ATHOL – Parents, schools and service agencies are promoting and supporting the health and well-being of children of the community by collaborating through task forces and advisory councils.
One such group, the Children’s Health and Wellness Task Force, part of the North Quabbin Community Coalition, began as a task force that directly worked with dental health access and families struggling to afford dental care. Amanda Mankowsky, Youth & Family Engagement Coordinator at NQCC said it became clear that families needed to fill that gap. NQCC hosted a dental health fair with a dental health agency that offered screenings and taught preventative care.
A more holistic approach was considered in 2012 that didn’t just focus on dental but “all the pieces of health and wellness in the North Quabbin area,” Mankowsky said, including environment, nutrition, movement, and parent and child-focused activities. At that time it became the Children’s Health and Wellness Task Force and was joined by local agencies with different specialties continuously bringing new ideas.
In 2016, the challenge of behavioral health care access led the Children’s Health and Wellness Task Force to join with Clinical and Support Options (CSO), now located in the Athol Hospital building, and the Center for Human Development (CHD) at the Orange Innovation Center. Although there is a shortage of clinicians everywhere, NQCC Executive Director Heather Bialecki-Canning said “the Task Force has created an opportunity for North Quabbin families to access clinical services in multiple ways by identifying and reducing barriers.” The Task Force is not a direct service, but the “incubator” that creates and holds monthly group work, promotes events, provides information and referrals, and creates continuing care for youth.
Some of the other “main players” of the Children’s Health & Wellness Task Force are Valuing Our Children, Children’s Advocacy Center (covering Franklin County and the North Quabbin region), the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), the Athol Area YMCA, and the Athol-Royalston Regional School District.
The Children’s Health & Wellness Task Force provides free activities for families, including the annual “Munch ‘N’ Move” event where families are served healthy meals with help from the Mahar Key Club, followed by dancing to music by a DJ. It is usually held the Wednesday of February or April school vacation.
Another event, Family Fun Day, was moved last year from inside the former Athol-Orange Elks Club to Tully Lake Recreation Area. The event will be held there again in 2020, “most likely” in May with the addition of shuttle services.
Last year, on Oct. 1, the Youth Action Council (YAC) was created from a Drug Free Community grant. The council focuses on substance use prevention and delaying first use, working on projects and creating opportunities for leadership skills and role models, according to Sarah Collins, Drug Free Communities Coordinator at NQCC.
The YAC currently has 18 members ages 12 to 18 from the North Quabbin region and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School. Under a grant, the council sponsored a yoga day at Athol High School. Nomination forms to become a member are available through Collins.
Partnering with other agencies, the YAC in April did a “sticker shock campaign” where they went to local liquor stores with labels saying it is illegal to buy or serve to anyone alcohol under age 21 affixed to paper bags provided by the stores. Collins said the council created a drawing contest on prevention for the Athol-Royalston school district and had a “huge presence” during the River Rat Race weekend.
The group is interviewing community providers and working on creating a product, to be determined, that is geared for the community.
The North Quabbin Community Coalition is located at 251 Exchange St. For more information, call 978-249-3703, email amanda@nqcc.org, sarah@nqcc.org, or visit www.nqcc.org.