COUDERSPORT – Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health Calvin Johnson
was at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport Wednesday
morning as part of his tour publicizing Public Health week, which
is April 3-9.

Johnson and his entourage, traveling in the governor’s big
multicolored “Government on Wheels” bus, were welcomed by CCMH
Program Director Neatra Baker, who told the secretary it was an
honor to have someone like him visit, and that it was even more
important officials like him to see this area for themselves – “to
see what we’re about – it’s hard sometimes for city people to
understand the distances people here travel for services.”

In accordance with the theme of Public Health Week, “Designing
Healthy Communities: Raising Healthy Kids,” Baker spoke of the
Potter County Collaborative Board and the Mobile Family Center, and
of identifying the needs of young people.

“Youth here had started accepting a mind set that suicide was a
solution to their temporary problems – not realizing it was a very
permanent thing.”

Potter County’s Yellow Ribbon Suicide prevention program has
done much to change that mind set, she said.

Dawn Dovensky, Potter County Suicide Prevention coordinator,
spoke of the program as “Many people each doing a little,” noting
that the Collaborative Board works together like a family.

She also warned that suicide was something that needed to be
brought out into the open, “you have to talk about it.”

One person who did talk about it was Northern Potter High School
senior Liz Paisley, who talked about personal depression and how
she had overcome it, and went on the outline various programs and
activities to help prevent teen suicide.

Among them were the “Lending a hand to end suicide” program at
Northern Potter and some speaking engagements she had done, along
with a booth at the Maple Festival, an ABATE dice run and several
trips on which teens could talk to each other.

Paisley was particularly animated when she told about a rock
concert with 10 bands drawing hundreds of kids.

Secretary Johnson complimented her on her involvement, saying
“You are truly impressive!” He thanked Paisley for sharing her life
experiences for the benefit of others.

“You are wise – Don’t change,” He told her. Potter County
Commissioner Ken Wingo spoke briefly about the introduction of
intensive case managers in the county’s high schools, and said they
and the discussions about suicide were making a difference.

Also speaking briefly was Randy Metcalf, Tobacco Settlement
coordinator, who talked about the “Busted” program and other
smoking prevention and cessation programs.

Then, he singled out Oswayo Valley senior Erin Dickinson,
calling her a “Live wire on fire” when it came to anti-tobacco
efforts.

The Health Department group toured the Mobile Family Center
before moving on to Tioga County to help kick off “Shape up,
Tioga!” a 10-week program encouraging people to keep active.