Kane County Health Department Radon Outreach

Program

Presented to: 1st Annual Illinois Radon Stakeholders Conference, April 24, 2015

Presenter: Theresa Heaton, MPH

Director of Health Promotion, Kane County Health Department & Facilitator of the Kane County Healthy Places Coalition

Key Principles for Radon Outreach: Since Kane County mobilizes community

partnerships to improve the health and well being of all Kane residents,

Because the health of our indoor and outdoor environments is integral to the health of everyone,

And since the Kane County Community Health Improvement Plan has a Priority to: Support & Create Health-Promoting Neighborhoods, Towns, & Cities,

The Healthy Places Coalition (HPC) is an essential health partnership to reach for the

2030 Kane County health vision: “To have the healthiest residents in Illinois!”

Radon Outreach is a key focus of the HPC!

Kane County Healthy Places Coalition Members!

Digging into the Data….

Cumulative Kane County radon data: Illinois Emergency Management Agency 2003-2011

Facts Average radon level :

5.08 pCi/L Total building tested

during 2003-2011:

10495 High level of radon :

4668 (45%) Buildings mitigated :

2626Source: Illinois Emergency Management Agency,

http://www.state.il.us/iema/radon/RadonIllinois.asp

Source: Illinois Emergency Management Agency, 2013

Radon Level in Kane County Zip Codes

Promoting & Selling Radon Test Kits….with an environmental justice component: Providing free test kits for lower income residents….

Results

≥ 4.0 piC / L = 93

< 4.0 piC / L = 252

Total Tested = 344

Do-It-Yourself Radon Test Kit Results,Kane County, Inception - Fall 2014

Range = 43.07 (43.07 - 0.3)Mean = 3.15 piC/LMedian = 1.1Mode = < 0.3

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Volunteer Radon Speakers Bureau….

Radon Speakers Bureau QI Session and Radon Recognition Certificates

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Radon Presentation Survey Results (n= 82), 10/01/2013 – 09/30/2014

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Radon Presentation and Test Kits January-March, 2015

6 radon presentations given 2 Train the Trainer sessions-Joseph Corporation

and School District 131 So far an estimate of 34 attendees 75 test kits sold We have received 27 results so far-- 12 of the

results were 4 p/Ci or higher! This mirrors the overall county average of 44%....

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Creation of Radon Promotional Materials….

Radon Outreach Kit materials

Radon Testing Flyer

Radon bookmarks

Assuring that residents receive our Radon Messages & Materials….

Radon Material Distribution

20 volunteers from our HPC Coalition and the AOK Early childhood Network helped distribute materials to over 40 Kane County locations North: 22 locations Central: 2 locations South: 15 locations

Information was distributed to:libraries, child care centers, health care offices, municipal buildings and to private residences on home visits.

Kane County Healthy Places and AOK Radon Community Outreach

Name LocationRosoura Realegeno Family Focus Elgin/ DuPageDaisy Viyuoh Share and Care Child CareDaisy Viyuoh

Rogy's learning PlaceDaisy Viyuoh

Cosmic Montessori SchoolJanet Loverde Aurora UniversitySandy Hix Day One Network

Mary Alice D’Arcy

Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region -- Elgin

Julie Edareds Presence Mercy Medical CenterCynthia Dominguez Changing Children's WorldsDalia Alegria SPARKLinda Rusenovich Well Child CenterMary Carol MacDonald Presence Saint Joseph HospitalSonja Anthony El Mesias ChurchJoe Pilarski Carpentersville P.D.Brett Cambell Joseph CorporationLisa Roesner Community Contacts Inc

Katie Parkhurst

Village of Algonquin Municipal Center

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Radon Displays during January Awareness Month

Joseph Corporation

West Aurora Library

South Elgin Village Hall

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Radon Home Show March 21st and 22nd

There were 113 participants and 12 test kits were sold at the Home Show held at the St.

Charles Kane County Fairgrounds.

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Using multiple outlets to reach out to Kane County residents:

•Kane County Connects

•Health Matters e-newsletter

•Kane County Press releases

•Emails to all Elementary and High School principals

•Kane County Healthy Places Website

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E-Mailed to:15 principals438 teachers

Response from:1 teacher1 principal

50 teachers read the e-mail! We will monitor contest entries to find out if

Kane students participated!

Kane County Student Radon Video Contest

Recognition

Kane County Video Contestants: Bartlett High School, School District U-46Harry D. Jacobs, School District 300Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, AuroraMarmion Academy, AuroraSt. Charles East High School, School District 303

Recognition for Promoting Radon Awareness

Illinois Contest Third Place Winners

Harrison Kearby Christian Surtz

Title: Radon – In Your Own HomeMarmion Academy

Aurora

Forming Short Term Workgroups to make sure we meet our goals….

Thank you to our Radon Work Groups!Radon Parent WorkgroupPhone conference participants :

Jeanette MarreroShannon WestmanHarriet CrokeTheresa HeatonKasey DuncanSarwar MahmoodDebra Sherrell

Radon Physician WorkgroupFeedback communication via email among:

Debra SherrellHarriet CrokeBarbara SorgatzTheresa HeatonKasey DuncanSarwar Mahmood

Radon Partnership Update

Physician Campaign “Sneak Peek” for health provider mailboxes

Request agenda time on internal medicine hospital committee agenda to gain input and find potential champions

Kane County Medical Society Presentation to gain input and find potential “champions”

Outreach visits to potential champions

Explore partnership ideas with Safe Kids Coalition members at their meeting

Develop plan and materials for radon info sharing by car seat technicians

Reach out to car seat technicians with offer and invitation

Implement accordingly!

Physicians Car Seat Technicians

Radon Physician Recommendation Card

Car Seat TechniciansCard to be distributed to parents

Car Seat Technician ProjectStep 1: Invite all 82 car seat technicians on the Kane list to participate in promoting radon –this encompasses 33 organizations: Completed via email and follow up calls…

Step 2: Confirm participation among the invited: 13 organizations are participating so far- that is 40%!

Step 3: Offer basic radon training to

car seat technicians so they feel

able to field questions:

2 trainings completed…

Step 4: Check in 6-8 weeks

post-implementation for each technician group: Completed 6 so far!

Bright Spot:Radon Car Seat Technician

Project

Joe Pilarski, Carpentersville Police Department

Supporting System Changes ….

Radon Child Care Photo Journal The day of the event parents were

invited to our parent meeting room to participate in a meeting about radon and learned the results of the center’s radon test.

During the presentation for parents, the children in the classroom worked on Radon Awareness Coloring Sheets.

Parents engaged with their children working on their coloring sheets after the radon presentation.

The parents and children were photographed working on their coloring pages.

A Photo Journal was created and shared with child care centers across in Kane County.

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Radon Children Coloring Sheet: 1

Physician & Health Professional Outreach

Offering Toolkit & Technical Assistance to Primary Care providers that agree to participate

First location: Aunt Martha’s, Carpentersville: Training for 20 staff: doctors,

nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, receptionist

Development of Flow Chart for internal process of offering radon recommendation

Implement Check/Evaluate

Development of Local Retail Business Partners for Radon

Awareness

Approach local retail stores: Ace Hardware , Menards, Home Depot, Lowes

Special outreach needed to obtain participation for display that works, education to retail staff, and follow through on corporate decisionDelivery of displays

Evaluating outcome

Radon Sign offered for display: 29 x 15

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Display at the Geneva Home Depot

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Development of Local Retail Business Partners for Radon

AwarenessSpecial outreach needed: education to retail staff using pocket cards

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Integrating Radon Education into:

1. Lung Cancer Prevention Campaign with Tobacco Cessation ….&2. Healthy Homes Approach

Integrated Radon and Tobacco Action Plan

Create an integrated (tobacco and radon) display for Lung CancerCreate integrated handout Healthy Lung Month (October)Support #KaneQuitsEmphasize Lung Cancer Prevention vs. focus simply on risk factorsExplore a way to visually display radon exposure and smokers in the county—e.g. GIS mapSupport Youth

Professional Development for Health Providers

Conference Call on June 12th at 9 am to explore partnership with PEHSU on Healthy Homes issues such as:RadonMoldCarbon MonoxideAsthma & AllergiesSecond Hand SmokeOrganic VaporsDrinking Water ContaminantsLeadMercuryPesticides

Join the workgroup!

Healthy Homes Plan for 2015-16

Strategies:1.Healthy Homes Messages in a planned progression with social media, bookmark series, and Kane Connects/municipal newsletter 2.Messages/Healthy Homes webpage: Develop/find information and very brief slideshows/video on each Healthy Home Topic and promote their use3.Healthy Homes education sessions and focus groups4.Engage fire fighters in carbon monoxide presentations and children in poster contest5.Integrated Healthy Home Focus on Radon + Second hand smoke: home shows, integrated display, visual mapping6.Healthy Homes Library Display and Presentations 7.Continue Lead and Radon Focus with Retail Partners; continue radon efforts through radon test kit program, Car seat technicians, school children contests, and Scout Programs8.Environmental health equity: discuss, explore, act

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Questions or Suggestions?