A panel of Colquitt County citizens has been selected to form the Archway Public Health Committee. And two areas of concern already on the front burner are childhood obesity and the state’s closing of the mental health facility here over a year ago.

Marcus Wells, of Moultrie Physical Therapy, will chair this 11-person committee chosen by Colquitt County’s Archway Project’s executive committee.

Greg Coop, executive director of Moultrie YMCA, will serve as vice-chairman.

Other members include; Terri Jackson, Colquitt Regional Medical Center; Dr. Brandi Warren, Riverside Manufacturing; Andrea Scarrow, UGA Cooperative Extension Service; Denise Linnenkohl, Colquitt County Health Department; Suzanne Somner, Colquitt County school nurse; Dr. Andy Wills, Children’s Medical Group; Dale Williams, City of Moultrie; Elizabeth peace, Moultrie Technical College and Ann Bazile, Community Action Council Headstart.

Archway had already advertised for a  health care specialist to serve with this volunteer board. However, not many applications came in. It was believed that the initial short-term assurance of funding was a detriment to getting a lot of applications. Meanwhile, the project has been revamped to cover an initial six-year span. And it is believed that type of job security will draw more applications.

Some $3 million in federal funds to be administered by the University of Georgia throughout the state for health care professionals, will fund this job.

Childhood obesity was targeted as a health care challenge here several months ago. In that regard, the Healthy Colquitt County Coalition was formed and will be in involved with the Archway health committee.

The Healthy Colquitt County Coalition is already seeking to increase children’s physical activities, healthy eating habits and family involvements.

“Broad-based community partnerships, as exemplified by UGA’s Archway Partnership project, have the potential to be more effective and more sustainable than other approaches in addressing childhood obesity,” said David Lee, UGA vice president for research.

Georgia ranks as the third worst state in the nation with over one-third of children being overweight or obese, research shows.

“Obesity translates into heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and even enhances predisposition to certain cancers,” said Lee. “This adds up to a huge financial burden on our health care system that is borne by all levels of government and ultimately the taxpayer.”

Budget issues have caused some in-school physical programs to have been cut. UGA researchers see an opportunity for after-school activities to pick up some of this slack.

“Because obesity is a complex issue, we need to work with, rather than in, the community,” said Marsha Davis, an associate professor in the department of health promotion and behavior in UGA’s College of Public Health. In addition to Davis, project researchers include Archway Partnership director Mel Garber; Emily Watson, the Archway executive director in Colquitt County; and Frances McCarty of the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University.

Garber met recently with the Archway executive committee in Colquitt County discuss this project and to lay groundwork to pick the executive committee to manage the health care professional here.

Information on how to apply for this position can be obtained from Emily Watson, UGA Archway Partnership, 50 Bldg. 1, Room 132 Veterans Parkway, Moultrie, GA 31788 (229-616-7455 phone, 29-616-7033 fax).

While childhood obesity is the initial focus, this person’s role will not be limited to that area, it was noted.

Archway executive committee member Bob Swadel suggested that another project in this regard might be to seek mental health facilities for Colquitt County. During the past year, the local mental health program was shut down during the state’s budget squeeze. Mental health patients who used that facility now must go to Thomasville or Pelham. It was noted that the lack of a facility here is now impacting the local emergency room at Colquitt Regional Medical Center as well as law enforcement agencies.