Healthy Oxford Hills | MaineHealth Stephens Hospital

Our Healthy Eating/Active Living (HEAL) focus areas include promoting health and wellness in 3 domains: Nutrition, Physical Activity and Breastfeeding. This work is done in a variety of different ways and settings including Early Childcare Education, Schools, Worksites, Hospital/Clinical locations, Community Organizations, Municipalities and more.

Contacts:

Emily Eastman | Emily.Eastman@mainehealth.org 
Program Coordiantor, Healthy Eating/Active Living (HEAL) 
207-744-6439

Stephanie Masland | Stephanie.Masland@mainehealth.org
MPN Program Manager
207-744-6194

Growing Healthy Kids is funded by the New Balance Foundation. This program is part of the Roberts Farm Experiential Learning program, which is a partnership between the Western Foothills Land Trust, Oxford Hills School District, and Healthy Oxford Hills. 

Growing Healthy Kids is focused on expanding physical activity programming across the Oxford Hills region, encouraging students to build healthy habits in physical activity and nutrition, and reducing childhood overweight and obesity rates in Oxford County. We help students to become more active through evidence-based programs including 100 Mile Club and Boston Children’s Hospital Fit Kit. The 100 Mile Club challenges students to track 100 miles of physical activity over the course of the school year. Fit Kit is a collection of evidence-based strategies, tools, and activities to support developing healthier habits with the goal of supporting families to adopt healthy and active lifestyles. The focus is on five topics: nutrition, fitness, sedentary time, sleep, and stress. 

Wes Nugteren | Wes.Nugteren@mainehealth.org 
Program Management Specialist, Growing Healthy Kids
207-744-6429

Sara Partridge | Sara.Partridge@mainehealth.org
Program Coordinator, Growing Healthy Kids

If you are at risk for Type 2 diabetes or have been diagnosed with prediabetes, the Oxford County Food is Medicine program might be right for you. Learn more >

Healthy Oxford Hills and the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence work together to reduce tobacco use, vaping and secondhand smoke exposure throughout Oxford County. According to the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), Oxford County has some of the highest rates of vaping among youth in the state. In 2019 30.9% of High School Students in Oxford County reported that they had used an electronic vapor product in the last 30 days compared to 12.3% in 2017.

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke and exposure can increase the risk of health issues, especially in children. Tobacco policies in settings such as multi-unit housing, health care and behavioral health organizations can prevent involuntary secondhand smoke exposure. Visit breatheasymaine.org for more information about tobacco-free policies.

How does Healthy Oxford Hills help prevent and lower tobacco use?

Working with youth
We partner with schools and local organizations to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco since nearly 9 out of 10 people who smoke first tried smoking by age 18. 

Smoke and tobacco-free policies are evidenced-based ways to:

• Prevent youth from starting tobacco use.
• Reduce exposure of secondhand smoke.
• Reduce tobacco use.
• Reduce death and disease related to tobacco use.
• Promote healthy social norms around tobacco use. 

Providing assistance and signs
Healthy Oxford Hills provides technical assistance to organizations that are looking to go tobacco-free. Organizations can also get free, high-quality signs about tobacco policies.

Maine QuitLink 
The Maine QuitLink provides safe and confidential support for all Maine residents who are interested in quitting tobacco and nicotine. For free coaching and resources, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit MaineQuitLink.com.

SideKicks
Our coordinators are trained to deliver SideKicks, an educational program designed to teach youth how to talk with their peers about tobacco use and vaping. This is a four hour, skill-building program that is designed for middle and high school students. Visit wearesidekicks.org for more information.

CATCH my Breath 
CATCH My Breath’s peer-led teaching approach empowers students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about e-cigarettes and resist social pressures to vape. Informed by tobacco youth prevention researchers and practitioners, years of real-world implementation, and a youth advisory board, it is the only school-based vaping prevention program proven to reduce the likelihood of vaping among youth.

Target Audience: Grades 5-12

Contacts
Stephanie Masland | Stephanie.Masland@mainehealth.org
MPN Program Manager
207-744-6194

Guy Pollino
Prevention Program Coordinator 
guy.pollino@mainehealth.org
207-744-6192

Anita Lenardis
Prevention Program Coordinator 
anita.lenardis@mainehealth.org
207-744-6193

Healthy Oxford Hills (HOH) works with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent and reduce the use/misuse of alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, stimulants, and opioids. HOH provides education, training, technical assistance, tools, resources and more!

Strategies HOH uses in their prevention efforts include Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) trainings, middle school programming, material dissemination (printed and digital), social media campaign(s), prevention event promotion, naloxone trainings, harm reduction presentations, stigma reduction efforts, availability of safer use/overdose response items, etc. 

Contacts

Stephanie Masland
MPN Program Manager
Stephanie.Masland@mainehealth.org
207-744-6194

Brendan Schauffler
Oxford County Wellness Collaborative 
Network Facilitator
Brendan.Schauffler@mainehealth.org
207-744-6191

Guy Pollino
Prevention Program Coordinator 
guy.pollino@mainehealth.org
207-744-6192

Anita Lenardis
Prevention Program Coordinator 
anita.lenardis@mainehealth.org
207-744-6193

 

Community health workers (CHWs) are respected members of the communities they serve and key members of the health care team. CHWs help improve patient health by addressing the social, medical and community issues that can make it challenging to live a healthy lifestyle. CHWs help patients and community members:

• Access health care resources and services
• Support disease self-management
• Coordinate culturally-appropriate care and services

For more information, please contact:

Alexa Baumgardner
Community Health Worker
Alexa.Baumgardner@mainehealth.org 
207-744-6060

The Oxford County Wellness Collaborative (OCWC) came about after Oxford County was ranked as 16th out of the 16 counties in Maine in overall health. This motivated partners from across our county, and from many different backgrounds, to unite toward a common vision of improved health for everyone.

There are many bright and passionate people doing good work across the county. The Wellness Collaborative exists to strengthen and knit together the work that is already being done, helping partners to work toward common goals. By working together, we can achieve greater results. 

View a retrospective report that describes OCWC’s strategies and impacts.

OCWC currently meets regularly, and welcomes input and new partners as it works to support the transformation of health and wellness in Oxford County.

Contact:
Brendan Schauffler | Brendan.Schauffler@mainehealth.org
Oxford County Wellness Collaborative 
Network Facilitator
207-744-6191
 

Healthy Oxford Hills hosts quarterly meetings of coalition members in March, June, September and December on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:30 am - 1 pm. Participants get to share updates and hear about different focus topics. 

The coalition meets in the Harper Conference Center in the MaineHealth Ripley Health Center. These meetings are open to the public in-person and online. 

Sign up for our coalition newsletter or to join the coalition meetings