April, 2008

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

 As we progress through spring, many people are asking about our annual conference plans.  Due to funding constraints, DHPE will not be hosting a national health promotion and education conference.  We are actively working toward reinstituting the conference in 2099, so please keep this in mind for your 2009 training calendars.  Directors of Health Promotion and Education will be holding a business meeting the week of June 22 in Washington, DC.  Voting members will be convening to conduct the business of the association, ratify board and officers elections, and honor our accomplishments.

It is once again that time of year we look toward honoring our colleagues and celebrate our successes.  DHPE has opened the call for nominations for the national awards for health education and health promotion.  This call for nominations is an excellent opportunity to highlight both statewide and national efforts to promote individual and community health.  Awards will be announced at the President’s Award Luncheon held at the Director’s meeting for Health Education and Health Promotion, June 2008 in Washington, D.C. Award nominations may be submitted by anyone.

The awards website provides information on each award category and the application process.  Please submit your nomination by May 23rd.  There are five awards available this year and they are listed below along with description.  For more information on each of these awards visit website: www.dhpe.org/awards.asp

Leadership Award
Evans/Muneoka Award
Health Promotion Meal or Excellence
State/Community Collaboration Award
Health Promotion and Education Advocacy Award

Leadership Award
This award honors the State, Territorial or Indian Health Service Area Director of Health Education/Health Promotion or an DHPE Associate Member whose leadership has resulted in a demonstrable coalescence of state and local level constituencies toward the goal of expanding health promotion/health education activities in the state.

Evans/Muneoka Award
This award honors a State, Territorial or Indian Health Service Area Director of Health Education/Health Promotion or an DHPE Associate Member who exemplifies consistent and extraordinary mentoring and professional support to health promotion and health education staff; state, local and national colleagues and/or other members. The award is meant to honor the memory of members, Karen Evans and Laurel Muneoka, who lived their professional lives as professionals who went out of their way to provide special attention and mentoring to others they worked with, regardless of status or setting.

Health Promotion Medal of Excellence
This award honors the achievement of a "state-level" health education/health promotion director or health educator whose work has made a contribution to the state's capacity to apply science to the field of health education and health promotion.

State/Community Collaboration Award
This award honors statewide or community group efforts that have resulted in evidence of coalescence between state and  community level constituents in demonstrating innovative health education and health promotion practices at the state or community level.

Health Promotion and Education Advocacy Award
This award honors a person for his/her advocacy to further health education as a profession and/or who has served as a champion in promoting the science of health promotion and disease prevention at the state or national level. Nominations are also being accepted under this category for policy makers who promote prevention efforts in public health.

We encourage members to take advantage of the opportunity to recognize the efforts of your partners and colleagues, by completing a nomination in one of the above award categories.  The awards committee looks forward to receiving your submission by May 23rd.  If you have any questions concerning the awards, please contact Kathy Paras at kparas@utah.gov.
 

Sincerely,

Jayne E. Andreen 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

110th CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
April 2008

DHPE REPRESENTATIVES ADVOCATE ON CAPITOL HILL
On Monday, March 17th, Rose Marie Matulionis, Executive Director, DHPE, Lavell Thornton, Chair, DHPE Advocacy Committee, and Sharon Murray, Executive Director of the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation spent the day meeting with both House and Senate staff who are responsible for preparing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s budget in the Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-H) Appropriations Bills...Read more.

As in the previous years, DHPE continues to advocate for four priorities including funding for the Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO), Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS.  In addition to those four priorities, support was also voiced for a national children and youth fitness study through DASH and for the STEPS program.  It was a successful series of St. Patrick’s Day visits.  With Senators Harkin, and Specter and Representative Obey staff, DHPE first thanked congressional offices for their continued support of health and wellness funding, and urged them to continue their support in this year’s funding bills.  While President Bush vetoed health program funding increases last year, there is hope that program increases will be maintained by waiting to send funding bills to the new President in 2009...Read more.

More details regarding the CDC Bush budget can be found here:
http://www.cdc.gov/fmo/PDFs/FY09_CDC_CJ_Final.pdf

FARM BILL UPDATE
As you may remember, on July 27th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of a Farm Bill, and the Senate passed their version on December 14th.  Both bills increase funding in fruit and vegetable production, conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for America’s farmers.  The conference negotiations between the House and Senate began early this year, and without an agreement by April 18th, another temporary extension will need to be passed...Read more.

FAMILY SMOKING PREVENTION AND TOBACCO CONTROL ACT UPDATE
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) and on April 2, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved their bill (HR 1108) by a vote of 38-12...Read more.

CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION OF 2009
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265 ) reauthorized the School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and WIC (Special Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children), and the reauthorization expires on June 30, 2009.  DHPE will be tracking the actions of the Senate Agriculture Committee and House Education and Labor Committee as they begin to work on their reauthorization legislation. 

JUNE 17th EVENT – RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC
DHPE has joined the Obesity Action Coalition and others in supporting the June 17th Walk from Obesity – Walk on the Capitol. This walk is a rally and symbolic event with the purpose to raise both public and government awareness of the obesity epidemic and to call for expanded government efforts to address obesity.  If you are going to be in Washington, DC on June 17th, be sure to participate in this walk.  More details on the Walk can be found by visiting http://www.walkonthecapitol.com/
 

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

CONGRATULATIONS to Pam Eidson & Seth (Tepfer) on welcoming their new bundle of joy "Zyle Caspian Eidson Tepfer" on April 17th.

Competency-based Policy and Environmental Change Project Takes Center Stage at CDC
DHPE leadership and UNC School of Public Health partners took center stage at CDC on March 27th with a presentation on the competency-based policy, environmental and system change curriculum project.  Carolyn Crump and Jim Emery from UNC gave a sneak preview and project update on the health policy training curriculum featuring the competency domains, validation survey and associated policy tools. More than 70 CDC staff and leadership were in attendance...Read more. For more information about DHPE’s Health Policy Resource Suite, go to http://www.dhpe.org/policytools.htm or contact Donna Nichols at dnichols@dhpe.org

Donna Nichols Invited to Serve on Board of Scientific Counselors For the National Center for Health Marketing at CDC
Donna Nichols recently accepted an invitation from Michael O. Leavitt, HHS Secretary to serve on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Marketing. The term of appointment is immediate and will continue until July 2012...Read more. 

MEMBERS CORNER

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:  DHPE welcomes new associate members: Kelly Alley (GA), Avis Richard-Griffin (LA), Rebecca Wendahl (LA), Regina L. Wilder (TN) Barbara Sternitze (TX)

UPCOMING STATE CONFERENCES AND PROGRAMS

The Pinellas County Health Department partnered with Dewey & Associates, Hillsborough County Health Department, Pinellas and Hillsborough County School Board, BayCare Health System, Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Inc. and the University of South Florida, College of Public Health to provide the Kidz Bite Back Initiative in 16 Tampa Bay area schools. Kidz Bite Back is a counter-marketing campaign for parents and kids to learn more about the deceptive marketing practices of the fast food, soft drink and junk food industries...Read more.

INTERNSHIP CORNER

Kara Forster, CHES
North Carolina Central University

Since the fall of 2002, the DHPE/CDC Internship Program has provided 12-week field placements with stipends for more than 200 qualified students of health education and health promotion.  The Internship Program has become highly competitive.  Approximately 200 students applied to the fall and spring sessions 2007 with slots for only 15 for each session. Students who went through the program in 2007 have been accepted to doctoral and master’s degree programs, have been hired by their placement sites, and have participated in other fellowships...Read more.   For more information contact Mariela Yohe at malarcon@dhpe.org  or Internship Program for Students of Minority Serving Institutions at  www.dhpe.org

FROM THE STATES

Florida

Governor Crist Supports Healthy, Active Lifestyles
The Governor's Council on Physical Fitness was established in 2007 to develop a state plan of action to reduce the rate of obesity and resulting chronic diseases within the next ten years.  The emphasis of the plan is to increase physical fitness through regular exercise and sound nutrition practices among Floridians of all ages.  Over the course of six months, the council heard testimony from programs with successful outcomes related to education, health, nutrition, and active lifestyles...Read more.  The state plan of action is available on the Healthy Floridians website www.healthyfloridians.com. 

Based on the need to increase the amount of physical education students receive and recommendations of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, the Governor’s Fitness Challenge was created.  The Governor’s Fitness Challenge is an eight-week challenge that encourages elementary school students to participate in physical activity...Read more.   Please visit  www.governorsfitnesschallenge.comfor the latest information on the Governor's Fitness Challenge and weekly nutrition and physical activity tips from athletes around the state.

Step Up, Florida! Enjoys Another Year of Success
The Florida Department of Health’s annual Step Up, Florida! campaign to celebrate physical activity and healthy nutrition enjoyed another year of success.  Hundreds of schools, worksites and communities promoted physical activity and healthy nutrition during the two month long celebration.  To date, over 350 events have been registered, highlighting events in almost all 67 counties. While March has come to  a close, Floridians are encourage to strive for personal wellness all year...Read more. For more information about the campaign, or to find out what events took place in your area, visit the Step Up, Florida! web site at http://www.stepupflorida.org/ or contact your local county health department coordator.

New York

Breast Health Education for the City of New York
In October 2007, The Maurer Foundation partnered with City Council speaker Christine C. Quinn, First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris, the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues, and the City University of New York (CUNY) to provide free breast health education workshops throughout the five boroughs for city employees and students...Read more.

The Maurer Foundation's Peer Education Expands
Recently The Maurer Foundation's Peer Education program has expanded to several schools in New York.  The program was first introduced in the Fall of 2006 at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, NY.  Since its inception, the Peer Educators at Murrow High School have reached over 900 participants.  The success of Murrow High School program has provided the opportunity to expand the Peer Education Program to Mepham High School in Bellmore, NY and Syosset High School in Syosset, NY...Read more.

Ohio

Report Recommends Raising Ohio Tobacco Taxes to Fund Economic Stimulus Without Gutting Tobacco Programs
A Win-Win Solution for Ohio's Health and Economy
Tobacco funding in Ohio is in jeopardy as the governor and Legislature seek $230 million from the state's Tobacco Prevention Foundation for an economic stimulus package.

Rading the Tobacco Prevention Foundation would gut state tobacco prevention programs, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).  In a new RWJF-supported report, CTFK suggests a better way to fund the stimulus package: increase Ohio's tobacco tax rates.  Doing so would fund the stimulus package and fully fund the tobacco program.  The report suggest that tobacco tax increases would produce one other welcome effect: sharp declines in tobacco use- saving lives and reducing health care costs in the the state...Read more.

South Carolina

South Carolina hosted a successful two day workshop on March 26-27, 2008 to pilot test the DHPE Health Policy and Environmental Change Curriculum components. The workshop addressed Domain 1 (analyze and articulate the problem) of the specialized competencies for the public health workforce.
 
Policy development is a core public health competency (The Future of Public Health in the 21st Century: Institutes of Medicine, 2003). Public health professionals are increasingly working on policy, environmental and system solutions to health problems.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commissioned the Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) to develop a set of competencies addressing policy and environmental change. Consultants James Emery, MPH and Carolyn Crump, PhD from the UNC School of Public Health developed the specialized competencies and related materials which are available on DHPE's website at  www.dhpe.org/policytools.htm . 
 
A four hour overview of this workshop (Domain 1) will be provided at the South Carolina Public Health Association Annual Meeting on May 20, 2008 in Myrtle Beach, SC  For more information visit website http://www.scpha.com/. ...Read more.

Unnatural Causes… is inequality making us sick?  Unnatural causes criss-crosses the country investigating the stories and findings that are shaking up conventional notions about what makes us healthy or sick. It turns out there’s much more to our well-being then genes, behavior and medical care the social, economic, and physical environments in which we are born, live and work profoundly effect our longevity and healthy as much as smoking, diet and exercise. For more information http://www.pbs.org/unnaturalcauses/about_the_series.htm

FROM OUR PARTNERS

As an ASTHO affiliate, we would like to seek comment from the members of your organization.  This letter serves as a request to notify your membership of the upcoming public comment period, which will begin on Monday, April 14.  This comment period is integral to the success of the overall document; we aim to obtain as much input as possible in order to produce useful guidance.  The project website can be found on ASTHO's homepage, http://www.astho.org/.  If you have questions, please contact Caroline Barnhill, at cbarnhill@astho.org Anna DeBlois at adeblois@astho.org

NSPAPPH 2008 Annual Meeting June 8-11, 2008, Madison WI, will be held at The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club, One West Dayton Street...Read more  Contact LeeAnn Mordecai for more info. leann@nspapph.org or website http://www.nspapph.org/

SOPHE Midyear Scientific Conference, May 21-24, 2008 Renaissance Chicago Hotel, Chicago, ILL for more information visit website at http://www.sophe.org/

2008 ASTHO-NACCHO joint Conference, Sacramento, CA September 9-12, 2008.  For more registration questions contact the ASTHO-NACCHO registration manager at (703) 964-1240 ext. 17 or visit website at www.astho.org

The Maurer Foundation - Online Training
This year The Maurer Foundation launched its online preparatory program which certifies an individual to become a Breast Health Liaison.  The online course takes approximately 3 hours to complete covering a variety of topics...Read more.  For further infomation, please call 1-800-853--LEARN or visit The Maurer Foundation website http://www.maurerfoundation.org/

SOPHE 59th Annual Meeting Charting the Course Changing Tides Of Health Education and Health Promotion, October 23-25, 2008, Double Tree Hotel, San Diego, CA for more information visit website at http://www.sophe.org/
 

APHA 2008 Annual Meeting & Exposition, Premier Pulbic Health Education Forum, October 25-29, 2008, San Diego, CA visit website for more information http://www.apha.org/

CDC CORNER

The Healthy People initiative has become a broad-based, publick engagement inititative with thousands of citizens helping to shape it at every step along the way.  We are closely following this initiative, and we are please to inform you of the next step in the process.  This spring, HHS is convening regional meetings to obtain public comments on the framework that will be used to organize Healthy People 2020 objectives...Read more.  A meeting will be held on May 28, 2008 in Bethesda, MD to gain input from Healthy People stakeholders which include national organizations and other interested groups and individuals.  For more details about the meeting agendas, venues, and registration, please visit http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/regional/CA/agenda.htmor e-mail 2020regional@air.org  To obtain more information about the Healthy People initiaive, visit the contact section of the website at http://www.healthypeople.gov/Contact/ .

2nd Annual National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media
August 12 - 14, 2008, Omni Hotel, Atlanta, GA. Sponsored by:
National Center for Health Marketing, Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service and the Office of Enterprise Communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute and the National Public Health Information Coalition. For further information visit website www.cdc.org

The CDC's Behavioral Surveillance Branch in the Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Preventiona nd Health Promotion, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, is pleased to announce the release of the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.  The BRFSS is a unique, state-based surveillance system active ain all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam...Read more.

To receive more information on the 2007 BRFSS state-by-state prevalence data visit website at www.cdc.gov/brfss or for more specific information about the data, contact Lina Balluz, in the Behavioral Surveillance Branch at 770-448-2466 or lib7@cdc.org

CDC’s Division of Adult and Community Health (DACH) is pleased to announce that updated national and state estimates of alcohol-related mortality from the years 2001-2005 are now available through the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) software.  

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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 – Joanne Mitten (ID)

Members:

Eydie Abercrombie (AR)

Lori Creech-Phillips (SC)

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