Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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May 17, 2018

Asthma Mini-grant Funding

Healthy kids

Minnesota K-12 schools grant for asthma

In partnership with the American Heart Association, MDH is pleased to offer mini-grants to k-12 schools to help with a variety of school based projects focused on health improvement and asthma education. Projects will take place in the summer with the idea to prepare schools for the 2018-2019 school year. Applications are due June 18, 2018.

Get the Minnesota Asthma friendly schools mini-grant application.


Walkable Community Workshops

Application to host workshops now open

Applications to host a Walkable Community Workshop are now open.

OSHII staff are working with Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees to train local, county and regional staff and advocates on how to develop and support walk friendly communities across Minnesota.

Five workshops are planned. They will be taught by experts in public health, planning and community organizing. Each workshop is a half day. SHIP grantees are encouraged to work with their local communities to apply.

Deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6. Complete the Walkable Community Workshop Application. For more details, visit the Walk Friendly Communities web page.


School Breakfast Resources Online

School Breakfast

Breakfast encourages students to thrive

The Minnesota Department of Education has announced new school breakfast resources available online. Resources include school breakfast program fact sheets, policy summaries, social media ideas, school breakfast myth busters, and recipe resources.

Use these resources to share with parents and food service staff members to support the school breakfast program help students start their day with a nutritionally balanced meal.

Check out Breakfast Encourages Students to Thrive.


New Infant and Toddler Website from CDC

Infant and toddler website

Communications toolkit from the CDC

The CDC has put out a new website for infant and toddler health, as well as a communications toolkit to promote the new website. The website brings together practical strategies and information to help parents and caregivers of children 0-2 years to feed their growing baby.

The toolkit contains messages and social media content to help promote the new website to parents, early care and education centers and health providers. Download the toolkit from the CDC.


Tip of the Week

Reminder: quarterly reports due soon

    May 31 is the due date for SHIP reports. Please be sure your report includes:

    • New success story
    • Updated work plan
    • Updated budget
    • Updated contact list
    • Updated mini-grant tracker
    • REDCap updates for CLT membership and meeting list, and, if applicable, tobacco point of sale

    Reach out to your CS with any questions.

    Calendar of Events

    Webinar: Using the CDC scorecard with your workplace partners

    Date: May 30, 2018
    Time: Noon - 12:45 p.m.

    It has been almost a year since we switched from the BCBS organizational assessment to the CDC ScoreCard. What have we learned so far? How are grantees using the results? This webinar will go over some of the more frequently asked questions about the scorecard and hear from Andrew Doherty from Anoka County how he has used the results with workplace partners.

    Use webex to join the webinar session.
    Session password: Spring2018*

    To call in -
    Phone number: 844-302-0362
    Access Code: 631 256 893


    Webinar: American Indian Quitline from QUITPLAN

    Date: May 31, 2018
    Time: Noon - 1:00 p.m.

    This webinar will teach viewers about the American Indian Quitline from QUITPLAN services that launched in March. This webinar is for partners who are interested in learning about the new culturally tailored telephone coaching services designed to help American Indian and Alaska Native tobacco users quit using tobacco.

    RSVP by Friday, May 25, by emailing Pamela Jensen. Call in WebEx information will be provided via email before the webinar.


    Planning for population health coffee call

    Date: June 1, 2018
    Time: 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

    This call will focus on sidewalk funding and maintenance. MDH will facilitate this call along with Toole Design Group, to discuss the planning guides and further infrastructure planning information. To receive any updates associated with this event, email emily.smoak@state.mn.us with a request for a calendar event if you are interested.

    To join the training session:
    Session number: 844 302 0362
    Access code: 635 847 856

    This Week's Gem

    students sitting at a table creating signs

    "I am not a replacement." Dozens of signs, created by students from Wadena-Deer Creek High School, carried this message. They, along with hundreds of students from three other Wadena County high schools, sent the above message to Big Tobacco on Kick Butts Day - March 21.

    Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that empowers youth to speak up against Big Tobacco and reject the industry's deceptive marketing that aims to hook youth on cigarettes, vaping and other tobacco products. According to the 2016 Minnesota Student Survey, Wadena County is almost double the statewide smoking average.

    "Students from Wadena-Deer Creek want tobacco companies to know that on Kick Butts Day and every day throughout the year, they will stand up to them and show them they are 'Not A Replacement,' " said Laure Laughlin, CHAMP Advisor/Wadena County Public Health. SHIP and Tobacco Free Communities supported the effort with technical assistance, student recruitment and assisting with event organization.

    Way to go, Wadena area schools, for standing up for tobacco-free living and amplifying the message to your community. We agree, you are irreplaceable.