Citizens Health Initiative

Unhealthy Alcohol Use Workgroup

April 9, 2008 Meeting Summary

Attended: Seddon Savage, Joe Harding, Valerie Smith, Michelle Ricco, Tracy Gay, Sue Barnard, Aviva Grasso, Ned Helms, Buffi Girardin.

Focus of meeting was on planning two June events: a June conference for SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, referral and treatment), and a half day forum around taxes. The following outline was reviewed and comments have been added.

Unhealthy Alcohol Use Conference Planning

1)NH CHI working on:

  1. Event planning
  2. Invite letter from NHCHI explaining events
  3. Complete Unhealthy Alcohol Use Action Plan which will explain the process the workgroup went through to arrive at these two action areas
  4. Work with Karno and Associates on messaging especially for Alcohol Tax Event

2)SBIRT Day in New Hampshire:

  1. Half-day event
  2. Tentative date is June 24th at the Holiday in Concord. Considering SERESC in Bedford is an option for videoconferencing if travel is an issue for out of state speakers.
  3. Approximately 100 people
  4. Proposed Agenda for SBIRT Day in New Hampshire
  5. Opening remarks: Ned Helms
  6. Frame Issue/Day’s work: John Bunker
  7. SBIRT in ER Department: BrownUniversity
    (Possible Dr. Bernstein at BostonMedicalCenter)
  8. SBIRT in PCP/Hospital: asking Michael Bolticelli from Massachusetts PH Department –phone message and email sent-not heard back yet.
  9. National Perspective: inquiring with SAMSA project director
  10. ConcordHospital Project: Susan Bolter – available
  11. Foundation for Healthy Communities Survey: Shawn LaFrance- available
  12. Round Table Discussion- What is going on in New Hampshire
  13. Each attendee will have a few minutes to talk about their project and submit a one-page summary
  14. What are potential opportunities to bring more funding into NH
  15. Invite list:
  16. SBIRT invite list in excel-
    This was printed for meeting and sent again to entire group with a request to add anyone that may be missing by Friday.
  17. Susan Barnard suggests inviting:
  18. all trauma coordinators- there is a meeting on April 16 to which Susan can bring information
  19. Emergency Nurses Association or NH Nurse’s Association- the ENA is already implementing SBIRT kits on their website and identifying SBIRT champions.

Comments:

The goals of the meeting are to refine the definition of SBIRT from a national perspective and then identify what is already being done in NH. Round table discussions regarding opportunities to work together should be the main part of the day. There was some discussion about framing it regionally then moving to local discussions. It was agreed that focusing on a Nation model/stand with a national speaker would be a better way to go and then to focus on NH. It was suggested that we try and get H. Wesley Clark from SAMSA or another representative and that Laura Davie and John Bunker will follow up on this.

The Registration form will have specific questions asking questions that will identify who is doing SBIRT in NH, Laura and Aviva will be in charge of the questions. Ned will draft invite letter/description of day and Buffi will create an online registration once questions are finalized.

Attendees should leave with a common definition of SBIRT and a better understanding of what is going on in NH. We should reconvene for a follow up meeting around next steps in NH.

Most meeting attendees thought Seresc is too far out of the way and would prefer the Holiday Inn or GrapponeCenter in Concord.

3)Alcohol Tax Conference

  1. Half-day event
  2. June 6th at the Audubon Society in Concord
  3. Approximately 25 people
  4. Draft Agenda:
  5. Opening Remarks- Ned Helms
  6. Frame Issue/Day’s work: John Bunker
  7. Alcohol Tax 101- George Hacker- available
  8. Maine’s Plan- Malory Shaughnessy- invited not sure if confirmed with John
  9. CDC- John is in touch with George Hacker and CDC Community Guide people
  10. Suggested Invites:
  11. All or Selected Members of the House Ways & Means committee and the appropriate Senate committee. Or just the chairs
  12. All or Selected Members of the Legislative Caucus on Alcohol & Other Drugs: State Representative Joy Tilton is Chair.
  13. Representatives from the NH Alcohol and Other Drug Services Providers Association, contact:
  14. Amelie Gooding (VP for Treatment): - 603 358 4041 X 6400
  15. Amy Pepin (VP for Prevention: - 603 668 1920 ext 4142
  16. NH Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors Association, contact:
  17. Jackqui Abikoff (Chair of the Policy Committee): - (603) 524-8005
  18. Foundations:
  19. NH Charitable Foundation
  20. Endowment for Health
  21. HNHfoundation
  22. Liquor Commissioner
  23. Public Health Association-Tracy Gay or President
  24. Executive Representative
  25. Judicial Representative-???
  26. Office of Alcohol and Drug Policy- ???
  27. Governors Commission- Joe Diament
  28. Medical Society- Palmer Jones
  29. Women’s Policy Institute- Katie Merrow
  30. Dartmouth-???
  31. FranklinPierceLawCenter- Tom Bunnell

Comments: The Initiative is not trying to dictate tax policy but we feel it is an important issue and needs to be discussed. It was decided that we should call this a forum, rather than a conference as it is a sharing of information only and is too small a venue to be a conference.
Invitations must be very targeted and carefully crafted. Ned will draft a letter. It was asked if the governor’s office is aware of what we are doing. Paul will send a note letting the governor and staff know that we are convening a group.

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