December 4-10, 2011 is National Handwashing Awareness Week! The purpose of this week is to teach about the importance of handwashing for all ages. Washing hands helps prevent the spread of diseases and should be practiced regularly. 

 

There are four basic principles of hand awareness. These principles are:

• Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating
• Do not cough into your hands
• Do no sneeze into your hands
• Do not put your fingers into your eyes, nose, or mouth

World AIDS Day is an international health observance day that is celebrated every year on December 1^st. This day provides an opportunity to help raise awareness, celebrate the increasing available treatment and prevention options, and honor those who have passed away from AIDS. 

In the United States, AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death for adults ages 25-44.  According to the World Health Organization, more than 25 million individuals nationwide have passed away from AIDS over the years. 

Open Door Health Services will be closed November 24 through November 30 in order to move to our new facility at 333 S. Madison St. in Muncie.  All Muncie sites will be closed during this time, except for Southway Urgent Care, which will only be closed November 24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

All sites will reopen on December 1.  Adult health, pediatrics, women's health, prenatal, dental, and WIC will then be located at 333 S. Madison St. while the Munice Family Planning site will be located at 905 S. Walnut St.

During the move, the ODHS phone and computer system will also be down intermittently.  Unfortunately, this includes the ability to leave messages.  We apologize for the inconvenience this will cause.

All of the staff at Open Door Health Services wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving and look forward to provide even better service in our new locations in December.

Open Door Health Services is proud to be part of the National Health Services Corps (NHSC) program and is especially proud to recognize our providers who have completed or are participating in the program.  Thursday, October 13, 2011 is the inaugural Corps Community Day, a day to celebrate this federal program and what it provides to community health centers across the country.

NHSC improves access to care for people living in communities with a shortage of primary care providers, which includes portions of Delaware County and the surrounding areas.  Approximately one in five Americans live in a primary care shortage area, which means that 21% of Americans go without essential health services or have to travel long distance to receive those services.

Mary Jo Roseberry, PhD and Lisa Woods, LCSW recently received Certificates in Primary Care Behavioral Health from the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  This program provides enhanced training for behavioral health professionals who practice in primary care settings and has specifically been designed for practices that are working towards receiving recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, which Open Door Health Services (ODHS) is currently doing.