Active
Places Grants | Deadline April 4
The Center for
Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is pleased to announce a
new funding initiative to support the planning and completion of Active Places projects. This delivers on Blue Cross Blue Shield’s
long-term commitment to improve the health of all Minnesotans by tackling the
leading root causes of preventable death and disease: tobacco use, lack of
physical activity and unhealthy eating.
Active Places projects
are temporary, low-cost projects that help community members influence
long-term community changes. They must contribute to a long-term goal of
making a community more accessible to all types of physical activity, including
walking and biking. There are two distinct types of Active Places projects –
community engagement projects and demonstration projects. More detail about the
project types can be found here, and examples of past
projects are available here.
The Center looks
forward to applications from across Minnesota for projects that will be
completed during 2017, with a deadline to apply on Tuesday, April 4, at 1 p.m.
Central time.
To apply for the
Active Places funding and review the required materials, visit the Available Funding page of our website.
Healthy Eating and Active Living Coffee Talks |
April 5
Planning for Population Health Coffee Talks
Time: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Date: April 5
Community Engagement
In April, the call
will center on continue conversations around community engagement strategies
and highlight some creative examples used during local comprehensive planning
processes.
The goal of these
calls is to provide a platform for grantees to share information, advice and
best practices in SHIP work associated with comprehensive plans, master plans,
community planning and land use across Minnesota.
The calls are
organized by the MDH Healthy Eating and Active Living Team. Grab a cup of
coffee and join us April 5.
Call-in Details:
Toll-free number:
1-888-742-5095
Conference Code: 9821141691
Ramsey
and Anoka Counties SHIP Partnership
Youth First Community of Promise (Youth First) is a free neighborhood-based
after school program in Ramsey. Youth First is a safe place for youth to go and
be surrounded by positive role models with an emphasis on a “Healthy Start”
that supports healthy minds and healthful habits. Many of the youth that attend
this program qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Through the SHIP partnership, workers were trained by a SNAP-Ed educator on
healthy eating, nutrition, promotion of healthy food and food safety. These
workers now provide cooking classes to the kids! Using the fresh vegetables
they grew, they learned how to make dishes that are tasty and nutritious, as
well as learn how to plant, grow, harvest and cook vegetables, something that
many of them had never experienced before.
This new partnership with SNAP-Ed and Youth First will continue, allowing for
additional training through a train the trainer model. Anoka County SHIP
facilitated the relationship between SNAP-Ed and Youth First along with
providing some of the equipment needed to increase youth involvement in
cooking, healthy eating and the learning process.
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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:
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The MN Public Health Data Access portal
informs the action of Minnesota communities, policymakers and health
professionals with data about environmental hazards and public health.
The handy desk reference is
a good reminder about the topics and type of data available. Get the reference here.
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Every other month, MDH hosts a call to support
SHIP grantees to build strong leadership for health through Community
Leadership Teams.
A recording and
materials from the February Community Leadership Team Call are posted on
Basecamp. The call focused on a review and interpretation of data collected
about CLTs through December 2016 REDCap reporting, and on orientation of new
CLT members. Please share additional materials that are used to orient new CLT
members on Basecamp.
See below the dates
for the remaining 2017 CLT calls. Each call will be held from 3-4 p.m.
- April 3
- June 5
- Aug. 14
- Oct. 9
- Dec. 4
If you would like meeting
invitations forwarded to you, please contact Jeannette.raymond@state.mn.us
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BikeMN is seeking nominations for the 2017 MN Bicycling Awards.
Towns, cities, universities and businesses across the state are working to
become more bicycle-friendly. Hundreds of dedicated bike educators and
passionate advocates are quietly working to spread bike-friendliness in
Minnesota’s towns. Whether teaching kids and new immigrants to ride safely,
advocating for more bike lanes on the streets and better multi-modal
transportation plans in city hall, or organizing bike share programs and
informal bike clubs, there is no shortage of people doing critical yet
under-recognized bike-friendly work across the state.
To spotlight some of the individuals and organizations working especially hard
and making incredible progress to support bicycling, the Bicycle Alliance of
Minnesota is asking people from across the state to nominate people in their
lives who are making biking easier, safer and more fun so they can be celebrated
and thanked for their work.
It’s the goal of the Minnesota Bicycling Awards to highlight innovative and
exciting bike-friendly work across the state. So often the Twin Cities are in
the spotlight, but this is an opportunity for Greater Minnesota to shine. In
years past, Minnesota Bicycling Awards recipients have come from all over the
state, including 2015 Instructor of the Year Pete Connor from Owatonna, 2015
Bike Friendly Business Champion Shawna Mullen of Duluth, and 2016 Bicycle
Friendly Community Champion Wayne Hurley of Fergus Falls. Let’s keep the
recognition rolling!
BikeMN is striving to engage and empower advocates within both urban and rural
communities with health, racial, socioeconomic, and safety disparities via
these awards. Youth, women, people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, immigrants and people of color are encouraged to apply. All are
welcome.
The submission deadline is April 5 and
the list of nominees will be reviewed by a panel of bicycle educators and
advocates. The winners will be announced at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota’s
Annual Meeting on April 29. Submit nominations by April 5 at www.bikemn.org/awards
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Minnesota Department of Agriculture Makes Grants Available
to Help Grocery Stores and Others Improve Access to Healthy and Affordable
Foods
The Minnesota
Department of Agriculture (MDA) is requesting proposals for grants to increase
access to healthy and affordable foods for Minnesotans. The grants are being
made available under the Good Food Access Program, which the Minnesota
Legislature created last year due, in part, to a lack of access many
Minnesotans have to such foods. The grants are designed to stimulate sales of
foods – including fruits and vegetables – by assisting grocery stores and small
food retailers in making physical improvements or purchasing equipment.
Grant funds may be
used to purchase retail display coolers and freezers, storage coolers and
freezers, shelving, mobile food trucks, permanent infrastructure at farmers
markets, architectural work, and costs associated with the installation of
equipment for physical improvements. For-profit and not-for-profit small food
retailers and grocery stores (including farmers markets) are eligible
recipients.
Apply here.
Proposals must be received
no later than 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 19.
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Fuel Up to Play 60
School Nutrition Equipment Grant of up to $5,000 per school is now available
until April 28. For more information, visit the Fuel Up to Play 60 website.
Action For Healthy
Kids has two different grant opportunities available – School Breakfast Grants
($2,500 per year) and Game On Grants ($500-$2,500 per year). The deadline for
both Action for Healthy Kids grants is April. For more information, visit Action for Healthy Kid’s website.
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Funds available to develop community-based
food systems.
The Minnesota
Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the
Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Food Hub Grant Program.
Grants are intended to stimulate purchases of locally grown and raised foods by
developing or expanding food hubs and other alternative community-based food
distribution systems. The MDA will only offer Food Hub Grants once.
“There’s a lot of
interest in using food hubs as a way to help aggregate and distribute locally
produced foods,” said Paul Hugunin, Interim Director of the MDA’s Agricultural
Marketing and Development Division. “In the last few years, Minnesota has seen
lots of innovative, community-based approaches that are working toward offering
more locally produced foods to consumers, and providing additional market
opportunities to farmers. This grant program will provide much needed financial
assistance to help further these efforts.”
A 2016 report on food
hubs commissioned by the MDA indicated that Minnesota is home to approximately
15 food hubs of varying size and business structure, and that nationwide there
are at least 300 food hubs engaged in some form of local food aggregation and
distribution. Like elsewhere, most Minnesota-based food hubs are in the
early startup phase, often sponsored or supported by nonprofit organizations.
Food hubs vary in scale, stage of development, definition of “local,” seasonal
versus year-round operation, market channels, and more.
For-profit and
not-for-profit food hubs and other alternative community-based food
distribution businesses may apply for grants to develop or update their
business plans, conduct feasibility studies, or create marketing plans. Grants
are also available for equipment purchases or physical improvements to allow
more purchasing, processing, and distributing of Minnesota grown and raised
foods.
Proposals for this one-time
grant must be submitted by April 19. To learn more and to apply online, click here.
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Minnesotans want and
need safe places to walk and roll. In Minnesota Walks, transit was identified as one of the top
five destinations people want to be able to walk to. That is why the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (MNDOT) Office of Transit is pleased to release
applications for the 2017 publicly funded program year in the Rural and
Small Urban areas. This application includes building accessible paths
to a bus stop that is currently inaccessible; including curb cuts, sidewalks,
and accessible pedestrian signals.
Applications are for
the 2017 contract year and are posted on the MNDOT Office of Transit Website
at: http://bit.ly/2ljstVa
The Elderly and
Persons with Disabilities Capital Grant Program, FTA Circular 9070 Page III—14 FTA, is a
capital assistance grant program providing 80 percent funding for the following
eligible sub-recipients:
- Tribal Governments
- State or local units of government
- Private non-profit agencies
For further information
about this application please contact:
Jasna Hadzic-Stanek, jasna.hadzic-stanek@state.mn.us or John Groothuis, john.groothuis@state.mn.us
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Breastfeeding Management & Counseling for the Health
Care Team: A Deep Dive
Time: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Date: May 25
Place: Holiday Inn, 200 W 1st St., Duluth
Cost: $80/person
This continuing
education event provides lactation training for health care providers to
address breastfeeding management needs in hospitals, clinics, community and
tribal settings. We'll provide great information for SHIP grantees and their
health care partners.
Additional information
about the event and registration will be posted to the MBC website events page www.mnbreastfeedingcoalition.org
Questions? mnbfcevents@gmail.com
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May is National Bike
Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in
communities from coast to coast.
Established in 1956,
National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling —
and encourage more folks to give biking a try.
Bike Month can be a
way for coalitions, CLT's and partners to encourage people
to increase usage of the environment changes SHIP communities are working
on.
National Bike to Work
Week 2017 will be held on May 15-19. Bike to Work Day is May 19.
A Bike Month guide,
promotional materials and fact sheets can be found here to help you and your
partners plan a strategic event during Bike Month.
The
Walk! Bike! Fun! Curriculum training season has begun!
Bike
Alliance of Minnesota is hosting 7 trainings around the State this Spring. Please find registration information below
for the first 3 and pass along to your Safe Routes to School partners, Active
Living champions and schools. Let's get kids out walking and biking more and
doing so safely!
http://www.bikemn.org/events/event/413
http://www.bikemn.org/events/event/414
http://www.bikemn.org/events/event/415
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Safe Routes to School Network Calls
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Date:
Third Thursday of every month
Calls are for all partners working in Safe Routes activities.
Future agendas and
webinar log-in information will be found on the website: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/mnsaferoutes/news/network_calls.html
Archived calls can also be found on the website.
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New Report: The Flavor Trap: How Tobacco Companies Are
Luring Kids with Candy-Flavored E-Cigarettes and Cigars
CDC OSH Report:
National and State Trends in Sales of Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes, U.S., 2011 –
2015. To access state level
data about tobacco product sales, read the article.
New from the CDC:
National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) State Fact Sheets
This new resource from the CDC's
Office on Smoking and Health features an interactive U.S. map where users can
access informative fact sheets that illustrate the impact of CDC's investment
in tobacco prevention and control and the burden of tobacco use for each state
and the District of Columbia.
Each fact sheet features a universal
problem statement, as well as state-specific information such as burden data,
current CDC tobacco control funding levels, Minnesota’s public health response
to tobacco use, information about the impact of the Tips From Former Smokers™
campaign, and information describing how tobacco prevention and control
programs reduce healthcare costs. Go to the Web site and click on your state.
The 500 Cities Project launched a new
interactive website where users can view and explore city and neighborhood
level health data for largest 500 cities in the United States.
The website reports city and census
tract-level data, obtained using small area estimates, for 27 chronic disease
risk factors -including prevalence of adult cigarette smokers, health outcomes and
clinical preventive services.
The data can be used by cities and local health
departments to better understand the burden and geographic distribution of
health-related variables in their jurisdictions
and assist them in planning public health interventions. The 500 Cities Project
is a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the CDC
Foundation. View the website and explore.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers Campaign™ has a new partner resource page, "Organizations Serving
Public Housing Residents". The page, which includes links to informative videos and print
materials, was added to demonstrate the CDC's support of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Smoke-free Rule. The rule became effective
on February 3, 2017, and requires that within 18 months, every public housing
agency (PHA) implement a policy prohibiting lit tobacco products (e.g.,
cigarettes, cigars, pipes and hookahs) in all living units and indoor common
areas in federally owned and operated multiunit public housing and in PHA
administrative office buildings.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids,
in partnership with the CVS Health Foundation, launched a free, comprehensive
advocacy training program titled "Taking Down Tobacco.” It is geared toward middle and high school
students, and adults who work with youth. The program offers a range of online
and in-person courses, from introductory to advanced, that can lead to becoming
a certified "Taking Down Tobacco Trainer.”
View the website for more information.
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Health: A Team Sport
Date: May 8-10
Host: The Minnesota Public Health Association
Location: Minneapolis Marriott
Northwest, 7025 Northland Drive, Brooklyn Park
This conference will be beneficial for anyone
interested in transforming health care and improving health in the community.
Check out the complete line-up of breakout sessions, keynoters and other
program features in the detailed program. CME accreditation, objectives and intended
audience information can be found here.
To register click here.
Moving Health Equity
Forward: Critical Conversations and Bold Action
Date: April 19-20
Host: The Minnesota Public Health Association
Location: The Commons Hotel, 615 University Ave SE, Minneapolis
Join the Minnesota
Public Health Association (MPHA) for an opportunity to:
- Further advance efforts to achieve health equity
- Lay the foundation for a culture of health in
communities
- Meet new colleagues and network with fellow
professionals
- Celebrate the 110th anniversary of MPHA
For more information and to
register please click here.
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Visit our website for SHIP educational materials. New documents were uploaded this week and can be found at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/oshii/ship/index.html.
SHIP educational materials on the website:
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SHIP Infographic
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Map of SHIP community partners across Minnesota
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Tribal SHIP Fact Sheet
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Dementia Fact Sheet
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SHIP Focused Evaluation Studies Fact Sheet
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SHIP Evaluation Framework Backgrounder
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Local Surveillance Fact Sheet
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SHIP Cost Savings Infographic
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Strategy Setting Summaries
To be uploaded later this week:
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Local SHIP Grantee Fact Sheets
As a reminder, other
SHIP educational materials are available upon request (but not posted on
the website) include:
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Evidence of the Impact of SHIP Strategies on
Targeted Behavioral and Health Outcomes
(A summary of evidence that
supports the effectiveness of SHIP strategies that target physical activity,
nutrition and tobacco use).
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Evidence of Benefits of Investment of SHIP
Strategies
(A summary of cost savings and
business revenue associated with SHIP strategies that target physical activity,
nutrition and tobacco use).
Please contact health.makingitbetter@state.mn.us
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SHIP Statewide Meeting
Date: July 26-27
Location: Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan
Call
for Presentations
Conference
Objectives:
1.
Showcase local community accomplishments
2. Expand understanding, skills and
confidence to advance health equity work
3. Provide opportunities for networking
4. Build links between local, regional and
statewide work
5. Generate ideas for working with partners
to assure sustainability
Presentation
Guidance:
Breakout sessions will
be 75 minutes.
There are 30 breakout
sessions available; half are reserved for SHIP grantees and half for MDH staff
and technical assistance providers.
Presentations that
partner grantees with each other, with MDH staff and/or technical assistance
providers are encouraged.
Consider ways to bring
skill-building, experiential or active learning to your presentation. Some
suggestions might be to incorporate small group activities, brainstorming,
role-playing, panels, voting, fishbowl conversations or asking questions of the
group.
When sharing a
project, explain the steps to take, so others might more easily replicate your
approach.
Your session proposal
should include at least one of the following:
- Community engagement: involving the population whose
health you are striving to improve in the design, decision-making and
implementation of your work
- Sustainability of SHIP work
- Strengthening the capacity of communities
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Barriers to implementing SHIP with communities
experiencing health inequities
Implementing multiple strategies in a single setting
- Skill-building content, such as how to use data to
determine your work, using social media well and focus groups 101
Submitting
your presentation proposal
All proposals must be
received by 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 28.
Use this link to go to
the submission page: https://survey.vovici.com/se/56206EE32DD62549
Once all of the
proposals are received, they will be organized by topic and by presenter
affiliation (grantee, MDH or TA provider and other), then reviewed and ranked
by a mix of SHIP grantee and MDH staff recruited by the SHIP Planning Unit.
Proposals will be ranked based on inclusion of the criteria above.
You will learn if your
proposal has been accepted by May 12.
Feel free to ask the SHIP
Planning Unit staff for assistance in drafting your proposal, recruiting
co-presenters for your session and/or designing your presentation. Contact health.makingitbetter@state.mn.us.
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Health Equity Data Analysis (HEDA) | School Wellness Policy
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
April 10
Southeast | Rochester
MDH DO Rochester, 18 Wood Lake Dr SE, Rochester
April 13
Northwest | Bemidji
MDH DO Bemidji, 705 5th St NW, Suite A, Bemidji
April 20
Northeast | Duluth
Duluth Public Safety Building, (Training Rm), 2030 N Arlington Ave, Duluth
April 27
Southwest | Redwood Falls
Redwood Falls Public Library, 509 S Lincoln St., Redwood Falls
May 4
Metro
Northern Service Center (Rooms 110A and 110B), One Mendota Rd. W.,
West St. Paul
May 11
Central | St. Joseph
St. Joseph Government
Center, 75 Callaway St. E, St. Joseph
Agenda
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions
Session Description
SHIP coordinators are encouraged to join this morning skill
building workshop, and include relevant local staff with data collection and
analysis skills. Grantees will learn from the experience of SHIP staff who
completed the HEDA pilot, and receive information on tools and resources to
help them in getting started with their health equity data analysis.
8:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Health Equity Data Analysis (HEDA)
Participants
will learn about the HEDA process, and increase their understanding of the
multiple strengths and skills needed to conduct a HEDA
Participants
will be introduced to an expanded idea of community engagement and public
narrative around health
Participants
will learn about training plans and technical assistance support in moving
forward with their HEDA
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Lunch
off-site
12:45 – 1 p.m. | CS Updates
Session Description
SHIP school coordinators are encouraged to join this afternoon
skill building workshop. This workshop will not only prepare SHIP
school staff with the knowledge and understanding of moving Local Wellness
Policies forward within the districts they partner with but it will also
provide attendees the opportunity to gear up for the 2017-2018 school
year!
What to Bring:
Please bring a copy of a
current local wellness policy for one of the districts that you work
with! This is public information and usually can be found on the
district’s website.
Also, bring your
questions!
1 – 2:30 p.m.
Policy! Policy! Policy! Workshop
Participants will be able
to review a school wellness policy, identifying both gaps and areas of improvement
utilizing the final rule requirements.
Participants will be able
to discuss and problem solve current school SHIP issues.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Optional
Session on Utilizing the School Health Index
(If you are new to SHIP or have new school partners, this
session will provide a quick overview of the School Health Index and the link
to SHIP action planning)
Register here.
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The Evaluation Team
would like to remind you that the strategy and activity data quality checks
were due on March 29.
Contact your evaluation
liaison with any related questions.
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Date: Sept. 18-20
Location: Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake
This annual conference
brings together tribal officials, researchers, practitioners and more to
discuss the current state of Indigenous and academic scientific knowledge about
Native nutrition and food science and identify new areas of work.
A reception will be
held in the evening of Sept.17.
Registration is
expected to open this month.
Visit the conference website or send an email to learn more.
The conference is
co-sponsored by the Shakopee Mdewakanton
Sioux Community and the University of
Minnesota's Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute.
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 No announcements this week.
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