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‘News’ Category

Gainesville Sun Editorial

Alachua County voters have plenty to be proud about after Tuesday’s election, despite some state results that didn’t go the way many here had hoped.
Two county measures benefiting children passed Tuesday with strong support from voters. A half-cent sales tax increase to pay for repairs and improvements to public school facilities received 68 percent of the vote, while a measure establishing a Children’s Trust that will use a half-mill property tax increase to fund programs for children received almost 62 percent.

Credit goes […]

Gainesville Sun
By Dorothy Thomas and Dorothy Benson

In the Nov. 6 election, Alachua County voters have the opportunity to create the Children’s Trust of Alachua County, which will solely focus on the health, well-being and success of our children.

The Children’s Trust has earned the endorsements of 34 local organizations, including The Sun, as well as endorsements from dozens of local leaders. They know that the Children’s Trust can be transformative for our community and that the money generated to fund the Children’s Trust will be […]

Ocala Star Banner

WellFlorida, a health planning council and consultants for health causes, is an affiliate partner of two Healthy Start coalitions, which have a goal to reduce infant mortality, improve birth outcomes and promote healthy child development.

The WellFlorida Council was selected as a winner in the 25th National Health Information Awards. Marketing materials and health information for Heathy Start received a merit award for Total Health Information. Jill Dygert, WellFlorida’s Art Director and Communications Manager, is credited with the design and editing of the materials, […]

Home Magazine Gainesville
By Dorothy Benson, Dorothy Thomas and Lita Tholen

There were more than 10,000 children born in Alachua County in the last five years. What services have they received? Have they had regular health checks? Are they ready for kindergarten? What about the older children? Are they reading on grade level? Do they have enriching afterschool and summer activities?

The Campaign for Children’s Trust will answer these questions as well as two more: What do ALL children need to succeed? How can we best support […]

Oh Baby! A Gainesville Sun Publication

In 2017, nearly 3,000 babies were born at hospitals in Alachua County. Fifty-two were born in homes and another 20 were born at birthing centers. In order to improve the health and safety for all of the babies yet to be born in Alachua County, a group of local hospitals, home health agencies and childbirth providers have collaborated to make the NewboRN Home Visiting program.

A free service overseen by Healthy Start of North Central Florida, NewboRN Home Visiting is available […]

WellFlorida Council is announcing a min-grant funding opportunity for Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programs throughout Florida. Organizations interested in applying should go to www.WellFlorida.org and select the blog post “DSME Mini-Grant Funding Opportunity” to download the application and learn more about the grant’s objectives, funding and application process. The application deadline is Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018.

DSME is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to disease management that meets national standards. To extend the reach of the DSME mini-grant funding opportunity, WellFlorida serves as a hub, on behalf of […]

Jamie Watcher, Suwannee Democrat

LIVE OAK — Nervous about riding without training wheels, Ashlynn McLeod knew what she didn’t enjoy about Wednesday morning’s bike safety rodeo.

“Falling down,” the 6-year-old McLeod said.

But McLeod, talkative throughout the safety training she received from Morris Sherman, with the Well Florida Council, was suddenly shy following the event at RIVEROAK Technical College, which was sponsored by the Florida Department of Health – Suwannee County and the Live Oak Police Department.

While McLeod couldn’t think of what she enjoyed the most from the event, […]

The Citrus County Chronicle

People don’t usually miss a chance to voice their opinions, but that’s exactly what’s happening with a community-wide survey this month. Sponsors of the Citrus County Community Health Needs Assessment survey said that far fewer responses have come in for the online questionnaire than when it was run three years ago, and they’re urging everyone to log on to complete it.

This survey asks residents for their opinions on county health-related concerns, not individual issues. The survey is anonymous, though respondents can provide […]

Gainesville Sun

On Wednesday and Friday this week, several testing events have been planned in Alachua County.

Increasing awareness of the importance of getting tested for HIV will again be the focus of National HIV Testing Day, which will be observed nationwide on Wednesday.

“Getting tested is the first step in taking care of your health and controlling the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus),” said Gay Koehler-Sides, HIV/AIDS program coordinator at the Alachua County Health Department and other health departments in Area 3/13, which includes Bradford, Citrus, […]

Gainesville Sun

Given the educational institutions we have in our community, Alachua County should perform better than around the middle of the pack when it comes to taking care of children.

Yet Alachua County ranked 31st out of 67 Florida counties in the 2018 Child Well-being Index. The index, released in April by Florida Kids Count, measures the status of children in areas such as educational outcomes, health and poverty.

Florida ranked 40th among states in the group’s 2017 rankings, so being near the middle of the pack […]