Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvment Log

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 12/14/2017 11:00 AM CST

Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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Dec. 14,2017

Walk/Bike/Places Conference Set

Program themes announced

Call for Proposals for the 20th year of the conference, to be held Sept 16-19 in New Orleans, are now being accepted.

Proposals requirements, conference breakout sessions and registration information can be found on the Walk Bike Places website.

PeopleForBikes Grant Applications

Online applications opened this week

The PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program provides funding for projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S., including: bike paths, mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

Letters of interest are due Jan 19. Visit the PeopleForBikes website for details.

Tobacco Training Tools

Updated resources available

In a continued effort to provide relevant tools and resources on tobacco dependence health systems change, ClearWay Minnesota and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement updated the Tools and Resources section of the Health Systems Change website.

Go to the Tobacco Systems Change website for a refreshed list of key tools and resources to help advance this work.

New Tobacco Resources

Health Systems Change case studies

In addition to the above resources, case studies are now available from ClearWay Minnesota. In 2015, it funded two health systems, Essentia Health and Apple Tree Dental, to make the delivery of tobacco treatment a standard practice of care with their patients. These studies are available and highlight strategies, successes and lessons learned. Read about the 2015 Health Systems Change Case Studies here.

Tobacco-Free College Funding Available

Applications due soon

The American Cancer Society are accepting applications for the Tobacco-free Generation Campus Initiative (TFGCI) Grant Program. Funding will be used to accelerate and expand the adoption and implementation of 100 percent smoke- and tobacco-free policies on college and university campuses across the nation.

Applications must be submitted no later than Monday, Jan. 15.

The American Cancer Society's website has details and application materials.

Calendar of Events

Healthier US Schools Training

Date: Friday, Feb. 9
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

The half day training will walk through Healthier US School Challenge application criteria, provides tips and tricks for applying and provides time for school health team members to work on the application during the workshop and ask questions.

This Week's Gem

drug court in Winona County participants

An innovative program launched in 2017 with Winona County SHIP leading an effort to bring better health to recovering addicts.

The Drug Court of Winona County and SHIP partnered to provide nutrition education to participants of Drug Court, giving them knowledge and materials needed to create better eating habits on a cost-effective budget, hands-on lessons in preparing meals that are healthy, quick and affordable. The program aims to prolong and improve the lives of participants by helping them recover from addiction and stop an unhealthy cycle of replacing drugs with unhealthy, excessive eating.

SHIP supported the effort with funding and training. The first group of participants - pictured left- were thrilled with the class and the results, with one participant stating she wanted to be in this class to make "sober memories with sober friends.”

What a wonderful partnership and opportunity to improve health and access to fresh, healthy foods.