RRHC joins the National Council on Youth Sports in celebrating National Youth Sports Week this year from July 20 to 26 — a time to showcase how communities can promote healthy lifestyles for children and families through sports. 

There are numerous benefits for youths who participate in regular physical activity: improved bone health, higher cognitive functions, reduced risk of depressed, etc. Playing sports can provide additional benefits such as goal setting and improving social/interpersonal skills. Sports can also facilitate the development of physical literacy, which is the ability to move with competence and confidence in a variety of physical activities in multiple environments that benefit a person’s overall healthy development. Sports encompass many of the basic movement skills that contribute to physical literacy, including running, balancing, hopping, skipping, jumping, dodging, gliding, falling, lifting, swimming, kicking, throwing, and catching. 

Given all the benefits, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to get up and move yet, ONLY 20% of adolescents meet the daily recommended amount of physical activity. So how can our children and teens be encouraged to be more active? You guessed it -- by playing sports! However, there are disparities in the participation of sports: girls, racial and ethnic minorities, youth from households of low socioeconomic status, youth living in rural areas, and youth with disabilities are less likely to be physically active and play sports. Therefore, the National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS), developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), emphasizes underserved populations and highlights strategies that can facilitate participation despite these barriers. 
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To get involved and help support the idea that ALL American youth should have the opportunity to play sports, RRHC is giving away frisbees to encourage local adolescents and their families to be more active as well as creating awareness about the benefits of playing sports. We’re looking forward to being even more prepared next year!

Today, WV joined the rest of the United States in beginning to use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

988 will be the new three-digit number for call (multiple languages), text or chat (English only) that connects people to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, where compassionate, accessible care and support are available for anyone experiencing mental health–related distress.

988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:
• Thoughts of suicide
• Mental health or substance use crisis, or
• Any other kind of emotion distress

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.

The Lifeline works! Since the Lifeline began in 2005, it has served as an invaluable resource, helping thousands of people overcome suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress every day. With the transition to 988, these life-saving services will be even easier to reach.

RRHC kindly reminds everyone who read this, we offer behavioral and mental health services. For more information, or to schedule an appointment with one of our skilled professionals, please call or text 304-643-4005. 

July 12, 2022, RRHC Harrisville had the privilege of being part of the FARMACY program launch in Ritchie County.

The 10-week-program is part of an effort to increase access to fresh produce to individuals ages 18 to 75 who have not previously been diagnosed with hypertension, stroke, or cancer. In additional to nutritious food items, the program provides a weekly 30-minute class that will include food demos, recipes, and information about hypertension, stroke, and cancer; as well as offers free health screenings for a1C, blood pressure, lipids, and weight on the first and tenth weeks.
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RRHC would like to thank all the participants and staff involved, especially LPN/Clinical Applications & Documentation Specialist, Mary Spencer.