The Mineral County Community Coalition held their regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 10, in Superior.

The purpose of the meeting is to bring together members of the county who work in health service fields. A main goal is to address issues identified in the Community Health Improvement Plan. The plan was the result of a survey, which was conducted last year in the county.

Four major areas of concern were substance abuse, unemployment, child abuse and neglect, and obesity. Community organizations gave reports regarding what they’ve been working on over the past few months, including Barb Jasper with the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program. She was happy to announce that all of Mineral County’s public land is now tobacco free. This includes parks, the Fair Grounds, and schools. Caution signs will be installed either banning all tobacco products, including chew, or warning users to use caution near children.

Jasper also said that March 17 is “Kick Butts” day and she is currently coordinating activities to bring awareness to teens about the dangers of tobacco use. Last year, some of the high schools students did a mob dance at the school cafeteria for the younger grades. The event was well received and she would like to do it again this year, if she can get enough participation.

Parents as Teachers received additional grant funding and will continue to grow the program, according to program coordinator, Laura Acker. It offers personal visits for local residents, and helps families with their young children’s needs. They currently have 31 children in the program, with a maximum capacity for 40. There are a number of services available, including Group Connections. This is a time when parents can meet while their children play. Alberton recently incorporated their group with the town library and now have a story-time for the families.

Acker, along with Jaime Odell, also spoke about The PEAK Foundation (Promoting Excellence in Alberton area Kids). They said the group would be putting on a variety show this spring and are currently looking for acts for the show, with an informational meeting on January 18.

Acker also discussed an upcoming training called “Our Whole Lives.” This is a holistic sexuality education program that “moves beyond the intellect to address the attitudes, values, and feelings that youth have about themselves and the world.” Space for the training is limited and there is an application process. The training will be two-days on starting on January 30. The Our Whole Lives curriculum can be used in school health classes, afterschool programs, youth groups, and other community settings.

Amy Lommen, a co-coordinator for the Healthy Communities Coalition, said she is looking into a large grant called “Building Active Communities Initiative.” It would take about a year to prepare the grant,and would need the help of several local entities including the hospital, schools, and local government. The grant is very competitive and can be used for things like creating safe, active communities for projects like parks, sidewalks, and walking trails.

Also, Holly Blaylock, with Partnership Health Care in Superior, said they will soon be installing a new dental suite. Dental services will be offered on a sliding scale and Medicaid will be accepted. Also, Warren Michaelson, a mental health therapist, who used to be a part of the mental health team at Superior School, said he still has a small practice in Superior. Since the school no longer offers the mental health program, he said he would continue to work with local kids, as long as there is a need for it. He comes out one day a week from Missoula and has an office on River Street.

April Quinlan, who ran the meeting, said she was happy to hear everybody’s reports. She also said the coalition is moving forward and seems to be meeting the goals the Community Health Improvement Plan had set for itself.