CP Scoop - April 2nd, 2024

View this email in your browser

OTHER NEWS

Vote for Carleton Place in Final Round of March Madness of Small Towns Contest

Carleton Place Tourism is proud to share that our town has made it to the FINAL TWO (2) of Chez 106's March Madness of Small Towns contest.

In the last bracket, we had 55.5% of the vote over Pakenham. Now we're up against last year's winner, Almonte! 

Carleton Place has gone through a lot in the last year, a new bridge, new businesses downtown, new community events, and so much more that's planned for 2024! This year, vote for Carleton Place and let's bring the win home! 

Even if you voted in prior brackets, you can still vote AGAIN in this final round! Please share this with your friends, neighbors, and family! 

Vote now, vote here: https://contests.chez106.com/p/973666

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit - LGL Health Unit Board of Health Votes in Favour of Voluntary Merger

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL) Board of Health voted in support of the intent to merge with Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFL&APH) and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) to create the South East Health Unit.

In August 2023, the Ministry of Health announced plans to strengthen the public health sector by offering one-time funding, resources and supports to local public health agencies that voluntarily merged by January 1st, 2025.  In response to the announcement, the HPE, KFL&A, and LGL Boards of Health decided in December to move forward with the exploration of the impacts of a voluntary merger and engaged the consulting firm of Sense and Nous to prepare a feasibility study and a business case for a merger.

Last Thursday, in the public session of the Board meeting, Dr. Linna Li presented a Merger Feasibility Summary Report and Business Case Brief. This Merger Feasibility Summary Report outlines the results of the merger feasibility exercise for KFL&APH, LGLDHU and HPEPH, identifies the strategic opportunities and challenges associated with the proposed merger, and concludes that there are no significant barriers to a merger. The Business Case Brief summarizes the rationales and key proposals to be considered by the Ministry, including, in part, the name of the proposed new entity, governance model, geographic boundaries, opportunities to strengthen public health and the supports needed to merge.

The HPEPH and KFL&APH Boards of Health met last Wednesday where they reviewed the same presentations.

All three (3) Boards approved moving forward with a voluntary merger and will submit a proposal to the Ministry of Health by April 2nd.

“The goal of a merger is to strengthen public health in our respective regions,” said Peter McKenna, Chair of the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit Board of Health. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration in this new agency.”

Mergers of public health units require provincial legislative change, and a merger will only occur if the province approves the Board’s proposal and commits adequate funding for its success. Until a legal new organization is established, the health units will continue to operate independently.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit - April is Oral Health Month: Who is on Your Child’s Oral Health Team?

April is Oral Health Month, and the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is promoting the theme: “We are stronger together”. It is a team approach to help maintain a child’s oral hygiene, from the child, parent/guardian, dental professionals, and public health. We all have an important role to play and are all on the same team with the same common goal: to ensure every child has the best oral health they can have!

Public health programs and services can complement and support those provided by other dental professionals; they are geared to the community as a whole, to promote and sustain oral health. One (1) of the main roles is to provide dental screening in schools for select grades (typically JK, SK and grade 2) at all elementary schools. Typically, the Health Unit staff will screen 4500 to 5000 children per year. They also help families enroll their children in the Healthy Smiles Ontario program and provide oral health education to parents and children at all ages and stages to promote healthy growth and development.

During the month of April, the Health Unit’s goal is to engage students to think about their about oral health and participate in an Oral Health Month activity. Individuals in elementary schools from JK to grade 6 are invited to draw, colour, or paint a picture to show who is on their oral health team. Examples may include how a child cares for their teeth at home by using the tips below, how their parent/guardian helps with their oral health care routine, what happens when they visit the dental office, or what dental screening looks like when our Oral Health Team visits their school.

Parents/guardians can email a photo to hso@healthunit.org to enter into a draw to receive an oral health friendly prize! Please include the child’s name, grade, and school. There will be 10 lucky winners. The activity opens April 1st, 2024, and the deadline to submit is May 1st, 2024. 

During Oral Health Month, public health likes to remind everyone that in addition to school-based programs, they offer clinic and community-based oral health programs and services to promote the oral health of children. These include first year first visit oral health assessments, oral health resources for new parents delivered in hospital, oral health education and dental screening at EarlyON Baby Talk and Play and Learn groups, preventive clinical services (scaling, fluoride varnish, and sealants), support for the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children fluoride varnish program, provide dental screening for children 17 and under for the purpose of enrollment in the Healthy Smiles Ontario dental program, and monitor the fluoride levels in municipal water systems. The Health Unit’s Oral Health Team is also available to answer inquiries from community members, by phone or email.

Oral Health Month is also a great time for a reminder that maintaining good oral hygiene practices at home is essential at any age. Here are some tips on what you can focus on this month to keep your teeth and gums healthy:

• Brush two (2) times daily for two (2) minutes
• Clean between teeth (i.e., floss) once daily
• Use fluoridated toothpaste (see recommended guidelines on our website)
• Drink water and eat a variety of nutritious foods
• Consult a dental professional regularly

For more information on oral health or the activity, please visit www.healthunit.org or contact 1-800-660-5853 or 613-345-5685, extension 2456.

Please Note: This email is not regularly monitored. Email: acharania@carletonplace.ca. Federal, Provincial, and Other news items are provided impartially, as a convenience and as a means of sharing information from higher levels of government and partner organizations.