NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
UNDATED

CITY STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO RECEIVE FREE ASTHMA SCREENING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM

Harrisburg, PA—On behalf of Governor Mark Schweiker, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced an agreement with the City of Harrisburg that provides for $50,000 in civil penalties to be allocated to a new asthma prevention program being conducted by the City and the Hamilton Health Center. The penalties were agreed to between DEP and the City in a settlement agreement regarding multiple housekeeping violations at the city’s Resource Recovery Facility in South Harrisburg.

The asthma treatment and prevention program is part of the city’s new public health initiative that will establish city school-based health clinics across the city for students and residents of neighborhoods around schools. The inaugural program is being started at the city’s Foose Elementary School at 13th and Sycamore Streets in South Harrisburg.

“We know, based on national health data, that children from low to moderate income families have more incidences of asthma,” said Michael Steiner, DEP Southcentral Regional Director. “We believe that starting with the children in their school provides us with an opportunity to address concerns about the community’s health.”

“The Foose School serves children from the neighborhood with the largest number of public housing units, which is why the first school-based health center was established there,” said Mayor Stephen Reed.

Being able to reinvest the civil assessment back into our community by increasing health services to those who have traditionally been underserved is an enlightened measure that best benefits those who are most in need, and least able to afford advanced health screening,” said Mayor Reed.

“It is unusual that the entire amount of a penalty is released for a community project, but in this case and by contributing the full amount, we are able to fully fund an important neighborhood-based health initiative,” said Alisa Harris, Director of DEP’s Office of Environmental Advocate. “Plus we get the added benefit of developing an accurate local database on this evolving national public health issue.

As part of the city’s new public health initiative, the Hamilton Health Center recently opened a neighborhood health clinic at the Harrisburg School District’s newly renovated Foose Elementary School. The newly-established Center provides both medical and dental services to the surrounding community, which includes a large number of public housing residents and children.

Early detection and treatment can help to control the adverse health effects of asthma and this screening program is an important first step,” said Jeannine Peterson, Chief Executive Office of Hamilton Health Center. “We appreciate the funding assistance and the cooperation of DEP and the City.”

Mayor Reed said the ‘Healthy Living, Healthy Learning’ program is designed to identify and assess asthma and asthma-like respiratory conditions, and then educate and provide support services to families through a case management program. The initial effort will begin with as many as 500 students attending Foose Elementary School and their siblings under the age of 18 years old.

“This community health and environmental project could not have come at a better time,” Steiner said. “The Hamilton Health Center and the city School District have generated tremendous momentum in this community and it makes good sense for the Commonwealth to act in partnership with this effort.”

DEP has the authority to collect civil penalties under most of the statutes it administers, including the Solid Waste Management Act. Usually penalties are collected and deposited into dedicated funds. In this particular case, DEP and the city believe that funding the asthma management project would have a positive effect on the public’s health and environmental safety.

The ‘Healthy Living, Healthy Learning’ program will begin after the New Year, more information on the effort can be obtained by calling the Hamilton Health Center at (717) 230.3910.

For more information, please visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, or contact DEP directly at www.dep.state.pa.us (directLINK “environmental justice”).

XXX