Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log | 12-18-14

Making it Better, Your Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

View on the Web

MDH Making It Better

December 18, 2014

Current and archived issues available at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/oshii/log

 

To be added to the distribution list please email Health.MakingitBetter@state.mn.us.

In This Week's Issue

 
 
General Information

Don't forget!

  • Dec 18 ~ 10:30am ~ Webinar ~ Health Powered Kids ~ (612) 262-1777 ~ conference ID: 7083450
  • CANCELED ~ Dec 18 ~ 11am ~ Conference Call ~ Health Care ~ 1-888-742-5095  ~ Participation Code: 9821141691

Gems

Robbinsdale School District is celebrating a new pedestrian and traffic routing system at Northport Elementary School.  Student safety became a high priority following a 2010 SRTS environmental assessment revealed safety concerns for student walkers and bikers. After four years of planning, securing funding and acquiring land, a new sidewalk system and separate bus area was created. Northport now has a safe environment for all students whether they travel by bus, car, bike or on foot. Kudos to Hennepin County on this work. 

On Nov 17, the Bloomington City Council unanimously passed new regulations to address the use of electronic cigarettes and the sale of inexpensive cigars.  The use of electronic devices is now prohibited; in city-owned parks, open spaces and recreational areas, in any public place where “traditional” smoking is prohibited by the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air, within tobacco products shops (for the purpose of sampling); as well as within 25 feet of the entrances for public places and places of work. The ordinance also created new pricing and packaging requirements for cigars. Cigars must generally (an exception was provided for adult-only tobacco shops) be sold; in packages of five or more, or at a per-cigar price of at least $2.60. Congratulations to the City of Bloomington and their partners on this big win!

Do you have a resource or success story (“gem”) to share for a future issue?  Submissions for each week’s Thursday publication are due by noon every Tuesday to Health.MakingitBetter@state.mn.us or grant managers for:

No Making it Better Log Next Week ~ Dec 25

There will be no Making it Better Log next week due to the Christmas holiday.

 
 
Foundational Skills Resources

Resource ~ Public Libraries for Health Toolkit ~ Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN Foundation

Public libraries are trusted institutions with access to a variety of resources and a unique understanding of the local communities that they serve, make them the perfect partners for health equity work.

In 2012, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation accessed the unique community role of libraries by launching the Public Libraries for Health grant-making program. They invited seven libraries in both urban and rural areas to implement projects that would help people reach their full health potential.

 

Along the way, these libraries became local leaders in pursuing health equity, and BCBS collaborated with them on documenting their journey. Now they're ready to bring this vision to public libraries across the United States. The Public Libraries for Health Toolkit is here to guide your library through every step of the project planning process.

 
 
Obesity, Physical Activity and Nutrition Resources

Funding Opportunity ~ Active Places ~ Blue Cross Blue Shield ~ Due Feb 12

This is a new funding initiative to support the planning and execution of Active Places demonstration projects. 

Active Places demonstration projects are temporary, low-cost projects which aim to build momentum for future, long-term changes within a community. They must contribute to a long-term goal of making a community more amenable to walking, biking or other forms of physical activity. Examples of Active Places demonstration projects could include popup parks, Open Streets and temporary plaza/gathering spaces.

The application deadline is February 12 at 1 p.m. An optional webinar will be held Friday, January 9, at 1 p.m. More information here.

 
 
Tobacco Resources

Resources ~ U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Premarket Review of Tobacco Products ~ Tobacco Control Legal Consortium

The Consortium has developed the following 6-part series of short video clips on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s premarket review of tobacco products. These videos, along with our other resources on tobacco product applications, are available on their website here.

  • The Tobacco Product Gatekeeper Provides a broad overview of the FDA's authority in regulating tobacco products and its role as a gatekeeper between the tobacco industry and the retail market.
  • A Dangerous Loophole Describes substantial equivalence reports and a dangerous loophole in the premarket review process
  • Tobacco Industry Exploitation Looks at how tobacco companies could exploit the loophole in the premarket review process.
  • The FDA's Misplaced Priorities Describes how the FDA prioritizes its review of tobacco product applications and problems caused by this practice.
  • The Deeming Regulation: Lessons Not Learned Examines the product application process for products that will come under FDA authority if the agency finalizes its proposed Deeming Regulation.
  • A Tool to Protect Public Health Provides examples of how premarket review can be a powerful tool to fill gaps in the FDA's regulation of tobacco products.
 
 
Community-Clinical Linkages Resources

No resources.

 
 
Related Events Around Minnesota and Beyond

No events.

 
 
Ship Grantee AnnouncementsMDH Logo

Save the Date ~ Regional Learning Meetings ~ Tobacco & SHIP Planning ~ Jan, 10am - 4pm

The January series of Regional Meetings will address:

10am-12pm: 

  • Anticipated tobacco control issues in the 2015 legislative session
  • New child-resistant packaging requirements for e-liquids that take effect January 1, 2015. 

1-4pm:

  • Gaining input for quality improvement on community engagement and health equity
  • Gaining initial input on the application process for SHIP 4.0 planning
  • Discussing grantee needs around financial guidance, staffing structure, and other key components of SHIP

Dates & Locations:

  • Jan 8 | Brainerd | Brainerd Public Library, 416 S 5th St, Brainerd, MN 56401 | Large Meeting Room
  • Jan 15 | Mankato | Blue Earth Historic Courthouse, 204 S 5th St, Mankato, MN 56001 | 3rd Floor Conference Room
  • Jan 20 | Maplewood | Maplewood Public Library, 3025 Southlawn Dr, Maplewood, MN 55109 | Community Program Room
MDH Logo

Strategy Listening Sessions – Registration Information

Community Specialists sent an email to SHIP Coordinators on Dec 3 detailing the grantee input process for SHIP Planning. As described in the previous email, here are the upcoming Strategy Listening Session dates and times. Please refer to the Dec 3 email for more detailed information.

Please use the links below to register. Any local SHIP staff are welcome to attend. Each call will last approximately 1 hour.

Thursday 12/18 at 1 pm – Tobacco Free Living/Tobacco Control/Tobacco Free Grounds

Thursday 12/18 at 3 pm - Active Living for Community (Includes SRTS)

Monday 12/22 at 9:30 am – Schools (Healthy School Food, Active School Day)

Monday 12/22 at 3 pm – Worksite Wellness

Staff who are unable to attend the calls or who feel they did not have enough time to express their ideas on the calls may provide written feedback through a survey here. The survey link will also be emailed out to participants after the calls. 

MDH Logo

Evaluation Update ~ SHIP Data Use

  • MDH anticipates a number of legislative requests for SHIP data and reports during the upcoming 2015 Legislative Session.  We strongly encourage grantees to update their Intake and Reach Trackers and to actively communicate with their liaisons to correct current errors.  MDH will be using the Intake and Reach data that will be submitted in December, 2014 to answer any 2015 legislative questions about SHIP strategies and specific grantee work. 
  • MDH runs many reports based on the Strategy Start Date Tab of the Intake & Reach Tracker.  A number of grantees have not updated this tab as of the September submission.  Please be aware that if your data is not entered we cannot report it.
 
 
Tobacco-Free Communities Grantee AnnounecementsMDH Logo

Save the Date ~ Regional Learning Meetings ~ Tobacco ~ Jan, 10am - 12pm

The January series of Regional Meetings will include a two-hour tobacco portion, which will give an overview of anticipated tobacco control issues in the 2015 legislative session and new child-resistant packaging requirements for e-liquids that take effect January 1, 2015. This meeting will be presented by the tobacco technical assistance providers, and is open to any staff interested in the topic. We hope that you can join us for the morning tobacco session, from 10 am -12 pm. 

  • Jan 8 | Brainerd | Brainerd Public Library, 416 S 5th St, Brainerd, MN 56401 | Large Meeting Room
  • Jan 15 | Mankato | Blue Earth Historic Courthouse, 204 S 5th St, Mankato, MN 56001 | 3rd Floor Conference Room
  • Jan 20 | Maplewood | Maplewood Public Library, 3025 Southlawn Dr, Maplewood, MN 55109 | Community Program Room