Health and Wellness Programs/Services

Parish Health Ministry (PHM) program coordinators work closely with clergy, parish nurses and other interested congregation members to develop the program within their churches.

Last year, PHM touched the lives of nearly 28,000 people through health screenings, educational efforts and programs, such as Walk 50 Miles in 50 Days, 5 A Day - The Healthy Way and Smokeless Sabbath.

Health and Wellness Programs/Services:
Parish Health Ministry provides partnering congregations with a variety of holistic activities and tools that focus on helping members live well. The following are some of the ministry’s most popular activities:

• Blood Pressure Program: The congregation will be provided with the tools and information needed to implement both a congregational blood pressure screening and a community outreach program. The program includes educational materials and documentation forms. Coordinators may be available for phone or onsite consultation. Blood pressure equipment is available for loan.
  
  
• Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) Educational Materials: The packet contains the Automated External Defibrillator Protocol for Congregations written by Carrico & Shurtleff (2004) along with the Ohio Revised Code pertaining to AED's in the congregational setting and a list of companies where AED's can be purchased.
  
  
• Healthy Thoughts: A collection of 24 health and wellness bulletin inserts to share with your congregation in the church bulletin, church newsletter, or on a bulletin board. For your convenience, two sizes of bulletin inserts are included in the binder along with a CD containing all of the bulletin insert information.
  
  
• 5 A Day – The Healthy Way nutrition program:
  This spiritual nutrition program is designed to help parishioners make a lifestyle change that will enrich their body, mind and spirit.
  
  
• The Portion Plate program: The Portion Plate is a fun, family-oriented way to cut down on portion sizes and discover healthy food options for better health.
  
  
• Screen for Life: This life-saving program informs participants about colorectal cancer incidences, risk factors, prevention and recommended screening methods.
  
  
• Smokeless Sabbath: This program encourages parishioners to stop smoking for 24 hours on a designated Sunday.
  
  
• Walk 50 Miles in 50 Days: This popular, spiritually based walking program encourages participants to walk 50 miles in 50 days to improve their health and well-being. It also serves as a tool to increase awareness of the benefits of walking.
  
  
• Friendly visitor program: ERH offers support to recruit and train volunteers to visit homebound individuals and befriend them as a means to alleviate issues of isolation and loneliness. This service also helps individuals to stay connected with the church.
  
  
• Support & Networking Group: This group enables individuals involved in the health ministry to network, share ideas, offer support and obtain information on a variety of wellness topics.
  
  
• Blood Pressure Program: PHM provides on-site training and workshops on how to implement an effective blood pressure program in a congregational setting. Equipment is available on loan.
  
  
• Vial of Life: ERH provides free vial containers, forms and magnets to partnering congregations as part of this service. Members use the vials to house health information that is easily accessible to medical personnel during emergency situations.

*Non-partnering congregations can access Parish Health Ministry Health and Wellness programs by contacting the PHM programs manager at (513) 271-9610.