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The INDEPENDENT, April 2, 2009
How do you cope with a job loss?
CHD receives grant to fight obesity
by the American Counseling
Association
The Columbia Health District
is one of 43 health agencies in
21 states to receive a grant to
promote leadership programs
to prevent chronic diseases
and other risk factors through
local collaboration. The award
was announced by the National
Association of County and City
Health Officials (NACCHO), the
National Association of Chronic
Disease Directors, the National
Recreation and Park Associa-
tion, and the YMCA of the USA.
Columbia Health District will
become part of Action Commu-
nities for Health, Innovation,
and EnVironmental ChangE
(ACHIEVE), which is supported
by the Centers for Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(CDC)’s Healthy Communities
Program. The program will be
countywide.
Columbia Health District
was selected after a competi-
tive review process. The pro-
gram coaches are CHD Public
Health employees Ashley
Swanson and Sherrie Ford,
and Leeann Grasseth of Co-
lumbia Community Mental
Health.
“It is exciting to see
CCHAC’s work recognized at a
Every day we read of more
companies laying off workers.
While job loss may have been
a fear for many last year, to-
day’s troubled economic cli-
mate has made it a reality for
millions.
While losing a job may bring
financial problems for most
people, it’s important to under-
stand that it can also bring sig-
nificant mental and emotional
stress.
For many people, losing a
job brings reactions similar to
the pattern experienced in the
death of a loved one or the end
of a relationship. A first reaction
is usually one of shock and de-
nial, of being unable to believe
this has really happened.
That’s often followed by
anger. And while the source of
that anger may be those who
took away your job, most times
the anger is taken out on those
close to you. You may find
yourself tense, more easily up-
set and quicker to react to fam-
ily and friends.
You may also go through a
stage of “bargaining,” a preoc-
cupation with trying to get that
old job back, no matter how un-
realistic or even undesirable
that might be. At the same time
you may experience sadness
and depression as you ques-
tion your worth and abilities.
It’s important to recognize
that these are all normal reac-
tions. Understanding that can
help you get through those
stages quicker, accept the loss
and start creating a new work
life.
You can help yourself by try-
ing to avoid adding extra stress
to your life. Tell family and
friends what’s happened and
what you’re feeling, so they can
help. Eat healthy, exercise, get
plenty of rest and keep socially
involved, rather than withdraw-
ing from those close to you.
Avoid sudden, rash major life
decisions and changes.
Instead, carefully evaluate
and set future goals. Do you
need more education, to look to
a new career field or to sharp-
en up your job skills? Evaluate
what will make you feel reward-
ed and fulfilled in a new job.
Are you using your network of
family, friends and other con-
tacts to help in your job
search? Rather than dwelling
on the lost job, focus on a pos-
itive future.
Losing a job, especially one
you’ve held for a long time, can
bring real trauma and stress to
anyone. If you find you’re being
overwhelmed by the experi-
ence, seek professional help. A
counseling professional can
provide stress management,
career guidance and other
services to help you handle this
loss and move on to a more
positive future.
Healthy weight for kids program
Healthy Weight for Children
will be the topic of a free 90-
minute presentation on Thurs-
day, April 9, at 6:00 p.m. at the
Tuality Health Education Cen-
ter, 334 SE 8th Ave., Hillsboro.
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• Upgrades & Repairs
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503.429.TECH
COMPUTER &
INTERNET SERVICES
• New & Used Computers in stock
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• IPOD accessories
• Internet Services
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866 Bridge Street, Vernonia
Pediatrician Dr. Christopher
Morris will discuss the impor-
tance of maintaining a healthy
weight during childhood. There
will be information on the fac-
tors that contribute to obesity,
and tips for intervention and
prevention.
Those who plan to attend
are asked to call 503-681-1700
to register.
national level and this grant
provides a valuable opportunity
to improve the impact on our
community’s health,” said Ford.
“The team-based approach
allows communities to provide
a cohesive response to the
lifestyle challenges facing our
nation,” said Swanson. “By
connecting the leaders who
can make change, communi-
ties are helping to make
healthy behaviors an easier
choice, not just the healthier
choice.”
Ford, Swanson and Gras-
seth will immediately begin to
expand CCHAC to include
elected officials, state and local
directors of public health organ-
izations, business leaders,
leaders of local schools, parks
and recreation departments,
and other community organiza-
tions. These teams will con-
vene at an Action Institute in
July 2009. At the conference,
attendees learn about evi-
dence-based approaches to ef-
fecting change in their commu-
nities from nationally known ex-
perts.
The purpose of ACHIEVE is
to bring together local leaders
and stakeholders to build
healthier communities by pro-
moting policy, systems, and en-
vironmental change strategies
that focus on physical activity,
nutrition, tobacco cessation,
obesity, diabetes and cardio-
vascular disease. The 2009
ACHIEVE communities will
build on the successes of the
2008 ACHIEVE pilot communi-
ties.
The 43 communities select-
ed to join the initiative will be-
come part of an aggressive so-
cial movement that is mobiliz-
ing local communities to re-
spond to the public health chal-
lenge of obesity, physical inac-
tivity and poor nutrition. For a
complete list of the communi-
ties, go to: www.achievecom
munities.org or: www.cdc.gov/
healthycommunitiesprogram.
Learn about mold and indoor air
quality at upcoming workshop
OSU Extension Service will
be offering “Mold and other in-
door air quality issues,” a
workshop with information for
professionals who work with
homes and buildings, such as
building managers, mainte-
nance, inspectors, contractors,
health and building department
officials, architects, HVAC, and
homeowners who do their own
repairs.
Mold can be dangerous to
health and destructive to pos-
sessions and the structural in-
tegrity of buildings. Carbon
monoxide, radon, asbestos,
VOCs and dust mites can fur-
ther contribute to reduced in-
door air quality. With all the me-
dia attention, it is challenging to
separate fact from fiction and to
locate reliable information.
The workshop will be held
April 22, from 8:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m.; there is a $35.00
fee. It will include the health ef-
fects of exposure to mold and
other indoor air contaminants,
what mold is, why and where it
grows. Participants will learn to
inspect for adverse conditions
and how to remedy them. A
certificate of attendance for 3-
hours of continuing education
will be provided.
Presenters include Harriet
Amman, Ph.D., and George
Tsongas, Ph.D. Professor Em-
eritus in Mechanical Engineer-
ing from Portland State. Dr.
Amman is a board certified tox-
icologist and served as Wash-
ington Department of Health’s
Senior Toxicologist in the Office
of Environmental Health As-
sessment and Department of
Ecology’s Air Quality Program
for many years. Dr. Tsongas is
a building scientist who spe-
cializes in mold and moisture
problems in buildings, as well
as construction defects and
water intrusion. He has in-
spected over 10,000 dwelling
units as a researcher, consult-
ant, and expert witness.
The workshop will be at the
Portland Community College
Event Center, Building 9, Rock
Creek Campus, 17705 NW
Springville Rd., Portland. Fur-
ther information on the pro-
grams, the speakers and regis-
tration can be found at http://ex
tension.oregonstate.edu/wash
ington/ or by contacting the
OSU Extension Service Wash-
ington County, 18640 NW
Walker Road #1400, Beaver-
ton, OR 97006-8927. Call 503-
821-1150 for more information.