Making it Better, Your Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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March 17, 2016

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

• Don't forget!
• Gems
• Active Living | Sign up for MnDOT Safe Routes to School Newsletter
• School Food Service | Team Up for Success Opportunity for Mentoring
• School Wellness | School Grants for Healthy Kids: Apply Today!
• Webinar | Please note: Change in SHIP School Webinar for April 12
• Survey | Grocery Store Survey Shows Challenges for Rural Communities
• New | Tips Ads, Featuring COPD, Depression & Heart Disease
• Resources | Motivational Interviewing
• No Copays | Tobacco Treatment for Minnesotans on Medical Assistance
• Networking Opportunity | Rethinking Tobacco
• Webinar | Pharmacology Update: Nicotine Dependency Treatment for those with Mental Illness or Addiction
• Webinar | Tobacco 101 for Mental Health Professionals and Partners
• Webinar | Funding Opportunity | Community College Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free Grant | April 14
• Strategic Plan | Asthma in Minnesota 2014-2020
• Attention | SHIP Coordinators and Evaluation Point of Contacts
• Save the Dates | Making it Better Regional Learning Meetings | April – May
• Reminder | TFC Year 4 Budgets Due | March 18

Don't forget!

• Webinar | Opening Doors Webcast Series: Embracing Asian American Populations with Tobacco Cessation Support | March 17
  Time:     11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
  Hosts:   SelfMade Health Network, APPEAL, and the Asian Smokers' Quitline
  Description: Tobacco use, incidences of cancer and mortality rates are higher for vulnerable, underserved and low-resource populations in the United States. Socioeconomic factors, including level of education, race/ethnicity, poverty status, annual household income, geographic region along with other relevant factors (e.g. access to evident-based healthcare resources and services, information and healthcare coverage) have been found to contribute to adult tobacco use (including smoking cigarettes). To register, go to: http://bit.ly/OpeningDoors_ASQ or http://www.selfmadehealth.org/webcasts/ 
• Webinar | Active Living | TIGER Grant Funding for Infrastructure Projects | March 22
  Time: 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
  Topic: How to Compete for TIGER Discretionary Grants: Rural and Tribal Applicants Objective: The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that it has $500 million in grants available for transportation projects across the country. The grants are available as part of the eighth round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program. A free webinar on the TIGER funding has been scheduled. Registration, which is required, is available by clicking here: How to Compete for TIGER Discretionary Grants - Rural and Tribal Applicants. More information about the TIGER program, including frequently asked questions and other guidance, can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/tiger.
•  Webinar | Pharmacology Update:  Nicotine Dependency Treatment for those with Mental Illness or Addiction | March 23
  Time:  Noon - 1 p.m.
  Objectives:
  * Increase knowledge and awareness of FDA-approved tobacco treatment pharmacotherapies
  * Understand interactions between smoking and psychiatric medications
  * Understand key aspects of tobacco assessment necessary for developing treatment plans
  * Identify barriers related to the use of tobacco treatments in behavioral health treatment
  CEUs will not be pre-approved for this training. However, participants can request a certificate of attendance with objectives and time for webinars.
• Active Recess Training | St. Cloud | March 24
  For more information about the active recess training, which is coordinated through SHIP grantees and their school partners, contact mary.thissen-milder@state.mn.us.  
• Network Call | Safe Routes to School | March 24
  Time:   10 – 11 a.m.
  The webinar, which includes a network call, features a presentation on the Minnesota Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiative.
  For the recorded webinar, go to: https://myhealthplan.webex.com/myhealthplan/ldr.php?RCID=f569bae24614423a5b9f0def41942c06.

Gems

• National Advertising Award | Rice County SHIP in Partnership with American Lung Association MN 
  Rice County and the AmericanLung Association in Minnesota received a Service Industry Advertising Award (SIAA) for communication excellence. The gold award recognizes the “Tobacco Free Education – Rice County, MN” newspaper ad that was designed by Lime Valley Advertising, Inc., of Mankato. It was created for a campaign to reduce Rice County college students’ exposure to secondhand smoke.
  
  The SIAA is a national competition that honors service industry providers for contributions to marketing and advertising. Judges reviewed more than 1,700 entries from 500 agencies. Entries were judged on execution, creativity, quality, consumer appeal and overall breakthrough.
  
  
• Policy Adopted | Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services TFC (Start Noticing) | Smoke-Free Apartments
  Somerset Green Apartments in St. James, which is operated by Mayberry Realty, adopted a smoke-free policy on March 4. It includes e-cigarettes. A Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services TFC (Start Noticing) grant assisted Mayberry Realty with policy passage. The new policy starts April 4. 

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 community specialists for:

• SHIP  Meredith Ahlgren, Allison Heinzeller, Ari McHenry, Jessica Smith or Dan Taylor
• Tobacco Pa Khang
• American Indian LaRaye Anderson or Sarah Brokenleg
• Community Wellness Rachel Mahon Bosman

No resources this week.

Active Living | Sign up for MnDOT Safe Routes to School Newsletter

Stay connected with grant opportunities and trainings related to Safe Routes to School. Sign up for MnDOT's Safe Routes to School eNewsletter!

School Food Service | Team Up for Success Opportunity for Mentoring

The Minnesota Department of Education is accepting applications from school nutrition staff who want to be mentored in 2016-2017 through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Team Up for Success initiative! The initiative’s goal is to provide mentoring to newer school nutrition program managerial staff or existing staff in school nutrition programs that want additional assistance. Help us identify school nutrition program staff who could benefit from this positive relationship building experience. Applications are due April 1. For more information and to apply go to: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2628527/TeamUp.

School Wellness | School Grants for Healthy Kids: Apply Today!

Funding for school wellness initiatives for next school year (2016-2017) are available. Action for Healthy Kids is accepting School Grants for Healthy Kids applications for the 2016-2017 school year for School Breakfast or Game on grants (for physical activity and nutrition initiatives).

Visit actionforhealthykids.org/grants for more information. Deadline: April 1.

Questions? Interested in learning more about MN AFHK?
Contact Ann Kisch, MN AFHK State Coordinator or connect with us on Facebook.

Webinar | Please note: Change in SHIP School Webinar for April 12

The April 12 SHIP monthly school webinar has been combined with Minnesota Department of Education’s Tuesdays at 2 webinar series. It will include topics related to school nutrition programs because regional meetings are scheduled the same day.  Please note: The time for the webinar will be from 2-3 p.m. (not from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. as previously scheduled). The webinar’s topic will be Wellness Policy Changes. To register please click here, learning code: 4110.

Survey | Grocery Store Survey Shows Challenges for Rural Communities

A survey of rural Minnesota grocery store owners and operators points to challenges facing regions of the state that are already coping with a lack of access to healthy and affordable foods. 

Among the survey’s notable findings was the fact that 62 percent of respondents intend to own their grocery store for only 10 more years or less and the vast majority of them do not have a transition plan in place to help assure the store will continue to operate. 

The survey was designed by the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and conducted by the Center for Survey Research. To learn more, click: http://www.extension.umn.edu/rsdp/features/doc/RSDP-Rural-Grocery-Survey-Shows-Serious-Challenges.pdf

New | Tips Ads, Featuring COPD, Depression & Heart Disease

The 2016 Tips From Former Smokers campaign, featuring ads that raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease, is available. The ads also address dual use (defined as the concurrent use of both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes) and smoking among individuals with mental health conditions.  

The campaign ads began airing Jan. 25 and will run for 20 consecutive weeks on television, radio and in print (magazines). Many will hear the messages from former smokers about the toll that smoking-related disease can take. This may cause some current smokers to think about quitting. They may seek advice on how to get started.  

For free campaign tools, go to:
Health Care Professionals
Mental Health Professionals
Pharmacists
Vision Professionals 

Resources | Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a counseling style that can be used to help people quit. As a non-confrontational approach, it can help clients or patients explore and resolve their uncertainties about changing their behavior.

Learn more about motivational interviewing:
Motivational Interviewing – SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions
Motivational Interviewing – American Academy of Pediatrics

No Copays | Tobacco Treatment for Minnesotans on Medical Assistance

Effective Jan. 1, tobacco treatment medication for Minnesotans on medical assistance is completely free. Law changes passed during the last legislative session waive copays for preventative services that are “A or B” rated by the U.S. Preventive Task Force, such as tobacco treatment counseling as well as medications and nicotine replacement therapies like patches, gum and lozenges. This means Minnesotans on medical assistance have free access to quit smoking resources.

ClearWay Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health created a brochure to help inform enrollees that they have free help to quit smoking. The brochure, “You Can Afford to Quit Smoking – Free Help through Medical Assistance” can be ordered online.  

The maximum order size is 200 due to a limited supply of the brochure, and print-ready copies are available at no charge for organizations that would like to print larger quantities. Email Mike Sheldon at ClearWay Minnesota (msheldon@clearwaymn.org), if you would like to obtain print-ready copy.

Order free brochures for your patients.
Learn more about these MA changes.

Networking Opportunity | Rethinking Tobacco

The American Lung Association in Minnesota, which is dedicated to addressing the inequity in and the devastating impact of smoking for people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders and the professionals serving them, is offering free networking opportunities that offer conversation and information.  

Networking Opportunities
Two 45-minute conference calls featuring people working on “rethinking tobacco” statewide and an opportunity to hear success stories and challenges, have been scheduled

The times are:

• Wednesday, June 15 at 10 a.m. | Registration link: http://svy.mk/1SzMkbu
• Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. | Registration link: http://svy.mk/1R7G77C

Webinar | Pharmacology Update: Nicotine Dependency Treatment for those with Mental Illness or Addiction

Time:     Noon – 1 p.m.
Dates:   July 13 | Register here.
              Oct. 4 | Register here.

 Objectives:

• Increase knowledge and awareness of FDA-approved tobacco treatment pharmacotherapies
• Understand interactions between smoking and psychiatric medications
• Understand key aspects of tobacco assessment necessary for developing treatment plans
• Identify barriers related to the use of tobacco treatments in behavioral health treatment

CEUs will not be pre-approved for this training. However, participants can request a certificate of attendance with objectives and time for webinars.

Webinar | Tobacco 101 for Mental Health Professionals and Partners

Time:    Noon - 1 p.m.
Dates:  June 8 | Register here.
             Aug. 16 | Register here.

Objectives:

• Understand the prevalence of tobacco use among mental health and substance use consumers
• Understand tobacco addiction
• Learn how to incorporate assessment of tobacco dependence into clinical practice
• Identify how to incorporate motivational assessments and psychosocial treatments

CEUs will not be pre-approved for this training. However, participants can request a certificate of attendance with objectives and time for webinars.

Webinar | Funding Opportunity | Community College Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free Grant | April 14

Time:     2 – 3 p.m.
Date:     April 14

If you are interested in learning more about the Smoke-free and Tobacco-Free College Community Grant, you are invited to participate in this grant information webinar.

To register, click on the link (scroll to the bottom) http://truthinitiative.org/news/helping-community-colleges-kick-their-tobacco-free-campus-efforts-gear  

For more information: Grant materials can be found at http://truthinitiative.org/news/helping-community-colleges-kick-their-tobacco-free-campus-efforts-gear

Questions: Please email communitycollege@truthinitiative.org

Strategic Plan | Asthma in Minnesota 2014-2020

The Minnesota Department of Health's Asthma Program is pleased to announce that "Asthma in Minnesota 2014-2020 Strategic Plan" is available on the MDH website. Click here. The plan guides MDH and partners from across the state in improving asthma care and quality of life for people with asthma. This new update builds off the work and progress completed from the previous plans prepared in 2002 and 2007. Statewide partners directly supporting and working with patients and families on asthma provided input to help shape this plan.   Reducing the impact of asthma in Minnesota remains a major public health challenge, even more so for populations disproportionately affected by asthma. Though the number of people receiving optimal asthma care is increasing and the number of hospitalizations is decreasing, there is still a lot of work to be done to reduce asthma's impact of illness, death and economic costs. Acting together we can achieve greater progress than any of us can individually.

Attention | SHIP Coordinators and Evaluation Point of Contacts

Important Training Webinar - Getting started with REDCAP & Entering Reach Data  Webinar Information:  Time:     2 – 3:30 p.m. Date:     April 6  Topic:    SHIP 4 Training Webinar- Getting started with REDCap & Entering Reach Data Session number: 631 458 170 Session password: Oshii2016# Click here to join the webinar. Time:     10 – 11:30 a.m. Date:     April 8                Topic:    SHIP 4 Training Webinar- Getting started with REDCap & Entering Reach Data Session number: 637 663 963 Session password: Oshii2016# Click here to join the webinar. This webinar will provide training on how to use REDCap and how to enter reach data. Please view the recommended short training module videos posted on Basecamp prior to this training titled REDCap Sneak Peak, Orientation to REDCap, Entering Reach Data.  Also have available at the webinar SHIP 4 Intake & Reach Look-up Table (PDF) located on the SHIP Evaluation webpage at http://www.health.state.mn.us/healthreform/ship/evaluation2.html. You do not need a REDCap username and password to participate in the training. That information will be sent to the Evaluation Points of Contact upon completion of the webinar.  Reminder:  All grantees will be asked to submit Reach data by April 30. Please mark your calendars!

Save the Dates | Making it Better Regional Learning Meetings | April – May

Healthy Eating in Community, School and Child Care Settings Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Dates | Locations:  April 12, 2016 | Southwest | Southwest Service Cooperative (SWSC), 1420 East College Drive, Pathfinder and Navigator Rooms, Marshall April 14, 2016 | Northwest | Essentia Health St. Mary’s, 1027 Washington Ave., Lower Level Conference Rooms, Detroit Lakes April 21, 2016 | Northeast | Duluth Public Safety Building, 2030 North Arlington Ave., Duluth April 28, 2016 | Southeast | Southeast Service Cooperative and Wood Lake Meeting Center, 210 Wood Lake Drive S.E., Willow Conference Room, Rochester May 10, 2016 | Metro | Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, Metro Counties Government Center, 2099 W. University Ave., St. Paul  More information will be posted closer to the dates.

No announcements this week.

No announcements this week.

Reminder | TFC Year 4 Budgets Due | March 18

A friendly reminder that Tobacco-Free Communities (TFC) Year 4 budgets (line-item and narrative) are due Friday, March 18.  Questions or for more information contact: Pa.Khang@state.mn.us.