#8 - 2008

April 28, 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

A special welcome to the large group of participants at the March 13th/14th Annual Meeting who elected to become active members of CPHA-N. We hope you will enjoy this copy of the E-MAILER newsletter. Please note that it is designed to encourage networking and information exchanges. If you have conferences and special events that should be shared, please send them to our attention at office@cphan.org or ghildo@earthlink.net. - Please give us as much advance notice as possible. We usually send out several E-Mailer editions each month, and announcements can be repeated.

What's in this issue:

• The Strategic Plan for the California Department of Public Health
• Healthy People 2010 Objectives: 23-year Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Report 1984-2006
• Latest Quality and Disparities Report available from The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Survey Research Group releases new report
• PHI IN THE NEWS: BARHII health inequities report makes headlines
• A new Strategic Plan for Asthma in California (SPAC)
• California Cancer Registry releases new cancer reports.
• Climate change presentation given by Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH
• Standards, Accreditation, and Improvement: Raising the Bar of Public Health Performance—May 29, 2008
• The Reversal of Fortunes: Trends in County Mortality and Cross-County Mortality Disparities in the United States
• National Ad Campaign: New National Ad Campaign Features the Theme "Real Men Wear Gowns"
• First Nationwide Survey of Public Health Department shows lack of resources, health challenge when facing climate change.
• MEETING: Building Capacity to Eliminate Health Disparities: The Founding Meeting of the Academy for HealthEquity
• MEETING: California Primary Care Association's Annual Conference to be held October 2-3, 2008
• JOB: California Primary Care Association has employment opportunity available: Associate Director, Clinical Affairs
• FELLOWSHIPS: American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Public Health Fellowship in Government.
• Special appreciation

The Strategic Plan for the California Department of Public Health may be viewed at:
http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/Documents/StrategicPlan.pdf

Healthy People 2010 Objectives: 23-year Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Report 1984-2006 (Issued in April 2008)

The California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey has operated for the past 23 years, collecting health data from a cross-section of California non-institutionalized adult population with telephones in their homes. This 92 page report issued in April 2008 examines California's progress in reaching the Healthy People 2010 Objectives and examines trends over time. You can access this informative report at the Public Health Institute's Website at:

http://www.phi.org/pdf-library/Healthy%20People%202010%20Objectives.pdf

The PHI 'Library' section also has a number of other important public health reference reports, including the 2008 one on Cervical Cancer in California, produced by the California Cancer Registry.

Latest Quality and Disparities Report available from The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

This year's National Healthcare Quality Report synthesizes more than 200 "quality measures," which range from how many pregnant women received prenatal care to what portion of nursing home residents were controlled by physical restraints. The Report summarizes which racial, ethnic, or income groups are benefiting from improvements in care. The 2007 reports draw on data from more than three dozen data bases, most sponsored by Federal health agencies. The quality report serves as the basis for AHRQ's upcoming State Snapshots, which is issued each spring and provides details on how health care quality trends vary from State to State. The reports are available at www.ahqr.gov/qual/qrdr07.htm.

Survey Research Group releases new report

The Survey Research Group (SRG) at PHI has prepared a new report examining California’s progress in reaching the Healthy People 2010 Objectives. Called “Healthy People 2010 Objectives: 23-Year Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Report 1984-2006,” the publication examines trends over time. To read SRG’s report, visit http://www.phi.org/library.html.

A new Strategic Plan for Asthma in California (SPAC)

The California Department of Public Health now has an approved Strategic Plan for Asthma in California (SPAC) and is proceeding with plans for promotion and dissemination of the new Plan, with an official release in May, 2008. The State steering committee that oversaw the development of this plan is reaching out to key stakeholders. The Plan address key issues such as improving access to care, eliminating health disparities by advocating for public policies and sufficient resources, cultural and linguistic competency, and promoting data and research. The Health Care Goal specifically promotes work in the development of: standards of care for asthma in California; reimbursement for comprehensive chronic disease management within public and private payer systems; expansion of quality improvement for asthma care within public and private health care delivery and payer systems; integration of clinical asthma care with community stakeholders; improved knowledge of health care practitioners, allied health professionals, and community health workers with a high priority on those serving underserved populations; and improved access to high quality care for underserved populations by implementing best practice policies and strategies. We will provide a contact for a pre-print version of this in an future issue.

PHI IN THE NEWS: BARHII health inequities report makes headlines

Where you live can impact your life expectancy by as much as a decade, according to a new report produced by the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII) at PHI. Called “Health Inequities in the Bay Area,” the publication outlines the many ways that social factors such as place of residence and income affect people’s health. These findings have captured the interest of several Bay Area news outlets. The Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times, San Mateo Times, KTVU-TV, KRON-TV, and KCBS news radio all covered the story. To read The Oakland Tribune’s coverage, visit http://www.phi.org/. To download a complete version of the publication, visit http://www.phi.org/library.html.

California Cancer Registry releases new cancer reports

The California Cancer Registry (CCR) has released two new cancer reports. The first summarizes cancer incidence and mortality rates in the state from 1988 through 2005. Called “Cancer in California, 2008,” this report offers a special section called “Special Highlights on Cancers by Race and Ethnicity” which provides additional critical detail on cancers among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and Asian/Pacific Islanders. The second report, entitled "Cervical Cancer in California, 2008," summarizes the state of cervical cancer in California. To download either report, visit http://www.ccrcal.org/Publications.html or http://www.phi.org/library.html.

PHI assists the state in operating CCR, which is recognized nationally for the quality and completeness of its data on cancer incidence in California. Since 1988, approximately 450 cancer research projects have been conducted using CCR data, and 2,053 articles and abstracts have been published in scientific journals and books.

Climate change presentation given by Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH

View the Los Angeles Department of Public Health's Power Point Slide climate change presentation given by Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and County Health Officer. This presentation was delivered to the Southern California Public Health Association Annual Conference on April 18, 2008. Go to www.lapublichealth.org

Standards, Accreditation, and Improvement: Raising the Bar of Public Health Performance—May 29, 2008

The Public Health Training Network will host a satellite broadcast and web cast on information about national and state efforts in accreditation and improvement for health departments. The program will present at case study conducted at the New Hanover County Health Department in coastal North Carolina. The broadcast will occur on Thursday, May 29 from 2-3 p.m. (ET) and will be moderated by Drs. Edward Baker, director of the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, and Stephanie Coursey, Chief of Public Health Practice at the CDC. The case study describes:The department self assessment, including benchmarks and activities; The three-day visit by a multidisciplinary team of peer volunteers; and The accreditation process by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board. For more information, please visit www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu.

The Reversal of Fortunes: Trends in County Mortality and Cross-County Mortality Disparities in the United States

Authored by Ezzati M, Friedman AB, Kulkarni SC, Murray CJL PLoS Medicine Vol. 5, No. 4, e66 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066 Read the open-access, full-text article at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066

PLoS Medicine (http://medicine.plosjournals.org) is an open-access journal published weekly by the Public Library of Science (http://www.plos.org). Sign up for issue alerts, and they will email the table of contents to you each month: http://register.plos.org

AHRQ and Ad Council Encourage Men To Take Preventive Steps in Their Health Care--New National Ad Campaign Features the Theme "Real Men Wear Gowns"

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) joined with The Advertising Council to launch a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness among middle-aged men about the importance of preventive medical testing. Men are 25 percent less likely than women to have visited the doctor within the past year and are 38 percent more likely than women to have neglected their cholesterol tests (Source: AHRQ Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005). Furthermore, men are 1.5 times more likely than women to die from heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005).

The campaign highlights the work of the AHRQ-sponsored U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which is an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for clinical preventive services. Created pro bono for the Ad Council by McCann Erickson Detroit, the public service advertising campaign includes new television, radio, print and Web advertising featuring the theme "Real Men Wear Gowns." The lighthearted ads incorporate family as a key motivating factor for men to take a more active role in preventive health. They show the target audience that being a real man means taking care of themselves (and their health) in order to be there for their families and in the future. Ad Council research showed this was a strong motivating factor for men.

The campaign encourages men to visit a comprehensive Web site, www.ahrq.gov/realmen. The site provides the recommended ages for preventive testing (as well as a list of tests), a quiz designed to test your knowledge of preventive health care, tips for talking with your doctor, a glossary of consumer health terms, and links to online resources where you can find more medical information

First Nationwide Survey of Public Health Departments Shows Lack of Resources, Health Challenge When Facing Climate Change Washington, D.C. (April 24, 2008)

Climate change is a concern to most local public health directors but few have resources to tackle the problem, according to a national survey conducted by National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and George Mason University.

The survey, included in the report Are We Ready? Preparing for the Public Health Challenges of Climate Change, is the first national one of its kind that assesses the perceptions and activities of local public health directors regarding climate change and public health.

More than half of the surveyed directors are concerned about the health effects of climate change on their jurisdictions, though only a small group has been able to make adaptation or prevention a priority. “Local health departments recognize that climate change imperils the health of their communities. It is essential that they gain the new knowledge and sustained resources needed to help them prepare for the increased severity of health-threatening problems that we can expect, from long-term heat waves to increased populations of disease-bearing mosquitoes,” said Patrick Libbey, Executive Director of NACCHO.

The majority of health directors said they perceived a lack of knowledge about climate change both within their health department and among other key stakeholders in their communities; a lack of adaptation and mitigation planning expertise in the public health community at large; and significant financial and human resource limitations on their ability to respond to climate change. Of the directors surveyed:

Nearly 70% believed that climate change had already occurred in their jurisdictions; 78% believed their jurisdictions would experience climate changes over the next 20 years; 60% said that their local populations would experience one or more serious public health problems over the next 20 years as a result of climate change; More than 50% felt that climate change was an “important priority,” but only 19% of respondents indicated that climate change was among their departments’ top 10 current priorities; 82% felt they lacked the expertise to craft adaptation plans; 77% said that additional resources would improve their departments’ ability to deal with climate change as a public health issue. “These findings show that while public health officials recognize the need to be prepared for adverse health impacts from climate change, there are serious gaps in the U.S. public health system’s ability to meet that need,” said Dr. John Balbus, Environmental Defense Fund’s Chief Health Scientist and lead author of the report. “With public health departments already stretched thin by increasing demands and decreasing federal assistance, the additional challenges posed by climate change threaten to put more people in harm’s way.”

Recommendations from the report focus on protecting preventing climate-related health dangers by ensuring the responsiveness and efficiency of the public health system; preventing climate-related disease as much as possible by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to levels required to avoid climate change’s most severe effects; and enhancing public health by aligning desirable goals like reductions in greenhouse gasses with critical public health goals.

“As Congress debates climate change solutions, we hope they too will see the importance of ensuring that communities have the resources available to deal with the health impacts,” said Balbus. “We must be ready on the local level to handle climate change implications.”

Are We Ready? Preparing for the Public Health Challenges of Climate Change is the first nationally representative survey to assess the perceptions and activities of local public health directors regarding climate change and public health. One hundred and thirty-three local health department directors from across the country answered a series of questions meant to assess their perceptions of climate change and its potential public health effects; their communities’ level of preparedness for the health impacts of climate change; their current activities to prevent or mitigate climate change; and their opinions on necessary resources to best address climate change.

“Our research identified practical steps that can be taken to help local health departments protect the public’s health from climate change,” said Ed Maibach, professor and director of George Mason University’s Center of Excellence in Climate Change Communication Research and co-author of the report. “With the necessary resources, health departments have a significantly better chance at keeping their communities healthy, both now and as climate change progresses in the near future.”

The full report is available for download at edf.org/areweready .

MEETINGS

Building Capacity to Eliminate Health Disparities: The Founding Meeting of the Academy for Health Equity

The inaugural founding conference of the Academy for Health Equity is critical to developing the knowledge-base for those engaged in health disparity activities by facilitating trans-disciplinary translation exchanges of the latest research and practical applications by: Increasing the capacity of participants to address complex health systems change, delivery of services, new models of medical care and public health, policies that facilitate access to health, and new methods of for preventable diseases in underserved, poorly served and never served populations. Meeting Dates: June 26-27, 2008. Meeting Location: Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: 303-436-1234 Fax: 303-486-4450 Reservations: 888-591-1234 (toll free) http://www.academyforhealthequity.org/conference.as

California Primary Care Association's Annual Conference to be held October 2-3, 2008

The California Primary Care Association's Annual Conference to be held October 2-3, 2008 at the Doubletree Hotel-Ontario Airport.
For information: www.cpca.org

POSITIONS

California Primary Care Association has the following employment opportunity available: Associate Director, Clinical Affairs

The Associate Director of Clinical Affairs will support regional associations and their community clinics and health centers to improve the quality of care to clinic patients; to support operational efficiencies; and strengthen and preserve California's nonprofit outpatient health care safety net by overseeing statewide quality improvement (QI) projects. Click on the link to our web site for complete job descriptions and application instructions
http://www.cpca.org/about/cpcajobs/

FELLOWSHIPS

American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Public Health Fellowship in Government.

The fellowship offers public health professionals the opportunity to spend one year working in Washington, D.C., on legislative, regulatory and policy issues that would benefit from the input of a public health professional. The fellow will have the option of serving in the office of a member of Congress or a congressional committee. The fellowship will begin in January 2009 and continue through December 2009. The fellowship is designed to provide a unique public policy learning experience, to demonstrate the value of science-government interaction, and to make practical contributions to enhancing public health science and practical knowledge in government. All APHA members with a master's or doctorate in a public health field and at least five years of experience in a public health setting are eligible to apply. A committee of APHA leaders and policy experts will review the applications and select the finalists. The application is due to APHA by May 30, 2008. Find additional information, including the application at: www.apha.org/advocacy/fellowship/.

SPECIAL APPRECIATION

The CPHA-N Annual Meeting and Scientific Session "Health at the Nexus: Climate Change, Land Use, Sustainability and Public Health" was a great success...bringing together many public health leaders from throughout the entire service area of the the Association. Special thanks to the many volunteers helped out and contributed to the success of the March 13th and 14th conference. With the campus setting, many students were actively involved both as volunteers and participants. The meeting sites were on the UC Davis main campus, allowing all participants to experience this great UC campus. Thanks also to all of sponsors, including:

The UC Davis, Department of Public Health Sciences
The California Dept. of Public Health
The Public Health Institute
The California HealthCare Foundation
Sierra Health Foundation
UC Berkeley, School of Public Health
Calvin Freeman and Associates
Office of Statewide Health Planning

Posted 5/13/08

#7 - 2008

April 14, 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

Coming Soon! Please be watching for announcements about the APHA/CPHA-N Joint Member Pilot Project.

CPHA-N and APHA will carry out a three-year pilot project to encourage joint membership in both organizations! The program will offer a money-saving annual membership plan. If you are currently a member of APHA - you will receive information on this from them. If you are only a member of CPHA-N this program opens a brand new, money-saving way to be a member of both. Please be watching for special announcements about this pilot program.

What's in this issue:

• An attachment on the Public Input Workshops focused on which chemicals the CA Biomonitoring Program will measure.
• Conference of the Academy for Health Equity, June 26-27, 2008
• Public Health Emergency Law and Forensic Epidemiology training materials
• A new web page created by the California Endowment.
• California Healthy Cities and Communities Annual Conference is April 23, 2008 in Oakland, CA.
• Zero Breast Cancer 9th Annual Awards Celebration "Honor Thy Healer" - May 8, 2008
• It's time for Congress to make public health a national priority!
• The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2007 data to be available at the end of this calendar year
• National Public Health Week 2008 was held this past week.
• WORKSAFE! Invites the public health community to join them on April 26th for Workers' Memorial Day

Public Input Workshops focused on which chemicals the CA Biomonitoring Program will measure.

The public is invited to provide input on which chemicals the California Biomonitoring Program will measure through a series of free workshops and teleconference calls in April, 2008, as well as via a survey. The workshops and calls will introduce participants to the Program and provide an opportunity to comment on the chemical selection process. For details please see the attachment.

Community Workshops: Fresno: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 (10am - 3 pm) Woodward Park Library, 944 East Perrin Avenue, Fresno, CA 93720

Teleconference Calls for Public Input: Thursday, April 17, 2008 (1 pm - 3 pm)
Monday, April 28, 2008 (10 am - 12 pm)

Inaugural Founding Conference of the Academy for Health Equity June 26-27, 2008

The Academy for Health Equity (AHE) will host its Inaugural Conference on June 26-27, 2008 in Denver Colorado. The two-day meeting is expected to draw 500 attendees with interests in eliminating health disparities. The Conference will be a forum to exchange ideas, knowledge, and policy alternatives to address one of the nation's most pressing health issues. Dr. David Satcher, Director of the Center of Excellence on Health Disparities at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, where he occupies the Poussaint-Satcher-Cosby Chair in Mental Health, is the invited keynote speaker. Dr. Satcher is the 16th U.S. Surgeon General and former Assistant Secretary for Health of the Department of Healthand Human Services.

AHE is a non-profit multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the elimination of health disparities through achievement of health equity. AHE's efforts focus on research, advocacy, education, and policy development. Its mission is "to utilize rigorous scientific research, policy development, and community advocacy to eliminate health disparities and create a social movement designed to ensure equal opportunity for health." For more information about the AHE's Inaugural Founding Conference go to: www.academyforhealthequity.org.

Public Health Emergency Law and Forensic Epidemiology Training Materials

The Public Health Law Program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just released version three of the Public Health Emergency Law and Forensic Epidemiology Training Materials on CD-ROMs. These self-contained training packages were developed for use by instructors in any jurisdiction in the United States who provide public health preparedness training to front-line practitioners. Public Health Emergency Law is targeted at public health practitioners and emergency management professionals to improve understanding of the role of law as a public health tool. Materials include three lecture units with PowerPoint slides, an interactive case study and a Course Manager’s Guide. Notes for instructors and other supplemental information are also included.

Forensic Epidemiology is designed to help public health and law enforcement agencies strengthen coordination of responses to pandemic influenza and similar threats. Materials include a new CDC-developed case study on pandemic influenza, as well as scenarios and training materials from other developers.

To order a free CD-ROM, visit http://www2.cdc.gov/phlp/phel.asp For more information, please E-mail: FE-PHEL@mcking.com.

New Web Page for California Endowment

The California Endowment has created a new Web page (http://www.calendow.org/healthycommunities/) to host late-breaking information about developments related to The Endowment’s new strategic plan for 2010 to 2020. The site currently features a letter announcing the endowment's new strategic vision of building healthy communities and summarizing the road ahead. It also features a "frequently asked questions" section and blog about The Endowment’s strategic direction.

California Healthy Cities and Communities Annual Conference will be held April 23, 2008 in Oakland, CA.

The day's agenda includes a keynote presentation by Charles Royer, President of Institute for Community Change and former Mayor of Seattle. Alex Hinds from the Community Development Agency of Marin County and Julia Lave Johnston, with the Office of Planning and Research, will discuss how planning standards can be tools for improving community health. Anne Hinton, Executive Director of San Francisco's Department of Aging and Adult Services, and Mary Ann Mendall, Aging and Family Services Administrat or in the City of Fremont, will discuss their success stories on community planning for older adults. Councilwoman Suzi Picaso from the City of Lindsay, Blair King, City Manager in the City of Lodi and James Corless, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, will share their views on fostering civic engagement in new ways. Roundtables will also be held highlighting how cities can align with the green movement, survey older adults, create policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity, and bridge relationships between planning and public health. Registration is now open. You may view the conference agenda site and materials at: www.civicpartnerships.org

Zero Breast Cancer 9th Annual Awards Celebration "Honor Thy Healer" to be held May 8, 2008

Zero Breast Cancer will honor three leading health professionals, a Latina community health activist, and a supportive healing partner for their unique contributions to advancing the understanding of breast cancer and the healing process. An awards ceremony will be held at the organization’s ninth annual "Honor Thy Healer" celebration on Thursday, May 8th. The evening begins with a reception at 6 pm, followed by dinner and the awards ceremony at 7 pm at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, in Mill Valley, California. The 2008 Community Breast Cancer Research honoree is Marion H.E. (Mhel) Kavanaugh-Lynch, MD, MPH, Director of the California Breast Cancer Research Program, a nationally recognized program funding innovative breast cancer research in the State of California. Tickets are $130 per person and may be obtained by calling (415) 507-1949. Visit www.zerobreastcancer.org

It's time for Congress to make public health a national priority!

On February 4, 2008, the President released his Fiscal Year 2009 budget request, which again shortchanges our nation's public health programs. Public health is all about preventing and reducing disease and minimizing health threats, and this budget falls short of these goals. For example, the President's Fiscal Year 2009 budget cuts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) budget by $433 million, or seven percent. Proposed cuts to the CDC, the agency responsible for reducing disease and improving health, run counter to Americans' desire to improve health in this country.

It's time for Congress to make public health a national priority and provide the funds to build a 21st century public health system that provides all communities with a strong defense against a wide array of modern health hazards.

Please urge your Members of Congress to act now to ensure adequate funding for disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness.

The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2007 data to be available at the end of this calendar year.

Data collection for the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2007 ended in early March. For the Survey, researchers conducted interviews with more than 51,000 adults, more than 3,600 adolescents, and parents of more than 9,900 children. The Survey includes some major innovations, including a sample of cell phone users and a sample of households without telephones as well as those with phones. It also includes a new set of questions on interpersonal violence and expanded questions on mental health. CHIS staff will begin releasing the data at the end of this calendar year. For more information--including a list of CHIS 2007 topics--visit http://www.chis.ucla.edu/. CHIS is conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research in collaboration with PHI and others.

National Public Health Week 2008 was held this past week.

This year’s theme was Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance. To help guide the work of the public health community, APHA has released a blueprint for combating the health impacts of climate change. The blueprint, which represents the culmination of a process involving some of the nation’s leading public health and climate change experts, provides specific recommendations. www.nphw.org

Here are some recent stories on climate change:

Can climate change make us sicker? (Time, 4/4/08) http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1728139,00.html

Global warming raises malaria, cancer risk in U.K. (Bloomberg, 4/3/08) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a68vO2Bt5hds&refer=latin_america

Health effects of climate change targeted (United Press International, 4/1/08) http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/04/01/health_effects_of_climate_change_targeted/2197/

Global warming, global health: Campaign will raise awareness ( USA Today, 4/1/08) http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-31-global-warming-health_N.htm

Public Health will take healthier climate pledge, wants others to as well. (Crookston Daily Times, 3/28/08)

Workers' Memorial Day

'WORKSAFE!' invites the public health community to join them on April 26, 2008 for 'Workers' Memorial Day' to remember the victims of workplace injuries and disease and to affirm our commitment to work for stronger safety and health protection and enforcement.

Nationwide, in 2006, more than 4.1 million workers were injured and 5,703 workers killed due to job hazards. Another 50,000 died due to occupational diseases from sources such as toxic chemicals in the workplace. Each year in California, 23,000 workers are diagnosed with a chronic, deadly disease caused by chemical exposure in the workplace, and approximately 6,500 California workers die due to chronic diseases associated with workplace exposures.

Recently, in the San Francisco Bay Area, the community was shocked to learn that in a period of one week, eight workers were killed on the job. A laborer was crushed to death and 2 co-workers severely injured when pulling down a boiler - a 5-story tower collapsed, pinning them beneath tons of steel during demolition of a decommissioned electrical generation plant; a pregnant woman, with a 6-year old son, suffered fatal head and chest trauma when she was pulled into a printing press; four construction workers, a car wash attendant, and truck driver also died in separate incidents. Immigrant and workers of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by fatalities and injuries.

On Saturday morning April 26, 2008, workers, unionists, community-based worker center activists, environmentalists, and others from the health and safety community will gather to observe Workers' Memorial Day. In northern California we will meet at the Alfred Zampa Memorial (Carquinez) Bridge in Crockett at 8:30 a.m. This is the only bridge in the U.S. named in honor of a blue collar worker. Alfred Zampa was an iron worker and member of Local 378 of the Iron Workers.

Workers and community members will speak to the issues and political challenges that have impeded health and safety progress, as well as address concrete recommendations for legislative and grassroots action to strengthen workplace health and safety. It is expected that the bridge walk will be completed before 11 a.m.

A key focus for the 2008 observance of Workers' Memorial Day is to build political support for AB515 (Lieber). This bill would close a loophole that currently permits workers to be exposed to toxic chemicals in the workplace in amounts that cause cancer or reproductive harm or other chronic health effects.

For more information go to: www.worksafe.org

Posted 4/16/08

#6 - 2008

April 2, 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

What's in this issue:

• 4th Annual African American Breast Cancer Conference, “Each One Reach One: Working Together to Make a Change.”
• Plans to hold hearings on trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supplies
• California Department of Managed Healthcare, issues 2007 Health Care Quality Report Card
• World Water Day Emphasizes Sanitation (Event held on March 21st)
• Don't miss CPEHN's Spring Convening Series "The Path to Healthy Communities"
• AcademyHealth will host the 25th Annual Research Meeting in Washington, D.C. June 8-10, 2008
• AHRQ Report on Prostate Cancer therapy is now available
• Cultural Competency/Sensitivity Facilitator position at SFDPH
• California Primary Care Association has employment opportunities
• CALENDAR OF PUBLIC HEALTH MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS - 2008
  

4th Annual African American Breast Cancer Conference, “Each One Reach One: Working Together to Make a Change”

The Northern California Cancer Center (NCCC) is holding the 4th Annual African American Breast Cancer Conference, “Each One Reach One: Working Together to Make a Change” taking place on Saturday, May 3, 2008 from 7:30am - 2:30pm at the Hilton Oakland Airport, International Ballroom, located at 1 Hegenberger Road in Oakland. This conference is for and about the community and its purpose is to raise awareness about breast cancer in African American communities throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

There is no cost to attend the conference but Registration is REQUIRED. Early registration is encouraged since seating is limited and this event generally fills up quickly. You can register online (www.nccc.org/EORO) and receive a confirmation of your reservation. Please register by ONE of the following methods only: Either online at www.nccc.org/EORO ; by phone at 1.888.315.5988 ; by e-mail at education@nccc.org; or by regular mail sent to NCCC. Please note that your full name, address, phone number, and email address (if available) are required for all methods.

Hearings on Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water

Two U.S. senators announced plans to hold hearings in response to an Associated Press investigation into the presence of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, who heads the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, chairman of the Transportation, Safety, Infrastructure Security and Water Quality Subcommittee, said the oversight hearings would likely be held in April. Both represent states where pharmaceuticals had been detected in drinking water supplies, but not disclosed to the public. The Lautenberg-Boxer announcement came shortly after the AP’s release of the series titled PharmaWater.

World Water Day Emphasizes Sanitation (Event held on March 21st)

Today, 2.6 billion people, including almost 1 billion children, live without basic sanitation. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of poor sanitation, leading to 1.5 million preventable deaths each year. The theme of this year's World Water Day is sanitation. Organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, activities will take place around the world to raise awareness and accelerate progress toward reducing the number of people without sanitation by half over the next seven years. The United Nations estimates it will cost $10 billion annually to halve the proportion of people without basic sanitation by 2015. If sustained, the same investment could achieve basic sanitation for the entire world within one or two decades. Full story at:
http://nationalacademies.org/headlines/20080321.html

Don't miss CPEHN's Spring Convening Series "The Path to Healthy Communities"

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network's spring Convening Series,"The Path to Healthy Communities: Place- Based Solutions to Achieving Health Equity," is rapidly approaching. The program is being held in four locations across the state, including: San Diego -- Wednesday, April 2nd ; Fresno -- Wednesday, April 9th ; Oakland -- Tuesday, April 15th ; Los Angeles -- Monday, April 28th. Registration is $25 for General Public, - $10 for CPEHN Network Members. To register, go to: http://www.cpehn.org/register.php?id=93 To join CPEHN's Network, go to http://www.cpehn.org/joincpehn.php

Office of the Patient Advocate, California Department of Managed Health Care, issues 2007 Health Care Quality Report Card

Established in 2000 by the California Legislature, the Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA) has a mission to help consumers understand their rights and responsibilities as HMO enrollees, and to assist them in making informed choices regarding their health care. The OPA has developed a series of web-based tools for consumer use. The annual Health Care Quality Report Card is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese from the website: www.healthcarequality.ca.gov v. You can also get to this link via the CPHA-N website. The Report Card covers overall quality of care, as well as ratings in specific care areas, such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease for the nine largest HMOs and more than 200 medical groups in California.

In addition, consumers can also access a general HMO Guide, a more target HMO Guide for Seniors, information on the HMO Help Center, and on Independent Medical Review.

AcademyHealth will host the 25th Annual Research Meeting in Washington, D.C., June 8th -10th, 2008, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

The Annual Research Meeting (ARM) is the premier forum for health services researchers, providers, and key decision makers to present cutting-edge research and address the critical challenges confronting the nation's health care delivery system. More than 2,000 attendees with gather for 100 sessions focused on 22 themes, three poster presentation sessions, and five training seminars. View individual themes at http://academyhealth.org/arm/themes.htm Preliminary agenda available at:
http://www.academyhealth.org/arm/agenda/index.htm

AHRQ Report on Prostate Cancer Therapy is now available

The Report "Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer" is now available. This report by the Agency for Health Research and Quality represents an important Federal effort to compare treatments for significant health conditions and make the findings public. The program translates reports into plain language guides for clinicians, patients and policy makers. Information on the program, including full reports and summary guides can be found at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov

POSITION OPENINGS

Cultural Competency/Sensitivity Facilitator position at SFDPH

Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Inc., (PHFE), in collaboration with the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), HIV Prevention Section (HPS), invite applications for a Cultural Competency/Sensitivity Consultant/Facilitator with a strong background in government workplace relations and conflict resolution for the SFDPH, HPS. For Information: Marise Rodriguez at HIV Prevention Section; marise.rodriguez@sfdph.org tel. (415)554-9176

California Primary Care Association has the following employment opportunities available:

Deputy Director of Policy – The Deputy Director of Policy will work with the Director of Government Affairs to develop and implement the organization’s budget, administrative and policy agenda. Candidate must have strong knowledge of the state legislative process and publicly funded health programs such as, Medi-Cal.

Associate Director, Grants & Development – The Associate Director of Grants & Development will work closely with CPCA’s executive team, and will oversee CPCA’s grant and business development activities. The primary responsibilities include tracking and reporting to funders, researching and pursing business opportunities, writing renewal proposals to current funders and researching and pursuing new sources of foundation support. Candidate must have at least 3 years of progressively responsible experience with proposal development and grant reporting.

Project Manager, Health Information Technology – The Project Manager of Health Information Technology will support community clinics and health centers in the use and procurement of: health information technology; data collection and reporting infrastructure; telemedicine; and health information exchange to improve the quality of care to clinic patients, and to support operational efficiencies. Experience of community clinics and/or other safety net providers a plus.

For complete job descriptions and application instructions: http://www.cpca.org/about/cpcajobs/

2008 CALENDAR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Click here to access the calendar on our Events Page

Please feel free to share information about local public health programs and events with us. This Newsletter now reaches about 2,400 of our state's public health leaders and is often picked up and shared even more widely. We send out at least one issue per month. The Newsletter is closely coordinated with our Website where all issues are posted for direct or reference use.

Your CPHA-N is a Non Profit organization with IRS Tax donation/deduction status. Our main funding support comes from memberships and member support. If you are looking for a '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 at http://cphan.org/donate.html. 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

Thanks for any support you can provide!

Posted 4/2/08

#5 - 2008

March 20, 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

A Special Welcome to attendees of the CPHA-N Annual Meeting last week at UC Davis, who signed up to receive the CPHA-N E-MAILER ! More than a hundred public health professionals from throughout the state attended, along with a number of students and faculty. The two-day conference was hosted by the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine. Our sincere thanks to the sponsors, including: California Department of Public Health; UC Berkeley School of Public Health; UC Berkeley School of Public Health Alumni Association; Sierra Health Foundation; Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development; California HealthCare Foundation; Public Health Institute; Calvin Freeman and Associates.

What's in this issue:

• Public Health Week is just around the corner: April 7-13, 2008
• Developing the Framework for Healthy People 2020
• California Primary Care Association (CPCA) launches 'Clinic Careers'
• Taco Bell/Revisited
• The National Association of County and City Health Officials is seeking a new Executive Director
  
• The Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act is introduced by Rep. Doris Matsui
• Cancer Risk Stays after Hormone Therapy
• Public Health Advisory Committee appointed by Governor
  

Public Health Week just around the corner: April 7th -13th

The 2008 celebration of National Public Health Week is nearly here. APHA is offering to help local organizers bring local and national attention to this year's theme: "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance." Planning tools are available on line at: www.nphw.org. Support items can be down-loaded and include: a planning guide for local events, fact sheets on climate change and health, tips on working with the media, a sample news release and letters to the editor. If your community is holding special programs and events for Public Health Week, APHA would like you to share the experiences.

Developing the Framework for Healthy People 2020

What: Public Comment Meeting on April 1, 2008 in San Francisco at the San Francisco Federal Building.

Who: Individuals from diverse sectors, including: State and local government; Community-based organizations; Academia; Advocacy groups; Businesses; Faith-based organizations; Health care; Federal government; Non-profit and/or volunteer organizations; Those interested in improving disease prevention and health promotion efforts for the nation.

For further details about the agenda, venue, and other regional meetings, visit http://www.healthypeople.gov, or e-mail 2020regional@air.org with any questions. Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses.

The public will also have opportunities to provide comments for the development of Healthy People 2020 through the Internet at http://www.healthypeople.gov.

California Primary Care Association (CPCA) launches 'Clinic Careers'

California Primary Care Association (CPCA) has launched Clinic Careers, a new on-line resource designed to help recruit qualified community healthcare professionals. Clinic Careers is a resource for information related to careers in community clinics and health centers and will streamline your hiring process. Visit at: http://cliniccareers.cpca.org. If you have questions, contact Jodi Johnson at (916) 440-8170 ext. 208 or jjohnson@cpca.org. The California Primary Care Association is located at 1215 K Street, Suite 700, Sacramento CA 95814.

Taco Bell/ Revisited

In Issue #2, mention was made of the effort by the Taco Bell fast food chain to provide nutritional leaflets and posters. We asked for comments and received a few. The key here is not on just what is provided, but on how useful it is to the consumer. A teen wanting a taco is not likely to take the time to peruse this detailed information prior to purchase in a well-intended leaflet or poster. What that person needs is some easily accessible nutritional guidance on the menu board itself. For the family, however, the nutritional leaflet could have value, if taken into the home, reviewed, discussed and serve as reference on future visits. There is a role for more public education on sound nutrition and its importance in general health and the prevention of disease paired with well- designed public policy legislation. We commend our colleagues at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy for all they have been doing to encourage the development of targeted public policy legislation on nutrition and public health.

Seeking a new Executive Director for The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)

NACCHO is the national membership organization representing local health departments. NACCHO supports efforts that protect and improve the health of all people and all communities by promoting national policy, developing resources and programs, seeking health equity, and supporting effective local public health practice and systems.

The Executive Director will be responsible for the overall management and operation of the association, implementation of Board directives and policies, and financial and personnel management. S/he will assure that NACCHO takes a leadership role in the advancement of the practice of local public health and maintains a high quality organization that effectively addresses the needs of local health departments (LHDs).

Ideal candidates will have five (5) to ten (10) years experience managing a state, regional or local department of health, a nonprofit membership organization, and/or association with responsibility for program management, administrative supervision, staff and program oversight, and Board of Directors interaction preferred.

For further information visit NACCHO's website at: www.naccho.org

The Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act, introduced by Rep. Doris Matsui

Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-05) introduced the Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act to address the critical and growing shortage of public health workers in America. The public health workforce is responsible for some of the most important tasks protecting the lives of ordinary Americans: managing the health system’s response to biological and chemical attacks; fighting food-borne illnesses; preventing the spread of communicable diseases and pandemics; and assisting communities in preparing for disasters. Rep. Matsui was quoted as saying: “This vital cache of workers helps keep Sacramento—and communities across the nation—safe and secure. In Sacramento, we are keenly aware of the need to be vigilant in our efforts to prepare for potential emergencies. My legislation will ensure that we build an adequately trained, robust workforce.”

Rep. Matsui became aware of the shortfall of the public health workforce when she met with constituents, who informed her that California was lacking enough Public Health Laboratory professionals. The Sacramento County Public Health Lab in her home district did not have an adequate pool of trained professionals from which to hire. Upon further investigation, Rep. Matsui found that these shortages extended to the entire field, in California and across the nation.

The Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act pursues a multi-pronged strategy to develop the workforce pipeline that the public health system desperately needs. The legislation creates incentives for students and graduates in public health disciplines to enter the public health workforce. Leading experts agree that the United States does not have enough trained public health workers today, and will have even fewer in the future, unless this shortage is addressed. The current workforce is aging rapidly, and schools of public health are not generating sufficient numbers of graduates to replace retiring public health workers. Additionally, many public health graduates pursue careers that are more lucrative than joining the public health workforce.

Cancer Risk Stays after Hormone Therapy

Menopausal women who took estrogen and progesterone faced a small increased risk of cancer for more than two years after they stopped, according to the latest results of a major federal study that has revealed a series of sobering findings about the once-popular hormone therapy...as reported at this news site:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/04/AR2008030401896.html

Public Health Advisory Committee appointed by Governor

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointments of Dolores Apodaca, Rodney Borger, Robin Cox, Cynthia Gomez, Susan Harrington, Ruth Mulnard, Stephen Shortell, Ellen Wu and Antronette Yancey to the Public Health Advisory Committee.

“Establishing the Department of Public Health was an important step forward in improving our state’s emergency readiness and ensuring the health and safety of all Californians is protected,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I am confident that with the combined experience of the members appointed today to the Public Health Advisory Committee, the department will continue to provide our state with the best public health infrastructure.”

Apodaca, 60, of Northridge, has been a nursing coordinator for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) since 2000. From 1985 to 2000, she held various positions at LAUSD including resource nurse for pre-school programs from 1995 to 2000, special education nurse from 1992 to 1995 and school nurse from 1985 to 1992. Prior to that, Apodaca was a nursing services coordinator for Calexico Unified School District from 1977 to 1984 and a service director for the hemodialysis unit at Pioneer Memorial Hospital from 1977 to 1978. Additionally, from 1966 to 1976, she was assistant director of nurses for Calexico Hospital. Apodaca is a Democrat.

Borger, 41, of Yorba Linda, has been the chair of the department of emergency medicine at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and staff physician in the emergency department of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital since 2002. From 1999 to 2002, he was emergency department director at Redlands Community Hospital and from 1999 to 2001, was a staff physician in the emergency department at the Riverside County Regional Medical Center. From 1998 to 2001, Borger held numerous positions at the Corona Regional Medical Center, including assistant medical director, director of reimbursement and director of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). From 1998 to 2002, he was the CQI director and staff physician for the Inland Valley Regional Medical Center and, from 1997 to 2000, was staff physician at the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. Prior to that, Borger was CQI director and staff physician at the Moreno Valley Community Hospital from 1996 to 1998, staff physician for San Bernardino Community Hospital from 1996 to 1998 and per diem staff physician at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana from 1995 to 1997. Borger is a Republican.

Cox, 42, of Fairfield, has held numerous positions at the Solano County Health and Social Services Department since 1990, including public information officer since 1996, health education manager since 1994, supervising health education specialist from 1992 to 1994 and health education specialist I from 1990 to 1992. Prior to that, she was director of freedom from smoking programs for the American Lung Association Redwood Empire from 1989 to 1990 and a health center intern for the St. Helena Hospital and Center for Health in 1989. In 1988, Cox was a health consultant for the Loma Linda Academy and, in 1987, was a health education intern at the March of Dimes Northern California Branch. Cox is a Republican.

Gomez, 49, of Redwood City, has served as director of the Health Equity Initiative at San Francisco State University since 2006. Prior to that, she held numerous positions at the University of California, San Francisco, including associate professor of medicine from 2003 to 2006, co-director of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies from 2002 to 2006, assistant professor of medicine from 1997 to 2003, epidemiology specialist from 1993 to 1997 and associate epidemiology specialist from 1991 to 1993. Prior to that, Gomez was director of children’s mental health services for the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 1987 to 1991 and was staff psychologist from 1986 to 1987. Previously, she was a research associate for Boston University from 1984 to 1986, bilingual psychotherapist for AtlantiCare from 1982 to 1984 and community health outreach worker for Uphams Corner Health Center from 1979 to 1981. Gomez is a Democrat.

Harrington, 46, of Riverside, has held numerous positions at the Riverside County Department of Public Health since 1986, including director of public health since 2003, deputy director of public health from 1999 to 2003, chief of nutrition services from 1994 to 1999 and supervising nutritionist and nutritionist from 1986 to 1994. Harrington is a Republican.

Mulnard, 51, of Tustin, currently holds several positions with the University of California, Irvine (UCI), including associate professor of nursing science since 2007, associate program director of general clinical research since 2002 and associate director for administration and director of clinical trials at the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia since 1991. Additionally, from 2003 to 2007, she was associate clinical professor in the Department of Neurology at UCI. Prior to that, Mulnard was a lecturer in the Division of Nursing at California State University, Dominguez Hills from 1989 to 2002, adjunct professor in the Department of Nursing at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) from 1990 to 1999 and assistant professor at CSULB from 1990 to 1992. From 1993 to 1999, she was associate faculty in the Division of Human Services at Saddleback College and from 1989 to 1999 was assistant clinical professor of nursing at the University of California, Los Angeles. Previously, Mulnard was assistant clinical professor in the Department of Surgery at UCI from 1989 to 1992, associate professor of clinical nursing at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1987 to 1999 and assistant professor at USC from 1985 to 1987. Mulnard is a Republican.

Shortell, 63, of Berkeley , has served as a Blue Cross distinguished professor of health policy and management and professor of organizational behavior at the University of California , Berkeley , since 1998. Additionally, since 2002, he has been the dean of UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. From 1982 to 1998, Shortell was an A.C. Buehler distinguished professor of health services management at Northwestern University and, from 1974 to 1982, was a professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Shortell is a Democrat.

Wu, 39, of Oakland , has been the executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network since 2001. From 2004 to 2006, she was an adjunct faculty member at San Francisco State University and, from 2000 to 2001, was a consultant at the Community Health Center Network. Prior to that, in 2000, Wu was a project manager at CareScience and, from 1999 to 2000, was a program officer for the Tides Foundation. From 1995 to 1999, she was director of health education and cultural and linguistic services at the Alameda Alliance for Health, from 1993 to 1995, was training coordinator for Education Programs Associates and, from 1992 to 1993, was a health educator at Valley Community Clinic. Wu is registered decline-to-state.

Yancey, 50, of Los Angeles, has been a faculty member at the University of California , Los Angeles School of Public Health since 1990. From 1999 to 2001, she served as director of the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion branch for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and, from 1996 to 1998, was director of public health for Richmond, VA. Prior to that, Yancey was a clinical associate professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at Virginia Commonwealth University from 1996 to 1998 and an associate professor in the College of Allied Health at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science from 1994 to 1997. From 1985 to 1992, she was director of adolescent medicine at Sheltering Arms Children’s Service and, from 1986 to 1990, was adolescent medicine director for the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. Yancey was a general practitioner at Manhattan Medical Care from 1985 to 1989, general practitioner at William F. Ryan Community Health Center in New York from 1985 to 1987 and emergency room physician and general practitioner at Coastal Emergency Services from 1984 to 1986. Yancey is a Democrat.

These positions do not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary.

In 2006, the Governor signed SB 162 which created a statutorily separate Department of Public Health (CDPH) effective July 1, 2007. The CPDH creates a more effective public health infrastructure in California that will work to decrease illness, injury and death rates; provide greater protection for California residents in the event of an act of bioterrorism or other major public health emergency; and increase accountability and improve program effectiveness for the public health. The Public Health Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to CDPH Director Dr. Mark Horton on programs and policies to improve the health and safety of Californians and helps identify strategies to improve public health program effectiveness and identify emerging public health issues.

Posted 3/24/08