SVHC Newsletter- August 2025

August 2025

The mission of SVHC is to cultivate local solutions and collaborative actions that advance the health and well-being of the Cortland community.

Join us Tomorrow, August 14th, for the SVHC Summer Story Slam!

Get TiX HERE!

SHVC Provides Support for Medicaid Patients

Medicaid 1115 Waiver

In 2024, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved an amendment to New York’s Medicaid section 1115. Commonly referred to as the Medicaid 1115 waiver, this initiative across New York aims to advance health equity by strengthening access to primary care and addressing health related social needs (HRSN) for Medicaid clients.

A person’s health cannot be viewed in isolation from all the various social factors that contribute to health, such as access to healthy food, transportation, and housing. The goal of the Medicaid 1115 Waiver is to lower hospital utilization rates, connect clients to critical services, and to improve the overall health outcomes of New Yorkers.

New York has established various Social Care Networks (SCNs) to cover different geographic regions throughout the state to ensure no Medicaid client falls through the cracks. In our region, Healthy Alliance is the SCN for Cortland County residents and Care Compass Collaborative is the SCN for residents of Broome, Chenango and Tioga counties.

Social Care Networks are made up of healthcare providers and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) where dedicated staff will be screening and referring qualifying clients to services. Seven Valleys Health Coalition is proud to be a Community Based Organization participating in these networks.

Social Care Navigation

Our Social Care Navigator, Catherine Wilde, welcomes you to connect and begin the process with a screening appointment. A screening for services may take up to an hour, so it is best to connect and schedule an appointment, which can be held either in-person or over the phone. Based on your individual situation and eligibility, you will be referred to services in the area to meet your needs. SVHC staff may also help coordinate these services, such as transportation.

If you are on Medicaid and have not yet been screened for this program, call us at 607-756-4198 to begin the process.

The 2024 Annual report is here!

Check out the 2024 annual report

August is World Breastfeeding Month

August is for celebrating breastfeeding/body feeding! It’s a global campaign to raise awareness and galvanize action around breastfeeding and body feeding.

World Breastfeeding Week August 1-7: Since 2016, WBW has been aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. In 2018, a World Health Assembly resolution endorsed WBW as an important breastfeeding promotion strategy.
Indigenous Milk Medicine Week: August 8-14. Indigenous Milk Medicine Week was created in 2019 by the Indigenous Milk Medicine Collective and is celebrated annually from August 8-14. Unapologetically Indigenous: Love, Landback, & Liberation encourages and uplifts the diversity of Native breast/chestfeeding experiences.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week: August 15-21. AANHPI Breastfeeding Week’s 2025 theme “Diverse Voices, One Vision” helps decrease inequities and normalize chest/breastfeeding in AANHPI communities by improving breast/chestfeeding education and support practices.
Black Breastfeeding Week: August 25-31. This year through the theme “Boots on the Ground; Rooted in Breastfeeding Success, Grounded in Community Support,” is a response to the high black infant mortality rate, the lack of diversity in the lactation field, and unique cultural barriers among Black women, and shines a light on efforts and initiatives that support breastfeeding among Black families.

Local Breastfeeding Resources

JULY Food giveaway

We had a fantastic evening on July 24th distributing fresh, locally grown and produced food to our community. Everything shared was sourced from right here in New York State, supporting both local farms and local families. Thank you to our volunteers who helped make this possible and distributed over 2,700 pounds of food in two hours!

This event was sponsored by Seven Valleys Health Coalition with funding provided by the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Nourish NY Program.

Thank you to Wegmans, Price Chopper, and Freihofer’s for donating rolls to help round out each household’s bag!

meet the new staff

Carol Costell Corbin

We’re excited to introduce Carol Costell Corbin as our new Administrative and Communications Coordinator! Her passion for food access began while volunteering at the Homer Food Pantry and through her involvement with the SUNY Cortland Cupboard, where she connected with Seven Valleys Food Rescue and saw firsthand the impact of our work in the community. Drawn to our mission and inspired by our team, she’s eager to put her organizational and communication skills to work supporting all of SVHC’s programs.

Outside of work, Carol keeps busy chasing after her kids, sneaking in a hike or a good book, and indulging in far too many NY Times word puzzles. Though she’s not a fan of flying, her love of new places has taken her on adventures, including a cross-country bus trip with Green Tortoise Adventure Travel. We’re thrilled to have her on board!

Allison Lash

We’re also excited to welcome Allison Lash as our new Transportation Project Coordinator! Inspired by SVHC's mission to identify and address health needs in the community, she’s excited to be in a role where she can make a direct, positive impact. She’s already energized by the dedication and care of her colleagues and can’t wait to contribute to the work ahead.

Outside of work, Allison channels her curiosity and creativity into a variety of pursuits. She’s an avid fossil enthusiast - especially fascinated by the Devonian-period treasures found right here in our region, which was once a shallow tropical sea. When she’s not uncovering 400-million-year-old history, you might find her painting, drawing, making collages, or capturing the world through her camera lens. Welcome, Allison!

The Cortland County Health Department Wants to Hear from You!

The Cortland County Health Department is seeking responses to the 2025 Community Health Assessment Survey. This short survey asks about things like health care, transportation, food access, financial challenges, and other needs in our community. Your answers will help create a plan to make Cortland County a healthier place for everyone.

The survey takes about 10 minutes and is open until September 15th. You can take it online using the link (button below) or QR code provided. Please share your thoughts and help us understand what matters most to you. Together, we can make a difference!