Category: Uncategorized

“Chasing Heroin: Investigating an American Crisis”

Posted on May 16, 2017 by - Uncategorized

In honor of National Community Health Center Week, Unity Care NW & Sea Mar are sponsoring an informative evening to discuss and raise awareness of the opioid crisis sweeping the nation and affecting our community.  This event occurs on Tuesday, August 15th.

Frontline and PBS (the makers of the documentary) describe the film as a searing, two-hour investigation that places America’s heroin crisis in a fresh and provocative light. It tells the stories of individual addicts, but also illuminates the epidemic’s years-in-the-making social context, deeply examining shifts in the U.S. drug policy, and exploring what happens when addiction is treated like a public health issue, not a crime.

Tickets are FREE for this sponsored event but must be obtained prior to the film in order to secure your spot. Stop by the Pickford Film Center at 1318 Bay St. to get tickets.

5:00 –  Join Unity Care NW and Sea Mar for a reception before the film

5:30pm – 7:30 pm – Film viewing

7:30pm – Panel discussion with local experts

July is Hepatitis Awareness Month at UCNW

Posted on April 1, 2017 by - Uncategorized

This month at Unity Care NW, we’re talking about hepatitis. World Hepatitis Day is July 28, a day to raise awareness about viral hepatitis. There are several types of hepatitis, the most common being A, B, and C. Each type of viral hepatitis is spread in different ways, but they all affect the liver and can cause serious health problems. The good news is that hepatitis A and B are preventable with a vaccine, and hepatitis C is treatable thanks to several different medications that have been developed in recent years.

Here’s what we know about Hepatitis C:

  • The majority of people with Hepatitis C don’t know they have it.
  • In the United States, more people die every year from Hepatitis C than from HIV.
  • Baby boomers, those born between 1945 and 1965, account for approximately 75 percent of all hepatitis C infections in the United States.
  • One in 30 baby boomers is infected with Hepatitis C.
  • Hepatitis C increases the risk of death from other diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends hepatitis C testing for anyone who:

  • Was born between 1945 and 1965
  • Received donated blood or organs before 1992
  • Have ever injected drugs, even if it was just once many years ago
  • Have certain medical conditions, such as chronic liver disease, HIV, or AIDS
  • A full list of hepatitis C risk factors can be found here.

Learn more about hepatitis here.