February 2023 Newsletter

New health equity award in memory of Edgar Santa Cruz

A new award given at the 2023 Speak Life! Health Equity Conference will honor a dedicated health coalition member killed by a driver in December while walking his dog on Park Avenue.

Edgar Santa Cruz, a member of the Latino Health Coalition, will be memorialized with the Edgar Santa Cruz Outstanding Coalition Member Award. It is one of three Community Equity Champions awards to be presented at the annual conference planned by the African American and Latino Health coalitions, which are convened by Common Ground Health.

Nominations for the award are open through Friday, March 3.

Continue reading »

It's time to #RescueRecess in the RCSD!

Healthi Kids is a grassroots community coalition and an initiative of Common Ground Health. Since 2008, we have been advocating for healthier kids in the City of Rochester and across the Finger Lakes region. We believe in the power of youth and resident voice to co-create solutions, influence decision makers and transform systems that support healthy development for all kids.

Education research has shown that recess and active play are an important component of a well-rounded education. Play is how children learn best.

And the students and families our Healthi Kids team spoke to in our community all agree: recess is their #1 priority for playful learning.

Why recess? Recess plays a vital role in children's social, cognitive, and physical development and health.

Continue reading on the Healthi Kids blog »

Wade Norwood, board members named to RBJ's Power 100 2023

**Common Ground Health leaders named to Rochester Business Journal's Power 100**

Members of Common Ground Health's leadership have once again been honored by Rochester Business Journal in their Power 100 list for 2023.

CEO Wade Norwood and Board members Janice Harbin, Angelica Perez-Delgado, and Jerome Underwood are each honored as power players in our community. Their unwavering dedication to eradicating systemic racism and improving community health outcomes undoubtedly garnered them this recognition.

Wade's commitment to health equity inspires the rest of our staff to strive each day to leave the world better than we found it. And his tireless enthusiasm, humor, and soft heart bring smiles to our faces in even the most routine of meetings.

CONGRATULATIONS!

See the full Power 100 list »

Partner Spotlight: Learn actionable skills to save lives

The UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence is partnering with SafeSide Prevention to offer a free, half-day workshop that provides participants with a systematic framework for suicide prevention.

According to research from SafeSide, suicide rates increased by 46% in rural and suburban areas and by 27.3% in urban areas from 2000 to 2020. It is crucial to acquire practical skills to assist individuals who may be at risk, particularly for those in rural areas, as the need for such skills has become more pressing than ever.

Three different dates are available for this half-day training: Tuesday, March 21, May 23, or July 25.

Learn more and register for a training »

Welcome to our newest staff members!

Common Ground Health has hired Julio Saenz as director of communications. We have also hired Erin Egloff as contract manager and Luis Gracia as accounting manager.

Julio Saenz previously served as corporate communications manager for Western NY at Avangrid and as chief communications officer and development officer at the Ibero-American Action League. Saenz also is a visiting lecturer at RIT’s School of Communication, College of Liberal Arts. Saenz earned a master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from Roberts Wesleyan College and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Mass Communications from Florida International University.
Erin Egloff previously served as Finger Lakes Addiction Resource Center Coordinator at the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence – Rochester Area at DePaul Community Services. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English/World Literature and Irish Studies at Pitzer College.
Luis Gracia develops and maintains accounting principles, practices and procedures, and manages funding and consultant contract agreements. Before joining Common Ground, Gracia served as a senior staff accountant and outreach specialist at RIT and as an accountant at Ibero-American Action League.

What we're reading: MRIs show racism and poverty may alter brain development of Black children, study says

Source: CNN

Black children living in poverty face increased instances of stress and trauma that can alter their brain development, a new study found.

The study was published this week by the American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers at Harvard University examined MRI scans of 7,350 White and 1,786 Black children ages 9 and 10. The data in the study was collected by the National Institutes of Health in 2019.

Continue reading »

Common Ground seeks data administrator and health planning research analyst

Common Ground Health is presently seeking qualified candidates for a Data Administrator and a Health Planning Research Administrator with our organization.

Applicants should submit their cover letter and résumé to employment@commongroundhealth.org.

Learn more on our website »