Resources for Families

There are many community resources available in Pitt County to help children and youth achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

• Pitt County Pediatric Nutrition Services
• Pitt County Schools
• Community Programs and Agencies
• Mental Health Resources
• Publications

Pitt County Pediatric Nutrition Services

Pitt County Health Department
(http://www.co.pitt.nc.us/depts/health/)
Appointment: WIC: (252) 902-2393; Others: (252) 902-2305
Contact: Jackie Sugg, MS, RD, LDN or Robin High, MPA, RD, LDN
Services: WIC: breastfeeding counseling, education and support and breast pump loan program; MNT: Weight management for children.

ECU Pediatric Outpatient Center, Brody School of Medicine
Phone: (252) 744-0766 Mindy Saenz
Services: All pediatric nutrition services including but not limited to diabetes (types 1 & 2), obesity, failure to thrive and heart disease.
Cost: Ask for current rates and possible insurance coverage when scheduling an appointment

Vidant Wellness Center
Appointment: (252) 847-5590 or (252) 847-6329
Contact: Liz Hobbs, RD, LDN
Services: Weight management for children ages 16 and older, Vidant Medical Center employee dependents only

 

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Pitt County Schools

Ongoing Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs
(www.pitt.k12.nc.us)
National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, Summer Food Program, Taste Explorers, Winner's Circle food items in Pitt County cafeterias and vending machines, Project YEAH!, walking trails, and more.

Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation
Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation is a program that was established in 1978 to coordinate and expand the use of school facilities by community groups and organizations; to assist in developing volunteer programs within the schools; and to develop county-wide recreation programs. The program provides recreational sports programs for citizens of all ages, including youth, and after-school programs and summer camps for the community. For more information, contact Rita Roy at raroy@pittcountync.gov.

North Carolina "Healthy Active Children Policy"
(http://www.nchealthyschools.org/components/healthyactivechildrenpolicy )
In January 2003, the NC State Board of Education passed the "Healthy Active Children" policy. This policy was amended in April 2005. It requires schools to develop local school health advisory councils, recommends specific amounts of physical education and activity each week and requires schools to offer coordinated school health programs. The policy includes a 30-minute daily physical activity requirement for Kindergarten through eight grade students.

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Community Programs and Agencies

Vidant Wellness Center
Vidant Wellness, a wellness and disease management provider for Vidant Health Systems for citizens in eastern North Carolina, has two wellness centers in the region, one in Greenville and one in Ahoskie, NC. These centers both provide a range of fitness and wellness programming to the general public, including children. The Vidant Wellness Center offers a number of weight management programs geared for children and youth. For information about children's weight management programs, call 252-847-6501.

Pitt Partners for Health
Pitt Partners for Health is a community partnership with representatives from local churches, businesses, communities and human service agencies. The partnership responds collaboratively to the compelling health needs of Pitt County residents through assessment, resource identification, development of citizen advocacy, comprehensive planning and coordination of health intervention and prevention strategies. Priority areas for Pitt Partners for Health include nutrition and physical activity. For more information, contact Kristen Brooks at klbrooks@pcmh.com.

Take Step Two, Pitt County, North Carolina
Take Step Two is a community-based initiative that provides opportunities and information to help citizens achieve a healthier way of life. The initiative helps identify positive things that every day people can do within their local communities and neighborhoods to create a healthier Pitt County. The activities of the initiative are divided into four categories: built environments, children's health, local food and worksite wellness. To find out more about how you can get more involved, visit their web site at www.takesteptwo.com.

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Mental Health Resources

ECU Family Therapy Clinic
Appointments: 252-737-1415
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturdays & Sundays, hours based on therapist availability
Location: Corner of 10th St. and Anderson St. in Greenville, NC
Fees: Sliding Fee Scale
Credentials: Master's and Doctoral level therapists and therapists in training (closely supervised by credentialed faculty); licensed faculty-level therapists
Types of Problems Addressed: Marital/couple, parent/child, child behavioral, obesity/overweight, psychosocial adjustment and management of illness and disabilities, post-divorce therapy, military and veteran families and mental illness

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Publications

Stoplight Food Guide (PDF file) Handout that provides nutritional guidance for making healthier food choices.

The Plate Method (PDF file) Handout that provides a quick and easy visual for healthy portions and food choices.

Food Diary (PDF file) Blank food diary to record foods and drinks consumed.

10 Tips to Help Your Child and Teen Achieve a Healthy Weight Handout developed by the ECU Pediatric Healthy Weight Research & Treatment Center

Child of Mine: Feeding with love and good sense by Ellyn Satter. 2000. This book is primarily for new parents.

How to Get Your Kid to Eat-But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter. 1987. This book is for parents with picky eaters as well as children who are at risk for overweight.

Helping Your Overweight Child. National Institutes of Health brochure. Available at no charge. (http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/over_child.htm)

ADA Guide to Healthy Eating For Kids: How your children can eat smart from 5 to 12 by Jodie Shield, MEd, RD and Mary Catherine Mullen, MS, RD.  This book addresses parental concerns about whether their children are eating healthy when not under parental supervision. 2002.

Helping Your Child Lose Weight the Healthy Way: A family approach to weight control by Judith Levine, RD, MS, and Linda Bine. New York: Citadel Press; 2001. 302 pages

Adventures in Parenting. 2002. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. A booklet that explains how responding, preventing, monitoring, mentoring and modeling can help you be a successful parent for children from birth to age 14. Available by calling 1-800-370-2943 or by downloading (no charge) at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubslist.cfm.

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