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Making it Better: Minnesota's Health Improvement Log

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Jan. 30, 2020

SHIP Planning Update

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Forming the Well-being Design Workgroup

OSHII is deep into planning for the next SHIP contract that will start in fall 2020. We along with our local public health partners and community partners have completed the initial phase of content planning (Moves, Eats and Commercial Tobacco). We are now recruiting members for the Well-being workgroup for the design phase of planning.

The Well-being workgroup will draft a framework that includes a theory of change and proposed well-being activities within core strategies as well as an additional stand alone, community-focused well-being strategy.

The workgroup will meet four times through September 2020:

  • March 3 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • April 14 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Two other meetings TBD

If you are interested in participating in the Well-being workgroup and are able to commit to the first two meetings, please complete the application by 12 p.m. on Feb. 7. In the meantime, please block these times on your calendar. The SHIP Well-being team will contact those who expressed interest in being a member of the Well-being work group by February 14 to notify them of their membership status. We hope to be able to take all who are interested in participating but have a limited membership size.

Additional details

  • Materials will be sent in advance for review prior to the first meeting.
  • Time will be spent in the first meeting to build relationships and set group norms.
  • Attendance in person for the first meeting is strongly preferred.
  • Travel reimbursement is available for those who need it.
  • There will be two co-chairs; one from OSHII and one from local public health.
  • It is expected every workgroup member will attend each meeting in its entirety in person or virtually.

Workgroup membership criteria

Members will be chosen from volunteer applicants and comprised of OSHII staff, local SHIP staff, local public health leaders and SHIP partners who have experience within specific content areas and health inequities and representation from:

  • Greater Minnesota, rural areas
  • Greater Minnesota, urban areas
  • Metropolitan area
  • SHIP tiers

American Heart Association Workplace Wellness Symposium

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Register and get your ticket for the event!

Join the American Heart Association (AHA) and top leaders on March 11 for a day of Workplace Wellness learning, collaboration and action to promote best practices in workplace health. SHIP funds can be used for the registration fee and travel.

Details:

Wednesday, Mar. 11
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Eagan Community Center
1501 Central Parkway
Eagan, MN 55121
$25 admission, early bird special $15 through Feb. 14

Get more information and tickets at the AHA website.


Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General

Quitting smoking is beneficial at any age

Last week U.S. Surgeon General VADM Jerome M. Adams released a new report titled “Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General” at a press conference in Washington D.C.

The report outlines the latest research on treatments including counseling (in-person and over the telephone with a quitline) and medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The report also sheds light on new and emerging opportunities to further promote and support cessation in our country.

Visit the CDC website to get more information and an overview of the report.

This week's Gem

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Connecting over a community meal in St. Peter

A focus group with Somali residents in St. Peter in 2016 identified several barriers to achieving wellness, including lack of socialization and community involvement opportunities, among other challenges.

A cultural meal program emerged as a solution. Twice a month, the East African Elder Community Meal Program in St. Peter is now providing a space for residents from St. Peter, Mankato, North Mankato and Faribault to come enjoy a healthy halal meal and engage in planned socialization and educational activities.

While specific outreach focuses on East African elders, there was intentional planning to ensure that this initiative was open to the entire community to embrace cross-cultural sharing and community collaborations.

Through music, health information, storytelling, physical activity and public service demonstrations this effort is helping to decrease social isolation, broaden community connections and improve health.

The first meal was held on Oct. 10 with more than 20 participants. Since then, it has attracted even more participants; they have had 5 meals and served 86 people. There was also coverage by news media, including the Star Tribune.

The planning committee is co-led by the Horn of Africa Aid Rehabilitation Action Network and Brown, Nicollet, Le Sueur, Waseca SHIP with several other engaged community partners including Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, City of St. Peter, Lutheran Social Services and the St. Peter Food Co-op. The initiative received funding through the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.