ARC Conference Tackles Healthcare

Next week representatives from the 13 state region of Appalachia will descend on Eastern Kentucky for an annual conference.

The focus of the conference is "Health Families, Health Future." Representatives from the Appalachian Regional Commission will discuss the expansion of children’s healthcare. A topic of conversation will be childhood obesity. While it’s a nationwide problem, it’s also a problem in Appalachia.

"It’s a little bit higher in Appalachia historically," explained Cindi Kerschbaumer Communications Specialist for the Ohio Mid Eastern Governments Association. "There’s been a decrease in availability and education and awareness of the potential of some of the unhealthy habits."

OMEGA which covers Muskingum and Guernsey County along with eight others will send a representative to the ARC Conference to share ideas.

"The similarity the population shares is some of the same demographics and they can share their ideas, share their success stories and certainly learn how others implemented their programs. We can tell them about the programs we’re involved with and share those ideas and help them implement them as well as we have."

Last year OMEGA through ARC funding was able to secure clinical equipment for Southeastern Ohio Medical Center, Barnsville and Coshocton Hospitals and fitness equipment for Salem Community Hospital in Columbiana County.