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The Alliance for a Healthier Indiana State of Our Health Road Show to visit Logansport on July 25

Last Updated on July 18, 2018 by cassnetwork

The Alliance for a Healthier Indiana, a coalition of health care professionals, advocates, and community and business leaders from across the state, is stopping in Logansport on July 25 as part of its 2018 State of Our Health Road Show.

The Road Show is a series of regional town hall meetings around the state where community leaders, public safety workers, health care providers, employers, and elected officials can hear about the Alliance’s plans for 2018 and beyond, which include raising awareness of Indiana’s poor health rankings and sharing ideas about ways communities can work together to improve Hoosier health.

“The Alliance for a Healthier Indiana was created to tackle Indiana’s most pressing public health issues—smoking, obesity, infant mortality, and the opioid epidemic,” said Bryan Mills, president and CEO of Community Health Network and chair of the Alliance. “Because we are committed to improving the health of all Hoosiers, we’re taking our message on the road to build awareness and rally grassroots support for policy change at the Statehouse in 2019.”

Indiana is ranked 38th in the nation in overall health according to the 2017 America’s Health Rankings annual report. The Hoosier state also ranks among the worst in the nation in the following categories:

  • 34th in drug deaths
  • 40th in obesity
  • 41st in percentage of smokers
  • 42nd in infant mortality
  • 49th in public health funding

The Alliance’s top policy priority is to reduce Indiana’s high smoking rate by raising the state’s cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack. Twenty-one percent of Hoosier adults smoke, costing the state billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs. The state cigarette tax has not been raised since 2007 and is currently well below the national average at under $1.00 per pack. Raising the price of cigarettes is a proven solution that would help 50,000 Hoosier adults quit, prevent 40,000 Hoosier kids from starting, and protect 10,000 Hoosier babies from the effects of secondhand smoke. In addition, the increase would generate $315 million in its first year that could go toward local public health programs, including opioid prevention and treatment.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions from and share ideas with a number of expert presenters, including:

  • Bryan Mills, President and CEO, Community Health Network
  • The Honorable Dave Kitchell, Mayor of Logansport
  • Dr. Dean McCurdy, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Service Area
  • Perry Gay, President/CEO, Logansport Memorial Hospital
  • Dr. Carrie Cadwell, President/CEO, Four County Counseling Center
  • Chuck LaDow, Executive Director, Area Five Agency on Aging and Community Services
  • Terri Riley, Board Chair, Cass County Family YMCA
  • René Kougel, Chief Operations Officer, Indiana Health Centers
  • Katie Kincaid, Data and Research Manager, Indiana Youth Institute
  • Michele Starkey, Superintendent, Logansport Community School Corp.
  • Bill Cuppy, Executive Director, Logansport/Cass County Chamber of Commerce
  • Gabby Moore, Human Resource Manager, Tyson Foods
  • Kim Pearson, Employee Engagement and Wellness Director, Steinberger Construction
  • Jennifer Pferrer, Executive Director, Wellness Council of Indiana
  • Linda Webb, Chief Nurse Executive, Pulaski Memorial Hospital
  • Lyndsey Ball, OB Manager, Pulaski Memorial Hospital
  • Karl Nichols, Executive Director, Community Wellness Partners

“Ivy Tech Community College is proud to partner with the Alliance for a Healthier Indiana and host the town hall meeting in Logansport, as well as many other town hall meetings across the state,” said Dr. Dean McCurdy, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College’s Kokomo Service Area. “By working together and identifying solutions to the health challenges facing our community and our state, we can lead real change and make a difference in the lives of Hoosiers.”

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

For more information on the Alliance and the health care issues facing the state, visit HealthierIndiana.org.

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