OPPORTUNITY Join the Youth Partnership for Health

Webinar: Using policy to create healthy schools On Friday, March 29, 2019, at 2 p.m. ET, join experts from Child Trends and the National Association of State Boards of Education for a webinar on how state policies can help educators build healthy schools. Presenters will discuss how current state statutes and regulations address mental health, school discipline, and other factors influencing school health, and how a new trauma-informed policy framework can help policymakers create learning environments that support all students. Dr. Jay Barth, chair of the Arkansas State Board of Education, will also share his perspectives on the role of policy in creating healthy school environments. Register

New Study Uses NVDRS Data to Examine Suicides among Lesbian and Gay Male Individuals

New Study: Suicides among Lesbian & Gay Male Individuals

Although the burden of suicidal ideation and attempts among sexual minority populations is high, useful and contextual information about the circumstances of suicide deaths among lesbian and gay male individuals is still limited. To our knowledge, this is the first study using data from a large, multi-state surveillance system to examine suicides among gay male and lesbian decedents across the lifespan.

Suicides among Lesbian and Gay Male Individuals: Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System contributes to the suicide prevention field by expanding on the characteristics and precipitating circumstances of suicide among lesbians and gay men compared to non-lesbians and non-gay male victims using 2003-2014 data from 18 U.S. states in the National Violent Death Reporting System. The analysis revealed several differences by age, mechanism of injury, and known precipitating circumstances, including a greater presence of physical health, job, and relationship problems among gay male decedents, and intimate partner and other relationship problems among lesbian decedents. Current diagnosed mental health conditions and a history of suicide planning and intent were more common for both lesbian and gay male decedents. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring that suicide prevention efforts are culturally sensitive and consider the needs of sexual minority populations.

For more information, contact dvpinquiries@cdc.gov.

Spread the Word

Twitter: New @AmJPrevMed report is the first study using data from #NVDRS to examine suicides among gay men & lesbians across the lifespan. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring that efforts to #stopsuicide are culturally sensitive and consider the needs of sexual minority populations. Read more: bit.ly/2SmwCTO

Facebook: New @American Journal of Preventive Medicine report is the first study using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to examine suicides among gay men and lesbians across the lifespan. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring that prevention efforts are culturally sensitive and consider the needs of sexual minority populations. Read more: bit.ly/2SmwCTO

Learn More

• National Violent Death Reporting System
• NVDRS Overview Video
• CDC’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System: Violent Deaths
• Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices

EVENT Uniting to Prevent School Violence

Uniting to Prevent School Violence

In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings, this event will explore what we have learned about preventing school violence since the Columbine tragedy, what questions remain and – perhaps most important – what is preventing us from implementing what we have learned to end these tragedies.

Designed for scientists, school leaders, public health professionals, community members, public safety professionals, and decision-makers, this symposium will provide knowledge and tools to help us work together to advance violence prevention using a public health approach.

For more information on the event, please visit www.ucdenver.edu/schoolviolence.

Registration Fees:

General Registration - $25

Student Registration - $15

 Lunch is provided.

Details

• When

• Tuesday, April 16, 2019
  8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  Mountain Time

• Add to Calendar

• Where

• University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
  13121 E. 17th Avenue
  Room 1102
  Aurora, Colorado 80045
  USA

• Get Driving Directions

Strengthening Families Program

Now Offering: Strengthening Families at The Center for African American Health
The Center will be starting the Strengthening Families Program, an evidence-based, nationally and internationally recognized family skills training program in April. 

Please share this flyer with communities and families you work with!

WEBINAR Protecting Child Passengers, Now and Into the Future

CSN Webinar March 27, 2019 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET  ‌  ‌

Protecting Child Passengers, Now and Into the Future Wednesday, March 27, 2019 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET

The first law protecting child passengers in motor vehicles was passed by Tennessee 41 years ago. Since that time, much has been learned about best practices and countermeasures that work to reduce death and injury among children on our roadways. While legislation, education, enforcement and technology have all been employed to prevent injuries, motor vehicle injuries remain a leading cause of death among US children. (1) In this webinar, Dr. Joyce Pressley of Columbia University and Dr. Aditya Belwadi of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, will review what we currently know about the best ways to protect child passengers, including the four phases of child passenger safety (rear-facing car seats, forward-facing car seats, booster seats, and seat belts). Dr. Pressley will describe current and emerging risks to child passenger motor vehicle occupant safety. Dr. Belwadi will share his work on the interface of child passenger safety and new vehicle technologies. Mr. Richard Hamburg, Executive Director at the Safe States Alliance, and an active member of the Children’s Safety Now Alliance (CSN-A), will moderate the webinar.

Register for the webinar

Sources: (1)    Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). [2018 Sep 10]. This webinar will be archived.  Please note that we are unable to provide CEUs or certificates for our webinars.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Aditya Belwadi, PhD is a research Scientist II for biomechanics and autonomous vehicle research at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). In 2011, he received his PhD in biomedical engineering and began his research career at CHOP. As a post-doctoral fellow at the Center from 2011-2013 he was instrumental in developing advanced finite element computational modeling capabilities; as of 2015, he leads the Center’s Child Passenger Safety Research Team and is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). An internationally recognized expert on injury biomechanics, injury causation, and the effectiveness of safety products for children, Dr. Belwadi's research efforts have been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and several corporate entities in the field of automotive safety. Dr. Belwadi has presented both nationally and internationally, and has been recognized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for his work. He received the prestigious Ralph H. Isbrandt Automotive Innovation Engineering Award in 2012 from SAE for his work on lumbar spine mechanics.

Richard "Rich" Hamburg, MPA is the Executive Director at the Safe States Alliance and is located in Washington D.C. Rich joined Safe States in 2018, and previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) where he oversaw public policy initiatives, advocacy campaigns, and internal operations. Prior to TFAH, he served as the American Heart Association’s National Director of Government Relations. A native New Yorker, Rich is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, from which he received a BA in Political Science and an MPA.

Joyce Pressley, PhD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Health Policy and Management at Columbia University Medical Center. She works with Columbia University’s Injury Control Research Center (ICRC) where she serves as principal investigator of the motor vehicle research grant, co-directs center outreach and education, teaches injury and violence prevention, and serves as a faculty lead for the Columbia University Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate in the MPH Program.   On the national front, she has been active in the leadership of several national injury prevention organizations, including Chair of the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section of the American Public Health Association, Chair of the Council of Centers for the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) and as Director of Health Policy and Population Health for the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. She currently chairs the Occupant Protection Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies and serves on the TRB Alcohol, Other Drugs and Transportation Committee. She holds a PhD from Duke University.

Register for the webinar

RESOURCE Healing Conversations

It is with great excitement that we announce that the Survivor Outreach Program is now: This program began 11 years ago as a peer-to-peer suicide loss survivor support program by an AFSP chapter and today, has nearly 500 trained volunteers, and is available all over the country. Healing Conversations gives those who have lost someone to suicide the opportunity to talk with our experienced volunteers to help answer questions and provide understanding of suicide loss. These AFSP volunteers, who are themselves survivors of suicide loss, are available in person, on the phone or by video chat, to offer understanding and guidance in the weeks and months following a suicide death. The volunteers know firsthand the pain associated with this type of loss, and can help provide understanding and empathy, as well as share community resources that may be useful on the road toward healing. We hope you like this new name, and refreshed look and voice of Healing Conversations as much as we do. Please help us spread the word by sharing one of the following messages: We are thrilled to announce that the Survivor Outreach Program is now Healing Conversations. Healing Conversations gives those who have lost someone to suicide the opportunity to talk with experienced volunteers. We hope you love the new name as much as we do.  We’ve got some exciting news! We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the new Healing Conversations. Previously known as Survivor Outreach Program, Healing Conversations better reflects this special peer-to-peer support system for suicide loss survivors. If you’ve recently lost someone to suicide, you are not alone. Request a visit with our Healing Conversations trained volunteers and take a step in your healing journey: afsp.org/healingconversations As always, thank you for all you do for the suicide loss survivors in your community, and for all those affected by suicide.   Learn more about Healing Conversations

2019 Public Health in the RockiesCall for Abstracts The theme of this year's conference is - Equity and Social Justice: Innovation at Elevation Public Health in the Rockies will take place at Keystone Conference Center from August 27 - 30.  The purpose of the 2019 Public Health in the Rockies Conference is to provide an opportunity for education, networking and skill development of professionals in Colorado and neighboring regions.  The Conference is designed to build a more competent public health workforce.  Please click here to submit an abstract for review.  Abstracts submissions will close on Friday, March 29

FUNDING The BUILD Health Challenge

The BUILD Health Challenge is looking to support up to 17 innovative collaboratives within the US that include a community-based organization, hospital or health system, and public health department working together in dynamic ways to address upstream challenges and drive sustainable improvements in community health. Inclusion of additional cross-sector partners such as health plans, businesses, foundations, and others that are aligned with the proposed efforts are encouraged.

Round 1 applications are due by April 5, 2019

BUILD awards are designed to support collaborations ready to put Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, Data-Driven plans into action. Organizations jointly applying for the Award should have a strong track record of working together; have developed their joint priorities and implementation plans with strong levels of community engagement and leadership; and be primed to advance equitable systems-level changes in their community.

Key activities should include, but are not limited to:

• Advancing systems level change, including policy solutions that will create more fair and just opportunities for health (e.g., changes in local laws, regulations, or organizational policies; shifts in funding, reimbursements, or resources).
• Collaborating strategically across organizations and sectors to enhance practices and ways of working.
• Expanding the range of committed partners to bring complementary sets of expertise, resources, and capacities to the table.
• Developing robust data-sharing and evaluation processes to inform intervention strategies, strengthen partnerships, improve the initiative, and measure impact.
• Engaging and empowering community members to inform strategy and guide activities.

APPLY TODAY

RESOURCE Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit

Welcome to the Mental Health in Rural Communities Toolkit. The toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations implementing mental health programs in rural communities across the United States, with a primary focus on adult mental health.

The modules in the toolkit contain resources and information focused on developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining rural mental health programs. There are more resources on general community health strategies available in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.

Module 1: Introduction
Overview of mental health in the U.S. and unique challenges that rural communities face.

Module 2: Program Models
Models for mental health programs.

Module 3: Program Clearinghouse
Examples of promising mental health programs that have been implemented in rural communities.

Module 4: Implementation
Important issues to consider and address when implementing a rural mental health program.

Module 5: Evaluation
Tools that can help with the evaluation of a mental health program.

Module 6: Sustainability
Resources to help with planning for the sustainability of a mental health program.

Module 7: Dissemination
Ideas and resources for disseminating findings from a mental health program.