Health in Buffalo: What We're Doing and If It's Working

Healthful initiatives are seemingly everywhere in Erie County. A look at the county Department of Health programs proves that much effort has been put into public assistance. Those behind the change are fighting an uphill battle. High poverty rates, funding problems and difficulty in changing behavior make the future look bleak.

According to 2007 U.S. Census data, Buffalo is the third poorest large city in the nation. A 2011 report from Senate Chairman Bernie Sanders found that those in poverty were twice as likely to have diabetes as those who were affluent, and that just as many people die from poverty as lung cancer.

Erie County Commissioner of Health Gale Burstein, and Medical Care Administrator Cheryll Moore agree that the biggest hurdle when dealing with public health is funding. They receive funding from New York State and county taxes, but it simply is not enough. Grants must always be applied for, and expansion of healthcare services relies on grant money.

Currently, there are only two medical service delivery programs in place. Chris Collins closed the others, and now the Department of Health is fighting to get them back.

“He felt that the county did not need them, and that the private sector would pick it up,” Burstein said.

Education has to be at the forefront of any program. The public has to be informed in order to choose healthier foods and follow healthier behaviors. These programs have to reach the children.

“Because helping kids is helping families,” Kari Bonaro, director of communications for Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus said.

Carolyn Chisim, supervisor of food for the Buffalo Public Schools, loves to see children get excited about being healthy.

“I’m not in the schools a whole lot, but I think one of the best things I saw was a kid dig his hands in his orange like he couldn’t wait to get it,” she said.

Buffalo Public Schools are part of a six-step certification program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The district has to document that it is following the National School Lunch Program. Transitioning to the program and getting about 550 employees on board took about two-and-a-half months.

Educational nutrition posters are displayed to educate students on what they should be eating and why, but education of Buffalo students occurs outside of school as well. Part of the Buffalo Public Schools Wellness Policy has been to implement a lifelong eating program. It aims to foster healthy choices throughout the child’s life.

Participation in both school lunches and breakfasts has been increasing. This promising change does not mean that the work is done. Because portions must be restricted, even those who burn an extraordinary amount of calories through exercise, like football players, cannot have extra helpings of food. The system has to adapt to various individuals.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is taking a more structural approach to health.  Officials believe that the layout of the community must be suitable for healthy living. Bonaro pointed to sidewalks to prove the point. If sidewalks are in bad condition, if people do not have access to them or they simply are not safe, then people will not use them and get the physical activity they need.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is one of many BNMC partners. HKHC is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and has only been awarded to 49 communities across the country. One of the primary goals for HKHC in Buffalo is to engage the community in dialogue about eating healthy and active living policies.

Yet, any area college student can speak to the fact that change does not come quick. The non-smoking policy at SUNY Buffalo State was implemented on Jan 1 2012, but many students still smoke on campus.

“We don’t see the outcome for 10 to 20 years later,” said Burstein. “That’s a health behavior change.”

Some programs have been extremely successful, as with the Syringe Expanded Access and Disposal Program (SEAD). In 2000 the New York State Legislature instituted the Public Health Law Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP), and now we are seeing more people dispose of needles properly. Drop boxes at local pharmacies have helped with the collection of four tons of medical waste within the last year.

“It’s normal now,” said Moore. “Needles are not ending up on the beach.”

There are always projects in the works. The newest one will be the reopening of a health clinic at 1500 Broadway St. What is being referred to as a “medical mall” will feature community providers such as Catholic Health and the University at Buffalo Dental School, and is set to open at the end of 2013 or early 2014.

Bonaro knows there is a long way to go in terms of health for the city, but finds it hard not to be excited about everything that is happening. The road ahead is rocky, but we have to keep working on it.

“We have to,” Bonaro said. “We all live here and work here.”

For Those Who Want to Brave the Blogosphere

It has now been over a month since I started my blog.  Yes, it’s my first.  I’m sure that’s not surprising.

I just wanted to share a little beginner’s experience:

•       I was shocked to find that readers, although admittedly few, span two continents and three countries.
• Finding a good standout layout is more challenging than I would have expected…still on the look.
• I have to remind myself to stay on track. People read blogs for niche interests; they don’t want a whole smorgasbord to pick and choose from.
•  Having a space to showcase my work and direct those to it is great- plus it’s a free way to market oneself!

Hope any potential bloggers out there found something helpful in here.  Go for it.

Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble Goes Out on a Good Note

Soulful jazz rhythms carried onto the sidewalks surrounding Rockwell Hall at SUNY Buffalo State on April 26. Inside the building, foot-tapping and head bobbing synchronized with student performances of traditional and contemporary arrangements. The powerful, and somewhat improvisational show was presented by the campus Music Department and featured the talents of four groups.

Rick Fleming, director of the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble, kicked off the night by welcoming the audience and introducing the first band. The Lockport High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Paul Allison, began with a piece titled “Love for Sale.”

When it came time for solo performances, musicians rose from their seats to achieve full visibility and recognition. Some of Lockport High School’s songs were upbeat and even sounded as if the players were snapping along, while others like “Body and Soul” were slowed down and lent a melancholy state of mind.

“It’s been a thrill being here - being here with the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble,” Allison said.

The Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble performs in concerts twice a semester, but Fleming believes this is the first time a high school band has been involved. Allison contacted Fleming earlier in the semester about doing a collaborative show. Fleming was immediately on board.

“I think it’s always great to get high school kids on campus, in terms of recruitment,” Fleming said.

The next act of the night came from the Buffalo State Vocal Jazz Ensemble, directed by Victoria Furby. Members and director walked out onto stage and began singing, sans introduction. The only instrumental accompaniment came from pianist Robert Hull. Seemingly spontaneous solos erupted in almost every song, with scat sections being prevalent in “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

“Those were planned solos. They were written into the score to be improvised solos,” Furby said of the scat.

Vocalists simply walked out of the group, grabbed a microphone and started “doo-dopping” in an acapella-like fashion. Not all of the vocalists can perform scat, but Furby said they are all working on it.

After “I‘ve Got You Under My Skin,” Furby took a moment to recognize the soloists and the founders of the group. Kathryn Allison and Patrick Allison built the ensemble from the ground, and are still involved three years into its existence.

Musicians of the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble took the stage as the vocalists left. As they sat and waited for their director, a few began to warm up their instruments. Soon almost everybody was playing, and in a cohesive manner. It was almost as if they had begun on their own. But the band immediately went silent as Fleming walked on stage.

Fleming gestured for the band to rise, held for applause, motioned for them to sit and took his spot at the front. They started off loud and strong, much louder than the previous groups. Audience members turned to one another with looks of surprise and grins on their faces. Soloists rose when it was their time to shine, and each was granted applause from their director and the audience.

Vocalists Sarah Tripi, Kathryn Allison, Courtney Woods and Lindsey Holland from the Vocal Jazz Ensemble stepped in to provide lyrics to some Jazz Ensemble songs. Their facial expressions and body movement added a level of passion and personality to each song they performed.

“I really enjoyed when Dr. Fleming had vocalists in the band. It is a very effective way to showcase both sides,” Furby said.

The Buffalo State Jazz Combo was the break between the two Jazz Ensemble performances. The combo consisted of only six people, two saxophonists, one trombonist, one guitarist, one cellist and one drummer. The audience was brought into their world, one where they went with the flow, smiling and swaying and played off one another. Each member had multiple solos, and in “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” the drummer shifted to a different feel by picking up the bongo.

The Jazz Ensemble came back to wrap up the night. “On Green Dolphin Street,” featured Jason Fiedler on saxophone. Fleming said he had Fiedler in mind for the song because “he has quite a grasp on jazz improvisation.” Improvisation and the freeform nature of the night sustained interest up to the very last song, “America, the Beautiful.”

“I think the Buffalo State Music Department is one of the best kept secrets on campus, if not in the Western New York area,” Fleming said.

Great Gatsby Author Buffalo Connection

F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the great American writers of the last century.  His famous novel-turned-movie, the Great Gatsby, is about to make another cinema debut.  The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, hits theatres May 10. 

The University of South Carolina has just recently made a ledger of his youth available on the Internet.

Who would have guessed that he once had roots in the Queen City?

Check out the full article here: http://bit.ly/Ynywqg

Coming Soon...

What is being done to make our people healthier?  In a city that has one of the highest levels of poverty, we're still fighting for the cause.