The River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition is a group of citizens from the River Valley Area who work together on various issues and agenda concerning the health and well-being of the local population. The River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition works with different local organizations as well as state agencies to implement various health programs, to assess various health risk factors and to evaluate health problems in the community.
 
 

Mission Statement Measurable improvement in the quality of life in the River Valley towns of Northern Oxford County through coordinated, ongoing community health promotion including physical, mental, and spiritual health, economic and recreational opportunities, and a clean environment.

Contact:
Patricia Duguay
Coordinator
River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition
50 Congress Street
Rumford, Maine 04276
E-mail: rvhcc@gwi.net

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 Coalition's Recent Activities
River Valley Workcamps 2000
Second Annual Community Forum
Living Well in the Valley Expo
Issues addressed through the Coalition
Local organizations involved with the coalition
 River Valley Partnership for Tobacco Free Maine

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Issues Addressed Through The Coalition: 

All Health Issues  Abusive Behavior After School Activity Arts Children's Health Culture Diversity Education Faith & Spiritual Issues Fire Safety Health Promotion Homelessness Leadership Development Mentoring Occupational Safety Physical Activity Quality of Life Issues Sanitation Smoking/Tobacco Substance Abuse

Access to Medical Care Aging Populations Crime and Violence Disabilities Economic Development  Environmental Health Family Issues Food and Drug Safety Home Care Housing Lung Health Men's Health Nutrition Oral Health Recreation Schools Social Capital Teenage Pregnancy Youth Development Women's Health

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Local organizations involved with the Coalition

Abused Woman's Advocacy Project American Lung Association Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments Community Concepts Communities for Children Dixfield Police Department Environmental Protection Agency Even Start Families in Crisis Task Force Greater Rumford Community Center & Black Mountain Kennebec Girl Scout Council Local 900 Pulp & Paper workers Maine Bureau of Health Maine Department of Environmental Protection Mead Paper Corp.  Med-Care Mexico Congregational Church Mexico Lions Club Mexico Police Department New England Counseling Oxford County Sheriff's Department Peru School District Public Health Nursing Rape Education and Crisis Hotline Region 9 School of Applied Technology River Valley Chamber of Commerce River Valley Chiropractic Rumford Area Rotary Club Rumford Community Home Rumford Community Hospital Rumford United Methodist Church Rumford Police Department  Rumford Public Library Rumford Senior Affairs Service Core of Retired Executives SAD#21 SAD#43 St. Athanasius & St. John School St. Athanasius & St. John Catholic Church Swift River Health Care The Healthy Community Coalition (Farmington) Towns of Rumford, Mexico, Dixfield and Peru Tri-County Mental Health UNET Rumford/Mexico Center Western Maine Community Action Western Mountains Alliance Western Valley Access Channel

Activities done by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition:
 
• Published the River Valley Communities Health Report with financial assistance from the Maine Community Foundation. The report focuses on the health issues specific to the region. 
• The Coalition publishes a weekly column, A Healthy View, on the Rumford Falls Times. 
• The Coalition organized the second annual community forum at the Mountain Valley High School to brainstorm and plan ways to improve the quality of life in the River Valley. 
• Worked with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Oxford County on the Bowl for Kid's Sake fundraiser, raising more than $8,200 to support the Rumford Chapter. 
• Develop a "Speakers Bureau" to present to groups and organizations in the River Valley about the work of the coalition.
• Published and distributed the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition Newsletter. 
• Hosted the first annual "Living Well in the Valley" health expo, held at Mountain Valley High School. 
• Received funding from the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine to conduct tobacco use prevention, cessation program and address second-hand smoke issues. 
• Received funding and support from the Mead CAP Committee, the United Methodist Church, and the towns of Rumford and Mexico for the River Valley Workcamps 2000 home improvement project for elderly, disabled and low income homeowners. 
• Developed a lead poisoning prevention task force to create lead prevention activities and an advocacy plan. 
• Worked with the American Lung Association of Maine to develop a task force to address lung health issues.




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River Valley Workcamps 2000: The River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition is sponsoring Workcamps 2000 from July 23rd to July 29th, 2000, which is a community based, church supported project. RVHCC, with the help of Group Workcamps, plans to serve 65-70 families that need housing repair in the River Valley Area. Roofing, painting, interior work, wheelchair ramps, exterior work will be done on both owned and rental property and construction materials and labor will be provided by Group Workcamps. 

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Second Annual Community Forum: The River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition organized the Second Annual Community Forum on February 3rd, 2000 at Mountain Valley High School. About 60 participants were divided into 5 discussion groups to formulate action plans for what they perceived to be the four most pressing community health needs:

• Action plan for prevention of tobacco related illnesses
• Action plan for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors
• And action plan for teen pregnancy and reproductive health
• Along with solutions to community health issues and promoting the River Valley area. 




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Living Well in the Valley Expo: Living Well in the Valley Expo was organized by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition. The objective of the health expo was to promote healthy lifestyles for students and community members. Information on healthy lifestyles, including safety issues, education, recreation, the environment, and nutrition was provided. Sponsors of this expo were Mead Paper, Rumford Community Hospital, Androscoggin Home Care, Swift River Health Care and Community Concepts, Inc. 

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River Valley Partnership for Tobacco Free Maine: The River Valley Partnership for Tobacco Free Maine is a community based tobacco prevention and control program of RVHCC. It works with people in the community to increase the availability of cessation services for tobacco users. It conducts education programs to address dangers of tobacco use, nicotine addiction and second hand smoking.