In addition, the report includes a wealth of information on a variety of topics, including educational attainment, income and poverty, employment, housing, transportation, and access to care.

The CHA will now serve as the basis for the development of the community health improvement plan, which will outline strategies to improve health in the priority areas identified by the community. Over the next few months, the FVHD will be sharing the CHA findings with community organizations, agencies, and individuals and convening working groups to begin to address each of the priority areas. 

How Can You Get Involved?

• Tell us what you think should be a priority! Review the key findings from the CHA and offer feedback through the Share Your Voice! survey
• Join a working group! Individuals, organizations, and agencies with an interest or expertise in a priority area are encouraged to participate in a working group. You can indicate interest in the Share Your Voice! survey, email Olivia at omorris@fvhd.org or Kirsten at kcarew@fvhd.org, or call the FVHD at (860) 352-2333. 

What is a septic system? 

A septic system (sometimes called a subsurface sewage disposal system) disposes of domestic wastewater or sewage from a building in such a manner as to protect public health and the environment. It typically consists of a septic tank and leaching fields. The septic tank collects all solid waste, and the leaching fields disperse the liquid wastewater back into the ground. 

If your home is connected to the town sewage system, you do not have a septic system. If a public sewer is not available in your area or your home is not connected to it, you likely utilize a septic system.

The role of your local health department

When a septic system is being installed, repaired or replaced, the licensed installer hired by the homeowner will coordinate with the Farmington Valley Health District. Our trained staff will witness soil testing on site and review the planned layout of the septic system. The soil testing will help determine if the ground on your property can safely hold the leaching fields, and a review of the layout will ensure that the septic system is within safe limits of any wells, pools, streams, drains, utility lines, other buildings, or other layout considerations so as to protect the public water supply.

Once it is approved, we issue a permit to repair to the installer and septic work begins. When the project is completed, a member of our team will inspect the system installation to ensure that it was built as designed and installed property before issuing a written “Final Approval/Permit to Discharge”.

We maintain a list of licensed subsurface sewage installers in the Farmington Valley. Any forms they will need can be found by following the same link.

If you need to locate your septic tank or leaching fields, any property documents the Farmington Valley Health District has can be found on our website.

For additional information please visit www.ct.gov/dph/subsurfacesewage

What is Norovirus?

Noroviruses cause acute gastroenteritis or “stomach virus” in persons of all ages. The illness typically begins 12–48 hours after exposure. Symptoms typically include acute diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms typically improve without treatment after 1–3 days in healthy persons. However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as the very young, very old, or hospitalized patients, can be at risk for cases lasting 4–6 days or require IV fluid replacement.

Who gets Norovirus?

Anyone can get norovirus, but most cases tend to occur in long term care facilities and impact residents, staff, and visitors. Norovirus can circulate year-round but is most common from November to April. People are contagious when they have symptoms but can also spread it a few days before and after symptoms. Remember to wash your hands before and after entering healthcare facilities or after visiting or caring for loved ones.

How is Norovirus Spread?

Persons can be exposed to norovirus in several ways. Person to person spread can occur through the fecal-oral route by ingesting small viral particles (stool or vomit), or indirectly from touching contaminated objects or surfaces and putting objects or fingers in your mouth. Foodborne transmission can occur when food is contaminated by food handlers during food preparation or service, or when food becomes contaminated with human waste. Lastly, waterborne contamination can occur if well water and/or recreational waters becomes infected from septic or sewer leakage.

How do you prevent Norovirus from spreading?

If someone in your household is ill with vomiting or diarrhea:

• Clean and disinfect soiled surfaces right away and tie up garbage bags used
• Wash hands with soap and water often and thoroughly after contact with the ill person or contact with things that they have used (linens, remote control, cups, and plates etc..)

• Hand sanitizer does not work as well against norovirus
• Keep the ill person to one room and one bathroom, if possible
• Disinfect bathroom and other common surfaces with a product that contains bleach, or you can prepare a bleach solution by combining ¾ cup household bleach to one gallon of water
• Carefully handle any soiled clothing or linens wearing rubber or disposable gloves if available and launder and dry at hot temperatures
• Do not share food, drinks, utensils, or other personal items

If you are sick or recovering from norovirus you should not prepare food or provide care to others until two days (48hrs) after symptoms resolve. High risk jobs include restaurant workers, day care providers, and healthcare workers. High risk workers should stay out of work for two days after symptoms resolve.

How do you care for someone with Norovirus?

People ill with norovirus can experience both vomiting and diarrhea. They may have very little appetite or experience nausea. Fatigue and weakness are common. It is important to replace fluids by hydrating. Trying ice pops or ice chips may help if they are having trouble with drinking fluids such as water, ginger ale, or an electrolyte drink such as Gatorade. Seek medical care if the ill person is unable to drink for a prolonged period as they may become dehydrated. 

The latest collaboration between Avon Old Farms School (AOF) and Farmington Valley Health District (FVHD) gives our community the tools and knowledge to help tackle the ever-growing issue of mental health. Over the course of three weeks, student leaders have taken part in a mental health first aid training course to better understand the signs, symptoms, and solutions involved with this important issue.

On Tuesday nights, dorm and day student monitors, and the school’s peer counselors gathered in the Commons Room to participate in the Teen Mental Health First Aid training and certification program taught by Justine Ginsberg, the community health coordinator with FVHD. All of our faculty and advisors completed a similar training course, Youth Mental Health First Aid, back in November. 

“One of the most important takeaways is that these boys feel comfortable enough talking about mental health to be able to pay that forward— to help their peers with any issues, get them to be comfortable as well, and hopefully continue that cycle,” Ginsberg explains. “As student leaders, it’s important to give them the tools to help others.”

Heather Callaghan, director of nursing at AOF, explains why this program was necessary, saying that at least a quarter of current students have seen school Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Dr. Dan Martin, and that number is growing.

Perhaps the most relevant example of stigma that surrounds mental health is that men are not as capable as women when it comes to talking about their feelings. “I think that’s an important myth to bust because men are fully capable of supporting each other,” Ginsberg says, adding that this is especially important in an all-boys environment.

This training course in particular focuses on teaching students the proper ways to identify, talk about, and help connect students with mental health issues to the appropriate resources. An important piece of the course explained all of the resources available to students both at home and here at school.

The list of resources is extensive. It includes clinical psychologist Dr. Dan Martin and other mental health professionals in our Counseling Center, our Health Center, the AOF Peer Counselors, fellow students and faculty members, and a 24-hour crisis text line. All information about health services can be found on the school’s website.

During the training, Ginsberg instructed the student leaders to map out their own circle of support, and encouraged them to make themselves available to support others. She also emphasized the importance of finding support as early as possible.

“The earlier you reach out for help, the easier recovery is. The longer we wait, the more complicated it is to find a solution.”

Another important portion of the course detailed how to identify when someone is about to experience, or is currently experiencing, a mental health crisis, and how to deal with that. A crisis could range anywhere from threatening harm to yourself or others, severe substance abuse, or experiencing a traumatic event.

Upon the conclusion of the course, the student-leader participants are now able to: recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactive disorder; recognize common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges; understand how to interact with a young person in crisis; know how to connect a young person with help; and better understand trauma, substance use, self-care and the impact of social media and bullying.

“I think they’ve done fantastically,” Ginsberg says of the participants. “They’ve been attentive and they’ve asked really intelligent questions. They’re clearly really engaged in this subject.”

Callaghan believes this is another big step in the school’s commitment to supporting a healthy AOF community. The ongoing partnership between AOF and FVHD is so important, and this extensive training of our faculty and student leaders is a testament to that partnership. “Now they can use Avon Old Farms as an example to hopefully get other schools to bring this type of education to their community.”

Throughout the year, students have already been receiving education on this issue, with health and wellness being a large part of the Prep4Ward curriculum.

More information about mental health first aid, other health initiatives, and the various goals and operations of FVHD can be found on their website

Whether it’s a television, tablet, or cellphone, it seems like we are constantly connected to some type of electronic device. The presence of media in our daily lives is not only greater than it was a few decades ago, but begins at an earlier age. More concerningly, social media may expose kids to images or information that is untrue, harmful, inappropriate, or dangerous. 

Thankfully, there are safeguards you can use to protect you and your family’s digital wellness:

• Enable the built-in timer on tablets and cellphones to control the amount of time spent scrolling. Screen Time on Apple products and Digital Wellbeing on Android products are examples of apps that control screen time. 
• Designate time when the whole family disconnects from their devices, such as at a shared meal or at bedtime.  
• Utilize content and parental control apps to ensure the websites, apps, and other content your child is viewing are safe and age appropriate.
• Talk about what safe and unsafe online use looks like. Assure your kids that they will not get in trouble for bringing unsafe online behaviors to your attention, such as if someone they don’t know is messaging them, sending them pictures, or asking for pictures in return. 
• Recognize that spending time online is a necessary part of the social landscape where your child is growing up. Allow them time to engage in it in common areas of the house such as the living room or kitchen so that you can supervise their activities and they do not feel like they need to hide their internet use.

Are there any tips we missed? Join the conversation at Canton Public Schools’ Community Workshops series, or watch past recordings.

As the days grow warmer, the spirit of springtime renewal sets in. We look around and realize that after months of being shut inside that it’s time to turn things over— put away winter clothes, clear away accumulated clutter, rejuvenate the garden, wash and dust and air out so that we can start again refreshed.

We do all this work to declutter our physical spaces, so why not our social, emotional, and mental spaces too? Here are some tips to get started on “spring cleaning” your mental health:

1)     Improve your sleep hygiene

Better sleep leads to a happier, healthier you. Set goals like limiting screen time to 30 minutes before bed or minimizing time spent in your sleep space when not sleeping to build a stronger association between lying in bed and falling asleep.

2)     Let go of past conflict

Drama has a way of following us around and impacting our mental health. Think about the sources of unnecessary interpersonal conflict in your life and how to minimize your involvement in them. Letting things go is a healthy choice to reduce stress and unhappiness in your world.

3)     Cultivate gratitude

By focusing on the things you are grateful for each day you can put the challenges that life throws at you into perspective. Make a conscious decision to note three things you are grateful for every day and see how your outlook shifts.

4)     Focus on building positive relationships

Try to focus on building relationships with people who bring something positive to your life. Prioritize spending time with people who lift you up.

5)     Stop procrastinating

We procrastinate tasks that we don’t enjoy or that make us feel overwhelmed. While we may have a whole host of things we’ve been putting off, pick one and break it down into a list of basic tasks. Then, take each task one step at a time. Often, setting things into motion can make the rest of the tasks come easier. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel without it hanging over your head.

6)     Create a calm space in your home

Everyone needs a space that they can go to retreat and find peace and calm. Find a space in your home where you can sit, reflect, relax and focus. Light a candle, bring in fresh flowers, open the window and let yourself be in the moment.

7)     Assess your stress management toolkit

Examine the tools you already have for managing stress. These could include exercising, talking to a friend, spending time outdoors, baking, and other hobbies. Most are best in moderation, so a variety of approaches is important. Why not try out a new tool to see if it suits you? Or take a break from a tool that may be doing more harm than good? Your toolkit is something that grows and changes with you throughout your lifetime, so you owe it to yourself to review what works and what doesn’t from time to time.

Here are additional resources for your review:

• 5 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health for Spring
• Spring-cleaning Your Emotional and Mental Space
• Spring Cleaning for the Mind

The health department strives to prevent disease outbreaks and conditions that give rise to poor health, promote health programs and policies that support good health, and protect members of our community from health threats.