Central Louisiana

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Getting To The Root of The Problem

Central Louisiana/Region 6 Attacking Tobacco and Obesity, While Educating Community

The Central LHCC is working to extend Louisiana’s smoke-free law to cover exempt establishments. We also want healthy foods to be more accessible to people. And we are educating the community on health determinants - the often unknown/misunderstood factors that affect health, including neighborhoods, food deserts, etc.

Meeting Notice:

Meetings rotate locations, dates and times, so to find out when your next area meeting is, please contact the regional chairs listed below or watch for the meeting notice on Facebook.

Regional Priorities/Goals:

Strengthen the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act to include bars and gaming establishments; establish 100% tobacco-free school districts, including private, parochial and charter schools.
Increase access to healthy food and promote locally grown foods.
Educate the community on factors and determinants of health, while identifying and promoting existing resources.

Central Louisiana LHCC members participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure in October 2016.

Coalition Activities:

Promote Healthier Air for All in Region 6 municipalities.
Promote locally-grown food through the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA) Food Policy Council and an annual Obesity Awareness Event at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Hunting and Fishing Day. Provide local healthy food choice information at Rec2U tour and Farmer's Market Kids Club.
Provide determinants of health education at the annual Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings Breakfast, annual Office of Public Health (OPH) Disparities Forum, Mardi Gras Free Zone, Kick Butts Day, Great American Smoke-out, Rapides Foundation, Youth Summit and Rec2 summer tour.
Promote awareness of LA Law Act 838, which prohibits smoking in cars with children.
Promote cancer screening and tobacco cessation during the following annual events: Komen Race for the Cure (breast cancer awareness), Forest Hill Nursery Festival (colorectal cancer awareness), Dragon Boat races (skin cancer awareness), Great American Smokeout, Kicks Butts Day, and Act 838 Awareness Events.

On January 27, 2017, Alexandria celebrated the fifth anniversary of its smoke-free ordinance at the Bentley Hotel.

Past Work/Successes:

Passed six (6) area comprehensive smoke-free ordinances, specifically in Alexandria, Woodworth Cheneyville, Glenmora, Colfax, Lecompte.
Held four (4) annual cancer prevention events, focusing on colorectal at the Forest Hill Nursery Festival; skin at the Dragon Boat Races and Bunkie Corn Festival; and breast at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
Held eight (8) annual community education / tobacco cessation events at the following: Office of Public Health Disparities Forum, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Mardi Gras Free Zone, Kick Butts Day, Rec2u Summer Tour, LA Wildlife and Fisheries Hunting and Fishing Day (Childhood Obesity Awareness), Great American Smokeout and ACT 838 Awareness Events.

Regional Members:

Chairs:

Brenda Brechtel

Central LHCC Co-Chair
Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) Representative
386 C. Windermere Blvd.
Alexandria, LA 71303
Cell: 318-266-6010
bbrech@lsuhsc.edu

Jennifer Gilchrist

Central LHCC Chair
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Region 6 Manager
5604B Coliseum Blvd.
Alexandria, LA 71303
Cell: 318-201-4083
jgilchrist@lphi.org

Members:

• American Association of Critical Care Nurses• American Cancer Association• American Heart Association• Amerigroup• Amerihealth Caritas• Arthur F Smith Middle Magnet• Cenla Area on Aging• Cenla Occupational Medicine Services• Central LA Area Health Education Center (CLAHEC)• Central LA Homeless Coalition• Central LA Human Services District• Children’s Treehouse• Christus St France Cabrini Cancer Center• City of Alexandria Councilman• City of Alexandria Parks and Recreation• Cystic Fribosis Association• Jena Band of Choctaw Social Services• KidsMatter2• Legacy Health and Wellness• Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs (LCP) at the LSU School of Public Health• LSU Alexandria• LSUA AgCenter• Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR) at the LSU School of Public Health• Nurse Family Partnership• Office of Public Health• Rapides Parish Library• Rapides Parish School Board Member• Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office• Rapides Regional Medical Center• Sickle Cell Anemia Resource Foundation• Synergy Home Health• The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL)• The Rapides Foundation• Tobacco Treatment Services• VA Medical Center• VOA• Well Ahead

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