CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: Photo Brigade Captures Health Woes on Film
"Picture This," a group of 17 Concord residents, recently photographed the "needs and hidden gems" of their community as part of a Contra Costa County plan to evaluate the health and living conditions of local families, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. For the past month, the volunteers received training and took pictures of things such as debris-filled canals, trash-strewn sidewalks and abandoned gas stations. While county health officials will use the photos to identify barriers to health care, they also hope the project will encourage more people to get involved in their communities. According to the Contra Costa Health Services Department, the county has staged similar efforts in its eastern and western regions since 1998. County officials hailed the program as a success, noting that they have solved some of the problems illustrated by previous picture-taking campaigns. "We always want to hear from residents about what they think will improve health in their neighborhoods," Cheri Pies, Contra Costa Health Services' family, maternal and child health director, said, adding, "This is a way for residents to let the photos they take do the talking. It's a great example of a picture being worth a thousand words" (Johnson, 8/11).
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