County health educator receives award

Working in an area like Rockingham County where health rankings are low and the rates of obesity are high, health education can be vital to the community. One health educator is doing her part and was recently recognized for her hard work.

Beverly Scurry, a public health education specialist for the Rockingham County Department of Public Health, received the Grace Daniels Promising New Health Award at the recent Governor’s Task Force for Healthy Carolinians and the N.C. Society of Public Health Educators annual meeting.

Scurry graduated from East Carolina University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in health education and health promotion. She came to work for Rockingham County soon after as the Healthy Carolinians coordinator.

The Healthy Carolinians program consists of three work groups: maternal and child health, local physical activity and nutrition and access to healthcare. She said these groups are open to any agencies, businesses, community members or organizations with a vested interest in health issues within the county.

The basis of all work done through Healthy Carolinians is from the annual Community Health Assessment. The last assessment was completed in 2008 and focused on access to healthcare, mental health, cancer, substance abuse and obesity. In a recent update to the Board of Health, this year’s assessment has many of the same health concerns including cancer, obesity/overweight and diabetes.

“Our Community Health Assessment is due in December 2012, and we’re working with the health department, Healthy Carolinians and our new partner United Way in getting that together,” she said. “We have collaboration among many other agencies in the county to help us pull in data and all the information we need. We did surveys and focus groups throughout the community, and we will be excited to get that information out there once it’s analyzed.”

Scurry said she and other staff members would be glad to come out and give presentations to any group wanting additional information on the assessment.

Since she’s come on board, Scurry said one of the most important projects has been securing the Young Moms Connect grant for Rockingham County. Approximately $500,000 was awarded for nearly three years to provide a variety of services for young families, including educational classes, prenatal services and aid in establishing a medical home.

Soon, Scurry will be working with other staff members to offer a class on healthy living and chronic disease self-management over a six-week course starting March 6 at Morehead Memorial Hospital in Eden. It will be a weekly session from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

A new session of classes for pregnant or parenting women through the Young Moms Connect program will be held starting Feb. 6 at Calvary Baptist Church in Wentworth. Classes will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. for women ages 12-24.

For additional information on the Community Health Assessment, Healthy Carolinians or health education classes, visit www.rockinghamcountypublichealth.org.