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Greene commissioners issue proclamations

By Steve Barrett 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Greene County commissioners issued seven proclamations Thursday that recognized a number of different topics, including foster care, mental health awareness, local nurses and emergency medical services workers and National Hospital Week.

Commissioners proclaimed May 6-12 National Nurses Week. The proclamation recognizes the nurses of Greene County who provide primary and preventive health care especially as the demand for nurses increases due to the aging population, advances in life-sustaining technology and equipment and the growth of home health care services.

This year’s theme is “Ethical Practice. Quality Care” in celebration of the ways in which registered nurses strive to provide safe and high-quality patient care and map out ways to improve the nation’s health care system. The commissioners acknowledged two nurses from Southwest Regional Medical Center.

Commissioners also proclaimed May 17-23 Emergency Medical Services Week. The proclamation acknowledges the members of emergency medical services teams who are prepared at all times to provide lifesaving care. Those professionals and volunteers also engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their lifesaving skills. This year’s theme is “EMS Strong.”

Commissioners also proclaimed May 10-16 National Hospital Week. The proclamation recognizes the people, facilities and technologies at Southwest Regional Medical Center that make trustworthy, reliable health care possible in the community. This year’s theme is “Prepared to Care.”

The hospital recently announced that it will join Washington Health System later this year.

Commissioners also proclaimed May Mental Health Awareness Month.

The proclamation is designed to increase public awareness of severe mental illness and promote greater access to effective treatments for those who suffer from the potentially disabling symptoms of mental health disorders.

As part of the proclamation, the commissioners recognized Robert Reash of Waynesburg, who recently received a Leadership in Recovery award from Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania, Inc.

Presented to individuals actively engaged in their journey toward recovery, the Leadership in Recovery award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding courage, creativity, leadership and inspiration to others on the path to greater physical and mental well-being, according to the VBH-PA Web site.

Reash was recognized April 17 in Cranberry Township.

The eighth annual Greene County Community Support Program Recovery and Wellness Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Greene Arc Inc. in Prosperity.

For more information, call 724-852-5276.

Commissioners also proclaimed May 7 Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

The proclamation acknowledges the critical need and responsibility for communities to provide comprehensive, coordinated mental health services for children, youth and families.

The awareness day encourages people to think about the mental health and well-being of county children as well as the fundamental necessity for a year-round program.

To mark the occasion, the second annual Children’s Mental Health Awareness Picnic was held on Thursday at Ritchie Park in Waynesburg.

Commissioners also proclaimed May Foster Parent Appreciation Month.

The proclamation recognizes the services foster families provide to the 53 Greene County children currently receiving foster care.

Stacey Courtwright, Children and Youth Services administrator, thanked the commissioners for their support and reported that of the 53 children in foster care, 16 are in-county placements, 17 are with relatives, 17 are out-of-county placements and three are in juvenile probation placements.

CYS works with 10 in-county foster homes and 10 kinship homes as well as out-of-county provider agencies.

Foster parent Melissa Arnold and her husband became county foster parents shortly after moving to Greene County three years ago.

“It’s the toughest job I’ve ever done, and it’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever done,” Arnold said.

For more information about becoming a foster parent, call Greene County CYS at 724-852-5217.

Finally, commissioners also presented a special proclamation of achievement to Clara Santucci of Dilliner, who won the 2015 Pittsburgh Marathon Sunday.

Santucci finished with a time of 2:34:06 and was the first repeat women’s champion since 2001-2002.

The commissioners congratulated Santucci on her back-to-back wins and acknowledged her immense commitment and dedication to training and competing.

In other news, commissioners approved three separate grants that will be used to benefit local initiatives.

A $10,000 grant was approved to the Carmichaels Borough Municipal Authority for the improvement of the borough’s public drinking water system, and a $20,000 grant was approved to the Corner Cupboard Food Bank for general operating costs. Both of these grants will come from the county’s allotted Act 13 impact fee funding for 2015.

Another grant totaling $20,000 was approved to the Greene County Historical Society that will be used to pay for repairs needed at the museum; this will be paid for through the county’s general fund.

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