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Expanded Health Web Site Provides Information for All Ages

October 19, 2012
Calaveras Enterprise

A newly expanded web site for families in Calaveras County is now up and running, according to First 5 Calaveras. The local Network of Care website includes a health library, encyclopedia and local resource and service information for persons of all ages.

The site is designed for easy access to health and social service news at the local, state and national level, in addition to social network tools and a directory of local services.

“We encourage the public to check the expanded site to find high quality information to keep kids healthy and strengthen families,” said Karen Pekarcik, executive director of First 5 Calaveras.

The expansion of the Network of Care site to address broad health and social needs is endorsed for all communities by the National Association of City and County Health Officials. The Network of Care website has been available in Calaveras County through the Calaveras County Behavioral Health Services Department, with a focus on mental health and veterans services. The expansion represents a commitment by First 5 Calaveras to address the information needs of families with children of any age while increasing access to resources and information for the entire Calaveras Community. The site is complemented by the addition of tri-county resources through links to the Infonettc.org website providing Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne county resources.

The site offers significant benefits to local service agencies also.

“As the county’s population changes and agency services change, the web site supports keeping the community informed through updated service information and tools such as a community calendar and message boards”, said Colleen Tracy, Health Services Agency director and First 5 Calaveras Commission chairwoman. Service providers can build their own web sites in the For Providers section.

“This is the first community on line access to such comprehensive local, state and national information,” Pekarcik added.

First 5 Calaveras is a local organization funded by a dedicated tobacco tax for the purposes of promoting, supporting, and improving the early development of children from the prenatal stage to five years of age. This is accomplished through integrated and comprehensive programs emphasizing community awareness, education, nurturing, child care, social services, health services and research.

For more information on the new Calaveras Network of Care website, contact First 5 Calaveras at (209) 754-6914 or at kpekarcik@co.calaveras.ca.us. Visit the site at calaveras.networkofcare.org