Making good social choices makes for good living. Young people need to know what their options are and why thoughtful consideration of those choices is critical to leading a life of realized potential, limitless achievement, a feeling of self-worth, and community acknowledgement of their contribution to society.
We help teens, pre-teens and young adults deal with the demands of their parents, peers, school and careers. We offer peer education services, including workshops, seminars, one-on-one counseling and a variety of “clubs” which enable the youth to listen, and be listened to. We also host an annual “Teen Convention” to hear from experts on vital issues such as Teen Pregnancy, Sexually Communicated Diseases, Aids/HIV, Healthy Eating as well as from individuals speaking from the heart on topics such as Intimate Partner Violence and Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Our annual community baby shower is a huge hit as well. It’s where moms-to-be…dads and grandparents too, can come together in a festival atmosphere to receive support, supplies and useful tips on giving birth and parenting.
If you are a youth, a parent, teacher or friend who has a question or problem and would like some information, call us at: 718-762-0346. Ask for Lorena at extension 12 or Gina at extension 11.
At a recent awards ceremony sponsored by the Queens Courier newspaper and TD Bank, Queens Smoke-free Partnership awarded community leaders for their efforts in promoting tobacco control, especially among vulnerable populations such as children. The honorees included New York State Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn for legislation she introduced to prohibit subjecting a child to second-hand smoke in an automobile; Laura Cadorette, who helped to make her Jackson Heights Co-op smoke- free; health care advocacy organizations, the Korean Community Services and the Queens Health Coalition (QHC)for their work in reaching at-risk people to educate and assist in smoking cessation, understanding the tobacco industry’s use of advertising to promote smoking, especially among children and to encourage retailers not to display tobacco products among family-oriented items such as baby formula.
In accepting the award for her organization, Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of the Queens Health Coalition challenged the audience of 100 by saying: “I ask anyone here in this room to come up with one good thing to say about smoking. You can’t! It cost lives, it’s expensive, and it’s smelly. For an organization such as ours, which is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles, it’s a no-brainer that we would get involved. I urge everyone to do the same. If ever there were something that has no redeeming qualities, smoking is it. Let’s continue to work with the Smoke-free Partnership to help ensure that all New Yorkers are convinced of this.”
Pictured: Lorena Flores, QHC’s Senior Health Educator; Jessica Safier, Project Manager, Queens Smoke-free Partnership and Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director, QHC.
QHC Hosts Cultural Sensitivity Training
The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) recently hosted a program of cultural sensitivity training, attended by more than 25 consumers and providers of health care and social services. Guest speakers included Anindita ChatteeBhaumik of CONNECT, a domestic violence watchdog organization focused on South Asian women, (pictured seated, left of presenter) and Barbara Serrano of Voces Latinas, which specializes in HIV/AIDS information and education for Hispanic families, (pictured during her power point presentation).
As Phyllis Shafran, (pictured second left of presenter), QHC’s Executive Director, noted in her welcoming remarks: “Being culturally sensitive has become the “In” topic these days: discussed by talk-show hosts to newspaper columnists. It’s very “Politically Correct”. But that’s not why we’re here today. We’re not concerned with being “PC”. We’re concerned with saving lives. In health care and social service, not understanding the ethnic nuances, the languages, traditions and taboos of the people we serve, keep them from seeking the help they need and can have a devastating outcome.”
Get Your Game Up
The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) recently hosted its Teen Convention
at LaGuardia Community College. High School students throughout Queens
received helpful tips on healthy living from professionals who spoke
on a wide variety of topics ranging from driving safety, to smoking
cessation, to teen dating violence, to landing a dream job. The fifth
annual event is part of a program of QHC’s, funded by NYS Dept. of
Health/Division of Family Health, entitled the Comprehensive Prenatal
and Perinatal Services Network.
As Phyllis Shafran, QHC's Executive Director noted: “Many of these
teenagers are at-risk of making poor health and social choices which
will adversely affect their entire lives. We want them to know that
they have options. We don't want them to become another tragic
statistic because of drinking and driving on prom night. We don't want
them to regret having smoked those cigarettes when they reach age 30.
And, we want them to understand that they don't have to give in to
peer pressure! Abstinence is still the best deterrent to STDs, HIV and
unplanned births. Indeed, the message here today is simple: you can't
be on the top of your game, unless you make wise choices that keep you
in play.”
For more information concerning health and social issues for young
adults call the Queens Health Coalition at 718-762-0346.
The staff of QHC: Surinder Sandal, Phyllis Shafran, Gina Porras Quiroz, Karin Lamhaour, Moona Syed and Lorena Flores
Students register at the QHC table for a seat in the auditorium and to receive free lunch and prizes.
Students at the exhibit area, receiving valuable information and giveaways from more than one dozen health and social service providers.
In the auditorium, students were part of an interactive program in which they role played and won prizes.
Calling All High School Students learn how to
GET YOUR GAME UP!
at the fifth annual
Teen Convention
Monday, May 3rd 10:00am-2:00pm
LaGuardia Community College
E-BUILDING, LITTLE THEATER, 2nd Floor
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, New York 11101
Presented by Comprehensive Prenatal and Perinatal Services Network, a program of
Queens Health Coalition
your link to quality health care
Hear Guest Speakers On Topics That Matter To You:
*Healthy Relationships*Self-Esteem*Stereotyping
*Making good social choices*Plan your future*
*Healthy lifestyles*Able body, able mind and much more
Everything FREE!
Refreshments, Music, Gifts
For more information call Queens Health Coalition
718-762-0346
Ask for Lorena ext. 12 or Gina ext. 11
Funded by the NYS Department of Health, Division of Family Health
QHC at QPF: Tackling The Diversity of Queens County
The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) recently participated in the annual Spring conference of the Queens Perinatal Forum, which QHC Co-chairs with Long Island Jewish Medical Center/Queens Regional Perinatal Center. The conference was held at Jamaica Hospital and attended by 75 health care providers and health-related community-based organizations. The conference theme was “Your Today Determines Your Tomorrow”. Guest speakers included Joyce Hall of the Federation of County Networks and David Jones of Visiting Nurses/Fathers’ Initiative.
Ms. Hall presented the results of the Community Needs Assessment Report, conducted on behalf of QHC, as a means of understanding the needs of women of child- bearing age. The report’s findings will be used to help promote positive birth outcomes in Queens. Mr. Jones discussed strives being made to understand the role that a father can have in the development of a child. He heads a program that works with dads— some as young as 14—into accepting parental responsibility and involvement, while also dealing with their own issues. Both speakers noted that Queens County presents numerous barriers to quality health and social services not endured by the other boroughs.
As Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of QHC said: “Our borough has many unique features, of which we are proud, that set it apart from all of the others. But while we welcome and applaud the cultural richness that diversity brings— and the miles of beautiful beaches we possess— with these, come many challenges. We must find a way to successfully deal with a 70% birth rate by foreign born women, and a county that has a toll bridge within its own borders! In Queens, too many people are isolated from the care they need due to language and geography. We’re working to reduce the barriers. That’s why we’re here today. And that’s what the Queens Health Coalition is dedicated to, everyday.”
For information call 718-762-0346 and ask for Lorena at extension 12.
Phyllis Shafran, QHC Executive Director and Lorena Flores, Senior Health Educator of the Comprenshive Prenatal/Perinatal Services Network, a program of the Queens Health Coalition.
Queens Health Coalition Joins Smoke-free Partnership
The Queens Health Coalition has joined forces with the Queens Smoke-free Partnership to combat exposure to second-hand smoke.
At a recent press conference convened by Queen Borough President Helen
Marshall, Queens elected leaders and community-based organizations met
to pledge support for a new initiative funded by the New York State
Tobacco Control Program aimed at reducing tobacco-related death and
disease. 25,000 tobacco-related deaths are recorded in New York State
annually.
In addition to targeting second-hand smoke, another key component of
this program is to defend children against tobacco addiction. An
estimated 6,000 children living in Queens smoke, and one-third will
die prematurely.
Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, a member of the Health Committee,
announced that she has introduced legislation to protect children
under the age of 16 from exposure to second-hand smoke while traveling
in a car. She was joined by the bill’s Co-sponsors Assembly members
Grace Meng and David Weprin. The bill calls for heavy fines for
drivers smoking with minors present. Underscoring the need for this
legislation is a California Environmental Agency’s report which stated
that exposure to closed car smoking is comparable to firefighters’
exposure to four to eight hours of fighting a wildfire.
Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of the Queens Health Coalition,
said: “Just ask anyone if there’s one good thing that can be said
about smoking. I’m sure we’d all agree: Smoking kills, smoking is
expensive, smoking stinks! Yet, 15.5% of Queens residents still do
it. Our organization is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles by
making healthy choices, so it’s natural that we would join the efforts
of Queens Smoke-free Partnership and applaud the responsible
leadership of our elected officials who understand that nothing
positive can come from smoking. We are confident that this
collaborative effort will protect the vulnerable and save lives.”
For more information on joining this program or on programs for
smoking cessation, call Smoke-free Partnership at 718-520-4922 or the
Queens Health Coalition at 718-762-0346.
Pictured: Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director, Queens Health
Coalition; Jessica Safier, Program Manager, Queens Smoke-free
Partnership; Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn; Helen Marshall, Queens
Borough President; Dan Carrigan, Program Director, Queens Smoke-free
Partnership; Assembly members Grace Meng and David Weprin.
OMG! TEXT4BABY
The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) is a proud partner of text4baby, which is the largest national mobile health initiative to date, launched by an unprecedented group of public and private partners, including the White House, the Health and Human Services, Johnson and Johnson, Voxiva and CTIA Wireless Foundation.
Each year in the US, over 500,000 babies are born prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday, signifying a national public health crisis. Text4baby is a free mobile text message information service designed to help women in having safe and healthy pregnancies by providing them with information they need to give their babies the best possible start in life. Text4baby is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB). Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish) will receive three free SMS messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health: birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health, and safe sleep among others.
With over 1 trillion SMS text messages sent in the U.S. last year and texting use disproportionately higher among women of childbearing age and minority populations, text messaging represents an enormous and as yet untapped channel for delivering this vital health information to those who need it most. The goal of text4baby is to address a critical national health priority through the use of mobile health technology and demonstrate a new model for reaching and engaging underserved populations and promoting healthy behavior
For additional information or to find out how to become involved with this initiative, please contact Rose at the Queens Health Coalition, 718-762-0346x14, rdorvily@qhcnyc.org or visit the text4baby website: www.nyc.gov/health/pregnancy.
Junior-Senior Partnership
Engaging and empowering Queens’s residents
with healthy tips for healthy living through the Junior-Senior Partnership.
It is never too old or too young to learn or teach! Let’s spread the wealth of knowledge in experience!
Where:
Presbyterian Church of St. Albans
190-04 119 Avenue
St. Albans, NY 11412
1(718) 723-7255
Please Contact: Ms. Judith Henry
Health Information ministry
Date:
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Time: 1-4pm
Call us! At (718) 762-0346 ext. 12, ext. 13 and ask for Lorena, Moona.
For participating in our one time session a $15 cash stipend will be given, and a metro card!
Thanks to a project of the Queens Health Coalition (QHC) entitled: Junior-SeniorPartnership, 15 young adults met with 15 older adults to swap information on communications. For the oldsters’ part, they reminisced about pre-high tech days: no cell phones, no computers, no text messaging. As one senior recalled: “In those days, you looked for a quarter and a pay phone; Google was just a dream and instantly knowing what your friend was up to, was unheard of and would be thought of as more information than you needed to know.” The teens were aghast! To them, a world without immediate communications; the need to own a library card and not sharing your every thought, every minute seemed, well, primitive.
Most of the older adults did admit that regardless of the simplicity and charm of “the good old days” they would gladly take on the trappings of this “new tech age” except for one problem: despite countless gifts of BlackBerrys, PCs and Sidekicks from their sons and daughters, few really understand how to work them.
As Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of QHC noted: “This is where the great value of the Junior-Senior Partnership is seen. While the teens welcomed the stories of surviving time-delayed information and the art of personal communications, the seniors left that day with email accounts set up, learning to Twitter and how to find the side effects of their new medication on Google.”
The next Junior-Senior Partnership program is being planned for mid-March. Participants receive a stipend, a MetroCard and refreshments. For more information call Moona at 718-762-0346 extension #13 or Lorena at extension #12.
Queens Health Coalition conducts the Junior-Senior Partnership, hosted by partnering agency, Voces Latinas of Sunnyside
The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) recently held its annual community baby shower for Queens moms-to-be and for women with children under four years of age. This year, the festivities featured a maternity fashion show sponsored by Pea In The Pod in which several pregnant audience members had a chance to model for the nearly 150 guests.
Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of QHC said: "Many of these young women would not have had a baby shower of their own, so we're delighted to give them one. They need support and encouragement at this important time in their lives, which goes a long way toward helping to promote healthy birth outcomes and infant development. We thought that along with dinner, prizes, and some "motherly" advice, the chance to strut the "run way" would help these ladies-in-waiting have a greater sense of their own beauty-in and out."
For more information concerning women and men of child-bearing age, call Queen Health Coalition at 718-762-0346.
QHC's Sweet Welcome
QHC TEAM: Moona Syed, Phyllis Shafran, Lorena Flores, Gina Porras, Rose Marie Dorvily, Karin Lamhaouar, Surinder Sandal
Pea In The Pod enables "model" audience members to hit the run way with lovely maternity fashions.
Crowds enjoy food, fun and fashions at the annual baby shower
FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW QUEENS PERINATAL FORUM CONVENES
A group of 75 health care professionals recently gathered to discuss adolescent health issues at a conference entitled: "Your Today Determines Your Tomorrow" hosted by the Queens Perinatal Forum. The Forum is a collaborative effort of Queens health providers and community-based organizations specializing in care related to youth and adults of child-bearing age. It is chaired by the Queens Health Coalition (QHC) and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Queens Regional Perinatal Center.
Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of QHC noted: "We are here to discuss ways we can advise and assist teens so that they can look forward to a brighter tomorrow. Faced with so much peer pressure as well as economic and educational hurdles to navigate, surely wise health and social choices are vital to setting young people on the right path for the rest of their lives. What they need to know and how we can best communicate this information to them is the underlining theme of our program in general, and today's conference, in specific." For more information call Rose at QHC: 718-762-0346x14.
QHC's Rose Marie Dorvily, Project Director, Comprehensive Prenatal Perinatal Services Network (CPPSN); Lorena Flores, Senior Health Educator, CPPSN; CONNECT's Anindita ChatterjeeBhaumik; QHC's Executive Director, Phyllis Shafran and Peer Educator, Karin Lamhaouar.
Did you know that one in three teen age girls in America will probably get pregnant before she reaches the age of 20? And, while this situation may present many challenges for the girl, teen fathers have their challenges too. By law, they are financially responsible for their children until they turn 18. In addition, of the more than 65 million Americans with a sexually transmitted disease that can not be cured with medication, 50% infected are teens or young adults AND teenage girls are the more easily infected in this group. With the national average of live births per 1000, 72.2 were from teens moms ages 15-19; and in New York State, the average is 61.3 teen births per 1000, perhaps most troubling is that our borough recorded 72.9 teen births per 1000 last year, with many Queens communities far exceeding the national norm. In light of these facts, our CPPSN program, while dedicated to increasing positive birth outcomes for all women, will aggressively outreach and recruit sexually active teens to educate them about healthy lifestyles and their social options. And, of course, to the pregnant teen, we will offer the support, advice and referrals we provide all women of child-bearing to help them know what to expect when they are expecting and to provide their child with the best chances for a healthy life.
Health Focus - Obesity
Obesity among Americans has reached epidemic proportions. According to The National Center for Health Statistics more than 60 million persons over 20 years old are obese. Perhaps even more troubling is that childhood obesity has tripled in the last two decades, with a 30% at-risk rate for developing diet-related diabetes. Obesity adds additional risk factors for the mother during pregnancy and at birth including blood clots, hypertension, gestational diabetes and anesthetic complications. Children of obese women also have an increased risk of being born with congenital heart and neural tube defects. Despite these alarming facts, 50% of child-bearing age women are still overweight. Considering that 90% of the food buying and eating decisions are made by the woman of the house, steps to help ease this problem begin at home.
There are many health-related reasons to want to fight the obesity crisis in America. Indeed, over 300, 000 deaths each year are linked to being overweight. Added to that is the annual cost to our society of an estimated $100 billion associated with obesity. The National Action Against Obesity places women on the frontline in the obesity battle, offering some useful tips on ways they can help put obesity on a diet: *Postpone pregnancy until your body weight is healthy*Breastfeed your child exclusively for 6 months*Introduce your child to fresh vegetables at an early age*Make fruit a “treat”*N ever make food a bribe or a reward. We also recommend replacing time watching TV or other sedentary routines with exercise; read labels on food you purchase to see calorie and fat content; substitute highly salty processed foods for fresh fruits, veggies, fish and poultry; drink 8 glasses of water daily.
