YWCA hosting women’s health, youth centers in Lockport

March 27--The YWCA of the Niagara Frontier has partnered with two local organizations to provide services to eastern Niagara County residents at its Cottage Street location.

The P3 Center for Teens, Moms and Kids and Native American Community Services (NACS) of Erie and Niagara Counties Inc. both opened new offices in the YWCA's building earlier this month.

P3, which stands for planning, pregnancy and parenting, also has a center inside Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. The center provides support and assistance for women from adolescence through menopause, offering health management, education, advocacy and referral services.

NACS offers a variety of services to promote health and wellness for people of all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, incorporating teachings and traditions found in Native American culture.

Both organizations have missions that are comparable to the YWCA's mission, which is "empowering women, eliminating racism," said Mary Brennan-Taylor, YWCA vice president of programming.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to offer our facility to two programs that will help make the community healthier," she said. "They are filling an enormous gap in eastern Niagara County, not only for Lockport but for Newfane."

NACS is located on the first floor at 32 Cottage St. The P3 center is located on the second floor.

The P3 Center will have two full-time staff members working Monday through Friday, P3 coordinator Sarah Obot said. Two other staff members are based out of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and offer services to women in Wheatfield and North Tonawanda.

P3 offers a myriad of free, assistive services, from finding primary doctors and specialists, health insurance coverage and affordable housing, to teaching pregnant women how to stay healthy and ensure their baby's health, to helping women obtain a high school equivalency degree and/or college education.

"Whatever it is that women might need, we'll do our best to help," Obot said.

P3 offers family planning, free pregnancy screenings, early screenings for health issues, assistance with WIC enrollment, information about breast feeding and pre- and post-partum care.

"There's an emphasis on prevention," Obot said. "We want to make sure that women are taken care of before any problems come up -- trying to reduce the number of premature births and low birth-weight babies."

The P3 Center at Niagara Falls hospital is supported by a four-year, $1.15 million competitive grant from the state Department of Health. The center in Lockport is funded through the state's Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment, which, Obot said, allowed P3 to expand across the county.

The P3 Center in Lockport is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For assistance, walk in; visit the Niagara Falls center at Hamilton B. Mizer Primary Care Center, 501 10th St. at Ferry Avenue; or call 278-4423.

----Native American Community Services offers several youth education and empowerment programs including:

-- SOLE (Stages of Life Empowerment), an adolescent education program that provides youths with medically accurate information about sexual health, access to reproductive care services, and development of healthy life, relationship and communication skills and support for success in education and careers.

-- Peer education by youths ages 14 to 18.

Young people are invited to take part in NACS' youth councils, which help decide the organization's programming and set the agenda for monthly youth nights for ages 11 to 18.

NACS offers workshops for both youths (10 to 21 years old) and adults, the community at large, schools and organizations.

For more information about the NACS in Lockport, call 433-6714, extension 218.

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