February 2025

Maternal Health Projects Gear Up

The Shapiro Administration has invested $3.6 million to fund the creation of four regional maternal health coalitions to support local organizations that will implement recommendations from the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.

The four regional maternal health coalitions receiving funding are:

· Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania, Inc.,

· Penn State University,

· Maternity Care Coalition, and

· Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc.

Additionally, a new pilot project focusing on rural health invests more than $1.3 million and includes a partnership with UPMC of North Central Pennsylvania and other local health care providers to develop a model for providing a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and social health resources for women in areas with limited access to pre- and post-pregnancy care.

Students Get Access to Free Period Products

In 2024, the Shapiro Administration and General Assembly made history by allocating and distributing $3 million in grants to school districts, intermediate units, career and technical centers, and brick-and-mortar charter schools to provide free period products to students.

The funding enables schools to provide access to period products at no cost to students and complements the efforts undertaken by the Shapiro Administration to improve health equity. Funding allocations for the 2024-25 Feminine Hygiene Product Grant Program grants can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.

Read what school staff are saying

Free Gun Locks and Firearm Safety Training Available

Last year, DOH partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute free gun locks to residents across the Commonwealth, and more than 3,560 locks were given out at community events and state health centers since October 2024. Locks are available at State Health Centers while supplies last.

DOH continues to partner with organizations to provide firearm training and education to residents. One such event last month in Lancaster County, taught by certified firearm instructors, provided participants with information on firearm laws, firearm safety guidelines, safe storage methods, and the connection between mental health and firearm-related injuries and deaths.

In addition to providing firearm storage equipment at local Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) stations, PSP created a series of videos highlighting important rules and tips for handling and storing firearms. These videos can be found on the PSP website.

Learn more

Gun locks handed out across the state.

Recall – Children’s Jewelry Set Containing Lead and Cadmium

DOH is alerting parents and caregivers about the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall of Yaomiao Children’s Jewelry Sets. Lead and cadmium levels that exceed federal safety standards have been found in the jewelry sets. These products may be serious health hazards, especially to children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

This recall affects three Yaomiao-branded children’s jewelry sets. Approximately 6,900 sets were sold in the U.S. exclusively online at Amazon.com from January 2022 through March 2024 for between $8 and $21, depending on the set.

DOH maintains a toll-free lead information hotline (1-800-440-LEAD) to provide information about lead poisoning prevention, testing, follow-up, and local resources.

More information about the health impacts of lead can be found on the DOH’s website.

Be Prepared for Cold Weather

The most common cold-related health problems are hypothermia and frostbite. During extreme cold weather conditions, try to stay indoors as much as possible, but if you go outside:

· Make outdoor trips brief and dress warmly in layers;

· Cover your hands, ears, head, mouth and face; and

· Never ignore shivering – it’s your body’s way of saying you’re losing heat and it’s time to return indoors.

Know the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite:

· Hypothermia causes shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness in adults and bright red, cold skin and very low energy in babies.

· Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas, and symptoms include a white or grayish-yellow area of skin, numbness, or skin that feels unusually firm or waxy.

Seek medical attention if it is suspected that you or your loved ones have hypothermia or frostbite. Infants and older Pennsylvanians are at greater risk of serious cold-related health issues and should be checked frequently to ensure they are warm enough during cold weather.

Promoting Public Health at PA Farm Show

Thousands of visitors to the Pennsylvania Farm Show visited the Department of Health booth this year. More than 400 received flu vaccinations and nearly 1,200 picked up naloxone. Others learned about the valuable role EMS professionals play in the health care system and how to prevent Lyme disease.

Deep Dive

Throughout the year, the Department of Health publishes reports on a variety of public health topics.

Learn more about:

February Health Awareness Events

American Heart Month

National Cancer Prevention Month 

National Burn Awareness Week – Feb 2-8 

Heart Failure Awareness Week – Feb 9-15 

World Cancer Day – Feb 4 

National Wear Red Day – Feb 7

International Epilepsy Day – Feb 10

National Donor Day – Feb 14 

Rare Disease Day – Feb 28

Don't Miss Out!

If this edition of Health Matters was forwarded to you by a friend, sign up here to get monthly public health information, news, and updates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health delivered directly to your inbox.

Pennsylvania Department of Health | 1-877-PA-HEALTH | health.pa.gov

STAY CONNECTED