RPE COUNCIL STEERING COMMITTEE

CONFERENCE CALL MINUTES

May 20, 2010

Present:Not Present:

Debbie Ruggles (WA)-Chair Rebecca Koshiba (Palau)-Region XI

Marci Diamond (MA)-Chair ElectBeth Zakutney (PA) – Region III

Vicki Rodriguez (NJ)- Regions I & II

Jan Davis (FL)-Region IV

Susan LaFlash (WI) – Region V

Peggy Helton (TX)-Region VI

Laurie Hart (KS) – Region VII

Catherine Guerrero (CO)-Region VIII

Carol Hensell (AZ)-Region IX

Julie McFarlane/Emilee Coulter-Thompson (OR) – Region X

Jen Grove-NSVRC

Jessica Grzywacz (MI)-Secretary

Debbie called the meeting to order at 1:05PM EST.

NSVRC Update (Jen)

Jen shared that the national needs assessment survey was completed on April 25, with a 61% response rate.More information will be gathered in focus groups that will be conducted at the national conference in Los Angeles this August (including 1 RPE focus group) and in the interviews are already being conducted by Stephanie Townsend. A final report should be available this fall.

Jen noted that our webpage continues to accumulate great resources. Keep them coming and don’t forget to take a look at what’s new! To schedule a free½ -1 hour live tutorial about accessing and using the webpage for your region members, email .

Old Business

RPE Grantee Meeting (Debbie)

The grantee meeting is August 30-31. CDC is incorporating RPE Council feedback about adult learning, healthful food options, and interactive activities! They are still working on allowing us to hold our Council meeting on Monday night & moving the reception to Tuesday night. While Debbie continues to explore logistical options for the Council meeting, the group suggested holdingthe Council meeting Monday night before we go our separate ways for dinner (we’d have a brief break, of course!). If you have thoughts about Council meeting agenda, timeline, or organization, please forward to Debbie.

New Director Mentoring (Debbie)

Debbie has the explanatory PowerPoint presentation that Binnie & CDC created. Binnie, Marci, and Debbie are willing to mentor and will follow up with the new directors. If you learn of new directors in your region, please forward contact information to Debbie (), Marci (), or Jessica ().After a suggestion from Debbie, CDC has been forwarding new director contact information to the Council too. Jessica will update the RPE Directors list with the most recent information and email the list to all. An updated list will also be sent to Jen (NSVRC) for posting on our webpage.

Technical Assistance Plan (Debbie)

If you have global/big suggestions for Prevention Connection, CDC, or NSVRC, please either contact those organizations directly or forward suggestions to Debbie.

New Business

Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool – HECAT (Emilee)

HECAT, a tool from CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), is intended to help health education teachers evaluate whether a curricula (whether selecting or designing a new curriculum) meets various standards and/or adequately covers topics on multiple areas of health education. Entire sections are dedicated to violence prevention and sexual health.

Emilee provided additional background information and asked if the Council is interested in reviewing and sharing feedback regarding the violence prevention and sexual health modules. Jen (NSVRC) noted that the NSVRC has already provided feedback to DASH. Peggy, Laurie, and Marci volunteered to join Emilee to review the modules. Emilee suggested the following timeline for review & report out: 1) Review modules by June 18th and 2) Emilee will arrange a conference call for the small group to discuss thoughts prior to the next RPE Council Meeting on July 15th.

Here’s the HECAT link to download the two modules:

“Dating Matters”-(Group Discussion-topic raised on March Council Call by Becky Odor)

Becky previously suggested exploring how dating violence fits with RPE and primary prevention and how to identify areas of intersection and begin discussions on how best to integrate our work. On this call, members discussed several points, including how the new Office of Adolescent Health fits in and how increased flexibility/greater efficiency among funders (Core Funding, DELTA, RPE, etc.) with regard to needs assessment, strategic planning, reporting, etc. can greatly impact enthusiasm for primary prevention. Debbie agreed to follow up with the Office of Adolescent Heath and raise issues discussed with CDC & the Alliance. Debbie will look into having time at the RPE Meeting or on a separate conference call dedicated to focusing thoughts around the issue(s).

RPEState Plan Analysis (Debbie/Marci)

Debbie reported that CDC will do some analysis submitted state plans. The goal is to have a cross-state analysis of all plans to inform training and TA needs. Kimberly Friere is the RPE science officer working on this, along with others at CDC. Feedback from the group included making sure to:

  • identify best practices and models that are promising for primary prevention being used in other states, identify ways people have developed unique or critical partnerships, overcome challenges, developed or accessed resources,
  • analyze system capacity levels (where are states in this as a whole?)
  • identify basic information about where RPE is administered in states and more specifically, where in health departments.
  • show where states may be linking sexual violence prevention with other health issues, such as obesity prevention, or where states are using the spectrum of prevention as a framework for their prevention strategies.

Another conversation took place that people identified – many states are required to complete plans for all kinds of injury and violence prevention efforts (EMPOWER, Core Injury, DELTA, RPE, etc.); other agencies under the DHHS umbrella require plans and there is a redundancy in requirements. It would be helpful if CDC could bring this issue to the forefront and see how people can incorporate their planning in a more comprehensive and consolidated manner to will meet the requirements of each agency. Debbie will bring this forward to CDC – this should be a national conversation.

Committee and Regional Reports

NSVRC Liaison Report (Marci)

No report.

National Alliance Report (Debbie)

No report

Regional Issues Check-in (Regional Representatives)

Regions I & II-Vicki (NJ) Vicki noted that CBS highlighted Rutgers University Sexual Assault Services recently. It was noted how hard it is to get people to participate in conference calls regularly. Some noted that it is frustrating to get people to the phone for even an hour conversation. Some have resorted to communication via email or suggested sometimes including coalition members for a broader conversation.

Region IV-Jan Davis (FL) Jan noted they used Jen Grove from NSVRC for a conference call/webinar training on use of NSVRC resources – their region found it very useful.

Region VII-Laurie Hart (KS) Laurie shared that KS is planning a regional conference and invited those lucky enough to be in surrounding states to participate. If you’re interested in being part of the conference, please contact her directly at 785-296-8476 or .

Other Agenda Items

Elections (Jessica)

For the 2010-2012 term, Regions I & II, IV, VI, VIII, and XI are up for election. Per the by-laws, it appears that a ballot must be sent to members no later than July 15 and that completed ballots must be returned no later than August 8.

If you’d like to join the nominating committee, please email Jessica (). Otherwise, Jessica will work with regions to develop a slate of candidates and “get out the vote!”

Meeting adjourned at 2:10 PM

Next call: Thursday, July 15, 2010 1-2 PMEastern

Future 2010 Calls: Thursday,September 23, 20101-2 PMEastern
Thursday,November 18, 20101-2 PMEastern

Dial in Number:1-800-621-6451 (USA)

Passcode:90050

Meeting notes: Jessica Grzywacz& Debbie Ruggles

- 1 -