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IPHI Leads Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training for Project HOPE

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

IPHI Leads Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training for Project HOPE

 

On December 3-4, 2018, IPHI facilitated a 2-day workshop on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) with state and local leaders in early childhood education in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The workshop supported Nemours Children’s Health System Project HOPE: Harnessing Opportunity for Positive Equitable Early Childhood Development, which is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to assist state partners in strengthening their early childhood education systems to promote equity. IPHI adapted their existing curriculum to the needs of state partners in Oklahoma. Content included an overview of definitions and concepts related to EDI utilizing a public health lens, in-depth exploration of a multi-level framework for understanding and undoing structural racism and other forms of oppression, strategies for equitable engagement of partners by analyzing power dynamics, and action planning for the participants to begin integrating equity concepts and strategies into their workplans. IPHI will conduct similar workshops in 2019 with partners in other state-level coalitions that are participating in Project HOPE.

 

CHW Certification and Workforce Development – Spring 2018 Update

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

Maryland

Great news concerning CHW certification comes out of Maryland! Together with chapters of the Maryland CHW Network and other partners, IPHI was highly involved in the CHW certification legislation introduced during the recent legislative session. Delegate Clarence K. Lam and Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam continued to be two champions of CHW certification. With their leadership, the bill for voluntary CHW certification passed through the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Hogan May 8, 2018. This bill establishes the State Community Health Worker Advisory Committee within the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and requires MDH to adopt specified regulations related to the training and certification of community health workers in the State. The bill also establishes the State Community Health Workers Fund.

IPHI joins the MD CHW Network and other stakeholders to witness Gov. Hogan sign the CHW certification bill into law on May 8, 2018.

We at IPHI believe this a key milestone in achieving CHW sustainability in Maryland and recognize the hard work and dedication of everyone, particularly the Maryland CHWs, who worked tirelessly advocating for the bill. There is still a lot of work to be done, and we look forward to partnering with MDH, the Maryland CHW Network, and other stakeholders to continue working towards CHW sustainability. To find out more, read the final bill in its entirety.

Virginia

IPHI, together with the Virginia Community Health Worker Association, held a one-day forum for community health workers from across the Commonwealth of Virginia on May 18, 2018, at the Libbie Mill Library in Richmond, Virginia. The forum featured speakers with expertise in Medicaid, opioids, disabilities, housing, and equity, among other key topics. The primary goals of the forum were to:

  • Train CHWs on topics such as Medicaid, opioids, cultural humility, and working with special populations;
  • Provide updates on the state of CHW workforce development in Virginia, with a special emphasis on CHW certification; and
  • Provide opportunities for CHWs from across the Commonwealth to connect with the Virginia Community Health Worker Association.

Certified Community Health Worker Credential Now Available 

IPHI is pleased to announce that a new credential for community health workers is now available through the Virginia Certification Board. Since 2012, IPHI has worked with partners in Virginia on CHW workforce development through the CHW Advisory Group, and we are proud of the progress that has been accomplished by this partnership. The credential was developed by and reviewed, approved, and supported by the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Community Health Worker Advisory Group, and the Virginia Community Health Worker Association.

Requirements for CHW certification can be found in the certification application by clicking on this link: CCHW Application. Learn more about the Virginia Certification Board online at vacertboard.org. For questions about the CCHW process, email Virginia Certification Board at info@vacertboard.org. IPHI will continue to work with partners to refine the certification process as well as to support and implement policies that advance the CHW workforce in VA.

See IPHI’s community health worker page for more information, or contact cchw@institutephi.org.

IPHI Receives Capacity Building Grant from the Healthcare Initiative Foundation

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

IPHI is one of 15 recipients of the Healthcare Initiative Foundations FY18 Capacity Building Grants. The award of $25,000 will support the implementation of Local School Wellness Councils (LSWCs) in public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. IPHI is currently working with Montgomery County Public Schools through the Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative to implement LSWCs in 15 initial pilot schools within the County. Next year, with the help of the HIF grant award, IPHI and MSPS will work to expand LSWCs to many more schools.

For more information read the Healthcare Initiative Foundation’s Press Release here.

Gaithersburg Elementary School Showcases Wellness

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

Gaithersburg Elementary School Showcases Wellness in Montgomery County

On April 10th, the Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) partners from IPHI, Trinity Health, Holy Cross Health and the Eat Well Be Active Partnership visited Gaithersburg Elementary School (GES), one of 15 Montgomery County Public Schools implementing Local School Wellness Councils (LSWCs) with support from the TCI.


Left to Right: Michelle Caruso (IPHI), Kimberly McBride (Holy Cross Health), Emily Heberlein (Georgia Health Policy Center), Marla Caplon (MCPS), Jaime Dircksen (Trinity Health), Julia Groenfeldt (IPHI), Beth Geno (Trinity Health), Gaby Massie, (MCPS), Cara Grant (MCPS), Evelyn Kelly (IPHI), Jason Berg (GES), Christine Tilkens (GES), and Principal Meredith McNerney (GES).

As an LSWC pilot school, GES has worked closely with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and IPHI to train and support School Wellness Champions to implement its LSWC and wellness initiatives in alignment with district-wide policy. The site visit allowed project funders and partners to learn about these efforts from the staff and teachers implementing the work.

The site visit group toured the school, visiting a 4th grade classroom equipped with flexible seating such as cushions, yoga balls, standing desks, and sensory seats, as well as the school mindfulness room where students can reflect and reconnect on an as-needed basis. On the tour, the group stopped by a Zumba class, one of the school’s free after-school clubs that promote physical activity to students and parents. The group also observed the school’s daily mindfulness practice at dismissal led by Principal McNerney. Throughout the visit, teachers and staff noted the benefits of these activities and resources that have helped encourage healthy practices and student behavior change throughout the school.

Next year, IPHI and MCPS will use lessons learned from the 15 pilot schools to create tools, resources, and processes in support of district-wide expansion. This strategy is supported through funding from Trinity Health, the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission, and the Healthcare Initiative Foundation.

For more information on the Transforming Communities Initiative, see Healthy Montgomery TCI.

The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region Receives National Recognition through Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region Receives National Recognition through the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge

The Institute for Public Health Innovation has been working in partnership with The Health Collaborative of the Dan River Region, VA to support community health improvement planning and strategy implementation through facilitative leadership, technical assistance, and resource development.

In 2016, The Health Collaborative was selected as one of 50 finalists to compete in the Healthiest Cities  & Counties Challenge, a two-year prize competition supported by the Aetna Foundation, American Public Health Association, and the National Association of Counties.

On February 1st, 2018, The Health Collaborative was selected by the Aetna Foundation as a Spotlight Award winner for its efforts to make the Dan River Region a healthier place to live.  The Health Collaborative is one of 10 groups nationally to receive this award.  The recognition came with $25,000 in funding to support the continuation and growth of the Collaborative’s initiatives.

For more information on the Spotlight Award, read The Health Collaborative’s recent press release or visit www.thehealthcollab.com.

The Institute for Public Health Innovation Releases the State of Maryland’s First Food Charter

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

For Immediate Release:  October 24, 2017

Contact:  

Evelyn Kelly, 202-407-7086

ekelly@institutephi.org

The Institute for Public Health Innovation Releases the State of Maryland’s First Food Charter

Washington, D.C. –  The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) releases the “Maryland Food Charter: A Roadmap to a Healthy and Sustainable Food System.” The document contains recommendations for each of the five major food system sectors: production and processing, distribution, access, consumption, and recovery. The Maryland Food Charter is the result of a three-year undertaking that began in 2014 and engaged food policy stakeholders including state legislators across the state of Maryland and aligns with recommendations from various food policy documents.

“These recommendations, if used as guidelines for policy makers and organizations working throughout the food system, can foster collaboration and collective action to align organizations and food coalitions across the state to help build a more robust food system,” said Evelyn Kelly, Senior Program Manager with the Institute for Public Health Innovation.

Guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of this initiative throughout the years, has been an Advisory Committee composed of eight members that represent multiple food system sectors and interests. The volunteer-based committee along with a Food Charter Coordinator provided critical input and guidance to the effort.

The Food Charter contains recommendations that were developed based on public input from all regions of Maryland, input from state legislators representing 22 districts, and aligns with the  “Maryland Food Policy Scan” and the “Milan Urban Food Policy Act.” IPHI partnered with the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future to commission the Food Law and Policy Clinic of Harvard Law School to conduct a policy scan of Maryland’s food systems. “The joint investment in the food charter process and the food policy scan provides Maryland policymakers and advocates a fantastic opportunity to be at the forefront of change, perhaps an example for other states,” commented Anne Palmer, Program Director at John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Another guiding document that was incorporated into the Food Charter was the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. “The Pact is an excellent framework to guide the Maryland Food Charter,” said Holly Freishtat, Baltimore City Food Policy Director. “The beauty of the Pact is that it encompasses the whole food system, and as an international accord, it allows the work we do locally and regionally to resonate on an international level and show collective impact around the world.”

The Maryland Food Charter is a living document that unites food system stakeholders around collective values and goals. By building upon the work done thus far, together, we can implement the recommendations in this Charter and create a future Maryland food system that is healthy, equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable.

The Maryland Food Charter Project was made possible through a grant awarded by the Town Creek Foundation. Please visit www.institutephi.org/mdfoodcharter for additional information.

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About Institute for Public Health Innovation: 

IPHI creates partnerships across sectors and cultivates innovative solutions that improve health and well-being for all populations and communities across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, particularly those most affected by health inequities. IPHI’s work enhances the environments and conditions in which people live, age, work, learn, and play; strengthens health service systems and public policy; and builds organizational and community capacity to sustain progress.  IPHI is one of over 40 public health institutes across the country and a member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes.

For more information on IPHI, see www.institutephi.org, and follow IPHI on Facebook and Twitter @InstitutePHI.

At summit, a collaborative view on region’s health

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

Traci Petty attended the Third Annual Health Collaborative Summit on Thursday to find out more strategies to make a difference in the community. She was among the more than 100 people who turned out for the summit.

As director of community impact and operations for the United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County, she became involved in initiatives to inform residents of the Dan River region about access to healthy food, health care and making healthy lifestyle decisions.

“We wanted to help the residents make good choices,” Petty said at the summit held at Averett University.

Once at the summit, the people broke up into separate groups to listen to guest speakers from different organizations.

The health collaborative works with schools, work sites, after-school programs and faith-based organizations to provide technical assistance and form wellness committees. Other efforts include working to connect residents with primary care providers to reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency room. The collaborative has 110 members from 54 organizations and was started under the Danville Regional Foundation.

“It cuts a wide swath across the community,” said Elyse Jardine, the collaborative’s project manager. Its mission is to set goals and strategies to improve health in the region. Each goal includes an action team of about 10 to 15 members to see it through.

Continue reading the full article on GoDanRiver.com

October 12, 2017 | John Crane | GoDanRiver.com

IPHI Partnering with VCU for NIH Funded Grant on Children with Asthma

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

IPHI Partnering with VCU for NIH-Funded Grant on Children with Asthma

The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University has received a NIH-Funded Research Grant to implement Child Asthma Intervention in Richmond, VA.

IPHI is partnering with the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Psychology on the implementation of RVA Breathes, a six-year NIH-funded research grant to assess the impact of evidence-based asthma interventions on asthmatic children in Richmond, VA. IPHI will oversee the community health worker (CHW) intervention in which CHWs will conduct home visits in partnership with the Richmond City Health District Healthy Homes program to provide education on home environment triggers and techniques to reduce them. More information on IPHI’s role in RVA Breathes can be found here.

For more information about contact us at 202.747.3512 or via email at info@institutephi.org.

 

Baltimore Mayor Pugh Hosts Maryland Delegates for Baltimore Food Systems Tour with Institute for Public Health Innovation

Posted on by Julia Groenfeldt

On June 24, 2017 Baltimore Mayor Pugh issued a Media Advisory announcing her participation at the Institute for Public Health Innovation’s Baltimore Food Systems Tour for Maryland Delegates.

“BALTIMORE, Md.  — Mayor Pugh, the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative and the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) will host a tour for Maryland  Delegates showcasing Baltimore City’s Food Systems. The tour will visit several sites, beginning and ending at the Humanim Building. The tour will highlight many of Baltimore’s successful food system policies and programs, to inspire other jurisdictions to work together towards a collective food policy framework….”

 

Click here to read the Media Advisory.

 

 

Dan River Region Health Equity Report Released

Posted on by Kady Pecorella

Dan River Region Health Equity Report

 

The Institute for Public Health Innovation has worked in partnership with The Health Collaborative, Centra, Sovah Health – Danville, and Danville Regional Foundation to publish the Dan River Region’s first Health Equity Report.  Over the past ten months, these community partners have been working together to collect data, engage residents, identify common themes and analyze trends to better understand the region’s current health status.

As part of a larger community health needs assessment, the map-based report provides critical insight into the many factors that influence the community’s health. The findings of the report have been presented in the region through a series of workshops, presentations, and community findings.

 

 

For more information on the report or to learn more about The Health Collaborative, visit the Collaborative’s website or contact Project Manager Elyse Jardine at ejardine@institutephi.org.