Board Elections - June 16 Last Day to Vote in Special Election
Elections are now open for the WSPHA Board of Directors special election. We are aiming for 100% participation - please take a moment to vote if you have not already. We have great candidates for the Board.
Nominations are now open for the fall October board slate, elections conducted at the annual meeting.
Special skills needed for the Board include:
- Nonprofit Board Governance and Board Development
- Fundraising and Resource Development
- WSPHA Representative to the Governing Council of APHA
To nominate a candidate, please review the Board Nomination Process within the Member-only section of the website, contact the candidate to ascertain their interest, and then fill out the online nominations form. If you have trouble accessing the Member-only section please contact us.
Nominations for the October election close July 30. To be a member of the Board of Directors, nominees must be members of the organization.
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Important Notice: To
view membership-only content, including Board nominations information,
Joint Conference on Health proceedings and other premium content, you
must be a currently paid member, and log in to the website. To
receive your password, click on the "forgot password" link on the bottom
left of the home page and instructions will be sent to your email to
reset your password. Don't forget to review your profile and add
your home email address for advocacy-related emails.
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Innovation & Collaboration in Times of Change: Strong Content Expected in 2010
Over
130 abstracts were submitted for this year's Joint Conference on
Health, including more than 20 poster sessions. These submissions
greatly outnumber last year's, demonstrating the passion and commitment
that all of you have in continuing to improve and strengthen the
education and training opportunities at the Joint Conference.
Plenary speakers Tyler Norris and Mildred Thompson, along with Dr. Carmen Nevarez, will offer a fabulous line-up this year.
Registration is open now; program content will be available in July.
Questions? Contact Laura Nalbandian, lnalbandian@wspha.org, JCH Coordinator for 2010. Thank you in advance for your attendance and support!
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WSPHA Organizational Membership
Did you know that if your organization becomes a member of
WSPHA, you can save on your individual membership? And that your
CEO or Director will automatically become a member with your
organization's membership? Check out the benefits of organizational membership.
What
better way to build a stronger public health association - encourage
your organization to support the work of WSPHA and to benefit, as
well. Congratulations to Seattle-King County Public Health, our first organizational member in 2010!
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Help Build the Public Health Voice of WSPHA
Want
to build a stronger public health movement? Strengthen your
profession? Help WSPHA meet its membership targets for 2010.
Invite a colleague to coffee, and let them know about WSPHA
opportunities and activities. And let us know how it went! And
don't forget to update your profile and renew online.
Contact Beth Lipton, Membership Chair,
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Health Champions
National Public Health Week
April 5-9, 2010From
over 75 nominees, WSPHA was proud to recognize the Health Champions
from across our state. National Public Health Week is a great time
to come together and demonstrate what public health is and does, and
these individuals are exemplary. Join us in thanking them, and all
of those nominated, for their inspirational examples.
The
nominations were truly powerful, signifying both the need for this type of
recognition and some great stories of the tremendous work that we are doing.
Winners:
□
Individual:
Dr. Patrick Hogan, as an individual role model for health and for his
work on tobacco prevention in Pierce County; Leslie Rivera, Public Health Nurse
in Benton-Franklin County, for her work with immigrants and refugees and as a
personal role model
□
Community: Dr. Beth Harvey and Janna Bardi,
for their roles in ensuring a strong vaccine system in our state; Liz Thomas,
ARNP, for her long support of African-American children as a nurse practitioner
and teacher of effective Black parenting
□
Schools:
Pauline Thomas, Washington Elementary School, Auburn;
Gayle Mar-Chun, Madison Elementary, Olympia,
for leading their school communities to improve student health.
□
Business:
Rainier Health, nonprofit fitness center, Seattle, for promoting access, education and
encouragement for fitness and healthy living in a diverse, low-income
community.
□ Nation: Greg Vigdor, Washington Health Foundation, for a leading role in
advocating for health care reform at the Federal level.
□ Elected Official(s): Washington
State Congressional Delegation members who supported health care reform legislation
□ Exemplary Public Service: Mary Selecky, Secretary of Health, for her strong support of public health and also for her work through the H1N1 pandemic
For news coverage of Washington's National Public Health Week activities, see:
The Nation's Health
Franciscan Health System Website
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Executive Director's Corner
Dear WSPHA member:
With
summer upon us, many of us are looking forward to spending time away
from the office and time with our families. I know that I am
looking forward to our October Joint Conference on Health, shaping up to
be one of the best in recent years with a dynamo planning committee at
the helm, over 130 abstract submissions, and some excellent plenary
speakers bringing their expertise to our statewide community.
I
also know that easing into summer I am struck by the uncertainty that
feels to me to override much of our lives these days. Watching the
unfolding oil spill disaster for the past six weeks, I am sure that
many of us have reflected on the undeniable fact that as we push against
the edge of technological innovation, we also push against our human
limits to repair the harm that we are causing to our environment.
The same uncertainty about the future extends to all of our lives with a
damaged economy, but most certainly to those who have lost their jobs
in public health and other fields over the past three years.
And, a positive uncertainty pervades discussions about health care -
many people feel that while the legislation as finally enacted may not
have achieved a full measure of progress, many provisions will help
increase and improve access to health care, and certainly the redoubled
investments in prevention and public health are a glimmer of light for
our under-resourced systems.
While I'm sure that most of feel
that the economy (and the Gulf of Mexico) will recover, I am sure I am
not alone in wondering what that recovery will look like or how long it
will take. Will our children be able to find decent jobs in
2025? Will the Gulf be damaged for the remainder of our own lives
and will it ever fully recover? And, will the very fabric of our
health care system and public health infrastructure be improved such
that we no longer accept poor health outcomes for many in our
population?
As you head into your summer, I hope you will
remember those who are cleaning beaches and birds, and those who are
filing for unemployment who used to work next to us. While
we must live with uncertainty, I hope we will not live passively, and be
willing to take risks and take action to improve our state and our
nation.
Laura Hitchcock
Executive Director
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| Legislative Session Report & Look Ahead to 2011
Thank
you! Many of you took action this legislative session to promote
public health funding needs, and the need to increase revenue to ensure
that our state's General Fund was balanced without cutting key safety
net programs.
In the end, public health suffered fewer losses
than could have been expected, given the nearly $2 billion deficit faced
by the legislature at the onset of the session in January. Most
of the programs and funding for which WSPHA advocated were preserved.
A
host of sin and other taxes, including taxes on bottled water,
cigarettes, sugar-sweetened beverages, candy and gum all helped make up
the difference in revenue. WSPHA also advocated for several of
these taxes, submitting testimony and letters of support on the tobacco,
sugar-sweetened beverages and candy taxes, particularly because there
was discussion of dedicating these to public health programs. In
the end, these taxes supported the General Fund balance, which also
helped public health avoid certain cuts.
WSPHA will collaborate
with other organizations over the interim to plan for the 2011
legislative session when the biennial budget is adopted, and a possible
special session if there is a need for further cuts in state government,
even in light of the new tax revenue. A state revenue forecast is
due out in June - and it is likely that the Governor and legislature
will be forced to make deep cuts next session without a significant
strategy for addressing revenue short-falls. Plan to join us at a
statewide public health policy summit to address these and other
issues.
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Latest Issue of Journal of Public Health Practice
The latest issue of the Washington Journal of Public Health Practice is available online now. Here is a sampling of topics covered:
- Cardiovascular Disease Risk Screening Among Latino Men in
Eastern Washington
- Evaluation of an HIV and Hepatitis C Prevention Intervention for People
Who Use Injection Drugs
- Pre-Existing Conditions in Vibrio
Parahaemolyticus-Associated Gastroenteritis in Washington State
1998-2009
- Sources of Health Information in a Community Setting
December
issue publication submissions are due October 1. All WSPHA
members are encouraged to contribute submissions - let your colleagues
know of your good work! For more information, contact Journal
editor, Dr. Melody Madlem.
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Stop the Leak! Leave a Legacy! Be a Mentor!
I invite you and all other experienced public health
professionals in Washington,
to consider participating in the soon-to-be-launched WSPHA mentoring program. The
knowledge and unique lessons you have learned during your years of public
health service are vital, and they need to be shared, now more than ever
before.
WSPHA is developing a statewide mentoring program to connect
experienced public health professionals with students, recent graduates or
public health professionals who are interested in developing expertise in a new
area of public health.
Decades of critical public
health knowledge and experience are "leaking" from the field due to
unprecedented layoffs and imminent retirements of an aging workforce. Few
agencies have succession plans in place to assure continuity of
leadership. In the meantime, recent public health graduates
are bringing important new knowledge and perspectives to the field. They share
your passion and commitment but lack your real-world experience and the
extensive network of resources and people you have developed.
Mentoring is a rewarding and effective way to assure that
you leave a positive legacy. Meet and
build relationships with colleagues who are passionate about the same areas of
public health as you. Show them the shortcuts and help them avoid the pitfalls
you have faced. Help them get connected to people and resources so their work
will be both satisfying and effective.
You have spent your career making a difference in your
community. Through mentoring you can make a lasting contribution to the field
of public health.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor please contact:
John Britt, RN, MPH - WSPHA Board Member
Chair WSPHA Professional Development Committee |
Early Childhood Campaign
We know that issues affecting very early development can be
lifelong indicators of health. In order to reach 'upstream' and a
powerful impact on the health outcomes of many in our state's
population, WSPHA is launching a new campaign to promote investment and
policy shifts that will help to ensure these good 'first starts' in
life. Issues under consideration for inclusion in the campaign
include -
*Tobacco use in pregnancy
* Obesity in pregnancy
* Prenatal care access
* Birth-delivery experience and outcomes
* Developmental screenings
* Breastfeeding
* Parent Support
* Supporting health in child care and early learning settings
How
can you get involved and help shape the campaign's policy and advocacy
goals? Join the campaign team if you have a background in
advocacy, communications or maternal-child health.
Questions? Please contact Laura Hitchcock, lhitchcock@wspha.org.
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Policy Resolutions Process Now Open
The WSPHA Legislative and Policy Committee is now accepting Resolutions on policy topics of interest to members.
WSPHA will develop it's proactive legislative and public policy agenda
from these submitted Resolutions and policy committee recommendations.
Members
are encouraged to submit Resolutions in one or more of 5 broad
categories, that help to further define the scope of WSPHA's policy
work. Please review the website to view past Resolutions:
* Public Health Financing
* Health Promotion
* Health Provision
* Health Protection
* Early Childhood
Resolutions
are due July 31 and will be vetted by the Legislative and Policy
Committee and the Board of Directors. Resolutions slated for
membership vote will be brought to the Annual Business Meeting at the
Joint Conference on Health, October 11-12, 2010.
Questions? Please contact Laura Hitchcock, lhitchcock@wspha.org.
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