CANCELED - SCLS Outreach Services - American Heart Association - My Life Check Program

Join Michele Gervat, from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association to learn about their  “”My Life Check””” initiative, an online, no cost program for library employees.

The Mission of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Our 2020 Impact goal is to improve the heart health of all Americans by 20% while decreasing death and disability caused by cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20%.

Who We Are

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, our organization now includes more than 30 million volunteers and supporters. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer worldwide. Stroke ranks second globally and is a leading cause of severe disability. Some form of cardiovascular disease affects more than one in every three adult Americans. Many are seriously burdened by disabilities. To fight these diseases, we fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and provide critical tools and information to save and improve lives. Our nationwide organization includes 146 local offices and more than 3,400 employees, with our national headquarters in Dallas. The American Stroke Association is a division that brings together the organization’s stroke-related activities.

What We Do

We are working toward improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent, and reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent, all by the year 2020. We provide public health education in a variety of ways. We’re the nation’s leader in CPR education and training. We help people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. We provide science-based treatment guidelines for healthcare professionals to help them give quality care to their patients. We educate lawmakers, policymakers and the public as we advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities. Our volunteer experts select the scientific research most worthy of funding — with great results. We have invested more than $4 billion in research, more than any organization outside the federal government. We have funded 13 Nobel Prize winners and many lifesaving research advances such as the first artificial heart valve, cholesterol-lowering drugs, heart transplantation, and CPR.techniques.

Our way to our goal:

Collective Impact

We are making healthy opportunities accessible, affordable, and default for all Americans by working with coalitions, volunteers, and staff partners to change policies, systems and environments in our local markets.  To drive these changes my job as a Community Health Director will be to lead assessments, organize and/or lead community collaborations, build and implement plans driving toward opportunities for impact. 

Health Policy, Systems, and Environmental Impact

Achieving sustainable health impact requires policy, systems, and environmental change. After assessing the needs of the Long Island community, I will demonstrate progress toward health goals via policy adoption, passage, funding, or implementation as outlined on the community healthy opportunity tool, an assessment tool that will have input from our Board, staff members and community members.

High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Control

Build and implement a cross-functional hypertension and cholesterol control strategy for the Long Island communities. We are encouraged to include strategies to promote and implement Target: BP and self-monitoring programs including Check. Change. Control. (CCC), as well as Check. Change Control. Cholesterol. Collective impact and coalition building strategies are encouraged.

Board and Market Engagement

Identify and recruit corporate CEOs, civic leaders, and philanthropic volunteers who will serve in leadership roles on the board and committees to advance our mission and raise critical funds. The goal of the division board is to drive health impact and revenue growth through key strategies including Gold Standard Board recognition and increasing the diversity of Division Board and Executive Leadership Teams

Workplace Health Solutions engagement: an online no cost program for companies to assess the culture of health within their organization and strategize for improvement. 

There is an additional component for employees to assess their health and work on implementing a program to make changes in lifestyle that they may need for improvement.  My Life Check; Life’s Simple 7.

Please let us know in advance if you will need an accommodation that will make this event accessible to you.

For further information, please contact: Valerie Lewis (Administrator for Outreach Services) at (631) 286-1600 x1354 or valerie@suffolknet.org