BCC Faculty Sponsor – Carl Maaia
HSP-105 Hospitality Law
Tri Town Public Heath Department – Project Description
Location: 45 Railroad Street, Lee, MA & field sites in Berkshire County
Shadow officials on projects and issues related to public health and your course.
Example projects:
- Shadow hotel inspections and tobacco compliance checks,
- Learn about lab testing in restaurants,
- Assist with Be Well Berkshires campaign promoting healthy foods in restaurants,
- Learn about the process of writing and enforcing regulations that sustain the health and wellness of our community.
Pittsfield Health Department
Project Supervisor: Gina Armstrong, Director of Public Health
- 1. Description of agency mission and functions (Example: services available, population served, other relevant information)
The mission of the Health Department, under the guidance of the Board of Health, is to assess and address the needs of the Pittsfield community in order to protect and improve the health and quality of life of its residents and work force. This is carried out by the implementation of disease prevention programs, health promotion, community health, public outreach, education, and empowerment, as well as promulgation and enforcement of the Health Department, City, State, and Federal Regulations.
Services
The responsibilities of the Health Department include permitting and inspecting businesses that provide services to the public to ensure compliance with state and local sanitary codes. The types of businesses are, including but not limited to, the following:
- Body art practitioners and establishments
- Camp grounds
- Facilities selling tobacco products
- Hotel/motels
- Mobile home parks
- Nursing homes (kitchens only)
- Public and semi-public swimming pools
- Recreational camps for children
- Restaurants and other food handling facilities
- Tanning facilities
The Health Department also performs inspections of housing units for compliance with regulations regarding minimum standards for habitation. The Department also responds to complaints of public health nuisances; witnesses percolation tests and soil evaluations; inspects subsurface sewage disposal systems; collects water samples from public and semi-public swimming pools and beaches; and investigates both food borne and water borne illnesses. Permitting funeral directors and issuing burial permits are also duties of the Health Department.
For the well-being of the public, the Health Department also provides nursing services for communicable diseases case management, surveillance and investigation, distribution of vaccines and conducting flu clinics. The Pittsfield Board of Health participates in the MIIS (Massachusetts Immunization Information System) as required by M.G.L. c. 111, s.24 M. The Department is also involved in emergency planning and preparedness for the City of Pittsfield.
- 2. Description of service-learning project and responsibilities: (Purpose of the project, specific student responsibilities and tasks to be performed. Value and learning objectives that a student would gain from this SL experience)
- Healthy Pittsfield Initiatives
- Distribute no-smoking signage to owners of public buildings to reduce smoking near entrances (5 hours)
- Tobacco compliance checks to ensure compliance with new cigar pricing/packaging regulations (10 hours)
- Evaluation of Downtown and Morningside walking loops (4 hours)
- Conduct a survey to assess interest in a Walking School Bus program in an elementary school (15 hours)
Purpose and value: Healthy Pittsfield is a partnership of community organizations, healthy advocates and neighborhood leaders who develop and implement projects that encourage a healthy lifestyle. The partnership is led by the Health Department. These projects will give students an opportunity to learn about how public policies and the physical environment impact personal behaviors and health and the process of implementing policy change in Pittsfield. They will engage with the public, business owners and school staff and learn survey and evaluation methods.
- Health Department Services (mid Oct – mid Nov; 15 hours)
- Assist the public health nurse with flu shot clinics (promotion, set up & registration)
- Data entry and submit health insurance claims for flu shot clinics
Purpose and value: Flu vaccine is the best defense against the flu yet many people do not get vaccinated before flu season. Because most people have access to flu shots at local pharmacies or the doctor’s office, the health department’s goal is to increase vaccination rates of city emergency responders and school personnel by making clinics easily available (workforce protection). This outreach project will give students an opportunity to promote the importance of seasonal flu shots, organize details of the clinic, interact with the administrator/nursing staff/public and evaluate effectiveness of the project.
- 3. Public issues addressed by project:
- Building a culture of health
- Decrease tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke
- Create walk & bike friendly neighborhoods to encourage physical activity
- Education and access to prevent communicable disease
- 4. Essential knowledge, skills and qualifications needed to work at this agency:
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently
- How will students be oriented to this agency:
Students will:
- have an orientation in the department by meeting with the director and various staff individually for an overview of specific positions and services
- receive training by conducting inspections at tobacco retail establishments with health inspectors
- attend partnership meetings to learn more about community organizations, resources, priority health needs and current health promotion initiatives underway
- have introductory & progress meetings with partners involved in the specific SL projects
- Schedule of SL projects (ie. dates, days and hours SL students are needed.)
- flexible M-F 8:30 – 4
HSP-108 Wine Appreciation
Tri Town Public Heath Department – Project Description
Location: 45 Railroad Street, Lee, MA & field sites in Berkshire County
Shadow officials on projects and issues related to public health and your course.
Example projects:
- Shadow hotel inspections and tobacco compliance checks,
- Learn about lab testing in restaurants,
- Assist with Be Well Berkshires campaign promoting healthy foods in restaurants,
- Learn about the process of writing and enforcing regulations that sustain the health and wellness of our community.
HSP-109 Beverage Management
Tri Town Public Heath Department – Project Description
Location: 45 Railroad Street, Lee, MA & field sites in Berkshire County
Shadow officials on projects and issues related to public health and your course.
Example projects:
- Shadow restaurant inspections
- Learn about lab testing in restaurants,
- Assist with Be Well Berkshires campaign promoting healthy foods in restaurants,
- Learn about the process of writing and enforcing regulations that sustain the health and wellness of our community.
HSP-117 Hotel Management
Tri Town Public Heath Department – Project Description
Location: 45 Railroad Street, Lee, MA & field sites in Berkshire County
Shadow officials on projects and issues related to public health and your course.
Example projects:
- Shadow hotel inspections and tobacco compliance checks,
- Learn about lab testing in restaurants,
- Learn about the process of writing and enforcing regulations that sustain the health and wellness of our community.
HSP-285 Cooperative Education I
Tri Town Public Heath Department – Project Description
Location: 45 Railroad Street, Lee, MA & field sites in Berkshire County
Shadow officials on projects and issues related to public health and your course.
Example projects:
- Shadow hotel inspections and tobacco compliance checks,
- Learn about lab testing in restaurants,
- Assist with Be Well Berkshires campaign promoting healthy foods in restaurants,
- Learn about the process of writing and enforcing regulations that sustain the health and wellness of our community.
Harvest Table
Location: First United Methodist Church, 55 Fenn Street, Pittsfield.
- Help cook and serve a free weekly meal to people in need at the Harvest Table: Tuesdays from 3-6pm