Public Health Watch

late 2008

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#14- 2008

August 15, 2008

This periodical newsletter is sent via E-mail to all members and friends of the California Public Health Association-North. It is designed to provide updates and encourage networking and information exchanges. If you do not wish to receive it, please send a note to: office@cphan.org

Note to readers: If you have announcements for meetings, conferences and events that you want to share with a large public health audience, please send them to us. Please make the notices short -- who, what, when and where -- with plenty of advance notice and we'll try to include them. Send to ghildo@earthlink.net or office@cphan.org CPHA-N E-MAILER Newsletter

What's in this issue:

Dr. Alvin R. Leonard Memorial
"Greentools for Healthy Schools" Training Event to be held in Sacramento on September 11th-12th
Special program opportunity: Colorectal Cancer Community Forum - Fostering Advocacy on September 27th
Public Health Accreditation Board releases preliminary standards -- open for comment.
75% of every health care dollar goes for treating chronic diseases
Sacramento County Environmental Management Department wins the Samuel J. Crumbine Award
The number of uninsured U.S. young adults rose again in 2006
Updated clinical guidelines on treating tobacco use and prevention available
APHA Annual Meeting in San Diego October 26th - 29th; Registration and Housing Now Open
Congress approves Tobacco bill
Call for Applications: Collaboratives for Community Change
Agency for Health Research and Quality's Annual Conference - September 7th-10th in Bethesda
National Hispanic Medical Association’s 13th Annual National Conference -- March 19th-22d, 2009
Active Living Research announced the release of New Connections Call for Proposals (CFP).
Position Opening for Public Health Educator with San Joaquin County

Dr. Alvin R. Leonard Memorial

A memorial for Dr. Alvin R. Leonard will be held in Berkeley on October 19, 2008, in the afternoon. If you are interested in attending, please contact the Leonard family at: leonleg@ix.netcom.com with Subject line "Dr. Leonard memorial", or 510-215-1119.

Please identify yourself and your relationship to Dr. Leonard, in case the family doesn’t know you, and leave your contact information. You will be sent an invitation by e-mail or snail-mail, or you can get information by phone, whichever you prefer.

"Greentools for Healthy Schools" Training Event to be held in Sacramento on September 11th-12th

"Greentools for Healthy Schools" is the premier training event for professionals interested in creating healthy, environmentally responsible schools. Join them in California's capitol on September 11th-12th, 2008. This year, the conference will focus on climate change, high performance school policy and existing schools. These are called the BIG 3: the three largest challenges to the goal of creating healthy schools on a healthy planet. http://www.chps.net/greentools/index.htm

Special program opportunity: Colorectal Cancer Community Forum - Fostering Advocacy

The Colorectal Cancer Community Forum - Fostering Advocacy will be held at the UC Davis Cancer Center on Saturday September 27, 2008 from 10am - 2pm. The program is sponsored by the California Colorectal Cancer Coalition ('C4') that was formed in September, 2007. C4's mission is to save lives and reduce the number of Californians suffering from colorectal cancer. For more information, to register or to download the brochure, go to: www.cacoloncancer.org or contact: Shauntay Davis at (916) 779-0118 or email her at: Shautay.davis@cdph.ca.gov (*) A light breakfast will be served.

UC Berkeley, School of Public Health Educational Programs Center for Infectious Disease & Emergency Readiness (CIDER) Fall Courses

To register for any of the fall courses, please fill out the registration form and return to Center for Infectious Disease & Emergency Readiness at 1918 University Avenue, 4th floor, Berkeley, California 94704-7350. You may also fax the form to (510) 643-4926. Courses Begin: August 27th and end December 10th, 2008. Course dates may change http://idready.org/documents/Registration_Form_Fall_Summer08.pdf

Applied Epidemiology Using R
Tomás Aragón, M.D., Dr.P.H., Director and Medical Epidemiologist, Center for Infectious Disease & Emergency Readiness Tuesdays, 12 - 2 p.m. 2311 Tolman Hall. Free for no credit

Course Description: This is an intensive, one-semester introduction to the R programming language for applied epidemiology. R is a freely available, multi-platform (Mac OS, Linux, and Windows, etc.), versatile, and powerful program for statistical computing and graphics (http://www.r-project.org). This course will focus on core basics of organizing, managing, and manipulating epidemiologic data; basic epidemiologic applications; introduction to R programming; and basic R graphics.

PH 257B: Public Health Preparedness & Emergency Response
Tomás Aragón, M.D., DrPH, Director and Medical Epidemiologist, Center for Infectious Disease & Emergency Readiness; Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 2304 Tolman Hall. Free for no credit

Course Description: This one-semester course is an intensive introduction to public health emergency preparedness and response, and covers the following topic areas: the role of public health in disasters, natural disasters and severe weather, intentional mass threats (CBRNE), detecting and monitoring public health threats, post-disaster sampling, surveys, and rapid needs assessments, public health emergency incident management system, emergency operations planning and exercises, infectious disease emergency readiness, environmental health emergency readiness, mental health emergency readiness, special needs and vulnerable populations, essentials of public health leadership during a disaster, essentials of crisis risk communication, essentials of investigating outbreaks, disaster medicine and mass casualty care, and personal and community disaster preparedness.

Public Health Accreditation Board releases preliminary standards

On August 1st, the Public Health Accreditation Board released preliminary standards, domains and measures for its voluntary national accreditation program, which is under development. The standards, which are online now, are designed to help government health departments evaluate and upgrade their programs. Comments are now being sought on the proposed standards that will be used as part of an accrediting program for health departments. Launched in May 2007, the Public Health Accreditation Board has a goal of accrediting all of the nation's public health agencies, including state and local health departments. Accreditation via the national Board, which will be voluntary, is slated to begin in 2011. For information, or to comment on the standards, visit www.phaboard.org

75% of every health care dollar goes for treating chronic diseases

More than 30 million Americans are living with one or more chronic diseases, with more than 75 cents of every health care dollar going toward treating such conditions, most of which are preventable. Current chronic disease costs are little when compared to the price the nation could pay in the future, according to a report released in June by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. With chronic disease diagnoses expected to increase in coming years, the report called for increased preventive measures, better health education and promotion, and a more supportive health care infrastructure. According to the report, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases affect all age groups, both women , men, and especially minority communities. In fact, blacks and Hispanics are one-and-a-half to two times more likely than whites to be affected. For a copy of the Almanac of Chronic Disease, 2008 Edition,” visit www.fightchronicdisease.org/resources

Sacramento County Environmental Management Department wins the Samuel J. Crumbine Award

Congratulations to the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department on winning the Samuel J. Crumbine Award in recognition of its comprehensive Retail Food Program. The award, supported by the Conference for Food Protection in cooperation with groups such as APHA, acknowledges local environmental health jurisdictions that demonstrate excellence and improvement in a comprehensive food protection program. The Sacramento County program works to ensure food safety and regulation compliance at more than 7,000 retail food locations, including restaurants, farmers' markets, schools and health facilities that serve 1.4 million residents and 6 million visitors. For more information on the Crumbine Award and to read Sacramento County's award application, visit www.fpi.org

THE NUMBER of uninsured U.S. young adults rose again in 2006, with Hispanic and black Americans at greatest risk for lacking coverage.

A Commonwealth Fund issue brief released in May found the number of uninsured adults ages 19-29 rose to 13.7 million in 2006. Adults in that age group represent the largest and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population without health insurance. Nearly half of the uninsured adults are white, according to the study, but Hispanics are disproportionately represented, making up 19 percent of adults ages 19-29 but 33 percent of uninsured young adults. The report found 66 percent of young adults who had a time without insurance coverage in the past year had gone without needed medical care because of cost, and half reported problems paying medical bills or were paying medical debt over time.

“Rite of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help, 2008 Update,” is available at www.commonwealthfund.org

Updated clinical guidelines on treating tobacco use and prevention

Released by the U.S. Public Health Service this May, the guideline was developed by a 24-member, private-sector panel of leading national tobacco experts who reviewed more than 8,700 research articles published between 1975 and 2007. The new guidelines, endorsed by APHA and 57 other organizations, also found evidence that counseling alone or in conjunction with medication can greatly increase a person’s success in kicking the cigarette habit.

“Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update” is online at www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/default.htm.

APHA Annual Meeting in San Diego October 26th - 29th Registration and Housing Are Now Open

Attendees can now access the official Registration and Housing Web site for the 2008 Annual Meeting in San Diego. Complete your on-line meeting registration and select the link for APHA Housing and your data will pre-populate on the on-line hotel/housing form for one-stop convenience. In order to confirm hotel reservations, discounted rates at official APHA Annual Meeting hotels and access complimentary shuttle bus service to the convention center, attendees must make their hotel reservations through APHA Housing Services. The Opening General Session will take place on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 12 p.m.–2 p.m. at the San Diego Convention Center. Special Opening General Session keynote speakers will be announced shortly. For the most up-to-date information, go to www.apha.org/meetings.

Congress approves Tobacco bill

Thanks for your efforts, the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bill by a veto-proof vote of 326-102 ! This strong bipartisan action clears the way for the Senate vote in the fall.

Call for Applications: Collaboratives for Community Change

Transforming Communities: Technical Assistance, Training and Resource Center (TC-TAT) is currently seeking leadership teams to carry out sustainable domestic violence prevention efforts in their local community. Through Collaboratives for Community Change, teams of faith/spiritual leaders and domestic violence prevention advocates will be able to partner and take the important step of introducing a change in a local prevention policy, practice, procedure, or protocol to create long-term change in their communities. Qualifying teams will participate in TC-TAT‘s comprehensive Technical Assistance Program, to include training, tools, and ongoing coaching support to carry out their prevention efforts. Applying teams may also participate in a competitive mini-grant process (up to $5000) to design and carry out these efforts, funded by the California Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control (EPIC) Branch.

Qualifications & Requirements: Previous experience with the Faith in Violence-Free Families (FVFF) Project is required by a minimum of one applicant per team. Participation with the FVFF Project may include activities such as attending or facilitating a previous FVFF workshop, or acting as an Advisory Group member. Ideal teams will be composed of at least one domestic violence advocate and one faith community member. Teams must identify two leaders who will participate fully in all project requirements, including attending all trainings and technical assistance sessions (via phone and in person when applicable). Additional team members are permitted, however they are not required to attend trainings and TA. Qualifying leadership teams selected to participate in TC-TAT’s comprehensive program to receive programmatic and financial assistance must attend a two-and-a-half (2.5) day training to be held October 27-29, 2008 in Sacramento. Travel to this training will be provided for by TC-TAT. This training will provide the structure and coaching for teams to design their work plans for building or enhancing a local collaborative network through which to implement one or more organizational or community-based policy/procedural changes over the course of 6-12 months. DEADLINE TO APPLY IS October 1, 2008

For more information about this program contact Elouise Burrell, TC-TAT Project Coordinator: eburrell@transformcommunities.org (415) 526-2553 Voice / (415) 457-2421 TTY / (415) 457-6457 Fax

Agency for Health Research and Quality's Annual Conference: September 7th-10th in Bethesda

Register now for AHRQ’s 2008 Annual Conference, which will be held September 7th-10th in Bethesda, MD. Leading national experts will hold sessions on patient safety, health IT, comparative effectiveness research, disease prevention and care management, and innovations in health care. For additional information about attending this year’s conference go to : www.ahrq.gov

The National Hispanic Medical Association’s 13th Annual National Conference: March 19th-22d, 2009, in New York

The National Hispanic Medical Association’s 13th Annual National Conference will occur on March 19th-22d, 2009, at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. You are asked to nominate a speaker, or to nominate yourself as a speaker, to present during the conference. The final roster of speakers is chosen by our Conference Planning Committee. The deadline to submit an abstract Is September 12th. The conference focuses on Hispanic Health – strategies to improve the health of our communities through policy, health professions’ education, research and clinical programs. You are encouraged to pass this on to your colleagues. If you have any questions, contact: Michael Barnard, National Hispanic Medical Association 1411 K St. NW Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 www.nhmamd.org

Active Living Research announced the release of ALR 2008-RWJF New Connections Call for Proposals (CFP).

This CFP will focus on supporting research to inform policy and environmental strategies for increasing physical activity among children and adolescents, decreasing their sedentary behaviors and preventing obesity. This CFP is a funding opportunity from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) for New Connections grants through ALR. New Connections grants are for new investigators from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. Two types of grants will be funded under this CFP: research grants and publication grants. Approximately $286,000 will be awarded for research and publication grants relating to youth physical activity and sedentary behavior at the population level. Information on the two funding categories is outlined in the CFP document. Proposals must be submitted through the RWJF Grantmaking Online system. The full proposal submission deadline is Thursday, August 28th, 2008, 1:OO p.m. PDT. Review the CFP and to link to the RWJF Grantmaking Online system, please visit our Web site at http://www.activelivingresearch.org/grantsearch/grantopportunities/current. To learn more about the RWJF New Connections Program, including New Connections grant funding opportunities in other content areas, please visit
www.rwjf-newconnections.org

Position Opening for Public Health Educator with San Joaquin County

Applications are being accepted for a Public Health Educator position with San Joaquin County, California. The monthly salary: $4505 – 5,475. Employment application must be submitted to the Human Resources Division by 5PM on August 15, 2008. Reference: Job Bulletin #RS4101-00000708-01. Apply online at the Website: www.sjgov.org/hr San Joaquin County Human Resources Division, 24 S. Hunter St., Room 106 Stockton, CA 95202 (209) 468-3370

Your CPHA-N is a non-profit organization with IRS Tax donation/deduction status. Our main funding support comes from membership dues and member support. If you are looking for a special 'charity,' we are right here. We are currently seeking contributions to our 2008 Program Enhancement Fund This fund is needed to support additional CE programs and member services and to expand these to more areas of Northern California.

Making a donation is easy: Just go to our Website www.cphan.org. You'll find a secure way to donate, plus you'll get a receipt for your personal tax records. If you prefer, just send a check payable to 'CPHA-N ' to our office: 555 12th St. 10th Fl. Oakland CA 94607

Posted 8/20/08

#13 - 2008

July 27, 2008

What's in this issue:

Interactive Forum looks at shocking impacts on the nation’s health of Transportation, Farm Bills -- July 29th
REMINDER: Two CPHA-N leaders are candidates for APHA positions -- let's support them.
Some of our own -- doing all they can -- and then some!
Nevada Public Health Association’s annual conference this year in Las Vegas
Keep up with what's new at the National Academies
Fifth Conference on Public Health, Law, and Obesity, September 19-21, 2008, in Boston
Save The Date! CPEHN Fall Convenings
Free program for organizations : "Pandemic Influenza: Are You Prepared?”
Environmental Services Manager for the City of El Cerrito, CA
Oakland Food Policy Council Coordinator at Food First, Oakland
Associate Director, Quality Improvement -- CPCA
Repeat: CPHA-N is seeking qualified candidate for Part-time Association Business Manager

July 29th: Interactive Forum Looks at Shocking Impacts of Transportation, Farm Bills on the Nation's Health

Truckers, farmers, and soybean futures aren't the only things influenced by the nation's massive Farm and Transportation Bills. A panel of experts will present a free Web Forum to unveil the surprising and sometimes alarming impacts these same bills can have on the nation's health. Scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, "Tractors, Trucks and Trains -- How Federal Farm and Transportation Policy Impacts Our Health," will explore the health implications of these bills, as well as strategies that advocates are using to reshape these as health-driven legislation.

The Web Forum will convene national experts to lead an interactive discussion that invites participation from computer users all over America. Speakers will include: Dr. Anne Haddix, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Derek Miller, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition & Forestry; Tom Neuman, California Department of Transportation; Larry Cohen, Prevention Institute; Lorelei DiSogra, United Fresh Produce Association (invited), and Katherine Perez, Forest City Residential West, Inc. Matthew Marsom from the California Department of Public Health will moderate the 90-minute Web Forum.

This first Dialogue4Health Web Forum begins at noon (PST) on July 29 and is open to all participants free of charge. Dialogue4Health is presented by the California Health Strategies Collaborative, a project of the Public Health Institute. Register Now! Call (510) 285-5690.

REMINDER: Two CPHA-N Leaders are candidates for APHA positions: let's support them.

Support these outstanding CPHA-N members in their campaigns for leadership positions with APHA. Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH, former president of CPHA-N and former Executive Board member of APHA, is a candidate for the Office of President of APHA. Diana Conti, a current CPHA-N Governing Council member, is a candidate for the APHA Executive Board. The CPHA-N Governing Council unanimously endorses them and encourages your support. For information on each of them and their qualifications, see 'Candidate Statements' at the end of this issue.

Some of our own -- doing all they can -- and then some!

CPHA-N's special advisor on health insurance, Ellen Shaffer, PhD, MPH, is leading efforts to forge a coalition to address the current issues of universal health insurance and public health. If you are interested in helping with this effort please send a note to Ellen c/o the CPHA-N Office: office@cphan.org

Former CPHA-N President, Glenn I. Hildebrand, MPH is the Chair of the California Dialogue on Cancer. CDOC is implementing the California Comprehensive Plan for Cancer Control. Information on CDOC is available at their Website: www.cdoc-online.org
P.S. Glenn is also the current Membership Chair for CPHA-N and is always looking for new members!

Nevada Public Health Association’s annual conference this year in Las Vegas

Our colleagues in Nevada asked us to post this meeting notice and extend an invitation to their Annual Meeting. The Nevada Public Health Association’s annual conference will be held in Las Vegas on October 2/3 at the Alexis Park Resort. This year’s conference has several over-arching main topics including: social marketing, public health accreditation, urban sustainability, the Tobacco Master Settlement, and the Hepatitis C outbreak in Las Vegas. They will also be having some breakout sessions and are currently accepting abstracts for them (through Aug. 1st). For full information, please visit their Website at: http://www.nphaonline.org/ .

Keep up with what's new at the National Academies

Keep up with what's new at the National Academies by subscribing to a free e-mail digest, a weekly message with links to the latest reports, projects, press releases and other resources on the National Academies Web site. http://www.nationalacademies.org The Spring 2008 edition of Issues in Science and Technology is now available for free online. Contents include articles on achieving cost-effectiveness while maintaining high quality in health care, nuclear safeguards, threats to animal migration, and the research and development needs of the intelligence community.

The articles on controlling health care costs are of special interest at: http://www.issues.org/24.4/forum.html

Fifth Conference on Public Health, Law, and Obesity - September 19-21, 2008, in Boston

"AN OBESITY AGENDA FOR THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION" Sponsored by The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) and Public Health Law & Policy (PHLP). Reservations: brownpapertickets.com/event/37170. Register before August 15th to recevve the discounted registration rate. The Marriott Boston Copley Place is holding a block of rooms at a discounted rate for the conference. For hotel reservations, please call 1-617-236-5800

The Conference goal is to generate a set of obesity policy recommendations for the incoming presidential transition team in an interactive setting. Hear and contribute new ideas and proposals and work with colleagues to develop truly effective strategies that have a real impact on obesity at this agenda-setting conference.

There are more than 20 significant speakers coming together at this agenda setting conference, including MARICE ASHE, JD, MPH, Director, Public Health Law & Policy; FRANK CHALOUPKA, PhD, Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago; DR. MICHEL CHAULIAC, French Ministry of Health; ROBERT GARCIA ,JD. Executive Director and Counsel, The City Project; DAVID LUDWIG, MD, PhD, Associate Director, General Clinical Research Center, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA ; MARION NESTLE, PhD, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University; NEVILLE RIGBY, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, International Obesity Task Force; DR. LYNN SILVER, Assistant Commissioner, New York City Health and Mental Hygiene.

Save The Date! California Pan Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) Fall Convenings

Have you ever wondered how to make your community healthier but weren't sure how? One way is through participating in land use and zoning decisions -- and it's time to make health a part of these policies. Learn how to get involved and use concrete tools and strategies to make a difference in the health of our communities.

Convening Dates: Fresno -- October 23, 2008; San Diego -- October 30, 2008; Oakland -- November 6, 2008; Los Angeles -- November 18, 2008

The training will be conducted by staff of Public Health Law and Policy's "Planning for Healthy Places" project and will provide participants with a deep understanding of land use, economic development, and redevelopment processes, policies, and strategies that might be used to create healthier environments. This convening follows the themes of our spring convening series, The Path to Healthy Communities: Place-Based Solutions to Achieving Health Equity. Registration and more information will be available in September. Be on the lookout for an announcement in a few months. Please contact Ruben Cantu at rcantu@cpehn.org for more information or if you are interested in being a local area co-host.

Free program for organization: "Pandemic Influenza: Are You Prepared? An Alameda County Community Forum” on Aug 5th

“Pandemic Influenza: Are You Prepared? An Alameda County Community Forum” for organizations on Tuesday August 5, 2008, from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm at Preservation Park, Nile Hall, 668 13th Street, Oakland (13th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way). (Includes continental breakfast, lunch and program materials). For more information and to register on-line: http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/ppls/pandemic-planning/flyer.pdf
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP 14893, for 5 Contact Hours. This course has been approved for 5 hours of continuing education by an approved California EMS CE Provider and is instructor-based California EMS CE Provider # 01 – 0001.

8:30-9:00: Registration/Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:10: Welcome and Introduction
9:10-10:45: The Lifecycle of a Pandemic Flu Event
10:45-11:00: Break
11:00-12:00: Alameda County Resource Coordination and Communication
12:00-1:00: Lunch
1:00 -1:45: Breakout Session 1
1:45-2:30: Breakout Session 2
2:30-3:15: Breakout Session 3
3:15-4:00: General Session

Afternoon breakout session options: 1) Security without a Bouncer; 2) SEMS/NIMS/ICS - A First Responders Approach; 3) Risk Communications: Getting it straight the first time (...and what happens if you don't); 4) Fatality Management: Addressing the Reality; 5) Dispensing Medicine to the Masses; 6) Mental Health in a Pan Flu Event; 7) Community Care - Keeping the Sick Home; 8) Caring for Patients: What Can the Health System Handle?; 9) Volunteers – How Do We Use Them?

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Environmental Services Manager for the City of El Cerrito, CA

This is a management position, leading the City's Environmental Services Division. The position is responsible for the activities and operations of the division including implementation of environmental and waste management programs, curbside recycling and center operations, garbage and organics franchise, NPDES permitting and public information education functions, Climate Action/Carbon Footprint Reduction, creek protection, environmental purchasing, green building, green transportation, universal and hazardous waste disposal and related grants. The position will monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures.

The successful applicant will have a thorough knowledge of principles and operational characteristics, services and activities of waste management, recycling and environmental protection programs; six years of experience in environmental programs area, including two years of supervisory/management responsibility; and, the equivalent of a Bachelors degree in environmental studies, public administration, or related field. El Cerrito (24,000 population) is a San Francisco Bay Area community with a diverse population and housing mix. Salary $7,457 - $9,322 monthly and excellent benefits. First application review August 4, 2008 and will continue until filled.

Application packet may be obtained from Employee Services, City of El Cerrito, 10940 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530. Phone: (510) 466-5005

Oakland Food Policy Council Coordinator at Food First, Oakland, California: Full-time, permanent senior position

Food First, the City of Oakland, and various community-based organizations (CBOs) are collaborating to build greater food security and a sustainable city food system by the establishment of an Oakland Food Policy Council (OFPC) to advance public policies that favor locally owned neighborhood food systems. The Food Policy Council Coordinator should provide structure, vision, and direction for the Council. The Food Policy Council Coordinator will engage government, communities and the private sector in Oakland to develop a strategic plan for a sustainable food system; will actively advocate for and support implementation of new and existing food policies and programs, will raise funds for the OFPC. Salary is commensurate with experience. Food First is an Equal Opportunity employer. Oakland residents are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply: Please send or e-mail your resume, cover letter, salary requirements and a writing sample to conner.heidi@gmail.com. For further background information see the 2006 Oakland Food Assessment http://oaklandfoodsystem.pbwiki.com/ or visit our website at http://www.foodfirst.org/

California Primary Care Association has the following employment opportunity available: Associate Director, Quality Improvement

The Associate Director, Quality Improvement, position will work to strengthen California’s nonprofit outpatient safety net by overseeing statewide quality improvement (QI) projects. Support regional associations and community clinics and health centers to improve the quality of care to clinic patients, build capacity for quality improvement at the regional association and clinic level. Initially, this position will provide leadership, direction and oversight to the Accelerating Quality Improvement through Collaboration (AQIC) project which is designed to strengthen and spread quality improvement processes at the individual clinic level, regionally at the consortia level, and at the state level.

Application Procedure:
Mail or FAX Cover letter, resume, three professional references and salary requirements to: California Primary Care Association, 1215 K Street, Suite 700 Sacramento, CA 95814 FAX: 916-440-8172

Contra Costa County has two openings for Public Health Program Specialists

Contra Costa County has two openings for Public Health Program Specialists I in the STD and HIV Programs. Applications are being accepted beginning July 7, 2008. The opening in STD is for the STD Program Manager, who is responsible for the daily operations of the STD program and supervision of the STD Investigators and office staff. This is a busy and interesting office with motivated staff. This position reports to the CD Program Chief. Previous STD program experience helpful.

The HIV Program position will assist with budget oversight, contract/grants and administrative tasks within the HIV Program. This is a very busy program with a heavy budget and administrative workload. The staff is interested and motivated. This position reports to the AIDS Program Director. Previous budget, personnel and/or contracts experience helpful.

Permanent/benefitted Salary $5214 - 6344/month Apply on line at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/hr/

CPHA-N IS SEEKING A PART-TIME CPHA-N BUSINESS MANAGER CONTRACTOR

The California Public Health Association – North, a California 501(c )(3) organization, affiliated with the American Public Health Association, is seeking a part-time Association Business Manager contractor.

Core Tasks: Coordinating and implementing membership operations: Establishing and operating strong member acquisition and retention programs, monitoring membership renewals, mailing out membership solicitations to new prospects, etc.

Financial support functions: Routing checks for signatures, receiving and depositing incoming checks, paying authorized bills, tracking revenues and expenditures to projects, financial reporting, keeping insurance current, etc.

General Governing Council (Board) support: Meeting reminders, distribution (not generation) of agendas, etc.

Records maintenance: Retention of minutes and handouts; legal documents, Continuing Education documentation;,

Communication, correspondence monitoring and routing: Checking Association phone, fax, e-mail and regular post; distributing as appropriate; establishing conference call arrangements; working with Website manager.

Optional:
1) Event support: Managing generating, distributing event notices; establishing and maintaining contacts with speakers and sponsors overseeing registration; managing event budget, and logistics, including dealing with the venue, making food arrangements, overnight accommodation, etc.

2) Accounting functions, with associated generation of annual tax and other forms. CPHA-N currently has a contract bookkeeper and may retain same; open to change

3) Annual Meeting Support: The Association conducts an annual meeting, currently spanning two days. This requires facility contracting, publicity production and generation, speaker and sponsor tracking, support to the Annual Meeting Program Committee.

Skills: Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously; Excellent communication skills; Computer skills: Word, Excel, Quick Books PowerPoint, web-based questionnaire programs, web-based meeting scheduling

Location: Primarily work at home, sometimes some on-site event work or attendance at Governing Council meetings in downtown Oakland
Hours: Variable, approx 10 hrs per week, not including annual meeting, special events, or accounting.
Location: Much work can be done from home office.

Responses should include: Experience (if any), qualifications in the major tasks, familiarity with named computer programs, Web-related skills; References (preferably current clients for similar services); Hourly rate or other compensation expectations.

If interested, please submit a proposal to CPHA-N, c/o Giorgio Piccagli, President, at office@cphan.org

Carmen Rita Nevarez, MD, MPH - Candidate's Statement for position of President-Elect of APHA

EMPLOYMENT
Vice President of External Relations and Preventive Medicine Advisor
Public Health Institute 555 12th Street, 10th floor Oakland, California 94607

EDUCATION
M.P.H., University of California, Berkeley
M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

It is an honor to run for the position of president-elect. My background and history of work speaks to my qualifications. It is broad, including work in government, academia and the non-profit sectors. I have served as a local health officer, worked in an academic public health environment, and have spent the majority of my career working within a non-profit environment, interfacing with organizations and communities to improve health. I served as a member of APHA’s Executive Board and served two terms as president of my. I am well versed in the in the issues this organization faces.
But the future work of public health cannot rely on one’s history of involvement. We need to be ready to move forward, anticipate every opportunity to take the unique knowledge we have developed into the policy arena. We are challenged by the legacy of diminished political will, capacity, and leadership to address new threats to the public’s health, including those wrought by global trade and its impact on the environment, movement of populations unfamiliar with American systems, and a changing, youthful, and diversifying population whose health issues challenge the traditional administrative structures of public health. Addressing climate change and chronic disease requires public health’s specialized insights and skills.

Public health work is defined by its reliance on evidence, promotion of broad collaborations and commitment to advocating for the health of all. The upcoming national elections offer us the opportunity to take this message of social justice forward, backed by the evidence developed by public health workers worldwide, tested through countless collaborative efforts.
I would be honored to serve as your president and help to move the public health message forward.

APHA and Related Professional Activities updated 2008
APHA: Member Executive Board, 2002-2005; Latino Caucus Member 1984-present; Vice President Latino Caucus 1997-1999; California Public Health Association-North- Member 1991-Present; President 2000 & 2001; VP-Program 1995; Governing Council Member-at-Large 1992; APHA-California Executive Planning Committee member, Campaign to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health 2001; California Center for Public Health Advocacy, Chair of Board of Directors, a joint project of California affiliates 1999-present. Member APHA since 1984; Other Professional Activities: Mapping Inequality- Geographic factors underlying health disparities- Co-Chair, 2008; Partnership for Prevention, Board member, elected 2006; Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, current Vice Chair, 2004-present; California-Mexico Health Initiative, Board member since 2004; California Office of Binational Border Health – Advisory Board member since 2006; co-Chair of Chronic Disease binational working group; Disparity Reducing Advances Partnership participant 2008; Maternal-Child Health Cuba Study tour 2003; California DHS Director Nominee and Participant, European Study Tour to Review Teen Pregnancy 2001; UC-CDC Public Health Leadership Institute, Inaugural Class 1991, Advisory to California Health Interview Survey for instrument design specific to racial and ethnic health parameters; Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects, Public Health Institute, 2001-2002; Management Team 1996-2000, Faculty- Community Building for Community Health 1999-2000, Political and Social Change 1997-1998, Multicultural Health 1993; Pacific Institute for Women’s Health, Vice President, Board of Directors 1999-2000, Institute Associate; Women's Health Leadership Institute, Center for Collaborative Planning Advisory Board 1994-1999, Faculty 1994-1996; California Conference of Local Health Officers member 1982-1992; Founding Committee and Board of Directors Member Berkeley Primary Care Access Clinic 1996; Board member Life Long Medical Care 1998-2000; Alta Bates Medical Center, Berkeley, Planning & Marketing Committee 1996-2000, Finance Committee 1989-1993; Interim Board of Directors of Native American Health Board Inc, Oakland, CA 1996; California DHS Multicultural Health Task Force, Steering Committee Member 1993-1996; Berkeley Community Fund Board 1995; Blue Ribbon Committee member to Review Los Angeles County Public Health Department 1994; Media Experience: I have provided expert commentaries on issues such as teen pregnancy prevention, childhood obesity, school nutrition and the prevention of chronic disease, for: Associated Press, National Public Radio, Los Angeles Times, Oakland Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Tri-Valley Herald, and Bakersfield Californian and provided invited testimony to the California Legislature on public health issues.

Diana M. Conti - Candidate’s Statement for Executive Board position

APHA has used science-based policies and practices to have significant impact on public health for 136 years. It is an impressive legacy for public health and social justice. As an organization APHA must continue to evolve and adapt in order to have the greatest possible outcomes for: healthy communities, a comprehensive range of public health issues, and a global economy. APHA must use its scientific credibility and the voices of its 30,000 members to be an active force in setting and implementing public health priorities. It must also make sure the organization can sustain itself long-term and it must be able to support its membership units and Affiliates in order to coalesce their many priorities into a potent strategy for change.

As a member of the Executive Board I would work to balance needs, build consensus, and assure that APHA:
Focuses its policy efforts and increases its impact on the nation’s health;
Provides adequate support for membership units and Affiliates to build on their expertise and priorities and increase public health impact;
Increases membership and student involvement;
Develops long-term sustainability for the organization.

As an executive director of nonprofits for nearly 30 years, as a public policy consultant, and as a leader of more than 25 boards and commissions, I am skilled at organizational governance and sustainability, advocacy, fundraising, strategic planning and building consensus.

I know the possibilities and challenges of the various facets of APHA through my many roles including:
Chair, Intersectional Council (ISC) Steering Committee
Chair ATOD Section
Ex-officio member, Executive Board
TFAIR and numerous APHA committees
Development Committee Chair, Governing Council of California Public Health Association-North.

APHA can lead the country in establishing universal health care, protecting the environment, eliminating health disparities, and restoring the public health infrastructure.

Posted 7/30/08

#12 - 2008

June 23, 2008

This is a special issue of the E-MAILER, with several important Association announcements.

CPHA-N Leaders Running for APHA Offices
Help Needed to Plan 2009 Annual Meeting
CPHA-N Seeking a Part-Time Association Business Manager

CPHA-N Leaders Are Running for APHA Offices We need strong representation at APHA and these two will make it happen. Please support them to enhance our voice in national affairs.

Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH: Past President of CPHA-N; candidate for the APHA President
Diana Conti: Member of the CPHA-N Governing Council; candidate for the APHA Executive Board

Information on each of them will be posted in the next issue.

PLANS FOR SPRING 2009 ANNUAL MEETING UNDER WAY –
YOUR HELP IS REQUESTED

The 2009 Annual Meeting will again bring both CPHA-N and SCPHA together for a state-wide meeting. It will be hosted by CPHA-N this time (the 2007 joint conference was held in Long Beach).

The Conference Planning Committee would like your suggestions for:

Conference Theme -- What ideas do you have that will hit the mark for this major public health program for spring 2009?
Key topics for both plenary and breakout sessions -- What topics will be of value to meet your and your colleagues' continuing education needs?
Location -- We need a northern California site that can accommodate 250+ participants for a 2-day program and has state-of-the-art electronic communications capacities.

Best dates in March, April, or May; usually held on a Thursday and Friday. Is Saturday an option?

Volunteers -- If you're interested in getting involved or know someone who is, let me know. Got some ideas to share? Are you interested in helping with the program design? Please contact Jacquolyn Duerr at jacquolyn.duerr@cdph.ca.gov or office@cphan.org

The Healthy Eating Active Living Campaign for California Cities: A New Project

The California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) and the League of California Cities recently launched The Healthy Eating Active Living Campaign for California Cities. The project will work with city officials to adopt local policies to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments in California cities. Kaiser Permanente North and South and the California Vitamin Consumers Case Settlement Fund have funded the three-year project. If you are working on nutrition and physical activity policy in your city, we are eager to learn about your efforts. Contact Charlotte Dickson (cd@publichealthadvocacty.org or 510 302-3387) or Francisco Dominguez (fd@publichealthadvocacy.org or 408 314-9910).

Decrease Costs to Increase Health Care Coverage by Dwight K. Bartlett

During the recent U.S. presidential primary campaign, the candidates talked frequently about proposals to reduce the 47 million people in this country without health insurance by measures such as expanding eligibility for Medicaid and requiring that individuals buy coverage or pay a fine. What they failed to do is recognize that the lack of coverage is merely a symptom of a larger problem: the high cost of medical care, which makes insurance unaffordable for many.

US health expenditures as a percentage of gross domestic product run around 16 percent, far in excess of any other technologically advanced country. And we get less for it, as measured by statistics reflecting health status such as life or expectancy at birth and infant mortality rates. We can only hope that in the coming presidential election campaign, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama will shift their focus from symptom to cause.

Reforms aimed at controlling medical care costs should recognize the following: Much of the medical care delivered in the U.S. – perhaps 30 percent to 40 percent – is unnecessary, wasteful, even dangerous. Incentives to provide unnecessary care need to be removed. Providing reimbursement to providers on a capitated, rather than fee-for-service, basis might help. Capitation means the provider is compensated on the basis of the number of people for whose medical care he is responsible rather than the cost of the services provided, motivating the provider to keep costs low.

Medical care decisions should reflect protocols developed as a result of experienced-based effectiveness studies.

Open-ended medical malpractice tort liability leads providers to practice defensive medicine excessively, ordering tests and procedures to eliminate the possibility of being sued. Capping awards for non-economic damage such as pain and suffering would help. We must make better use of technology to improve communications between providers in the interest of carrying out a well coordinated treatment program for a patient. Too often, uncoordinated care results in duplicated or conflicting procedures.

Health care administration expenses could be lowered by discouraging the enormous multiplicity of competing insurance plans, each which has its rules of what is covered, how to file claims, and so on. For many small plans, administrative expenses run as high as 35percent of the premium. Medicare, whose administrative expenses run about 2 percent shows the economies of scale. More uniform regulation of health insurance plans at the federal, rather than state, level might help.

There may well be other reforms as useful, or more so, than these. Let us hope they can be identified during the presidential campaign and implemented by the successful candidate.

Dwight K. Bartlett was chief actuary for the Social Security Administration from 1979 to 1981 and Maryland Insurance Commissioner from 1993 to 1997. From The Baltimore Sun and SF Examiner June 27, 2008

NEW HEALTHFINDER.GOV

healthfinder.gov has been redesigned to give you even more news, tips, and tools to stay healthy! The site features these new and easy-to-use features:

Quick Guide to Healthy Living-Discover the top five things you can do to stay healthy.
Myhealthflnder-Find out which important screening tests you need this year. Plus: get other health recommendations based on your age and sex.
Personal Health Tools- How healthy are you? Take a quiz to learn about your health and lifestyle.

Give your feedback on the new site while it in beta. Visit http://beta.healthfinder.gov and click on the feedback Icon! healthfinder.gov is a consumer health information Web site sponsored by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Seeking a Part-Time CPHA-N Business Manager Contractor

The California Public Health Association – North, a California 501(c )(3) organization, affiliated with the American Public Health Association, is seeking a part-time Association Business Manager contractor.

Core Tasks:

Coordinating and implementing membership operations: Establishing and operating strong member acquisition and retention programs, monitoring membership renewals, mailing out membership solicitations to new prospects, etc.
Financial support functions: Routing checks for signatures, receiving and depositing incoming checks, paying authorized bills, tracking revenues and expenditures to projects, financial reporting, keeping insurance current, etc.
General Governing Council (Board) support: Meeting reminders, distribution (not generation) of agendas, etc.
Records maintenance: Retention of minutes and handouts; legal documents, Continuing Education documentation
Communication, correspondence monitoring and routing: Checking Association phone, fax, e-mail and regular post; distributing as appropriate; establishing conference call arrangements; working with Website manager.

Optional:

Event support: Managing generating, distributing event notices; establishing and maintaining contacts with speakers and sponsors overseeing registration; managing event budget, and logistics, including dealing with the venue, making food arrangements, overnight accommodation, etc.
Accounting functions, with associated generation of annual tax and other forms. CPHA-N currently has a contract bookkeeper and may retain same; open to change
Annual Meeting Support: The Association conducts an annual meeting, currently spanning two days. This requires facility contracting, publicity production and generation, speaker and sponsor tracking, support to the Annual Meeting Program Committee.

Skills: Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously; Excellent communication skills

Computer skills: Word, Excel, Quick Books PowerPoint, web-based questionnaire programs, web-based meeting scheduling

Location: Primarily work at home, sometimes some on-site event work or attendance at Governing Council meetings in downtown Oakland

Hours: Variable, approx 10 hrs per week, not including annual meeting, special events, or accounting.

Location: Much work can be done from home office.

Responses should include: Experience (if any), qualifications in the major tasks, familiarity with named computer programs, Web-related skills; References (preferably current clients for similar services); Hourly rate or other compensation expectations.

If interested, please submit a proposal to CPHA-N, c/o Giorgio Piccagli, President, at office@cphan.org

California State Government Affairs Director

The Environmental Working Group, an environmental research and advocacy organization with offices in Washington, DC and Oakland, CA, seeks a California State Government Relations Director to represent us on legislative and regulatory issues. The Director will be based in Sacramento, and will report to EWG's Vice President/West Coast in Oakland and its Director of Government Affairs in Washington. Salary is commensurate with experience and expertise. EWG offers excellent health care and other benefits, including a matched 403-B savings plan. EWG is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates from diverse
backgrounds are encouraged to apply. How to apply Send resume, a thoughtful, substantive cover letter discussing why you want to work for EWG, and at least two writing samples to , employment@ewg.org. Please, no phone calls.

Executive Director - Joint US-China Cooperation on Clean Energy (JUCCCE)

JUCCCE seeks an experienced, creative, mature, visionary leader to fill the position of Executive Director (ED). JUCCCE is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate the greening of China. JUCCCE has established the premier multi-sector and
international hub for people seeking to help make a visible difference in China's energy use. Our comprehensive roadmap of high-impact programs was developed i n conjunction with experts in many fields. We work with key decision makers in key channels throughout China. Our goal is to enable the building of a new energy workforce that can deploy green policies effectively. JUCCCE was founded in 2007 and is funded through contributions from foundations, individual donors, and corporate members. This position is full time but can be part-time to start. Date of Hire: Immediately. Salary commensurate with experience. Interested applicants should submit a resume and letter of interest to Peggy Liu, peggyliu@juccce.com

Communications Manager with Rainforest Action Network

Rainforest Action Network (RAN) runs hard-hitting campaigns to break America's oil addiction, protect endangered forests and indigenous rights, and stop destructive investments around the world through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. We challenge extractive industries to phase out destructive operations in old growth forests and to halt their contributions to global climate change. RAN has enjoyed a string of victories in the logging and banking sectors and has been dubbed by the Wall St. Journal as among "the most effective environmental agitators in the business." Rainforest Action Network, 221 Pine St., Suite 500, SF, CA 94104, fax 415.398.2732, or e-mail: resumes@ran.org. No phone calls, please.

UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS:

Subject: July 17 Webinar on Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health is hosting the first of a series of webinars on current topics related to genomics, health and society. The goal of this series is to engage public health communities, advocacy groups, health providers, and other members of the public in discussion about the latest topics in genomics.

The first webinar will discuss the details of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, or GINA, which was passed into law in May of 2008. Join Alan Guttmacher, NHGRI Deputy Director, M.K. Holohan, NHGRI Health Policy Analyst, and Sharon Terry, President and CEO, Genetic Alliance in a discussion of the history of this law, how it will work, and what it means for you and your community.

Please join in on July 17, 2008 at 1pm (EST) for this first webinar on GINA. If you would like to participate, please send an email to
nhgriecib@mail.nih.gov. You will then receive an email with access information.

Learn more about the NHGRI at http://www.genome.gov/ Read a quick fact sheet on GINA at:
http://www.genome.gov/Pages/Research/Intramural/IRB/QuickGuide_to_GINA_061208_IRB.pdf

Mapping California Communities Workshop:
An Introduction to GIS and Community Analysis

One Day Workshops from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Audience: Beginners, anyone interested in mapping their community.

San Francisco: August 4th, 5th, 2008 ; San Diego: August 26th, 2008 ; Sacramento: September 18th, 19th, 2008 ; Los Angeles: September 11th, 12th, 2008 ; Irvine: September 9th, 2008 ; San Jose: September 25th, 2008 ; Fresno: October 3rd, 2008

More Info/Online Registration visit www.nur-online.com

AHRQ’s 2008 ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
PROMOTING QUALITY … PARTNERING FOR CHANGE
September 7-10 in Bethesda

Register now for AHRQ’s 2008 Annual Conference, which will be held September 7-10 in Bethesda, MD. Leading national experts will hold sessions on patient safety, health IT, comparative effectiveness, research,disease prevention and care management and innovations in health care. For additional information about attending this year’s conference: www.ahrq.gov

20th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control

Mark your calendars now to join the 20th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control: Cultivating Healthy Communities, on February 23-25, 2009. This conference will celebrate two decades of extraordinary progress in the prevention and control of chronic diseases and offer attendees opportunities to learn about successful chronic disease prevention efforts, best practices, and effective interventions used by their colleagues. For the first time, attendees will be invited to participate in the development of a conference Call to Action, a framework of both individual and collective actions to accelerate our progress in preventing disease and promoting health over the next 20 years.

The Co-sponsors of the conference are the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), the Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE). And the Prevention Research Centers (Pres). Conference Date and Location Gaylord National Convention Center Washington, DC February 23-25,2009 Call for Abstracts will open August 1, 2008. Continuing education credits will be offered. Visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/conference for updates and more information.

Posted 7/17/08