Just in time for back to school, U of U Health hosted its second annual Healthy Start West Valley event at Centennial Park in West Valley City on August 4.
鈥淲e had nearly 2,000 people in attendance at the event鈥攅ven larger than last year,鈥 said RyLee Curtis, Director of Community Engagement at U of U Health. 鈥淭his is an opportunity to bring our health resources to the community, connect with people, and meet them where they are.鈥
U of U Health partnered with Granite School District, University Neighborhood Partners, Operation Warm, Ascent Academy, and West Valley City to provide community members with vaccinations, screenings for dental, vision, and diabetes, and a free pair of shoes to children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade.
The event aims to make health care and social resources easily accessible and promote health and well-being. When cost, geography, and time are barriers to people receiving basic screenings and immunizations, events like Healthy Start West Valley are an important part of keeping families healthy. The event is also ideal for asking health-related questions, learning about affordable health insurance options, and connecting to community resources like behavioral health, childcare, and educational opportunities.
鈥淲est Valley City has a strong history and is a rapidly diversifying community,鈥 said Jake Fitisemanu, a West Valley City Council member. 鈥淭he energy, vibrancy, and flavors make West Valley a great place to live. Our partnership with U of U Health is important to this community. Bringing programs and services off the main campus to people who can benefit from them鈥攂oth the health screenings and community resources鈥攊mproves the overall health of the entire community.鈥
Fitisemanu represents the area of West Valley where the future site of U of U Health鈥檚 new medical campus will be located. University of Utah will break ground on the site in 2024, but cross-campus teams are working now with partners and residents to develop education and training programs, build an engaged and diverse workforce, create innovative health programs that improve access, and build partnerships to help grow local economic opportunity.
Healthy Start West Valley is one of several initiatives that build trust and deepen connections with community members and West Valley partners. This year, Eye Care 4Kids conducted 255 vision screenings, The Wellness Bus provided 15 diabetes screenings, and the U of U School of Dentistry completed 89 dental screenings for West Valley residents.
More than 50 exhibitors and booths, including 28 community-based organizations and 12 U of U departments and teams, were on site to provide critical connections to programs and resources. Forty-two volunteers, including several high school students, helped check people in, serve dinner, oversee activities, and set up and take down the event. Volunteers also gave away 350 pairs of shoes.
鈥淎s someone interested in studying and promoting health, volunteering for Healthy Start West Valley is a great way to meet community members and understand more about the health needs of the West Valley area and the services available,鈥 said Audrey Su, a volunteer and a senior at Skyline High School. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for the university to be here and make these connections. Also, seeing the kids鈥 excitement when they received their new shoes was the best! It was a unique and fun volunteer opportunity.鈥
Audrey is president of her school鈥檚 health club, Para Tu Salud, or 鈥淔or Your Health.鈥 Para Tu Salud is a youth-led initiative that promotes health equity in Utah communities. Some of their work includes publishing health-related educational brochures in English and Spanish, connecting people to free health services and clinics, posting information online, and volunteering. Engaging young people like Audrey is another benefit of Healthy Start West Valley. Partnering with schools and districts creates lasting relationships with parents, students, and educators.
Beyond a health fair, Healthy Start West Valley is an opportunity to bring the community together: health care professionals, community-based organizations, students, and residents to celebrate and promote health.
鈥淚 hope the takeaway from this event is that the University of Utah is here for our local communities,鈥 RyLee Curtis said. 鈥淲e want to be here as a partner, we want to support students and care for patients, and we want people to know we can make our programs and services accessible to everyone.鈥
Participating community partners:
American Heart Association
Bad Dog Arts
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Children鈥檚 Service Society
Clark Planetarium
Comunidad Materna en Utah
Encircle
English Skills Learning Center
Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah)
Latino Behavioral Health Services
Multicultural Counseling Center
NeighborWorks Salt Lake
Progressive Leasing
Pushing Ahead
Salt Lake Technical College
Tracy Aviary
United Way of Salt Lake
Utah Assistive Technology Program
Utah Clean Energy
Utah Community Action
Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Medicaid/Chip & Family Health
Utah Health Policy Project / Take Care Utah
Utah Independent Living Center
Utah Poison Control
Waterford Upstart
West Valley City Neighborhood Services
Participating University of Utah teams/programs:
AirMed
ARUP
Huntsman Cancer Institute
U of U Health Department of OB/GYN
U of U Health Redwood Health Center
U of U Health Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program (STITCH Study)
U of U Health Transgender Health Program
U of U Health Trauma Center
麻豆学生精品版 Plans
University of Utah Admissions Office
University of Utah Environment and Social Sustainability
Want to get involved next year? Email westvalley@utah.edu
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