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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
 Spring is in the air! The fragrance of blooming flowers and
the warmth of the sun signify a new season. Spring is a time of
growth and renewal. This year has truly been one of growth for the
Association, thanks to the hard work of many people. Spring is our
busiest time of year. Capitol Hill Day for DHPE was February 22,
2007. It was such an invigorating experience. Just knowing that you
are a part of helping to assure healthier people living in healthier
communities is rewarding. Thanks to Cornerstone Government Affairs
and our Legislative Committee Chair, Donna Nichols, for laying out
our advocacy issues so well. Also in February, a follow up meeting
was held with the consultants working on the Policy and
Environmental Change Competencies. The next steps with curriculum
training and dissemination are being discussed. DHPE was also a
supporter of the National Health Education Advocacy Summit held
March 3-5, 2007 in Washington DC. The meeting was a success and
provided that much needed education and resources to sharpen our
advocacy skills. Policy advocacy focuses on population-level impact
to improve the public’s health. This is a key strategy, if we are to
make a difference.
By the time you receive
this newsletter, we will have had our annual CDC/DHPE Program Review
Meeting (March 20, 2007). I think CDC will be impressed with the
diversity and progress of our many initiatives. During April 11-13,
2007, we will review our existing projects funded by our CDC
Cooperative Agreement and conduct our Strategic Planning Meeting. We
will update/enhance our organizational plans and set our course for
the future. Membership outreach, leadership development, and
financial diversification continue to be important goals. The
development of tools and resources to help us become more effective
in our jobs is in the forefront of our minds. We want to not only survive,
but also thrive in this ever-changing public health
environment.
Culminating my year as
President will be the National Conference on Health Education and
Health Promotion. The conference will be held June 7-9, 2007 in
Seattle,
Washington. The
Planning Committees have worked hard to exceed expectations. Please
do not procrastinate with your conference registration because space
is limited. There will be something for everyone. I look forward to
the educational offerings, the networking and the exchange of ideas
and solutions.
All of the above
demonstrate sheer dedication and commitment. Thanks again to the
staff, board members, and committee/workgroup chairs for all that
they do everyday to keep us moving forward. Please consider how you
can contribute. You are the “glue” to our profession and we need
your assistance and expertise. You get so much more than you give.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at thorntlr@dhec.sc.gov if you
have any questions or concerns. As always, thank you for all that
you do at the state level to promote and enhance the professional
practice of Health Promotion and Public Health Education!
Sincerely,
Lavell R. Thornton
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
 110th Congressional Update
On February 15, 2007,
President Bush signed the Continuing Resolution for FY 2007 into law
(110-005). CDC received
$5.8 billion in FY 2007, which was $478 million less than FY
2006. The Continuing
Resolution included a slight increase of $200,000 for the Preventive
Health and Health Services Block Grant for FY 2007.
However, President Bush’s FY 2008 budget provides zero funding
for the Block Grant, and included a $120 million budget cut for the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the new Congress
begins, both the House of Representatives and the Senate have begun
introducing bills to address preventive health care and
education. For more
detailed information, read 110th
Congressional Update.
DHPE Members and
Executive Staff Visit Capitol Hill
DHPE
members and executive staff headed to Capitol Hill
on February 22, 2007 to advocate DHPE’s 2008 top budget
priorities. They are Nutrition
and Physical Activity, Adolescent
and School Health, Behavioral
Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Preventive
Health and Health Services Block Grant.
NEWS FROM
DHPE
Nominations for
2007 National Health Education and
Health Promotion Awards
Open
The DHPE Awards
Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2007 National
Health Education and Health Promotion Awards.
Please visit http://www.dhpe.org/ for
information about award categories, criteria, guidelines and
deadline.
CDC, DHPE and SOPHE Join Together to Offer 2007
Conference in Seattle
Mark your calendars to attend
the DHPE/CDC 2007 National Conference on Health Promotion and
Education and SOPHE’s 2007 Mid-year Meeting to be held in Seattle,
WA on June 7-9, 2007. More information at http://www.team-psa.com/hehpconference/home.asp
Join DHPE Committees and
Workgroups!
DHPE invites you to join
its committees and workgroups and become involved
in enhancing and advancing the profession and increasing
awareness in health promotion and public health
education. Click
here for more information. Interested in signing up? Just
fill out a form
to join.
DHPE President Lavell R.
Thornton Awarded the 2006
Public Health Education Customer Service Award
The South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control awarded Ms. Lavell R.
Thornton, President of DHPE, its 2006 Public Health Education
Customer Service Award for championing the efforts of health
education staff. Read
more
DHPE Welcomes a New
Member of its Legislative and Advocacy
Partner
Lauren Ackil recently
joined Cornerstone Government Affairs (CGA), DHPE’s legislative and
advocacy partner. She
will be a part of the health and telecommunication teams at
CGA. For the past five
years, she worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S.
Senate for Robert Menendez of New Jersey. Lauren brings experience working
with Democratic leadership, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and
the Senate Budget Committee. She graduated with honors from
the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.
MEMBERS
CORNER
Voting Members: DHPE welcomes
its new voting members: Elke
Shaw-Tulloch, MHS, Bureau Chief of Community &
Environmental Health, Idaho Dept. of Health and
Welfare; Patti Baum, Health Promotion Manager,
New Hampshire DHHS/Division of Public Health Services and Brenda
Malley, Program Coordinator for the Chronic Disease Primary
Prevention Program, Bureau of Health Promotion, Missouri
Dept. of Health and Senior Services as interim DHPE voting member
from MO.
Associate Members: DHPE
welcomes its new associate members: Jed Harris (TX);
Felencia Hill (NC); Regina Nesmith (SC); Lillie Hall (SC); Barbara
Grice (SC); Suzette McClellan (SC); April McCoy (NC); Sharon Oshatz
(NJ); Mary Ellen Thomas (PA); Debbie Oberlin (IN); Laura Smith (CO);
Gerri Cannon-Smith (MS); Maria Tovey (AL); Regina Renfroe (GA); Mary
Dennis (OH); Jim Dobson (MA); Kathleen Gavin (KY); Suzanne
Kotkin-Jaszi (CA); Steven Bignell (CA); Enrique Santiago
(NY)
NEWS FROM THE STATES AND
PARTNERS
The Texas Obesity Policy
Portfolio 2006 - A New Public Health
Policy Tool
 Texas
is paying heavily for overweight and obese adults and children. What we do know is “trimming
the fat” means more than directing public health efforts at just the
individual. In fact
efforts will need to be directed to where individuals live, work,
play, pray and go to school, if there is to be a reduction in the
human, social and economic costs to the state. Read
more
The Texas Obesity
Policy Portfolio 2006 is available at this
website link, http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/phn/pdf/Texas_Obesity_Policy_Portfolio.pdf
For
further information, contact Donna C. Nichols, Senior Prevention
Policy Analyst, Center for Policy and Innovation at donna.nichols@dshs.state.tx.us
or call (512) -458-7375.
FROM THE STATES
Arkansas
House Approves Bill to Let Beebe Break Up Agency
The House of Representatives on
Tuesday, March 7, 2007 passed a bill that would allow Gov. Mike
Beebe to split the Department of Health and Human Services and
rescind a 2005 act intended to save money and improve
efficiency. Read
more
Arkansas’ Obesity Report Cards Get Failing
Grade
MSNBC.com reports that
Arkansas, the first state to send home obesity report cards to warn
parents of overweight kids’ health risks, may ditch the plan or
weaken it with the help of the new governor. Read
more
District of
Columbia
CDC Ranks DC Among Top
10 Cities with Lowest Heart Disease Prevalence
Rates
DCD's Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR) released a study showing the District of
Columbia among the top cities reporting the
lowest prevalence rates for heart disease in the nation. Read
more
Florida
Wash Your Hands
Florida!
According to the Florida Department of Health,
School Health, washing hands is the most significant step in
preventing the spread of germs and illness. Read more
information at Florida
DOH website.
Florida Launches Skate in
School Program
Florida’s Polk County Health Department
(PCHD) and the Polk County School Board (PCSB) have established a
partnership to implement a new physical activity in middle schools
called the Skate in School Program. Read
more
“Step Up, Florida” Promotes
Active Healthy Lifestyles for All Floridians
The Florida
Department of Health (DOH) recently announced the kickoff of the
fourth annual “Step Up Florida – On Our Way to Healthy Living!”
campaign. Read more
Florida
City and County Health Department Put
Fitness Equipment in Park to Promote
Health
The city of Brookville’s
park and recreation department and the Hernando County Health
Department teamed up to introduce the new FitnessPar
Course at Tom Varn Park. For complete information click
here.
Hawaii
Hawaii Becomes the 14th
State to Go Smoke-Free
On November 16, 2006, Hawaii
celebrated in becoming the 14th state to enact a comprehensive
law protecting workers throughout the state from second-hand smoke.
Go to http://www.hawaii.gov/health
Indiana
Indy a Model in Minority
Health Plan
Federal officials came to
Indianapolis to launch a national program aimed at ending
racial and ethnic based health disparities. Read
more
Hundreds Rally for
Governor’s Healthy Indiana Plan
Governor Mitch Daniels
addressed hundreds of Hoosiers who rallied in the Statehouse in
support of his Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) currently being considered
by the Legislature. Read
more
Illinois
Illinois Bill Targets Smoking
with Kids in Car
Illinois smokers, increasingly
barred from smoking in public places, could soon be prohibited from
lighting up in their cars if children are present… Read
more
First Lady Patricia
Blagojevich Urges Women to Get Facts about Heart Disease during
Women’s Healthy Heart Month
Early last month, IL First
Lady Patricia Blagojevich urged people, especially women to learn
about the signs, symptoms and treatments for heart disease…..Read
more
Gov. Blagojevich
Announces $2 Million in Ticket for the Cure Grants
for Breast Cancer Education and Support
Services
Officials from IL
governor's administration announced $2 million in Ticket for the Cure grants
to 41 Illinois organizations for breast
cancer education efforts and to help provide supportive services for
breast cancer victims and their families. Read
more
Maine
Proposal Requires Vaccine
for Girls
Maine lawmakers will debate whether to require
girls entering sixth grade be immunized against the human
papilloma virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer. Read
more
Michigan
Michigan to Join Debate on
Trans Fats
CBS News Healthwatch reports that Michigan,
suffering from one of the nation’s highest obesity rates, to join
debate on trans fats… Full
story
Montana
Montana Tobacco Quit Line
Number of Spit Tobacco Users More than Triples from Previous
Year
The Montana Tobacco Use
Prevention Program (MTUPP), a program of the Department of
Public Health and Human Resources, kicked off “Through with Chew Week”
February 18-24, 2007.
“Through with Chew Week” was established in 1989 by
the American Academy of Otolaryngology –
Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. to decrease spit tobacco use….Read
more
State Tobacco Program to Work with
Dentists to Fight Oral Cancer
The Montana Department of
Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) announced that it is
offering free cancer test kits to Montana dental offices.
Full
story
New Mexico
New Mexico to Offer Cervical
Cancer Vaccine in Public Schools
State Health
Officials are working to implement a program to make the
cervical vaccine to fifth grade girls in public schools. For
more information, please visit weblink http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/57610.html
Oregon
Junking Junk Food from
Schools Raise Wholesome Debate
Junk food – the high fat
snacks and high sugar drinks that teens love and nutritionists hate
– was targeted by Oregon lawmakers and health advocates seeking to
banish it….Read
more
Pennsylvania
Health Department
Launches New Website to Help Hispanic Smokers Quit
Tobacco
Health Secretary Dr.
Calvin B. Johnson announced the launch of Quitnowpa.com, a new
anti-tobacco website developed as a resource to help Hispanic
residents quit smoking.
Read press
release
Health Department
Expands Anti-Chew Campaign to MySpace.com and YouTube.com; Adds New
Web Site
State Health Secretary
Dr.Calvin B. Johnson announced that Pennsylvania
is stepping up its fight against smokeless tobacco… Read
more
South Dakota
First Lady Urges Parents to
Help Kids be “Fit From the Start”
Healthy
eating habits and regular physical activity are the aims of a new
education campaign targeted at South Dakota’s 2 to 5
year-olds. First Lady Jean Rounds helped launch “Fit from
the Start.” Read
more
Health Department
Announces Plan for Increased Tobacco Control Funding
South Dakota Department
of Health announced its plan for spending the increased funds it
will receive for tobacco control as a result of Initiated Measure
2.... Read
more
Wyoming
Statewide Study Reviews Worksite
Wellness in Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of
Health is encouraging further establishment and expansion of
worksite wellness programs following the release of a statewide
study of health practices at state businesses. Read
more
UPCOMING STATE CONFERENCES
AND PROGRAMS
Alabama Satellite Broadcasts,
2007 Schedule, AL Public Health Training Network,
AL
Department of Public Health.
The Illinois Public Health
Institute’s Annual Partnership Conference, May 1-3, 2007,
Mid America Club, Chicago IL, Illinois Public Health Institute. Go
to http://www.iphionline.org
or call 312-814-0054.
15th Annual Division for Children
Youth and Families Conference, May 10-11, 2007, Sheraton
Nashua, Nashua NH, New Hampshire Dept. of Health & Human
Services. Contact information – Pam Seufert at (603)
271-4732.
2007 Annual Conference on Aging,
May 11, 2007, Sheraton Nashua, Nashua NH, NH Dept. of
Health & Human Services. Please contact Sharon Kramer,
Community Health Institute, at 603-573-3306 or via email at
skramer@jsi.com.
18th Annual Breastfeeding
Conference, June 4, 2007, Sheraton Nashua, NH Dept of
Health & Human Services. Contact information – Maureen
Gilbert-Thibault, (603) 271-4546 or (603) 271-3858.
SCRPA/NCRPA Joint
Conference, August 25-29, 2007, Charleston, SC, South
Carolina Recreation and Parks Association and North Carolina
Recreation and Parks Association. Go to http://www.scrpago.homestead.com/
FROM OUR
PARTNERS
ICAA's Welcome Back to
Fitness Toolkit Now Available
The International
Council on Active Aging’s Welcome Back to Fitness toolkit
is designed to help older adults into a fitness regime is now
available in ICCA website. For more information, go to
http://www.icaa.cc/welcomeback.htm
Strategic Alliance Releases
“Where’s the Fruit?”
Strategic Alliance
released Where’s the Fruit,? a study of children’s food
products, which documents that despite advertising and packaging
that boldly suggest the presence of fruit, over half (51%) of these
children's food products contain no fruit at all! Full
story
Arthritis Foundation Releases its
Top 10 Arthritis Advances of 2006
The Arthritis
Foundation released its annual
list of the top 10 arthritis advances, developed from input
by clinicians, scientists, organizations with interest and
experience in arthritis.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND
ACTIVITIES
17th Annual Art & Science of
Health Promotion Conference, March 28-31, 2007, San
Francisco, CA, The American Journal of Health Promotion and the
International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association
(IHRSA). For more information and registration, visit
www.HealthPromotionConference.org
2nd Annual Latino Physical
Activity Conference, May 17-18, 2007, Doubletree Hotel,
Mission Valley, San Diego, CA, San Diego Prevention Research Center.
E-mail ldillon@ucsd.edu or go to
http://www.sdprc.org/conference.php
2007 ACHA Annual
Meeting, May 29-June 2, 2007, San Antonio, TX, American
College Health Association. Go to http://www.acha.org/
The 19th IUHPE World Conference
on Health Promotion and Health Education: Health
Promotion Comes of Age, June 10-15, 2007, Vancouver,
Canada. For information and registration, go to http://iuhpeconference.org
International Conference on
Physical Activity & Obesity in Children, June 24-27,
2007, Toronto, CA. For more information, go to http://www.obesityconference.ca
81st Annual ASHA School Health
Conference: Health Literacy in Many Cultures, July
9-13, 2007, Honolulu, HI, American School Health Association. Go to
http://www.ashaweb.org/
Get Out! AAPAR Outdoor &
Adventure Education Conference, July 26-29, 2007, Coeur d’
Alene, ID, American Association of Physical Activity &
Recreation. For more information, please visit AAHPERD
website.
17th
Annual CityMatCH Urban MCH
Leadership Conference:
Building the Best Environment for Families and
Children
– Call for Abstracts.
The conference is on August 26-28, 2007 at the Denver
Marriott Tech Center, Denver, CO. Abstracts will be accepted
from March 1-March 30, 2007. For comments, contact Chad
Abresch at cabresch@unmc.edu or
call (492) 561-7500. More infomation can be found at http://www.citymatch.org/apps/abstract.php
CDC CORNER
CDC, FAA, NIH, FDA, FBI
and USDA Get the Highest Ratings of Thirteen Federal Government
Agencies
CDC is again ranked the
top agency in government according to a nationwide Harris Poll
conducted between January 11 and 18, 2007. Read press release from CDC
News.
The Changing Face of
Women’s Health Exhibit Open to Public at CDC
The Changing Face of
Women’s Health exhibit presents a sampling of many critical health
issues facing women today. For more information, visit CDC’s Global Health
Odyssey or call
404-639-0830.
CDC Report Provides First
State-Specific Data on Persons Living with Heart
Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) released a report that finds a wide range of variation in the
prevalence of coronary heart disease…. Read more
“The State of Aging and Health in
America“ 2007 Report Released
The
State of Aging and Health in America was released by the CDC and
The Merck Company Foundation at the 2007 Joint Conference of the
American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging in March
2007. For more
information and to obtain a copy, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/aging/saha.htm
Grant Opportunities
2007 Special Interest
Projects (SIPs) Program Announcement #RFA-DP-07-002
The CDC’s
Prevention Research Centers (PRC’s) Program announces release
of Special
Interest Projects (SIPs) Competitive Supplements #RFA-DP-07-002
HHS/CDC Request for
Applications to the 2007 Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community
Health (REACH US)
Program
The CDC’s Community
Health and Program Services (CHAPS) Branch in the Division of Adult
and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion is
pleased to announce the release of 2007 Racial and Ethnic
Approaches to Community Health (REACH US) program. On 3/9/2007
HHS/CDC published a Request for Applications for the
program… Read
more
Programs and
Events
24th Annual Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System Conference, March 24-28, 2007,
Holiday Inn Decatur, Atlanta, GA, CDC. More
information
2007 CDC Diabetes
Conference, April 30 – May 3, 2007, Atlanta Hilton,
Atlanta, GA., CDC. More info at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/conferences/index.htm
2007 CDC Cancer Conference:
Meeting Future Challenges, August13-16, 2007,
Atlanta Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA, CDC. For information,
contact jreese@cdc.gov
ABOUT THIS
NEWSLETTER
The Directors of Health Promotion and
Education (DHPE) is a 501(C)(3) association based in Washington, DC
and is an affiliate of the Association of State and Territorial
Health Officials (ASTHO). DHPE is organized specifically to
provide leadership in health promotion, programming, practice,
training, technical assistance and policy developments.
DHPE is funded primarily
through cooperative agreement # CU 012359, “Development and
Support of Core Public Health Functions Related to Health Promotion
and Education," coordinated by the Division of Adult and
Community Health (DACH) of the National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP). “The Voice” is
supported by the cooperative agreement. DHPE makes every effort to
present reliable and accurate information in this newsletter;
however, DHPE does not endorse, certify, approve or guarantee
accuracy, timeliness or completeness of such information.
Therefore, any references to a program, service, process or system
do not imply or constitute endorsement or recommendation by DHPE,
unless expressly noted. Past issues are archived on-line at
http://www.dhpe.org/pubs_school.html
Any comments or suggestions regarding
this newsletter should be directed to bdones@dhpe.org. If you
wish to remove your name from future mailings of this newsletter,
please reply to this issue and type “UNSUBSCRIBE.” in the subject
line.
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SUBMIT YOUR
NOMINATIONS TO THE 2007 NATIONAL AWARDS FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
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