Silver Bow Kiwanis Kiwanis Club Meeting, Jan 14, '14

12:00-1:00 Tuesday, January 14, 2014

We were joined by David from the Circle K, who informed us that they will be starting up meetings next week, probably on Tuesday, but it will depend on the feedback they get from members regarding availability.

Aaron reminded us that next year will be Kiwanis 100 year Anniversary.

Cathy introduced our speaker, Karen Sullivan from the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department. Karen is a Red Sox fan and Butte native. Her family moved to Billings with her father's job when she was in school, but after working in several other areas in the country (including Boston) she moved back to Butte.

The Health Department here has very diverse services including heavy metals abatement, in-home care, family health, cancer control, review of deaths, HIV/Hepatitis B prevention, Buckle-Up campaign, immunization programs, tobacco prevention, and consumer and food safety programs.

The Family Health services provided include Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program which helps supplement food and dietary needs for infants in need. The breast feeding education programs are starting up to help mothers understand the benefits of breast feeding. Family health also provides family planning services.

The heavy metals abatement program checks at-risk properties for indoor and outdoor problems so we can continue to improve the quality of life in Butte-Silver Bow.

The cancer control group has confirmed, based on large studies, that there is no greater risk of cancer for those living in Butte than the rest of Montana.

The death review board examines deaths in the community and looks for preventable deaths to develop targeted education or prevention programs to reduce these unnecessary deaths. They especially focus on fetal deaths, infant deaths, maternal deaths, and deaths of children under 17. One of the risks they have identified recently are deaths due to bed sharing with infants, and are working to educate new parents about this risk.

Another issue the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department deals with is suicides. It is important to know that between 2003 and 2012 there were only 4 youth suicides in Butte-Silver Bow. This indicates that overall our youth suicide prevention efforts are effective. However, when all age groups are considered, Butte-Silver bow is ranked 10th in Montana for the most suicides. It is important to remember we need to address all ages, particularly those at most risk, including seniors, veterans, those with mental health issues, and the unemployed. Additional efforts are being made to further address this issue, but it is important not to glamorize suicide, lest that encourage people to commit suicide, particularly youth. There is a suicide prevention community meeting scheduled for January 21, 2014 at Butte High at 4pm for community members interested in learning more about suicide prevention and the resources available in Butte and the State.

Presentation

Karen Sullivan, BSB Health Department

Menu

Steak and Mashed Potato

Attendees

25

Event Updated

11:52 Thursday, January 16, 2014