CPHA E-Newsletter—September 2014
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
It’s that time of year again! Time to learn about the new trends in public health on the state and national levels and time to network with your public health colleagues from all around Connecticut. Yes, it’s time for the CPHA Annual Meeting and Conference. Here are my top three reasons why you should attend this year:
1) Our educational program: We will have two national speakers and nine breakout sessions. Be ahead of the curve on all the hot topics of public health – and get a certificate of attendance that you and your agency can use to document training.
2) Opportunities to network: We have carved out time throughout the day for attendees to mix and mingle. Advance your career by extending your professional network.
3) Learn about CPHA’s new strategic direction as a 501(c)3 foundation. This change will enhance our ability to promote public health, prevention, policy, and awareness throughout Connecticut.
CPHA is YOUR organization. Be an active CPHA member so we can be an even stronger organization!
CPHA ANNUAL MEETING OCTOBER 17 AT COCO KEYS RESORT IN WATERBURY: SIGN UP BY OCTOBER 1ST FOR EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION RATE
This year’s CPHA Annual Meeting will be held on Friday, October 17, 2014 at the Coco Keys Resort in Waterbury. The theme of this year’s meeting is Public Health and Healthcare: Building on Our Past, Evolving for the Future. REGISTER HERE
A big year for public health in Connecticut, 2014 brought changes through the Affordable Care Act, and continues to evolve with the State Innovation Model and State and Community Health Assessments. CPHA has accelerated public health practice through its mentorship program and is active in the area of housing and health through a recently awarded APHA Grant. With much innovation around the state, the Annual Meeting should prove to be an excellent opportunity for public health students and professionals learn more about these initiatives and network with fellow public health practitioners.
Keynote Guest Speaker
Dr. Jose Montero, Director of the Division of Public Health Services, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and Past-President (2012-13) ASTHO. Dr. Montero will kick off the meeting and help to set the stage for the conference with his presentation, “Integrating Public Health and Healthcare: Common Goals – Diverse Strategies”. This presentation will be followed by a facilitated question and answer session including Dr. Montero, Dr. Jewel Mullen, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, and Kathi Traugh, President, CPHA.
Plenary Session
David Jacobs, PhD, CIH, Director of Research at the National Center for Healthy Housing and formerly the Director of the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is the guest speaker for the plenary session that will follow lunch. His presentation, “Health and Housing: Opportunities for Dialogue and Action”, will focus on the role that housing and the built environment plays on healthy behaviors and population health.
Click here for full list of breakout sessions.
CPHA AWARDED APHA GRANT TO BE USED FOR AN ACTION PLAN FOR HOUSING AND THE HEALTH GAP
CPHA was awarded a grant in the amount of $10,000 by the American Public Health Association (APHA) to develop a statewide Action Plan for Housing and the Health Gap aimed at encouraging strategic partnerships between public health, housing, and land-use professionals to address health inequities attributable to the built environment.
The grant will enable CPHA to partner with the CT Department of Public Health and its Healthy Homes Initiative and with CADH to identify and educate at least three new partner groups about the link between housing and health equity. First, the grant will support our Annual Meeting plenary speaker, David Jacobs from the National Center for Healthy Housing, and following breakout session where attendees can discuss the health equity and housing connection. On November 14, CPHA will sponsor a panel discussion at the LOB in Hartford to educate state and local policy-makers. In January, CPHA will join with the Partnership for Strong Communities to host a day-long session on health equity for land use professionals. Finally, in late January or early February, CPHA and DPH will host a Housing and Health summit to develop an action plan to integrate housing into land use planning decisions.
Want to get involved? CPHA could use your help with a related media campaign as well as at the educational sessions. Contact Francesca Provenzano at
CPHA: A PARTNER IN CT FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
CPHA has become one of a growing list of partners in the Connecticut for Livable Communities Initiative which is working to help Connecticut communities become great places to grow up and grow older. The Initiative is led by the CT Legislative Commission on Aging. Livable communities are those that promote the health and well-being of all Connecticut residents, including older adults, and are about more than just access to high quality, affordable health care. Livable Communities focuses on wellness and prevention, including local public health efforts to prevent disease, injury, and disability, and promote conditions that support good health.
“CPHA was very pleased to be asked to participate in the initiative,” said Kathi Traugh, CPHA President. “This fits in with our advocacy priority to promote health equity and our new grant from APHA on the built environment. We look forward to working with Livable Communities partners in the many areas where we have a mutual agenda to promote the public’s health.”
COALITION FOR A SAFE AND HEALTHY CT: UPDATE
During the Legislative “off-session,” the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut has continued to work with its members in an effort to educate about the health risks associated with toxic chemical exposures – specifically in children. This year, the Coalition will be focusing primarily on flame-retardants of which there are many different varieties, each with varying degrees of health risk to humans.
Our neighbor, New York, recently passed a ban on the cancer-causing flame-retardant TRIS from being used in consumer childcare products, which includes baby products such as toys, car seats, nursing pillow, crib mattresses, strollers and other items intended for use by children under the age of three.
Similar legislation has floundered in Connecticut in recent years, but the Coalition is optimistic that continued education of consumers and retailers will finally shift the momentum in our favor. On January 7, 2015, Connecticut lawmakers convene to work on issues that affect our state and its residents. It is up to us to ensure that they know that protecting public health - especially children’s health - is an issue that they can no longer ignore.
Please contact Advocacy Chair, Colleen O’Connor at to join the advocacy committee.
HEALTH EDUCATION COMMITTEE: UPDATE
The next HEC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, 2014.
Planned speakers are:
· Hilary Norcia, Central Connecticut Health District:
Topic: National Accreditation from a Local Perspective
· Diana Lejardi, CT DPH:
Topic: Risk Communication and Social Media
In 2015, HEC will be holding four meetings: April, June, September, and November. More information to come!
CPHA’s Health Education Committee (HEC) always welcomes new members. For more information, please email the CPHA Health Education Committee at .
MENTORING COMMITTEE-
M.O.R. MENTORS NEEDED AS PUBLIC HEALTH 101 COURSE EXPANDS
During the past two years, the CPHA Mentoring Organization Registry (MOR) has worked with EDUCATION CONNECTION, one of the State's Regional Service Education Centers, to introduce high school students to Public Health 101: From Disease Prevention to Disaster Preparedness. The course is complemented by public health “mentors” offering their expertise in the classroom and at their workplaces.
In June 2014, Billian Stern Consulting surveyed two teachers and 21 junior and senior students at the two pilot classrooms: New Haven’s Metropolitan Business Academy (MBA) and Newtown High School.
Highlights of the survey include:
• 81% of students cited the most important skill learned in Public Health 101 was how their personal health behaviors influenced the community’s health.
• As a result oftaking PH 101:
• 95% reported that as aresult of this course, they understood how povertynegativelyinfluenced health (health disparities).
• 70% of students reported increasing recycling efforts
• 67% reported they would volunteer in public health.
• 65% reported increasing physical activity and 55% reported healthier eating.
• Teachers agreed that Public Health 101 helped schools meet new requirements for capstones, experiential learning, and community service.
• A top recommendation for improving the course from teachers and students alike was: Increaseguest speakers and field trips
• In response to “How is public health important to you?” students said:
• “It [Public Health] helped me understand that I can make a change in myself and the community.” 11thgrader, Metropolitan Business Academy New Haven
• “Public health is important to me because certain aspects of public health, like accessto clean water, are basic human rights.” 12th grader, Newtown High School
Between 2013 and 2014 enrollment more than doubled in Newtown and New Haven.
With more teachers and students across the state involved in public health classes, more public health ambassadors and mentors are needed to ensure high quality classroom and field opportunities. Help Connecticut build a diversified pipeline of professionals as well as a new generation of “educated citizens” who will be able to contribute to keeping the public healthy. Please contact Pamela Kilbey-Fox r Cyndi Billian Stern if you are interested in being a classroom mentor. Below are the communities with the most immediate need, but we can use your help in other areas of the state as well. Two workshops at the Annual Meeting will help you in this role.*
• Hartford
• East Hartford
• East Haven
• Manchester
• Middletown
• New Haven
• Waterbury
*The CPHA conference on October 17th features two workshops geared for teachersand public health mentors: Promoting Healthier Choices andHealth Careers through Public Health 101 and Looking For Jobs in all the Right Places, including labor marketinformation on hot careers in the health field, followed by a speed mentoring session with five experts in the field.
CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF HEALTH (CABOH): UPDATE
CABOH Elections: Nominations for Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary to the CABOH Leadership Council is open. Interested members may send in their nominations to by October 1st.
Advocacy: Write or call Senator Blumenthal to support The Prevention Public Health Fund, an important investment in Public Health.
CABOH is an organization for Board of Health members in Connecticut which provides education and training, website and e-newsletters, networking with other boards, advocacy for public health, and collaboration with other public health organizations. Please send an email to if you are interested in joining.
MEMBER NEWS OF INTEREST
Dr. Jewel Mullen, Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner, was elected President of the Association for State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) during their annual meeting.
Charles Brown, former Executive Director of CADH, was recently appointed the new Director of Health of the Central Connecticut Health District headquartered in Wethersfield, CT.
Judy Sartucci, Chair of the Central Connecticut Health District Board, was elected to the National Association of Local Boards of Health Board (NALBOH).
Jennifer Kertanis, Director of Health of Farmington Valley Health District, and Scott Sjoquist, (Tribal Dept. Rep.) Director of Health at Mohegan Tribal Health, were elected to the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
JOB OPENINGS
Access Health CT Enrollment Specialist Field Staff
New Haven, CT
http://www.ct.gov/hix/lib/hix/Enrollment_Specialist_-_Field_staff_postingNewHaven.pdf
Director of Public Health, City of New Haven
New Haven, CT
http://www.cpha.info/news/186071/DIRECTOR-OF-PUBLIC-HEALTH---City-of-New-Haven.htm
Registered Sanitarian, North Central District Health Department
Enfield, CT
http://www.cteha.org/uploads/3/2/0/8/3208207/ncdhd-sanitarian1jobannouncement.pdf
UPCOMING EVENTS
Universal Health Care Foundation
Empowering Consumers: Strengthening Our Voice to Transform Health Care
Tuesday, October 21, 2014 from 8 AM- 12:30 PM
Quinnipiac University, North Haven Campus, 370 Basset Road, North Haven
FREE, but registration required
http://universalhealthct.org/what-we-do/events
Safe Kids Connecticut Injury Prevention Conference
Thursday, November 6, 2014 from 8 AM-4 PM
East Hartford Holiday Inn, 100 East River Drive, East Hartford
Early Bird Registration until October 15
http://www.connecticutchildrensfoundation.org/safe-kids-conference
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