Making it Better newsletter

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 08/23/2018 11:00 AM CDT

Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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Aug. 23, 2018

Minnesota featured as a Public Health Innovator

CDC showcases active living efforts

What happens when public health and transportation work together in Minnesota to improve options for people to bike and walk to public transit? Great results!

Minnesota was recently named one of eight national Public Health Innovators and highlighted in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) feature of community-wide approaches that can improve health in the places where we live, learn, work and play.

Read more about OSHII’s work with Minnesota Department of Transportation and local communities through the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership in CDC’s HI-5 stories from Public Health Innovators.

Safe Routes to School National Conference

Mark your calendar

The 2019 Safe Routes to School National Conference will be held at the Hilton Tampa Downtown from Nov. 12-14, 2019. Be sure to save the date for a great opportunity to join hundreds of active transportation and public health advocates and practitioners from across the country for valuable networking and sharing best practices.

New Quitline resource available

Training slide deck posted

There is new training available for enrolled sites making referrals through the Minnesota Quitline Network. This training will provide an overview of the Minnesota Quitline Network, how it works, and how it can benefit your partners and the people they serve. Please share!

The training slide deck is available on the Minnesota Quitline Network web page, under Program Materials.

SHIP Year 4 planning tip

Review the instructions sheet

Remember to read the “Work Plan Instructions Sheet” in detail and use it when completing your work plans. This helpful document will assist you in ensuring all sections are completed as required. If you need a copy, reach out to your Community Specialist.

Calendar

Webinar: Bringing bicycle friendly business opportunities to local businesses

Date: Monday, Aug. 27

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Do you have businesses in your community that could benefit from becoming more bike friendly? Would you like to learn how to best inform community members, local leaders, business owners, and others the benefits of becoming bike friendly? Are you interested in learning more about how bicyclists contribute to the health, wealth and happiness of your local community? If yes, this webinar will gear you up with tips, tricks and action steps.

In this webinar, you’ll hear from Natalie Gille, with the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, and Patrick Hollister, with PartnerShip 4 Health, about gaining support for Bicycle Friendly Businesses. Getting more employees and customers to ride a bicycle to local businesses and incentivize them to do just that is a winning combination for the local economy and increases the health and vibrancy of your community.

To join the webinar, visit the Minnesota Department of Health WebEx webinar page and follow the instructions.

This week's gem

A new smoke-free policy took effect July 1 at the South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The policy prohibits smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, in all indoor areas of the HRA’s two high-rise apartment buildings, including 299 individual units and outdoor areas except at designated smoking areas.

Plans to implement the policy began in late 2016 after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a rule to prohibit smoking in all public housing nationwide. The HRA partnered with the Live Smoke Free program and Dakota County Public Health Department through the Minnesota Department of Health’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) to engage residents and promote cessation.

HealthPartners Quit Coaches offered group cessation workshops and one-on-one goal setting and strategizing with residents. Residents kicked off the new smoke-free policy with smoke-free celebrations and mini health fairs. The HRA and partners will continue to engage residents and offer cessation support as the community adjusts to the new smoke-free policy.