should contact Lori Condo at (585) 798-8422 and she will confirm the purchase and reservation. Contact with Condo is necessary to confirm the reservation.

Tickets for a new reservation are $30 and can be purchased by contacting Lori Condo.

Guest speaker for the evening will be Mercedes Wilson, mother of four, an author, advocate, host of 7Life with WKBW Channel 7 and entrepreneur. She also is a 2000 Medina High School graduate.

She will share her story of being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, which changed everything, she said. From that battle she formed For Our Daughters, a non-profit geared at teaching youth how to advocate for their health and wellness. The organization served young women across Western New York.

 Wilson is the host of a new digital platform for Channel 7 called “7Life,” which highlights all of the great people and places in the area. While doing a segment for AM Buffalo, she discovered a dish that her late grandmother used to make called “Cha-Cha.” Her family and friends loved it so much that she kept making it and it is now sold in more than 100 grocery stores across Upstate New York.

In addition to Wilson, other speakers will share information about services available in Orleans County and some will share their personal experiences.

“While we’re using the October date to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we want to stress that this is an event for all,” Robinson said. “In addition to basket raffles and other returning highlights, we’re also adding an opportunity to have loved ones included in a slide show that honors those we’ve lost, current fighters and survivors. As always, funds raised during this event will go toward cancer services in Orleans.”

Anyone interested in participating in the event or donating a basket should contact Robinson at srobinson@medinamemorial.org.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

What is a vape?

Electronic Cigarettes (E-Cigarettes), better known as vapes, have become a widely used product for teens and young adults. Vaping is the action of inhaling vapor created by an E-Cigarette device.

The devices can look like flash drives and come in many different flavors, sizes, and brands. The vape device works by heating an oily liquid until it becomes vapor. The liquid in the device, also known as vape juice, contains chemicals and can contain marijuana distillate or oil.

The liquid also contains some mix of flavorings, aromatic additives that could smell and taste fruity or minty, depending on the flavor of the device.

Is vaping bad for you?

“There are still many unknowns about vaping and its long term effects, including the vape liquid contents,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Although vapes have been advertised as a way to quit smoking regular cigarettes, vapes still contain nicotine, the same addictive chemical in cigarettes. They also contain chemicals that have the potential to damage the lungs and there are no real regulations on how much nicotine and other chemicals are added.”

Vaping associated risks

Our lungs are not built to take in chemicals and oils over time. According to John Hopkins Medicine, the oily liquid from vape devices could have the ability to coat the lungs and cause chronic lung diseases such as lipoid pneumonia, a form of lung inflammation.

A National Library of Medicine research review article discussed that nicotine can lead to brain development risks and may cause anxiety. Nicotine also raises blood pressure and spikes adrenaline. Heart rate then increases, increasing the risk for heart attack.

The risk of becoming a regular cigarette smoker and or developing other addictions is high. Reasons for quitting not only involve the health risks, it is also financially expensive and sports performance can dwindle as vaping may lead to lung irritation.

Tips on quitting

• Pick a day on a calendar when you plan on quitting, let friends or family know.
• Download an app that helps you track your sober days, build new healthier habits, and provides motivation – visit SmokeFree.gov for free apps to download.
• Get rid of all vaping devices.
• Understand what the withdrawal symptoms are such as headaches, hunger, trouble sleeping, and concentrating are just a few.

Feeling the urge to vape? Try these instead:

• Chewing gum or drinking water
• Exercise
• Yoga or meditation
• Keeping your hands busy

The sooner one quits, the quicker the body rebounds and repairs itself. For more help or information, contact your healthcare provider. You can also text, chat or call the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) or visit the New York State Department of Health website.

For more information on GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:

• Orleans County: 585-589-3278
• Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

It is early August and the height of summer, which often means the peak of “bat season” for local health departments and when people more commonly have encounters with bats.

Bats can occasionally find their way into houses, particularly in older homes that are not properly sealed. This most often occurs during the summer nights. When you find a bat in your home, it is extremely important to safely capture the animal if it is suspected to have been in contact with people, pets or livestock so that it can be tested for rabies. If the bat cannot be captured, you should call the health department for advice and next steps.

In some situations, it is possible that a bat bite could go undetected. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room, if you see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or if you see a bat near someone who is unable to speak or is under the influence of drugs/alcohol, it is important to seek medical advice and have the bat tested.

To safely capture a bat:

• Turn on room lights and close all the windows.
• Close the room and closet doors.
• Wait for the bat to land.
• While wearing thick leather-like gloves, place a coffee can, pail or similar container over the bat (Never handle a bat with your bare hands).
• Slide a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the bat.
• Firmly hold the cardboard in place against the top of the container, turn it right side up and tape the cardboard tightly to the container.
• If you do not feel comfortable capturing the bat or cannot do it safely, contact your respective health department during regular business hours. If it is after regular business hours, contact your local county dispatch. For Orleans County, call (585) 589-5527. For Genesee County, call (585) 343-5000.

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are offering free drive-thru rabies vaccination clinics in August.

• The Orleans County Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on Aug. 26 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 State Route 31, Albion).

• The Genesee County Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on Aug. 10 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia).

Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum.

“Rabies continues to be a public health issue in Genesee and Orleans Counties,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health. “We urge pet owners to take this opportunity to ensure their pets are protected against rabies.”

For more information on GO Health’s programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org. You can also contact your respective health department:

• Orleans County – 585-589-3278 or OCPublicHealth@orleanscountyny.gov

• Genesee County – 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health@co.genesee.ny.us

Provided photos: Oak Orchard Health has a new dental office at the former All Smiles Dentistry site at the corner of Allen Road and South Main Street.

ALBION — Oak Orchard Health welcomes the community to a ribbon-cutting celebration at 3 p.m. on Aug. 10. Oak Orchard has a new dental office at 362 South Main St.

The public also can tour the facility which includes 7 new exam rooms. Oak Orchard has a full-time dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant. Oak Orchard accepts most insurances, including Medicaid, and offers a sliding fee discount scale.

Dr. Jenna Rogge

“The lack of dental services in our region is detrimental to the total health of our patients,” said Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health. “The Albion community has needed more dental care for some time and we are proud to have our new office opened. We continue to grow to meet the needs of our community and now serve more than 30,000 patients across Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.”

The open house on Aug. 10 also will be a chance to meet Dr. Jenna Rogge, DDS; dental hygienist Miranda Betances, RDH, Dr. Rachel Nozzi, the chief dental officer.

“We’re so proud of our new dental center and the qualified dental team there,” said Dr. Nozzi.

Dr. Rogge brings with her several years of dental experience working with families including children and seniors. She said she believes it’s very important to treat patients with respect and empathy while supporting them in making decisions about their health and course of treatment. She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine where she received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has issued an announcement highlighting its successes in the first half of 2023.

After a solid 2022 that included expanding services and a higher patient volume, Orleans Community Health has more positive things to report about the start to 2023, according to Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health.

“Recognitions, new highs with patient volume and many other things highlight why we’re excited for things to come,” Shurtz said.

Highlights of the first half of 2023 include expanding primary care services at the Albion Healthcare Center. Cheryl Kast, an Orleans County resident, started with OCH’s Albion Healthcare Center in January and brought a decade of experience directly serving the community with her.

The Wound Care Center was recognized as a “Center of Distinction” for its patient care. This center opened three years ago and has already expanded hours with an increase in patient visits.

It was announced in June, Buffalo Business First recognized Rhonda Woody as one of their 25 “Excellence in Health Care” recipients. Woody is lead sonographer and technical director of echocardiography at Orleans Community Health.

As the second half kicks off, Shurtz said there are several exciting announcements forthcoming. Additional recognitions and some returning events, including For Women Only, will be taking place before the end of the year.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

Depending on the weather, aerial and hand distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits will take place in Western New York from Aug. 15-17.

Areas of New York State are once again taking part in a nationally coordinated effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies in 16 states. Ongoing field evaluation of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) called ONRAB will occur in Clinton, Essex counties in the Empire State as part of an evaluation that also includes parts of northern Vermont and New Hampshire.

Additionally, evaluations will also occur in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wyoming counties. These sites were selected in part because of ongoing collaborations with Quebec and Ontario, Canada in the fight against rabies to protect human and animal health and reduce significant cost associated with living with rabies across broad geographic areas.

“Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is generally fatal,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies conservatively exceed $500 million annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, greater than 90 percent of reported rabies cases in the United States are in wildlife.”

The cooperative USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services National Rabies Management Program (NRMP) was established in 1997 to prevent the further spread of wildlife rabies in the United States by containing and eventually eliminating the virus in terrestrial mammals. The majority of the NRMP efforts are focused on controlling raccoon rabies, which continues to account for most of the reported wildlife rabies cases in the U.S.

Raccoon rabies occurs in all states east of the established ORV zone that extends from Maine to northeastern Ohio to central Alabama. Continued access to oral vaccine and bait options that are effective in all target wildlife species remains critical to long-term success.

ORV was designed to test the safety and immunogenicity (provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal) of the oral human adenovirus-rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine ONRAB (Artemis Technologies Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Ceva Sante Animale S.A., Guelph, Ontario, Canada), which has been successfully integrated into comprehensive rabies control programs that resulted in elimination of raccoon rabies from Canada.

Encouraging results from the U.S. trial in West Virginia represented a major milestone that led to expanded evaluations in 4 additional states (NH, NY, OH, and VT) in 2012-2021 and expansion into 2 new states (PA and TN) in 2022. Data from these evaluations could lead to licensing of this vaccine for broader, more aggressive management of raccoon rabies by the NRMP and partners, with the goal of eliminating the variant of the rabies virus that cycle in raccoons.

The ONRAB bait consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blister pack, containing the vaccine. To make the baits attractive, the blister packs are coated with a sweet attractant that includes vegetable-based fats, wax, icing sugar, vegetable oil, artificial marshmallow flavor, and dark-green food-grade dye.

Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the bait. However, people who encounter baits directly are asked to leave the bait undisturbed. Should contact with bait occur, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap and contact your local health department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 for Genesee County or 585-589-3278 for Orleans County.

Please do not attempt to remove a bait from your dog’s mouth. The bait will not harm the dog.  If you have additional questions related to the field evaluation in New York, please contact the Wildlife Services office in Rensselaer, NY at (518) 477-4837.

Karen Kinter

By Karen Kinter, CEO, Oak Orchard Health

At Oak Orchard Health (OOH) we are twice as excited to be celebrating National Health Center Week (August 6-12) and our 50th anniversary. It has been fifty years since a few medical residents ventured out to care for those who did not have access to healthcare! Much has changed since then – we now care for more than 30,000 patients across Western Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.

National Health Center Week – The Roadmap to a Stronger America

National Health Center Week (NHCW) is an annual celebration with the goal to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s community health centers over the past five decades. Community Health Centers serve as the beacon of strength, service, and care in their communities. In moments of pain and loss, they offer support and love. Not too long ago, we gave Covid-19 tests in our parking lots and remained open to care for our patients throughout the pandemic.

Each National Health Center Week (NHCW) day is dedicated to a particular area of importance. Oak Orchard is focusing on the following days:

Tuesday, August 8th is Agricultural Worker Health Day. Our roots run deep in the agricultural community Oak Orchard started by caring for farmworkers. During NHCW we will reach out to our patients with items that will help keep farmworkers safe while they work to put food on our tables. Our staff has chosen to donate gently used or new hats and bandanas to agricultural workers so that they stay safe in the heat during their long days. If patients and others in the community would like to donate these items or any others, please drop them off at one of our health centers by July 31st.

Wednesday, August 9th is Patient Appreciation Day. Oak Orchard Health serves more than 30,000 patients and we are grateful that they trust us to keep them and their loved ones healthy. On this day we will be recognizing our patients when they visit our health centers and send thank you messages through our social media channels. Stay tuned!

Thursday, August 10 is Stakeholder Appreciation Day. This is a special day to recognize our elected officials who support our mission. What better way than to show them our newly renovated Albion Dental Center at 362 South Main Street? We are having a Grand Opening with tours of the facility on August 10th from 3-5 PM. Everyone is welcome.

Friday, August 11 is Health Center Staff Appreciation Day. In recognition of their hard work, our Board of Directors will be having some fun with our staff by hosting Ice Cream Socials throughout the week at each health center. This is but a small token of thanks to our staff who work diligently day in and day out.

Oak Orchard Health turns 50 this year!

Over the past fifty years, OOH has grown to eleven health centers where you can get medical, dental, and behavioral health services — but we are so much more than that. Need health insurance? We can show you how to apply and make the process easier. English is not your first language. We have interpreters to help you communicate with your providers and some medical staff speak multiple languages. Having a tough time getting to healthcare services? Oak Orchard provides transportation services. Having trouble paying for healthcare services? We offer a sliding fee discount program based on your income.

Your chance to give back to Oak Orchard Health and your community.

Community Health Centers provide these services for everyone and would like to continue with your help. We are here to serve our entire community, but we need financial support.

Your donation will keep Oak Orchard financially healthy for the medical, dental, and behavioral health staff who make our organization so proud—each one tireless, kind, and skilled in their field. Donating not only fuels vital services; it lets us introduce new ones like the Mommy and Me Program which connects new moms to specialized counselors who help them tackle challenges like postpartum depression.

If you would like to donate, visit our website https://oakorchardhealth.org/donate/