RE: Greater DC Asthma-Related Mtgs., News, & Events as of October 19, 2008 Dear Colleagues, Please see below and click www.dcasthma.org to download related files for TODAY’s asthma and healthy homes events, DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign funding announcement (due October 27), minutes from the DC Asthma Community Partnership Meeting convened by the DC Department of Health’s DC Control Asthma Now (DC CAN) Program on September 22, and other upcoming events, conferences, and resources forwarded by partners. If someone forwarded this message to you and you would like to receive future asthma announcements, please send your contact information to me at lisa.a.gilmore@verizon.net. Thank you. - Lisa Lisa A. Gilmore, MBA, MSW (202) 415-1962 I.
A. B.
FUNDING AND JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS
DC Tobacco Free Families Community Based RFA (Due Oct. 27) Position Opening - Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc.
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A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M.
EVENTS
Lead, Crime, and Healthy Housing: An Ounce of Prevention = A Ton of Benefits (Oct. 20) Translating Research to Healthy Homes Improvements - Conference Call (Oct. 20) Register for EPA/CDC Webinar on Program Evaluation Basics (Oct. 22) Minutes from DOH Asthma Community Partners Meeting HUD Seeks Feedback on Draft Healthy Homes Plan (Due Oct. 31) EPA Kicks Off Review of Ozone Standards with Public Workshop (Oct. 29-30) 10th Annual ACCP Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium (Oct. 29-30) EPA and the Hispanic and Asian Communities – Beyond Translation Forum (Oct. 30) Save the Date! Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (Nov. 1) Town Hall Meeting – Opening Doors for Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs (Nov. 10) Expanding from Lead to Healthy Homes – Next Conference Call (Nov. 3) EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools/HealthySEAT National Symposium (Dec. 4-6) CDC Declares National Influenza Vaccination Week, Dec. 8 -14, 2008 with Vaccination Days for Children, Seniors, and Health Care Workers DPR Urges Residents to Take Advantage of Free and Low Cost Childcare NIH Launches New Web Site for Parents on Medical Research Studies for Children New Communities in Action for Asthma-Friendly Environments Resource Bank Subscribe to More Asthma and Healthy Homes E-Newsletters and Listservs
III. RESOURCES
A. B. C. D.
I.
FUNDING AND JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. DC Tobacco Free Families Community Based RFA (Due Oct. 27)
WHAT: (Click www.dcasthma.org for RFA)The American Lung Association of the District of Columbia, on behalf of the DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign, announces the release of $225,000 worth of grant opportunities for community-based organizations to help promote tobacco cessation and prevention programs in the District of Columbia. This campaign is a partnership of the American Lung Association of DC, the American Cancer Society, and the DC Department of Health. All community-based organizations are encouraged to apply for a portion of these funds.
APPLICATION: Use the Request for Proposal (RFP) application and submit it to the American Lung Association of DC office no later than October 27, 2008. CONTACT: For questions concerning the 2009 RFP Application, contact Charles Debnam, Community Outreach Specialist, DC Tobacco Free Families: 202-546-5864 ext. 213 or email: cdebnam@aladc.org.
B. Position Opening - Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc.
POSITION: President/Chief Executive Officer, Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc., Columbia, Maryland/Washington DC. POSITION SUMMARY: The President and Chief Executive Officer is responsible for creatively leading the growth and development of a wholly-owned small business dedicated to improving the quality of homes in the United States. The individual reports to a volunteer Board of Directors and serves as a direct liaison with the parent organization, the National Center for Healthy Housing, to ensure symbiotic strategic and business plans. Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc. (Solutions) was established in November 2003 to provide federal, state and local agencies, and private sector organizations with professional services related to residential environmental health and safety issues. Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), which is dedicated to creating healthy and safe homes through practical and proven steps. Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc. helps to develop, evaluate and implement policies, practices and guidelines to create healthier homes for all Americans. APPLY: To apply, submit a résumé and cover letter to: Rebecca Morley, President/Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing, 10320 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 500, Columbia, MD 21044 or via e-mail at rmorley@nchh.org. For additional information and questions, please contact Ms. Morley at 443-539-4159.
II. EVENTS A. Lead, Crime, and Healthy Housing: An Ounce of Prevention = A Ton of Benefits (Oct. 20)
WHAT: (Click www.dcasthma.org for flyer) You are cordially invited to this FREE program presented by the Government of the District of Columbia in collaboration with The HSC Foundation and with Lead Safe DC and in recognition of National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 19-25. SPEAKERS: Pierre N.D. Vigilance, MD, MPH, Director, District of Columbia Department of Health (invited); Jerome A. Paulson, MD, FAAP, George Washington University; Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health & the Environment; Ellen Silbergeld, Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University; Mary Jean Brown, ScD, RN, Chief, Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and Rebecca Morley, MSPP, Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing. AGENDA: Topics include: (1) New Findings on Health Effects of Chronic Low-Level Exposure to Lead, (2) Lead and Sociopathy: Experimental and Epidemiological Evidence, (3) Transforming Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs into Healthy Housing/Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs, and (4) Creating A National Healthy Homes Agenda. WHEN: Monday, October 20, 2008, 5:00 PM - 8 PM, soft drinks and sandwiches provided at 5:00, program begins at 5:30, audience Q & A at 7:30. WHERE: The HSC Pediatric Center, 1731 Bunker Hill Road, NE, Washington DC 20017 Shuttle bus from Brookland and Fort Totten Metro (look for HSC logo). Limited parking.
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FREE: Program presented at no charge. No registration required, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
B. Translating Research to Healthy Homes Improvements - Conference Call (Oct. 20)
WHAT: The National Center for Healthy Housing and ACI are co-hosting monthly conference calls on the third Monday of each month at 3:00 pm ET to present and discuss new healthy homes research. Participate in our inaugural “Translating Research into Healthy Homes Improvements.” The first speaker is Bud Offermann, President of Indoor Environmental Engineering who will discuss his exciting research on “Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in California Homes.” The study examines the levels of contaminants in new homes and evaluates how well ventilation systems perform in terms of indoor air quality. Key conclusions include: 1/3 of homes never opened windows; formaldehyde levels of concern were documented in new homes; HRV mechanical ventilation systems performed more effectively than ducted outdoor air systems in providing fresh air and reducing contaminants. Aaron Townsend of Building Science Corporation will serve as a questioner/panelist to stimulate discussion. WHEN: Monday October 20, 2008 from 3:00 AM - 4 PM EST. INSTRUCTIONS: Call 877-358-8255 #3970384. Before joining the call download the presentation at http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/research. CONTACT: If you have questions about this conference call series, please contact Ellen Tohn, etohn@tohnenvironmental.com or 509-358-7770. Ms. Tohn will be coordinating the calls.
C. Register for EPA/CDC Webinar on Program Evaluation Basics (Oct. 22)
WHAT: EPA and CDC are collaborating to bring you a series of training sessions designed to teach program evaluation basics. These presentations are based on the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health. This opening session will present some of the typical challenges encountered in trying to do good program evaluation and will offer practical solutions to those challenges. The session provides a high-level overview of the steps and standards of CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation and will demonstrate how the Framework approach surmounts the challenges in applied program evaluation and produces evaluation designs which are most likely to yield findings that will be used for program improvement. SPEAKER: Tom Chapel, MA, MBA, Acting Chief Performance Officer, CDC WHEN: October 22, 2008, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM ET REGISTER: Registers at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/274262739.
D. Minutes from DOH Asthma Community Partners Meeting
WHAT: (Click www.dcasthma.org for minutes) From Yvonne Espila, DC Department of Health, yvonne.esipila@dc.gov, on 10/8/08: “First and foremost, many thanks to those who attended the Community Partners Meeting that took place on September 22, 2008 at the University of the District of Columbia. Your presence and participation was very much appreciated. To those who were unable to attend; we hope to be able to partner with you in the future. Attached to this message are the minutes related to that meeting. Please feel free to contact us, Thank you.”
E. HUD Seeks Feedback on Draft Healthy Homes Plan (Due Oct. 31)
(This message was also sent by rscott@afhh.org to: leadnet@mail-list.com on 10/8/08) WHAT: “HUD’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC) has written a draft version of a healthy housing strategic plan and is seeking feedback on it. For the past 10 years, OHHLHC has funded a healthy homes grant program, supported important research, and engaged in partnerships with various agencies and organizations to advance healthy housing
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programs and policies. The new strategic plan is intended to describe where this effort should be going in the future.....The Alliance urges all healthy housing advocates to read and comment on this draft plan. You should submit your feedback via email to hudhhstrategy@hud.gov by October 31. We’d appreciate it if you cc me [Ralph Scott, Alliance for Healthy Homes, at rscott@afhh.org, 202-347-7610] on your comments, as the Alliance intends to submit our own comments and we want to be sure to know what others are saying.” WHERE: The document is available at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/.
F. EPA Kicks Off Review of Ozone Standards with Public Workshop (Oct. 29-30)
WHAT: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is embarking on a new review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone. The Agency will hold a public kickoff workshop on October 29 - 30, 2008 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to discuss science and science policy issues relevant to the ozone NAAQS review. When EPA last revised the ozone standards in March 2008, it lowered the standards from 0.08 ppm to 0.075 ppm. The revised standards were above the 0.060 to 0.070 ppm range recommended by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. A key issue in this review will be setting an ozone standard at a level that protects public health with an adequate margin of safety. REGISTRATION: Registration is open to the public, and participation by teleconference is also possible. A website is available with registration information at http://projects.pechan.com/epa/o3review/index.cfm.
G. 10th Annual ACCP Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium (Oct. 29-30)
WHAT: (Click www.dcasthma.org for registration form) The registration fee has been waived to attend the CHEST 2008 Philadelphia - 10th Annual ACCP Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium. Topics include the Asthma in American Cities project, Environmental Tobacco Smoke: How to Reduce Exposure, Developing State Plans and Coalitions for COPD, and How To Reach Local Media. (Please note that you wish to attend any other sessions or courses offered at CHEST 2008, i.e., clinical updates in chest medicine: board review programs, literature reviews, postgraduate courses, and more than 175 sessions.), please register separately at www.chestnet.org.) WHEN: The Community Asthma and COPD Coalitions Symposium is scheduled for October 29-30, 2008. CHEST 2008 is scheduled for October 25 - 30, 2008, WHERE: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania REGISTRATION: Click www.dcasthma.org for registration form or visit www.chestnet.org.
H. EPA and the Hispanic and Asian Communities – Beyond Translation Forum (Oct. 30)
WHAT: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 is hosting its first Beyond Translation forum as part of a continuing effort to effectively engage the Hispanic and Asian communities as partners in environmental stewardship. The agenda (http://www.epa.gov/Region3/beyondtranslation_agenda.html) outlines the topics that will be discussed at the Beyond Translation forum. WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Community leaders, representatives of non-profit organizations, state and local government, small businesses, academia, health care providers, and many others. WHEN: Thursday, October 30 , 2008, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM WHERE: EPA Region 3 Headquarters, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
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REGISTRATION: To attend this forum please register online (http://www.epa.gov/Region3/beyondtranslation_registration.html) CONTACT: For more information, please contact Rashmi Mathur (mathur.rashmi@epa.gov), (215) 814-5234 or Angela Paez (paez.angela@epa.gov), (215) 814-2064 or visit http://www.epa.gov/Region3/beyondtranslation.html
I. Save the Date! Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (Nov. 1)
WHAT: (Click www.dcasthma.org for registration form) Earn 3 CME/CEU credits at this conference sponsored by Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc. This conference offers: • Use of screening tools to identify attention disorders • Role of Neuropsychological assessment in diagnosis and treatment • Current medication options for attention and co-morbid disorders • Implementing behavior management strategies • Implementing a team approach to support children and families at home, school and in the community WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Physicians, Psychologists, Nurses, Social Workers, Teachers WHEN: Saturday, November 1, 2008, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM WHERE: HSC Pediatric Center, 1731 Bunker Hill Road, NE, Washington, DC 20017 CONTACT: Contact Audrey Monsanto for questions and registration at amonsanto@hscsn.org or at 202-974-4692
J. Expanding from Lead to Healthy Homes – Next Conference Call (Nov. 3)
WHAT: Thanks to the ongoing support from HUD and CDC, NCHH is continuing to offer the monthly calls spotlighting programs making the transition from lead to healthy homes. To address concerns that the word “transition” implies moving away from lead poisoning prevention, we are calling it “Expanding from Lead to Healthy Homes.” Our schedule for three months will be: • Nov. 3: Rhode Island Department of Health • Dec. 1: Houston Health Department • Jan. 5: Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning - Baltimore INSTRUCTIONS: On the first Monday of each month, we will host a monthly conference call at 3:00 pm ET. Call 877-358-8255 #3970384. Use *6 to mute your line. Use *7 to unmute. The call is designed for state and local program staff and community-based organizations who work with them but everyone is welcome. We have had between 60 and 90 people participate in past calls. CONTACT: Go to http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/transitions/ for more information. You can also contact Tom Neltner at (443) 539-4160 or tneltner@nchh.org.
K. Town Hall Meeting – Opening Doors for Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs (Nov. 10)
WHAT: The HSC Foundation invites you to a Town Hall Meeting, “Opening Doors for Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs: A State of the Science Conference.” The conference features Greg Smith, motivational speaker and disabilities advocate on “Disabilities 101—Lessons Worth Learning from America’s Largest Minority.” WHEN: Monday, November 10, 2008, 7:00 PM WHERE: Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814, Metro: Red Line at Bethesda Metro Center. Parking available for discounted rate of $7.
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REGISTRATION: The event is FREE TO THE PUBLIC but registration required: www.hschealthcaresystem.org/Registration.
L. EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools/HealthySEAT National Symposium (Dec. 4-6)
WHAT: Please see below for the following announcements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program: (1) IAQ TfS National Symposium: December 4 – 6, 2008, Washington, DC. Register today at http://www.iaqsymposium.com/! (2) New IAQ Lesson Plans Available for Grades K-12. Through a cooperative agreement with the EPA, the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) has created a series of K-12 lesson plans (http://www.neahin.org/Lesson_Plan/LessonPlanStartPage.htm ) that supplement the U.S. EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools program and Action Kit (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/actionkit.html). CONTACT: For more information, visit the IAQ Tools for Schools program Web site at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/.
M. CDC Declares National Influenza Vaccination Week, Dec. 8 -14, 2008 with Vaccination Days for Children, Seniors, and Health Care Workers
WHAT: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the week of December 8-14, 2008, as National Influenza Vaccination Week. This event is designed to highlight the importance of continuing influenza (flu) vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine through the months of November, December and beyond. This year, Tuesday, December 9th, is designated as Children’s Vaccination Day. Thursday, December 11th, is designated as Seniors’ vaccination Day, and Friday, December 12th, will focus on vaccination of health care workers. Please help emphasize the importance of vaccinating these special populations with awareness activities. INFO: More information will be made available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/index.htm.
III. RESOURCES A. DPR Urges Residents to Take Advantage of Free and Low Cost Childcare
WHAT: Excerpted from 10/14/08 news release at http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/dpr/section/2/release/15147 – The Office of Educational Services of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) reminds District residents that free or low cost child care is available weekdays in the District of Columbia yearround. Residents in need of such services are asked to sign-up right away. The agency’s Early Care and Education/Head Start program for young children is available Monday through Friday from 7 am to 6 pm throughout the year….Early childhood services are provided at 17 locations throughout the city, licensed by the DC Department of Health and participate in the childcare subsidy program through the Department of Human Services. CONTACT: For more information, contact the DPR Office of Educational Services at (202) 6710372.
B. NIH Launches New Web Site for Parents on Medical Research Studies for Children
WHAT: From asthma and cancer treatments to vaccines, research in children saves lives and improves their health and well-being. A new Web site from the National Institutes of Health
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(NIH), “Children and Clinical Studies” (www.ChildrenAndClinicalStudies.nhlbi.nih.gov), offers parents and health care providers an insider’s guide to children’s medical research. The Web site combines information about how clinical studies in youth are conducted with award-winning video of children, parents, and healthcare providers discussing the rewards and challenges of participating in research. INFO: View the complete Multimedia News Release at http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/nhlbiclinicalstudies/35258/.
C. New Communities in Action for Asthma-Friendly Environments Resource Bank
WHAT: Communities in Action for Asthma-Friendly Environments has launched a new Resource Bank that provides access to hundreds of up-to-date asthma-related tools and materials. The transition of the Allies Against Asthma Resource Bank to the Communities in Action Network has allowed for resources to be updated and catalogued and many are now available for the first time electronically. There is also an opportunity to become a member of the Online Network to share resources with programs across the nation. WHO: The Network is supported by the U.S. EPA in partnership with Allies Against Asthma, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. WHERE: To access the Resource Bank, visit http://www.asthmacommunitynetwork.org/resources.aspx.
D. Subscribe to More Asthma and Healthy Homes E-Newsletters and Listservs
1. Alliance for Healthy Homes (http://afhh.org/forms/alert_subscribe.asp) facilitates two e-mail listservs – healthyhomesnet and leadnet – that allow advocates, policy makers, state and local government staff, health providers, and others interested in lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes issues opportunities to share news, information and experiences with one another. The Alliance also sends out our “Alliance Alert” Newsletter once a month with stories on national, state, and local policy decisions and other news that impacts the Healthy Homes community. American Lung Association (http://www.lungusa.org/, click on “E-Newsletters in bottom right-hand corner) electronic publications include Breathe Easy®/Asthma Digest, The Weekly Breather, and others. CalAsthma Update (http://www.calasthma.org/newsletter/sign_up/) distributed by the Regional Asthma Management and Prevention (RAMP) Initiative in collaboration with the National Latino Research Center (NLRC) and PolicyLink as part of Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA), a statewide network of asthma coalitions working to shape local, regional and state policies to reduce the environmental triggers of asthma for school-aged children where they live, learn, and play. CAFA is funded by the California Endowment. National Center for Healthy Housing (http://nchh.org/html/healthy_housing_connections.htm) new quarterly e-newsletter: Healthy Housing Connections. ###
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