In the Headlines

February 21, 2019 - Amy Knapp, Communications Specialist at Common Ground talks about the TikTok Ditch Vaping Dance Challenge.

January 28, 2019 -  Mike Bulger, healthy communities project coordinator for Common Ground Health was one of the guest speakers on WXXI's Connections Program to discuss creating healthy and vibrant cities for everyone. Joining him were Gil Penalosa, the founder and chair of 8 80 Cities, a non

January 24, 2019 -  Mike Bulger, a program coordinator at Common Ground Health, was interviewed by WHEC TV on the topic of food companies targeting black and Hispanic children with ads for junk food, which a new report shows. Bulger stated "We're trying to help support small retailers that want to sell healthier products in neighborhoods that are affected by chronic disease at disproportionate rates, and we're helping store owners purchase display equipment and giving them advice to help them stock healthy produce."

January 16, 2019 -  Play Walk, which is an initiatiave of the Healthi Kids Coalition at Common Ground Health, is included in the plans for ROC the Riverway. Representatives for some projects included in the Roc the Riverway initiative met to discuss each project's center city cultural initiative and their progress. It was during this meeting that more information on the "Play Walk" idea was shared. The idea is for an interactive walk, starting at the Strong Museum and is similar to the Story Walk at the Phillis Wheatley Library.

January 15, 2019 -  For the past two years, Common Ground Health was one of six areas that worked with ReThink Health Ventures, a national mentoring program funded by the Fannie E. Rippel and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations. ReThink provided a unique opportunity to Common Ground leadership to meet with and learn from others across the country who, like us, employ a collaborative approach to health improvement. Perhaps most important, ReThink helped our organization transition to a broader focus on the social determinate of health. For more about this and other aspects of our ReThink partnership, read ReThink’s recently posted case study. 

December 14, 2018 -  Erick Stephens, parent engagement specialist for the Healthi Kids initiative at Common Ground Health and father of four, was a guest speaker during the first hour of WXXI Connections with Evan Dawson, to discuss the free

December 12, 2018 - In May, Reconnect Rochester launched their Complete Streets Makeover project by asking the public to identify the intersections and trouble

December 5, 2018 -  The transformation of the intersection at Parsells Ave. and Greeley St., which was selected from over 90 publicly submitted nominations as the winner of our Complete Streets Makeover, exceeded all expectations thanks to a team of dedicated project partners, but most of all thanks to the passion and work of the Beechwood neighbors determined to make the most of the opportunity. The temporary on

December 3, 2018 -  When it comes to substance abuse, Catholic Charities of Steuben believes firmly in stopping a problem before it starts. One such effort is the Steuben Council on Addictions, which raises awareness on substance abuse through public events, advertising and publicity. According to information released in January 2018 by Common Ground Health, there were 14 deaths in Steuben County in 2016 due to opioid overdose — almost triple the five deaths from 2015.

November 21, 2018 - Senator Pam Helming celebrated Rural Health Day on Nov. 15, by recognizing the hardworking health care professionals in our local communities and thanking them and other local organizations for all they do to support the success of our region. Our region is served by Wayne County Rural Health Network, Common Ground Health, Finger Lakes Community Health and Cayuga Community Health Network Inc. It is crucial that we continue to provide RHNs with the resources that they need in order to enhance health care opportunities for local residents.

November 19, 2018 -  The Democrat and Chronicle mapped the life expectancy data for New York and found numerous gaps in longevity from one neighborhood to the next. Albert Blankley, director of research and analytics at Common Ground Health stated that "protective factors can be factors such as stable income and housing, family support and social capital. Where people have a lot of protective factors at their disposal, we tend to see better outcomes in health and mortality."

November 13, 2018 -  The Genesee Valley Greenway could provide a path to good health, according to a recent health impact assessment from Common Ground Health and the Genesee Transportation Council. More details on the study, including recommendations for improving the Greenway's ability to improve public health are included in our recent 36