Community Health Challenge

New Projects for CHC for 2012

Problem Gambling Awareness

Executive Director Lori Vish Stearns is proud that Community Health Challenge is increasing the awareness of problem and compulsive gambling among area residents. With the proximity of casinos within an hour's drive, addictions experts warn that the risk of developing a gambling addiction is increased. CHC health educators are advancing the community awareness of gambling addictions through a series of outreach efforts.

Community collaboration, health education programs, and church awareness campaigns are all a part of the structured approach to raise awareness about the problem of compulsive gambling. The serious nature of a gambling addiction is sometimes hidden, but families may worry whether the desire to gamble crosses the line from "entertainment" to "addiction".

A brief but surprisingly accurate "Lie-Bet" inventory (Johnson et al., 1988) can often indicate the need for more attention.

Lie-Bet Screening Instrument

1) Have you ever felt the need to bet more and more money?

2) Have you ever had to lie to people important to you about how much you gambled?

While it does not diagnose a gambling addiction, "yes" answers to these questions may indicate the need for help, and the person or their family can be referred to the PA Problem Gambling Awareness office for assistance: 1-877-565-2112 or www.PaProblemGambling.com.

Your organization or employer can request a gambling addiction awareness education program by contacting CHC at 724-432-3474 or email info@CommunityHealthChallenge.org.

IDU/HIV Outreach

Community Health Challenge is pleased to be helping the residents of Beaver County who may be struggling with injection drug use (IDU) or who may be HIV positive. Our outreach efforts include working with the religious clergy, foodbank, and housing authorities to reach clients who may be using injection drugs and have not learned their HIV status.

Health Educators at Community Health Challenge are also working to encourage injection drug users to seek help, available through the Beaver County Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs. With immediate screening and referral tools, BCBH can help injection drug users who would like to seek treatment.

In Beaver County, residents who want to find out more about drug and alcohol assessment or treatment options can call 724-847-6225. Other Pennsylvania residents can contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PA HEALTH, for a referral to their county's drug and alcohol prevention and treatment programs. Residents who would like to find an HIV testing facility can call 1-800-662-6080.

WE'VE MOVED

Community Health Challenge (CHC) is pleased to announce that on September 1, 2011, after 12 years in our current location, we have moved our offices. Our new space allows our staff of health educators to meet the needs of our community much more efficiently.

"Our health educators spend a great deal of time taking programs out to members of the public throughout western Pennsylvania. Our new office space is convenient to I-79 as well as the PA Turnpike," states CHC Executive Director, Lori Vish-Stearns. "The level walk-out space and large parking area permits us to load up for programs and improve the safety and efficiency with which we enter and exit the space."

CHC is a health education agency, established in 1989 as "Pittsburgh Community Health Challenge" and was founded to identify people at risk for cardiovascular disease. Since then, CHC has been instrumental in creating walking programs, participating in the move towards the Pennsylvania "Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008", teaching cancer education programs, producing drug and alcohol prevention programs, and most recently, increasing awareness of problem gambling. For more information about CHC and its programs, call 724-432-3474.

Welcome To Community Health Challenge

Thank you for your interest in the programs and services of Community Health Challenge of Southwestern Pennsylvania (CHC).

Our staff of health education professionals is happy to provide free programming for any of our grant-sponsored services. If you need a customized program, we can plan, implement and evaluate fee-for-service initiatives as well.

We invite you to join the hundreds of businesses, community service agencies, healthcare providers, schools, churches, and other groups throughout western Pennsylvania that have benefited from our health and wellness promotion services and programs.

For more information about the programs and services offered by Community Health Challenge, click on the links at the left.

Organization Profile

In 1989, CHC became an active member of western Pennsylvania's public health community, implementing cardiac risk screening and education programs in Allegheny and surrounding counties. Since then, we have emerged as a trusted public health organization which extends well beyond our original focus on blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart health screenings.

Our aim continues to be encouraging behaviors that increase physical activity, raise the consciousness of a number of at risk populations, and promote healthier lifestyles.

CHC has a long term commitment to encouraging health and wellness. By facilitating alcohol, drug and tobacco prevention and smoking cessation as well as providing cancer, diabetes, and alcohol programs, CHC is equipped to meet the community's diverse needs in the present and the future.

CHC follows the approach Quality, Excellence, Always, delivering Quality programs, delivered by a staff of Excellence, Always striving to exceed the expectations of clients and funders.

Thanks to the generosity of our contributors, many of our programs are offered at no cost. Please contact us by telephone, email, or in person to learn more.

Contact Information

Community Health Challenge

1272 Mars Evans City Road

Suite 102

Evans City, PA 16033

Telephone: 724-432-3474

Fax: 724-432-3453

Email: info@CommunityHealthChallenge.org

Mission:

Community Health Challenge is dedicated to the promotion and coordination of community-wide education to help reduce the risk behaviors associated with chronic diseases and other health-related illnesses.