The following bulletin includes information regarding the Well Connected Communities initiative for the week of August 31, 2020:
In this Edition
- WCC Website and Community Dashboard Launch
- Action Plan Feedback Summaries
- Q3 Reporting
- Upcoming Wave 1 Community Evaluation Activities
- Youth Voice and Leadership
- PD Calendar
- Webinar Recordings
- News, Research, and Resources from the Field
WCC Website and Community Dashboard Launch
- The new Well Connected Communities Website and Community Dashboard will launch September 1, 2020. Be looking out for an email tomorrow with more information on the website and how to access it.
Action Plan Feedback Summaries
- We are still finishing up the Community Action Plan Feedback Summaries that will be provided to PIs and community POCs. We want to make sure we are providing meaningful and helpful information, while taking into consideration the feedback PIs gave us during the PI Call, as well as paying attention to adjustments due to COVID 19.
Communities should review the feedback summaries and use the feedback to make updates to their action plans as needed. Updated action plans should be uploaded to the WCC community portal (to be launched September 1, 2020) by October 30, 2020. If you have questions about the feedback summary, the action plan timeline, or would like some additional coaching please reach out to Shay McNeil (smcneil@fourhcouncil.edu).
Q3 Reporting
- The Q3 report will be due September 30, 2020.
- The reporting will consist of each community submitting a community report – submitted via the WCC community portal (to be launched September 1, 2020),
- one LGU Financial Status Report – submitted through WebGrants
- one Tobacco Separation Protocol validation letter – can be submitted via WebGrants as an attachment with Financial Status Report or emailed to smcneil@fourhcouncil.edu.
Upcoming Wave 1 Community Evaluation Activities
- The Center for Community Health and Evaluation, the evaluation partner for WCC, will be conducting their first major evaluation data collection effort at the community level. This first year of the evaluation, CCHE will be focusing on communities that participated in Wave 1 of WCC. In the coming weeks, CCHE will be reaching out to PIs who started in Wave 1 for support on the following evaluation activities:
- Community coalition surveys – CCHE will launch a survey at the end of August/beginning of September to collect information on how community collaboration is going, what is working well, and where there might be opportunities to strengthen partnerships. You will receive a report that includes the survey results for all of your communities that complete the survey for your use and so that you can share back with your communities.
- Youth interviews – CCHE would like to ask PIs of Wave 1 communities to help identify 1 youth who would be willing to talk about their experience with WCC. The youth could be from any of your communities that engaged in Wave 1; ideally they have been participating in WCC for at least one year, but that’s not required. CCHE aims to conduct the youth interviews in early September.
Youth Voice and Leadership
- THIS WEEKYouth Mental Health Peer Circle
September 2, 2020, 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET
Youth Presenter: Sophia Rodriquez – Sophia is a junior at the University of Georgia and the 2018 Healthy Living Youth in Action Award winner. Her platform was mental health and helping others learn to cope with mental health issues in their families.
Mental health is important at every stage of life. This peer session on mental health will explore the impact of mental health from youth and adult perspectives. Beyond the examining the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of youth and adults alike, we will be learning from our peers their experience and opportunities available to lead people to mental well-being. Sophia Rodriquez, 2018 4-H Youth in Action: Healthy Living will co-present and co-facilitate this session. The following topics will be discussed:
- What do youth have to say about mental health; learn about the results of a recent Youth Mental Health Survey that included the effects of COVID-19 on how youth see their own mental health during this time
- Opportunities to engage community members to destigmatize public health crisis on the mental health of teens- from the perspective of teens themselves.
- What do WCC youth and adult community leaders have to say about this public health issue and what they can do within their own communities to open up dialogue about mental health.
Register Here for Part 1: The registration is organized by Community so one adult lead from the community will register all youth and adults (The adult that registers everyone from their community will need to share the ZOOM link with all participants.)
A second follow up session is planned for October 7, 2020, 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET. The session will be based on the September 2, 2020 discussion. Register for Part 2
- Community Health Needs Assessment Webinar for Youth and Community Leaders
September 9, 2020, 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET
This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the community health needs assessment process, demonstrate the WCC CHNA tool, and learn about best practices, youth engagement, and common pitfalls. This webinar is open to all communities and will be especially targeted at youth with examples of ways they can lead the CHNA for their communities.
Webinar Outline:
- Introductions & Housekeeping
- Overview of the CHNA Process
- WCC CHNA Tool Demonstration
- Discussion of Best Practices, Youth Engagement, and Common Pitfalls
- Q&A/Closing
Register Here: The registration is organized by Community so one adult lead from the community will register all youth and adults (The adult that registers everyone from their community will need to share the ZOOM link with all participants.)
PD Calendar
- Leading Together for Equity and Inclusion Webinar
September 17, 2020, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
Presenter: Dorothy Freeman, PhD
Dr. Freeman is the Director of Equity at National 4-H Council whose role is to lead Council to strategically align its programmatic priorities and vision with the Equity, Access and Belonging Committee. Dr. Freeman has a distinctive career in 4-H Extension where she was Associate Dean and State 4-H Director with the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development and 25years Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech University.
Dr. Freeman will delve into the topics listed below and her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with some Wave 2 grantees:
- How are we defining equity and inclusion? Holding it as a value? [CES & 4-H]
- What is Extension/4-H learning about equity during this time of multiple pandemics (COVID-19 and widespread calls for racial justice)
- How are we adapting/moving to action?
- What are the unique challenges and opportunities related to WCC? What is our unique role?
- The Extension Model as a community engagement model.
Webinar Recordings
- Community Health Needs Assessment Webinar
This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the community health needs assessment process, demonstrate the WCC CHNA tool, and learn about best practices, youth engagement, and common pitfalls. This webinar is open to all communities. Those communities who do not have a CHNA or are in the early stages of the process are strongly encouraged to attend.
Webinar Outline:
- Introductions & Housekeeping
- Overview of the CHNA Process
- WCC CHNA Tool Demonstration
- Discussion of Best Practices, Youth Engagement, and Common Pitfalls
- Q&A/Closing
Password: ttxFj8%K
Slide Deck is attached
- Food Security Webinar
Presenters: Rich Pirog and Kolia Souza
Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University (MSU).
Communities around the country are working every day to see that no child, elder, or family goes hungry. This webinar on food security will:
- Offer an overview of equity and food systems along with data metrics to build and monitor food access and security.
- Point to programs and policies being adapted to meet the changing needs.
- Share community and youth led solutions to bring the programs/policies to life.
- Look forward, identify opportunities to leverage the disruption to the status quo to strengthen food systems and reduce food insecurity.
Password: +34.dtYn
Slide Deck is attached
News, Research and Resources from the Field:
- NEW Voices for Healthy Kids Policy Campaign Grant
Short Form Application Deadline: Sunday, September 20, 2020
The Policy Campaign Grant is designed to support strategic issue advocacy campaigns supporting Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities with a focus on health equity. Applications must be specific to an individual campaign for public policy change in one state, city, town or county, or tribal nation. Applications should focus on public policy changes to reduce health disparities for children in urban, suburban or rural settings who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Alaskan Native or from families who have low income.
This call for applications has a narrowed list of current policy issues to ensure a balanced grant portfolio. We will accept applications on the following policy issues:
- Sugary Drink Tax and Investment
- Healthier Options at Restaurants
- School Food Access and Healthy Quality
- Early Care and Education Security
- Head Start/Early Head Start
- Water Access in Schools
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Expansion and Nutrition Incentives
Voices for Healthy Kids believes campaigns are most successful through collaboration between community organizations, advocacy groups, coalitions and others. Therefore, the Policy Campaign Grant is a collaborative grant. All applications are expected to be submitted as a joint proposal of two or more organizations, either as lead and subgrantee collaboration or as co-leads. Voices for Healthy Kids values authentic community engagement and equity-building strategies in all aspects of supported campaigns and therefore requires at least one of the organizations in the joint proposal to be representative of or serve the interests of the listed priority populations.
Voices for Healthy Kids has a two-step application process in the online grant management system. First, all interested, eligible applicants must submit a short form application. Then, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for consideration in a competitive review process.
Applications can be submitted for $50,000 – $200,000 for a duration of up to 18 months and can support non-lobbying and lobbying activities.
Web Forum: Fri., Sept. 11, 2020, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. EDT, Register here.
The National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care at Tuskegee University and CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity will host the 2020 Public Health Ethics Forum with the theme Ethical Dilemmas in Rural Health. The final agenda is forthcoming.
- NEW From eXtension
- Healthy Eating, Social Media, & Lower Income Communities – A Research Review
Aaron Weibe, Communication & Engagement Manager, eXtension Foundation
Yesterday, we hosted a webinar led by Jessica Larson – Public Affairs Specialist, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture. She provided a research review that offered insights on how various SNAP-eligible audiences use social media channels, particularly when it comes to health and healthy eating…Learn More
- Asynchronous Programs
Callie Ward, Extension Assistant Professor, Utah State University
Nearly five dozen Cooperative Extension professionals from across the nation gathered to discuss asynchronous programs an d how we are making our formerly face-to-face programs available to clientele who want to learn on their own time not necessarily at the same time as everyone else like a webinar…Learn More
- National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health – Apply Now
Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director, ECOP
Subgroup: Health & Well-Being
Applications are now being accepted from communities interested in participating in the tenth cohort of the The National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health (NLAPH). NLAPH helps teams of leaders from diverse sectors including health, housing, education, transportation, and law enforcement to build…Learn More
- Investing in Community Resilience: Trauma-Informed Cross-Sector Networks
September 16th, 2020, 3 PM – 4 PM ET
We invite you to join us for the fourth webinar in our Investing in Community Resilience series. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Foster collaboration across sectors with the goal of preventing and mitigating the impact of ACEs and trauma
- Initiate and support cross-sector networks grounded in ACEs science
- Understand critical elements of strong cross-sector networks. Learn More
From RWJF
No parent should have to decide between earning a living or caring for a new baby, especially during a pandemic. But does everyone have a fair opportunity to access their benefits?
A new study finds that these policies can risk leaving out the people they’re trying to support.
- NEW Health Affairs
Vol. 39, No. 7, July 2020 | Food, Income, Work & More
This month’s issue of Health Affairs contains a number of articles examining programs and initiatives outside the health care system that affect people’s health—factors that promote a culture of health. In preparing the issue, I spoke with Sir Michael Marmot, who has led efforts around the world to get policy makers to understand and act on the role social factors play in health and health equity. An edited transcript of my interview with him appears in the journal, and the full audio can be found online. We also continue to publish articles about the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on a fast track, with the final version of four of those articles appearing this month.
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including:
- Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
- Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
- Alcohol and other drug use
- Tobacco use
- Unhealthy dietary behaviors
- Inadequate physical activity
The YRBSS includes national, state, territorial, tribal government, and local school-based surveys of representative samples of 9th through 12th grade students. These surveys are conducted every two years, usually during the spring semester. The national survey, conducted by CDC, provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools in the United States.
Results from the 2019 survey are now available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
- 2020 Public Health Ethics Forum: Ethical Dilemmas in Rural Health
September 11, 2020
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Presented by:
The National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care at Tuskegee University
CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity
Location and Registration:
This year’s forum will be hosted virtually. Registration is required.
For more information:
Call Tuskegee University at 334-724-4554.
Email CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity at omhhe@cdc.gov.
Visit the 2020 Public Health Ethics Forum web page.
- Grassroots: How Voices for Healthy Kids Can Boost Your Campaigns
September 2, 2020: 3:00 PM ET/ 2 PM CT/ 12:00 PM PT REGISTER HERE
This training will explore the ways that Voices for Healthy Kids and its grassroots network can support your campaigns. From email action alerts, to texting grassroots leaders to engage in campaigns, Ali Rahimi, Grassroots Advocacy Manager for Voices for Healthy Kids, and Stephanie Pitt from Phone2Action, will walk you through the technology and process for engaging the Voices for Healthy Kids grassroots network to benefit your campaign.
- Grassroots: The COVID Effect – Lessons Learned from the Advocacy Boom
September 16, 2020: 3:00 PM ET/ 2 PM CT/ 12 PM PT REGISTER HERE
Join this webinar to learn more about advocacy in the context of COVID-19 as Phone2Action shares some of the most striking takeaways, best practices and interesting data we have found along the way. We will discuss data-driven insights, recent trends in advocacy and how you can increase your influence through SMS texting, customized messages to lawmakers and social sharing.
- RWJF Healthy Eating Research Grants – September 16.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is offering grants for research to identify policy and strategies to improve healthy eating among low-income children who are at greatest risk for poor nutrition and obesity.
- APHA is pleased to announce the release of “Creating the Healthiest Nation: Health & Housing Equity.”
This report:
- demonstrates how structural racism – particularly through policies – led to the current state of housing inequality in America.
- examines how biased policies have impacted housing affordability, quality, safety and stability and resulted in disparate impacts to certain groups.
- explains the link between poor housing and poor health.
- outlines numerous ways to advance change in housing equity via policy, cross-sector partnerships and community engagement.