GRANTS AWARDED — Encino Energy Vice President of External Relations Jackie Stewart, center, presented the Jefferson County Board of Health with a check for $3,790 on Tuesday, a gift from Encino’s Community Partnership Program. From left, board members Suzanne Brown, Mary Mihalio, Dr. Mark Kissinger, Stewart, board member Terry Bell, Health Director Andrew Henry and board member Anthony Mugianis. — Christopher Dacanai SENSORY-FRIENDLY — Jefferson County Integrated Health District Health Director Andrew Henry demonstrated the health department’s new portable sensory tower, acquired from the nonprofit Culture City through an Encino Energy Community Partnership Program grant. — Christopher Dacanai EQUIPMENT — Equipment in Jefferson County Integrated Health District sensory bags includes fidget toys, noise-canceling headphones and verbal cue cards. The supplies were obtained from the nonprofit organization Culture City through a grant from Encino Energy's Community Partnership Program. — Christopher Dacanai
SENSORY-FRIENDLY — Jefferson County General Health Department Health Director Andrew Henry demonstrated the health department's new portable sensory tower, acquired from the nonprofit KultureCity through a grant from Encino Energy's Community Partnership Program. — Christopher Dacanai
STEUBENVILLE — Through a grant partnership with Encino Energy, the Jefferson County General Health Department has invested in improvements to position itself as a pioneer in sensory inclusivity.
A $3,790 donation from Encino’s Community Partnership Program enabled all of the Health Department’s staff to become certified through the nonprofit KultureCity’s flagship Sensory Integration Program, which provides staff training in sensory integration equipment. The Health Department also received mobile resources to address clients’ sensory needs both in and out of the office.
The department is now the only Cultural City-certified organization in Jefferson County and the first government agency in Ohio to do so, according to a release from the department. Health Commissioner Andrew Henry said the department is now better able to help youth and adult users with sensory sensitivities engage in public spaces that are normally inaccessible due to overwhelming stimuli.
“Through Culture City's training and sensory inclusion supplies, JCGHD will be able to 'make the impossible possible' for members of our community who would otherwise miss out on special events and experiences,” Henry said in a release from Encino, referring to Culture City's motto. “We are grateful for Encino's generous donation and are excited to be able to provide a pathway for those with sensory issues to tolerate certain environments.”
Henry said Sensory Inclusive is often used by private venues such as zoos and stadiums to develop their own sensory rooms to ensure patrons are not overstimulated. Health department staff received training from medical professionals and experts in neurodevelopmental disorders on how to identify patrons with sensory needs and how to handle cases of sensory overload.
GRANTS AWARDED — Encino Energy Vice President of External Relations Jackie Stewart, center, presented the Jefferson County Board of Health with a check for $3,790 from Encino's Community Partnership Program on Tuesday. From left are board members Suzanne Brown, Mary Mihalio, Dr. Mark Kissinger, Stewart, board member Terry Bell, Health Director Andrew Henry and board member Anthony Mugianis. — Christopher Dacanai
The department also sourced comprehensive sensory stimulation supplies from KultureCity, including three sensory bags filled with fidgets, noise-canceling headphones from Puro Sound Labs, verbal cue cards and weighted knee pads, as well as a portable sensory tower with colorful lights and fiber optic cables.
Materials are available to any Health Department client visiting the Steubenville office, which currently has a dedicated sensory room, but all materials can be taken to live events and entertainment venues through the Health Department's Wellness on Wheels mobile clinic, giving those who are unable to attend events due to poor sensory coordination the opportunity to still participate in events.
Individuals or families can download the free KultureCity app to see what sensory features are available and where they can access them. The app's social stories provide a preview of what to expect at a Health Department event before attending.
According to the health department, sensory sensitivity is not limited to any particular age group: People with autism, dementia, PTSD and other conditions may experience sensory regulation difficulties, such as feeling overwhelmed by crowds, lights, sounds, smells and other external stimuli.
According to the Department of Health's announcement, since its founding in 2014, Culture City has promoted accessibility and inclusion for people with sensory disabilities. The nonprofit has achieved sensory inclusion certification in over 1,800 venues and distributed nearly one million sensory bags. Additionally, Culture City has reportedly saved 48 lives through training emergency medical personnel, and has partnered with various individuals, companies, and communities to extend the reach of sensory education to leaders in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and FIFA.
SUPPLY — Supplies included in Jefferson County General Health Department sensory bags include fidgets, noise-canceling headphones and verbal cue cards. The supplies were obtained from the nonprofit Culture City through a grant from Encino Energy's Community Partnership Program. — Christopher Dacanai
“Empowering communities through inclusion and innovation, JCGHD has the same visionary ethos as KultureCity, promoting a world where all individuals, regardless of ability, are not only accepted but celebrated for their unique contributions to the fabric of humanity,” said Uma Srivastava, Executive Director, KultureCity.
Henry said the grant partnership with Encino has made it possible to bring the Culture City initiative to the health department and Jefferson County, and he expressed gratitude for the relationship.
Henry said Encino's Community Partnership Program assisted the department with procuring medical supplies for the WOW Mobile Clinic in 2021, and later provided funding to purchase a mannequin so the program could begin CPR classes. Currently, Encino's program is assisting the department with sensory integration at the specific request of Director of Nursing Kylie Smogonovich.
“Public-private partnerships are a top priority for Encino,” said Jackie Stewart, Encino's vice president of external relations. “Our relationship with (JCGHD) demonstrates our commitment to the health and safety of Jefferson County, and we're excited to see how much of an impact this will have in Jefferson County.”
Encino is one of the largest privately held oil and natural gas producers in the United States and ranks in the top 25 among North American natural gas producers, according to a statement from the Houston-based company.
The company was founded in 2011 and has been operating in eastern Ohio's Utica Shale since 2019 after acquiring Chesapeake Energy's regional assets for $2 billion in 2018. Encino has four active drilling rigs in its asset-holding counties of Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Noble and Tuscarawas.
Stewart, who presented the check at the Jefferson County Board of Health's regular August meeting on Tuesday, said the Community Partnership Program met its goal of $2 million in distributions as it closes out 2023. The 2024 community report will be released in January, but donations are expected to “exceed any previous donation in the company's history,” she added.
Encino's grant efforts are “heavy-focused” on supporting first responders and 4-H activities, Stewart said, noting that Encino participated in six county fairs and live auctions this year, including the Jefferson County Fair, which ended Sunday.
Stewart said the funding application period for the grant program will reopen in January. Applications can be submitted to [email protected], according to Encino's website. To receive funding, a community project must be located in one of the company's asset counties, funded in part by others and align with Encino's guiding values, which are listed on the website.
Henry said the health department's next sensory integration initiative is to purchase an accessible ramp for the WOW mobile clinic so everyone can use the sensory room regardless of mobility issues, a purchase he said could potentially be pursued with Encino's support, something Stewart encouraged.
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