Results Statement: People across the lifespan have good cardiovascular health.
Heart disease is the #1 cause of death for men and women in Carroll County, as it is in Maryland and in the United States. Stroke is the #3 cause of death, and a leading cause of disability.
Much progress has been made in the treatment of heart disease, but the largest impact will occur when individuals make heart-healthy lifestyle choices. Controllable risk factors for heart disease include tobacco use, physical activity, diet, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. Heart health improvement efforts also focus on early detection and access to emergency response systems such as Automated External Defibrillators (AED's). Many of the initiatives within the Prevention and Wellness CHIA cross over to impact heart health.
Partnership Staff Contact:
Dawn Eldridge
410-876-4984
DEldridge@dhmh.state.md.us
Click on the organizational chart items to view the details of each.
Heart Health Leadership Team
The Heart Health Leadership Team seeks to improve the cardiovascular health and quality of life of adults and children in our community through prevention, detection and treatment of disease.
The objectives of the Heart Health Team are to:
- Support efforts to increase youth and family physical activity, by initiatives such as “Project ACES - Active Children Excel in School” and L.E.A.N. Carroll.
- Support efforts of adults to control blood pressure through community screenings by Carroll Hospital Center and Carroll County Health Department.
- Increase awareness of early warning signs of heart attack and stroke and importance of early access to emergency response system.
- Advocate for increased access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).
- Support efforts to increase awareness of women’s heart health and warning signs.
- Support efforts to decrease tobacco use and exposure.
Children's Heart Health Action Team
The Children’s Heart Health Action Team formed in 1996 as a coalition of community partners working to improve heart health in children, by promoting non-use of tobacco, heart-healthy nutrition and increased physical activity. They designed the physical activity challenge “Project ACES- Active Children Excel in School” in 2000. The project has grown to a huge two-week challenge each fall in all public elementary schools for students and staff to track at least 60 minutes each day of moderate physical activity. Project ACES has won three state awards and a national award as an innovative program to increase physical activity in youth.
Team members include Carroll County Public Schools, Carroll County Health Department, Carroll Community College, Carroll Hospital Center, Carroll County Department of Recreation and Parks, Cigarette Restitution Fund Program, and Westminster City Department of Recreation and Parks.
As of August 2009, Carroll County Public Schools is the lead agency for Project ACES. For more information or to get involved, contact Holly Walter at 410-751-3222 or hnwalte@k12.carr.org.
Cigarette Restitution Fund Program & Carroll County Tobacco Coalition
The Carroll County Cigarette Restitution Fund Program (CRFP) is a local program that works toward the statewide goals of conquering cancer and ending tobacco use in Maryland. CRFP provides tobacco cessation programs in the community and works with law enforcement to reduce under-age tobacco use. It has a volunteer advisory group, the Community Tobacco Coalition, which meets bi-monthly to review and advise the activities of the CRFP. Members include business leaders, representatives from Carroll Hospital Center, Carroll County Public Schools, and from other community organizations, as well as local citizens. Public participation is welcome and encouraged.
The Carroll County Cigarette Restitution Fund Program is funded by the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund Program.
AED Action Team
This Team works to increase the number of Automated External Defibrillators in Carroll County and increase training in CPR/AED, maintenance and upkeep of AED’s. Placement of AED’s is regulated by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. See complete information regarding placement, training and maintenance at their website.
Members of this group have been instrumental in the steady increase of AED’s available throughout the county, in places where large numbers of people gather, such as workplaces, churches, fitness centers, government facilities and schools. All CCPS high schools have three AED’s on site and trained staff. The group is working with CCPS Smart Schools Initiative to find funds to place an AED in each elementary and middle school. Contact the foundation at www.ccpsfoundation.org or call 410-751-3098 to make a tax deductible donation to this effort.
Smoke-Free Carroll County
The Partnership recognizes tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke as major risk factors in more than 40% of the health improvement areas we seek to impact, including heart health. Therefore, the promotion of tobacco-free living has been identified as one of three pillars of our organization. All of our Core Health Improvement Area Leadership Teams will consider smoke-free and tobacco-free elements as they create their health improvement strategies and action plans.
The Partnership maintains the Smoke-Free Carroll County website, with tips, tools, and links to best-practice resources. Smoke-Free Carroll County objectives will be linked to the work of the Cigarette Restitution Fund Program and Tobacco Coalition.
Women's Heart Health Action Team
The Women’s Heart Health Action Team was formed to increase awareness of the different and sometimes subtle signs of heart disease and heart attacks in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one-third of adult females have some type of cardiovascular disease. However, many people do not know how serious the problem of heart disease in women is.
This action team plans programs and promotions to encourage women to take an active role in preventing and managing heart disease. It seeks to teach the warning signs of heart disease and heart attack in women, and to teach people to get immediate help when these signs are present. The Heart Health Leadership Team feels that focusing on women’s heart health will decrease the overall rate of deaths due to heart disease and stroke.
Links
American Heart Association
American Stroke Association
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Systems Services
National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Project ACES 2006-2009
