Suffolk County Government - Levy’s Office of Minority Health Brings Beauty to Health Care in a Joint Effort with Barbers and Beauticians for Healthier Communities In a Take a Health Professional to Your Loved Ones Day

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Levy’s Office of Minority Health Brings Beauty to Health Care in a Joint Effort with Barbers and Beauticians for Healthier Communities In a Take a Health Professional to Your Loved Ones Day

Steve Levy
County Executive

Humayun J. Chaudhry, D.O., M.S.
Commissioner

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Amityville , NY – Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy’s Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) kicked off the Suffolk Health Outreach Partnerships (SHOPs) program yesterday to increase community awareness about heart disease and stroke. Suffolk County Department of Health Services health care professionals visited fifteen Latino and African American barber and beauty shops across SuffolkCounty yesterday for the event which will be carried on throughout the year.

Dr. Humayun J. Chaudhry, Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and the Director of Minority Health Dr. K. Aletha Maybank celebrated Take a Health Professionalto Your Loved Ones Day at House of Essence in Amityville. Owner Tasha Johnson received recognition for collecting the most AHA - Power to End Stroke pledge cards from her customers, who have agreed to participate in the program. OMH will be providing the shop with health related DVDs to show to customers. This is in recognition of the national program Take a Loved One to a Health Professional Day inSeptember which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health.

“This is the third year that the Office of Minority Health has organized this important effort to make health information and resources more available to our communities by bringing it to the doorstep of communities that need it most,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. “The program has consistently grown each year reaching more and more residents.”

High blood pressure is a major health issue in the African American and Latino community; and the longer it is left untreated, the more serious the complications can be for diseases such as stroke. The goal is to increase community awareness of the importance of having one’s blood pressure checked regularly and to provide education as to how to maintain a healthy blood pressure in order to prevent stroke and heart disease.

“Many people receive all types of news and information within their beauty salon and barbershop, and they are considered trusted resources,” said Dr. K. Aletha Maybank, director, Office of Minority Health. “We are very excited about the prospect of empowering our shop owners and their customers to enable them to become more aware of what they can do to improve their health.”

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy’s Office of Minority Health kicks off Take a Health Professionalto Your Loved Ones Day at House of Essence in Amityville. Health professionals will be in fifteen barber and beauty shops across SuffolkCounty taking blood pressures and educating customers on the risks of heart disease and stroke. Suffolk County Department of Health Services Nurse Practitioner Muriel Gordon takes the blood pressure of customer Valerie Bryant of North Babylon.

Participating Shops:

Agape Beauty Salon, Huntington Station , NY

B & C Beauty Supply & Shop, Riverhead, NY

ECLIPZ Barbershop, S. Amityville, NY

Have Your Way Lord Barbershop, Amityville , NY

Hiz & Herz Styling, Patchogue , NY

House of Essence, Amityville , NY

Imperial Kutt Kreators, Bellport , NY

Irma’s Hair Stylist, Huntington Station , NY

Major League Barbers Barbershop, Bay Shore , NY

Myoda Salon International, Central Islip , NY

Natural Roots Hair Care, Copiague , NY

Platinum Style, Riverhead, NY

Platinum Styles, East Patchogue , NY

Fletcher Barbershop, Riverhead

The Look Hair Salon, Port Jefferson , NY

Additional support for the event was provided by:

Just Ask Us-Healthy Heart at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Butterfields Restaurant, VIP Baskets

Store, Trader Joe’s, Cameo Beauty Supply Co., and Fila, Inc.

Health professionals volunteered from:

Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, Southside Hospital and Huntington Hospital.