Making it Better, Your Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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November 10, 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
• Article | Evidence-Based Fall Prevention
• Annual Safe Routes to School Network Survey
• National Walk Summit Call for Proposals | St. Paul | Sept. 2017
• Save the Date | 2017 Healthy School Conference | Turning Knowledge into Action | Feb. 23
• Every Body Walk! Micro Grants
• Youth Smoking Hits Historic Low
• Inspiring Bold Action: The Minnesota Tobacco Control Conference | Jan. 24-26, 2017
• A Message from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• Updated Implementation Guides
• American Indian Tobacco Documentary | Nov. 13
• TFC Grantee Orientation Webinar | Nov. 14

Don't forget!

• American Indian Tobacco Documentary | Nov. 13
  

Time:  7 p.m.
Date:  Nov. 13

A new TV program exploring tobacco use among Minnesota’s American Indians will premiere on Twin Cities PBS (tpt) this month. Created by American Indian producer Leya Hale with input from tribal elders, Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco features dozens of Minnesota American Indians discussing how their tobacco traditions were corrupted by the commercial tobacco industry. Coproduced by tobacco prevention nonprofit ClearWay Minnesota and Twin Cities PBS, the program shows how restoring traditional tobacco ways can combat the tobacco industry and improve health in Indian Country.

“In Minnesota, American Indians smoke cigarettes at a rate of 59 percent – four times the rate of the general population,” said CoCo Villaluz, who manages tribal grant-making for ClearWay Minnesota. “Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco will raise awareness of traditional tobacco practices and commercial tobacco abuse in our tribal communities.”

Told entirely from the viewpoint of American Indians, Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco explores how sacred medicines were exploited for profit by tobacco companies, creating epidemic-level health problems for Natives. At the same time, it shows how American Indians in Minnesota are working to restore traditional tobacco practices, to reduce commercial tobacco abuse like cigarette smoking, and to prevent secondhand smoke exposure.

“We plan to share this program with our tribal community partners, where it can help us remember the difference between sacred and commercial tobacco,” said Villaluz. “And we hope the PBS audience will learn about the health disparities experienced by American Indians, and support culturally-driven efforts to improve health equity for our people.”

The program is unique in the country and has been accepted to three American Indian film festivals. It will debut on tpt’s MN Channel on Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. and will continue to air on PBS stations through the end of November. Following the premiere, the program can also be viewed at www.clearwaymn.org/KeepTobaccoSacred.

• Webinar | Creating Tobacco-Free Colleges and Universities with Inspiration from the Great American Smokeout | Nov. 14

Time:  3-4 p.m.
Date:  Nov. 14
Hosts:  ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) and NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials)

Description:

While more colleges and universities continue to go tobacco-free, some students in the United States are still able to use tobacco products on campus and expose other students to secondhand smoke. This live webinar co-hosted by ASTHO and NACCHO will feature speakers from the American Cancer Society, local health departments, and colleges and universities, and will explore how health departments and colleges can leverage their own resources and national events such as the upcoming 2016 Great American Smokeout to work towards smoke-free colleges and universities.

Registration link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/7nyfqksp1t6c&eom

• Rally Around Health Systems Change for Treating Tobacco Dependence | Nov. 15

Rally Around Health Systems Change for Treating Tobacco Dependence

Time:  10 a.m.–Noon
Date:  Nov. 15
Location:  Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd, Maple Grove

This is a multi-stakeholder, action-oriented event. Participants will learn from national expert Dr. Michael Fiore from the University of Wisconsin and a panel of providers. Participants will also hear how a variety of health systems have implemented changes to improve how they have addressed tobacco use with their patients.

Register here.

• Point of Sale Connect Call | Nov. 16
  

Time:  2 p.m.
Date:  Nov. 16
Call in number:  1-888-354-0094
Conference ID:  8132089 (note this is a new ID)

This monthly call is hosted by American Lung Association as a part of their MDH TA grant. The purpose of the call is to provide a space for all grantees (regardless of grant funder) and TA providers working on local POS and E-Cig policies to connect on the latest science, successes, and news and to discuss barriers, tools, and resources. This is an open forum format but occasionally the platform is utilized to present webinars or statewide updates.

• Webinar | Healthy Schools Program Website Walk Through | Nov. 17

Webinar Training:  Utilizing the Online Healthy Schools Program Website

Time:  9:30 a.m.
Date:  Nov. 17

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation will be conducting this national training. Please click on this link to register for the training: HSP Website Walkthrough. This topic was the most strongly identified TA need that SHIP coordinators suggested during this past month’s webinar.  Please join if you are able. 

Again, please cancel the date/time of Nov. 8 on your calendars and replace with this learning opportunity. If this new date/time doesn’t work, please visit the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s training center for other virtual on-demand courses and workshops that can be taken.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terri Swartout, terri.swartout@state.mn.us

Gems

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, Nora Shields-Cutler or Dan Taylor
• Tobacco Pa Khang
• American Indian LaRaye Anderson or Sarah Brokenleg
• Community Wellness Rachel Mahon Bosman

Article | Evidence-Based Fall Prevention

Implementing an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Intervention in Community Senior Centers:

Research article can be found here.

Annual Safe Routes to School Network Survey

The annual Safe Routes to School Network survey is open. The planning team would like to better meet the needs of Safe Routes across the state. Please complete the survey by Nov. 23. Responses will be shared during the December SRTS Network call. To begin the survey go here.

National Walk Summit Call for Proposals | St. Paul | Sept. 2017

National Walk Summit Call for Proposals

Date: Sept.13-15, 2017
Location: St. Paul

America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative are calling for proposals for its 2017 National Walking Summit. 

The theme of the 2017 summit is "Vital and Vibrant Communities: The Power of Walkability." The conference will explore how walking and walkability create engaged, thriving and inclusive communities for all members. Walkability is at the cornerstone of creating neighborhoods that are vital and vibrant, allowing all members of a community to enjoy health, social and economic benefits in a variety of forms.

We want to highlight the great projects, programs and resources that are being developed in St. Paul and throughout Minnesota. Sessions will focus on local examples of walkability. To learn more and submit a proposal, click here.

Submissions are due Dec. 15.

Save the Date | 2017 Healthy School Conference | Turning Knowledge into Action | Feb. 23

Date:  Feb. 23 Join MN AFHK for the 2017 Healthy Schools Conference to explore how health equity at school relates to nutrition, physical activity and the whole child at our biannual conference. This conference is designed to inform and empower schools and community partners to take action to support the health and success of all students. Join us to learn practical strategies to develop and implement effective policies and practices for improved student outcomes. Be inspired on how you can create a school environment that supports healthy, active students.

Every Body Walk! Micro Grants

America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative are excited to announce the second year of Micro Grant Funding. This program will award up to $1,500 for projects related to increasing walking and walkability. 

Funded projects will increase walking and benefits of walkability in communities and will work to develop the walking movement by increasing the number and diversity of people and organizations pushing for more walkability. They should aim to make walking safe, easy and enjoyable for all community members.

Click here to learn more about the grant program. 

Applications are due Nov. 18.

Apply here.

Contact Heidi Simon at hsimon@americawalks.org with questions.

Youth Smoking Hits Historic Low

Nearly 1 in 5 teens now uses e-cigarettes

Results from the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) showed that traditional cigarette smoking among both 11th and 9th grade students fell by nearly one third since the survey was last conducted in 2013. These are the lowest rates ever recorded by the survey, with only 8.4% of 11th graders, and 4.3% of 9th grades reporting they had smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days.

These declines follow extensive statewide efforts to curb cigarette smoking including a 2013 tobacco tax, bans on indoor smoking, and tighter restrictions on youth access to tobacco products. Results also showed declines in 11th and 9th grade cigar product and smokeless tobacco use.

However, the survey also showed a dramatic and concerning increase in the number of students using e-cigarettes; use among both 11th and 9th graders is now more than double that of cigarette use.

Products like e-cigarettes, e-hookahs and vape pens typically contain liquid forms of nicotine, and are currently unregulated. No amount of nicotine is safe for youth; it is highly addictive and may harm adolescent brain development. Damaging long-term effects may have implications for learning, memory, attention, behavior problems and future addiction.

Additional Data Highlights

• 50.2% of e-cigarette users reported using at least one other kind of tobacco product.
• 34.5% of all tobacco users reported using menthol.
• 40.4% of all tobacco users reported using a flavor other than menthol.

Despite declines in use among all groups, disparities persist among student populations. 11th grade cigarette use rates were: 

• 17.4% for American Indians (2 times state average)
• 21.7% for students experiencing severe economic hardship (2.6 times state average)
• 20.9% for bisexual, gay or lesbian students (2.5 times state average)
• 20.4% for students experiencing suicidal thoughts (2.4 times state average)
• 33.0% for students also binge drink (3.9 times state average)

Note: Straight horizontal line is statewide average percent (8.4%)

The Minnesota Student Survey is conducted every three years among populations of Minnesota public schools. The census-like survey asks questions about activities, experiences and behaviors. Topics include: tobacco, alcohol and drug use, school climate, physical activity, violence and safety, health, connections with school and family, and other topics. In 2016, nearly 169,000 public school students participated in the survey.

Learn more at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/mss.

Inspiring Bold Action: The Minnesota Tobacco Control Conference | Jan. 24-26, 2017

Inspiring Bold Action: The Minnesota Tobacco Control Conference Date:  Jan. 24-26, 2017 Location:  RiverCentre, 175 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul Cost:  $100 The conference will focus on three primary areas: Eliminating tobacco inequities: Disparities in commercial tobacco use are very clear and use remains persistently high in groups such as communities of color; indigenous communities; LGBT; urban and rural populations; certain occupations; those with mental health or substance use disorders; the homeless; and those with lower levels of income or educational attainment. Taking bold steps through policy change that can help to eliminate these inequities. Fulfilling the need for sustainable resources to support the elimination of inequities. This includes engaging community members, building community capacity and developing community leadership. It also is designed to secure funding sources that are targeted toward the implementation of community driven solutions. Watch for more information and registration details this fall.

No announcements this week.

A Message from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

In preparation for the legislative session, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has asked us to pass along the following message to SHIP coordinators.  Please note, participation in the ACS CAN is not a requirement of your MDH SHIP grant. MDH is simply passing along a resource from a nonprofit organization that you may find helpful. If you have questions about the attached message, please contact Dana Bacon directly.

Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Dana Bacon, and I work with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to organize grassroots campaigns in Minnesota that have an impact in the fight against cancer. We have been strong advocates for SHIP funding for the past several years, and will continue our supportive work in 2017.

To improve my organization’s ability to show the value of SHIP to lawmakers and other interested parties, I am assembling up-to-date contact lists for the Community Leadership Teams in each SHIP community in the state. I am hoping to work with CLT members across the state this fall and next year to help them show their state lawmakers how valuable SHIP is in their communities.

If you have a contact list for your community’s CLT that includes first and last names and email addresses at a minimum, I’d be grateful for them. If the list includes each member’s phone number, city, and relevant job/position information as available, that would be additionally helpful. Any help you might offer in providing these lists would be appreciated, and I am glad to work with you to determine the best ways to share this information if you have any particular questions. 

Thank you for your time and interest. If you have any questions, or have a list to submit, please feel free to contact me at dana.bacon@cancer.org or 651.255.813.

Updated Implementation Guides

SHIP implementation guides have been updated.  We’ve highlighted major changes in yellow in each of the updated guides. In addition, a new Evaluation Guide is available. Resources for local health assessment data collection and evaluation and reporting due dates also have been posted here. See which guides have been updated here. Contact your Community Specialist with questions.

American Indian Tobacco Documentary | Nov. 13

Time:  7 p.m.
Date:  Nov. 13

A new TV program exploring tobacco use among Minnesota’s American Indians will premiere on Twin Cities PBS (tpt) this month. Created by American Indian producer Leya Hale with input from tribal elders, Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco features dozens of Minnesota American Indians discussing how their tobacco traditions were corrupted by the commercial tobacco industry. Coproduced by tobacco prevention nonprofit ClearWay Minnesota and Twin Cities PBS, the program shows how restoring traditional tobacco ways can combat the tobacco industry and improve health in Indian Country.

“In Minnesota, American Indians smoke cigarettes at a rate of 59 percent – four times the rate of the general population,” said CoCo Villaluz, who manages tribal grant-making for ClearWay Minnesota. “Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco will raise awareness of traditional tobacco practices and commercial tobacco abuse in our tribal communities.”

Told entirely from the viewpoint of American Indians, Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco explores how sacred medicines were exploited for profit by tobacco companies, creating epidemic-level health problems for Natives. At the same time, it shows how American Indians in Minnesota are working to restore traditional tobacco practices, to reduce commercial tobacco abuse like cigarette smoking, and to prevent secondhand smoke exposure.

“We plan to share this program with our tribal community partners, where it can help us remember the difference between sacred and commercial tobacco,” said Villaluz. “And we hope the PBS audience will learn about the health disparities experienced by American Indians, and support culturally-driven efforts to improve health equity for our people.”

The program is unique in the country and has been accepted to three American Indian film festivals. It will debut on tpt’s MN Channel on Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. and will continue to air on PBS stations through the end of November. Following the premiere, the program can also be viewed at www.clearwaymn.org/KeepTobaccoSacred.

TFC Grantee Orientation Webinar | Nov. 14

TFC Grantee Orientation Webinar Time:  2-3 p.m. Date:  Nov. 14 To register for this training session ------------------------------------------------------- Go to https://health-state-mn-ustraining.webex.com/health-state-mn-ustraining/k2/j.php?MTID=tc4768c7875aa90129dd7f5164b14f6e2 and register. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link https://health-state-mn-ustraining.webex.com/health-state-mn-ustraining/k2/j.php?MTID=tdb398525cf3b9eba53b850b3efc13917 ------------------------------------------------------- For assistance: You can contact Lorraine Swenson at: lorraine.swenson@state.mn.us 1-651-201-5438