September 28, 2007

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It has been three months since Lavell handed the DHPE gavel and talking stick to me in Seattle.  I am often asked if I am overwhelmed by this presidency.  I have to say the overwhelming part is the level of trust and faith so many of you have placed in my ability.  Thank you for your confidence and your support.  I most enjoy the opportunities to talk with many of you about DHPE’s strengths, the needs you face in your work, and the sharing of ideas on how we can grow this thing called health promotion. I have been very fortunate to be a part of the Board of Directors for the last few years.  As such, I have had a voice in the development of our strategic plan.  When asked about my “platform” I have to refer back to that strategic plan.  It spells out clear directions on where we need to go as an association.  I think of our four overarching goals as intersecting circles providing the framework for the state, board and members efforts:

Health Promotion Expertise includes our translation from research to practice project, as well as our award winning School Wellness, Health Policy and Environmental Change, workforce development projects to name a few.

Serving as a Valuable Resource means serving voting and associate members, as well as the public health system with tools, information, opportunities for collaboration, technical assistance and training.

Being a Powerful Advocate for state health departments, for the health promotion field, and for the populations we are serving.  This means advocating as an association, as well as building the membership’s advocacy capacity.

Stable infrastructure for the association is necessary to sustain and expand our work and reach.  I am amazed when I realize that DHPE has only been staffed since 1996.  Through ongoing efforts of the Board members and our Executive Director we have built an impressive array of staff and contractors who conduct an incredible amount of work.  As a part of our organizational growth, it is time to solidify how we do the work we do.  This is important to give us the base to expand our partnerships and revenue streams that make our association’s work possible.

I was privileged this summer to join five other DHPE members in attending the tri-annual International Union for Health Promotion and Education in Vancouver, BC.  I have never been a part of such a large and culturally diverse professional opportunity before.   There are so many impressions and pieces of information I’d like to share, but one thing that has stayed with me was the release of the IUHPE statement, Shaping the Future of Health Promotion:  Priorities in Action.”  The mission of the IUHPE is to promote global health and contribute to the achievement of equity in health between and within countries of the world.  This statement provides recommendations for those working in health promotion to strengthen our efforts.  What particularly impresses me is how closely it aligns with our DHPE discussions.  The full statement can be downloaded from their website http://www.iuhpe.org, but the following are the primary recommendations:

• With new challenges, we need new approaches, especially in light of increasing health inequalities.
  
• We must put healthy public policy into practice through partnerships, and by demonstrating the effective health promotion policy at national and local levels that span individual lifestyles to social and economic determinants.
  
• Strengthening structures and process in all sectors is necessary for promoting health, from strong school and workplace initiatives, to reorienting the healthcare system toward a health promotion disease management approach.  It is important to translate health promotion knowledge with technical support, as is adequate funding for technical and scientific health promotion expertise and research.
  
• Evidence-based health promotion practice is imperative to build knowledge-based practice.  We must provide resources for evaluating complex, community-based health promotion interventions, as well as use the evidence to guide policy and practice. 
  
• We cannot continue unless we build a competent health promotion workforce through education and specialized training that includes advocacy and mediation skills with policy makers and the private sector, assessing the impact of policies on health and its determinants, accessing and using information and evidence, and evaluation interventions.
  
• It is vital that we empower communities by linking to the normal daily life of communities, building on local traditions, and fostering community leadership. 

As you read these, which items most catch your attention?  Which items are most closely aligned with the work you do?  Where can you incorporate into your work?  These recommendations have a place in our communities, our states and our national perspective.  I encourage you to read this statement for more detail, and then think about how you can play a role in their implementation. 

Over this year, I want to focus our energies on promoting the work we do in our states as well as the association as a whole.  This means getting people involved, as well as communicating our progress.  In closing, thank you for your trust in me.  Please continue to contact me with your feedback and suggestions.  As Tom Bodett says from the End of the Road (Homer, Alaska) the light is always on - although my husband claims my bulb is sometimes a little dim.

 Sincerely,


Jayne E. Andreen 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

110^th CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE

September 2007

Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Funding Priorities This summer the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education Appropriations Committees voted out their respective health funding bills. ...  Read more

DHPE has the following four legislative funding priorities in the Labor, HHS and Education bills. ... Read more

FY 2008 Labor-HHS, Education Bill Funding Chart. ... Read more

FARM BILL
On July 27^th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that makes historic investments in fruit and vegetable production, conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for America’s farmers. ... Read more

Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act
On August 1st, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 13-8 to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (S.625), a bill that would allow the FDA to regulate the sale, distribution, and promotion of tobacco products. ...  Read more

State Children's Health Insurance  Program Reauthorization

The House and Senate both passed bills reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  The House legislation, called the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act, would increase SCHIP funding by $50 billion over five years. ... Read more

The SCHIP Bill
Yesterday the House voted 265-159 to approve compromise legislation that would reauthorize SCHIP and expand enrollment from 6.6 million children to about 10 million children.  Forty-five Republicans voted to approve the bill and eight Democrats voted against it. ...Read more

The following is a link to the House Energy and Commerce website, and there you can find the bill text and a section by section summary. http://energycommerce.house.gov/

CAPITOL HILL BRIEFINGS
Congressional Study Group on Public Health

Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Kay Granger (R-TX), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) are the Chairs of the Congressional Study Group on Public Health, which was founded in February 2007.  The Congressional Study Group holds regular educational briefings on Capitol Hill to inform members of Congress and their staffs about the work of public health experts and the health protection efforts they undertake. ... Read More

NEWS FROM DHPE

DHPE relocates national office.  On June 29^th the DHPE national office relocated to 1015 18^th Street NW Suite 300, Washington DC 20036.  For those of you visiting us in DC, we are just four blocks from our old location.  DHPE is now located with partner organization Partnership for Prevention.  We anticipate this will have a synergistic impact on the programs and policies of both DHPE and PFP.  Our phone and fax numbers remain the same.

DHPE was selected as a key partner and co-sponsor for the 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Conference cosponsored by ODPHP and CDC.  DHPE was one of two national organizations selected as a key partner for this national conference.  Our participation in this conference allows us to offer 30 scholarships to DHPE voting members or DHPE associate members who are active on committees and workgroups.  These scholarships of $395 will offset the conference registration fee.  If you would like to be considered, contact Rose Marie Matulionis at director@dhpe.org

DHPE joins national organizations in A Vision for a Healthier America - A Call to Action from more than 100 Health Organizations  DHPE has taken a proactive role by lending their support for a campaign called “A Vision for a Healthier America” that focuses on prevention:  http://healthyamericans.org/policy/files/visionhealthieramericans.pdf

DHPE calls for Volunteers - Worksite Health Project (Year 3).  Two years ago DHPE started a very exciting project looking into work related stress among female blue collar workers.  DHPE has been recruiting members to assist us with this project for the past two years and we have had a wonderful response from our members.  The goal of this project is to provide information to employers and health agencies about the sources and effects of job stress on female blue collar workers and to offer recommendations fro future occupational and health promotiion efforts. ... Read more

Southern States Join Call to Action At the Southern Obesity Summit DHPE, with other national partners, convened this Summit for State teams representing public and private stakeholders from fourteen southern states. The Southern Obesity Summit was held in Little Rock, Arkansas, August 2007. Recognizing obesity is at crisis proportions in the South, the Summit Call to Action was sounded by key national leaders...Read more

 DHPE Launches School Employee Wellness: A Guide for Protecting the Assets of our Nation’s Schools

Go to http://www.schoolempwell.org to download your FREE copy. 

MEMBERS CORNER

Best Wishes to Bles Dones, former DHPE Membership Services Manager.  We wish Bles well in her new activities.  While at DHPE, she staffed the membership committee and coordinated membership services.

Donna Nichols, Former Texas Member Joins DHPE Staff
Donna Nichols, former Texas voting member, retired from the Texas Department of State Health Services in July of this year but she did not retire from DHPE. Donna has joined DHPE in its health policy and partnership efforts. (You can rech Donna via email at dnichols@dhpe.org or by phone at 512-507-4933.)  

VOTING MEMBERS: DHPE welcomes its new voting members: Kathy Payne, Director, Office of Health Promotion, OK Dept of Health, Jack Miller, ID Dept of Health.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: DHPE welcomes new associate members: Dixie Zoucha (NE), Martha Stricker (NE), Deb Scholten (NE), Rita Parris (NE), Julie Neighbors (NE), Lynette Larsen (NE), Terry Krohn (NE), Marie Hines (NE), Heidi Gubanyi (NE), Jennifer Grove (NE), Jane Ford Whittoff (NE), Laurie Floral (NE), Kim Engel (NE), Michelle Ellermeier (NE), Heather Easton (NE), Vicki Duey (NE), Jessica Davies (NE), Joyce Crawford (NE), Jamie Bolen (NE), Andrea Wimbush (GA), Jeron Gibson (GA), Neil Hann (OK), Marisa Wells (OK),Joanna Adams, (ID),Badria Al-Bani, (CA), Leslie Atherholt,(DC), Kim Bell (DC),Linda Bellick (NY), Reynard Bouknight (MI), Amy Boyd (GA), Nicole Bungum (NV), Monifa Charles (FL), Nancy Chase (DE), Judy Cherepko (PA), Erica Childs (VA), Sharon Cissna (AK), Dean Cleghorn (MA), Rebecca DeBoer (WA), Oliver Delk (GA), Lorna Hardin, (CA), Katherine Hastings (MI), Bettina Henderson (MS), Eleanor Hinton-Hoyt (DC),Tracy Brian Kolodziejski (HI), Marsha Lazar (MA), Misty Lee (SC), Erin McDonald (NM), Lori Parsons (IA), Rene Popova (NV), Jaime Regal, (GA),  Laura Rusnak (FL), Cheryl Taylor (LA), Maria Viegas (DC), Julie Whitehorse (WI), Shelley Winters (MD), Joyce Yates (MS), Ann Nguyen (VA), Bernadeen Valdez (CA).

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

NEWS FROM DHPE

NEWS FROM STATES 
AND PARTNERS 

From the States

From the Partners

CDC Corner

ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER

In this Issue:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES COMMITTEE

Chair – Jayne Andreen (AK)

Members:

Eydie Abercrombie (AR)

Lori Creech-Phillips (SC)

Joanne Mitten (ID)

Vickie Mudra (IL)

Ana Novais (RI)

Barry Sharp (TX)

Danette W. Tomiyasu (HI)

NEWSLETTER ADVISORY GROUP

Chair – Lavell Thornton (SC)

Linda Dawson (NC)

Jennifer Dunlap (IN)

Heidi Keller (WA)

Kathy Payne (OK)

Ramona Schaffer (VA)

Danette W. Tomiyasu (HI)

DHPE Staff – Cynthia Somers