Two local Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMPs) serving central and southern Aroostook County recently merged and changed their name. Formerly, the two HMPs collaborated but were separate entities: Partnership for a Healthy Community in central Aroostook and Southern Aroostook Tobacco-Free Outreach Project (STOP) in southern Aroostook. The two partnerships merged and are now known as Healthy Aroostook.
Healthy Aroostook is a local coalition that collaborates with community partners to make our communities a healthier place to live and work. Much of the partnership focus is in providing education and increasing awareness as well as policy and environmental changes in five areas: physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, substance abuse, and chronic disease.
“The merge has been beneficial to our communities as we are now able to use our resources more efficiently. The merger also allows us to more consistently address the health needs in Aroostook County,” said Carol Bell, project manager.
Healthy Aroostook is a project of Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) and subcontracts with Vital Pathways in Houlton. Healthy Aroostook also partners with SAD 1 and SAD 29. Funding is provided by the tobacco settlement money through the Fund for A Healthy Maine.
For more information, please visit their Web site, www.healthyaroostook.com or contact Carol Bell, project manager, at 768-3056 or cbell@acap-me.org. ACAP provides Aroostook County residents with services and programs in the areas of health, child and family, energy and housing, and employment and training.
Contributed photo
NEW PARTNERSHIP — Staff members of Healthy Aroostook include, from left, Tracy Tweedie, project director in Houlton; Erica McCrum, Youth Advocacy Program coordinator; Martha Bell, district tobacco coordinator and community education specialist; and Carol Bell, project manager in Presque Isle.
