Denise McLeod, Minority Health Liaison for Department of Health in Monroe County, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about National Minority Health Month.
National Minority Health Month was established in 1915 by Booker T. Washington.
McLeod said, “Disparities are those differences in levels of treatment. This annual observance builds awareness and encourages everyone to take action to end these disparities. They office of Minority Health for this year is be the source of better health, improving health outcomes through our cultures, communities and connection. It’s about understanding how the unique environments, cultures, histories and circumstances known as social determinants of health or SDOH impact overall health. We learned about the importance of this at last year’s Stock Island twn hall meeting where over 700 surveys were collected. Some of the top issues in our communities are housing, access to care and Stock Island being a food desert, which means having no grocery store.”
An outreach program, Health to You, will be held on April 19 at Bernstein Park.
McLeod said, “I will be sponsoring a Health to You helpfulness event, April 19, which is this Friday. It will be held on Stock Island at Bernstein Park in the upper conference room. This will be geared toward our senior citizens and helping to alleviate for today, senior isolation, to get them out and moving and having a good time. There will be food, fun music, line dancing, expressive arts and crafts, and many health topics will be presented. We will be giving away all kinds of door prizes, food vouchers, free giveaways of blood pressure cuff, glucose monitors, bike helmet, Narcan, and we will have with us our many community partners joining in to make this a great day for our senior citizens.”
A lot of the materials are available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
McLeod said, “We also offer translation services at each one of our buildings, we have three DOH locations, the Gato building on Simonton Street, Key West; the RIC building on US 1 in Marathon next to the Baptist Hospital and the Roth building in Tavernier.”
A service industry Health to You event will be held on May 14.
McLeod said, “We will be servicing our industry personnel, trying to get them as healthy as possible. We know their lives are busy. So we will be holding this event right on Duvall Street at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. We’ll be there May 14, from noon to 4pm, inviting all those who work in our hotels, restaurants, bars, all our service industry personnel to come by and see how the Department of Health and many community partners can help them to be as healthy as possible.”
There will be a Haitian Heritage Flag Day celebration at Bayview Park in May.
McLeod said, “This is another great event we’ll we will be hosting on May 18 at Bayview Park, with the newly established refugee Resource Center to celebrate Haitian heritage Flag Day, from nine to five, we’ll be out there pretty much all day. There will be good music. Let me tell you, good guitar players, saxophone players, trumpeters and we will have our Health to You table there promoting good health care, how to get great health care.”
The 2024 wellbeing survey is going on right now and the Department of Health wants to hear from YOU.
McLeod said, “We are actively putting these surveys out in the community from Key Largo all the way down to Key West. Surveys are coming in, it’s looking good. We believe we’ll meet our goal by the end of this month. we’re so happy that our community is participating in this because this will help us to help make Monroe County a healthier you.”
On July 25 in Key Largo, Health to You is doing an immunization and back to school supply giveaway.
McLeod said, “We would love everyone to come and just participate, bring supplies. If you would like to drop off supplies to Denise McLeod. I’m available, you can find me on the DOH website. So I invite all the community. Let’s get out and make Monroe County a healthier you.”