HERKIMER — Herkimer County HealthNet has been collaborating with the village of Ilion on numerous projects that address health and safety issues for its citizens.
Through the Local IMPACT grant from the state Department of Health, HealthNet provided the village with funding to repaint more than 60 crosswalks and pedestrian signals.
“Pedestrians are one of the most-at-risk groups of roadway users. Providing the paint will help to ensure the crosswalks are freshly marked and easily visible to all users,” Elyse Enea Bellows, program coordinator for HealthNet, said in a news release.
In addition to the improved crosswalks, HealthNet has also provided tick awareness signs for the village to erect in six community parks. The village is taking an active role in educating and protecting park visitors from Lyme and other tick-borne diseases by placing signs that include information on how to avoid tick bites and the various deer tick sizes to enable park goers to identify a tick should they encounter one. The information signs were installed to coincide with the time when ticks are most active, which is from late spring to early autumn.
“We are happy to partner with Herkimer County HealthNet to address health and safety issues for our citizens and look forward to working with them in the future,” said Mayor Terry Leonard.
Development and implementation of these projects is supported by Local IMPACT, the state Health Department program on Initiatives for Multi-Sector Public Health Action. The Local IMPACT initiative supports the statewide goals of improving population health, transforming health care delivery and reducing health disparities. Herkimer County HealthNet partners with HealtheConnections to implement Local IMPACT within Herkimer County.