Addressing the Health Concerns Affecting Rural and Underserved Communities (1.0 Free CE Credit)—June 16, 2010

Social workers practicing in rural and underserved communities often see the affect that rising levels of chronic disease have on individuals and families. Learn about and get involved in community-level initiatives to address the implications of poor health in these communities. Learn more about this webinar and register here.  NASW Specialty Practice Sections members only.

To learn about Sections membership, visit www.socialworkers.org/sections

Recently, NASW completed a Health Practice Update entitled, The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: The Social Work Response and has supported First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Initiative. Even though NASW National office will submit comments, NASW members are encouraged to submit their own comments.  Below is the summary of the Federal register notice about the Task Force on Childhood Obesity.  Comments are due by Friday, March 26.

Task Force on Childhood Obesity: Request for Information – Comments must be submitted by March 26, 2010

Across the country, childhood obesity has reached epidemic rates. On February 9, 2010, President Obama signed a Presidential Memo establishing a Task Force on Childhood Obesity that directs Federal agencies to create a comprehensive interagency national action plan to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation. The Presidential Memo directs the Task Force to focus on four pillars:

• Ensuring access to healthy, affordable food;
• Increasing physical activity in schools and communities;
• Providing healthier food in schools; and
• Empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families.

This notice announces a request for public comments to assist the Task Force in making recommendations on public and private sector actions that can be taken to solve the problem.

Submit comments online by March 26, 2010.  More information…

NASW members are also welcomed to submit general feedback about childhood obesity to NASW Senior Practice Associate, Stacy Collins by e-mail at scollins@naswdc.org

Written by Ayisha Jones, NASW intern.   She is a studying to receive her MSW this year.

Do you have access to fresh fruit and veggies? Are you within walking distance of a grocery store or does your local transit provide easy access to organic food and super markets? If you answered yes to these questions, chances are you are not living in poverty. Recently I have been overcome by the reality of nutritional neglect within low-income, urban communities. The effects of poor nutrition on pre-natal early childhood development as well as academic achievement are documented. Poor nutrition is also directly associated with cognitive delays, poor school performance, behavioral challenges with children. However, the connection between inadequate nutrition and lack of access to healthy food choices is often overlooked. Many urban communities are flooded with liquor stores, convenience stores, and fast food restaurants, and many residents who receive food stamps are often unaware that food stamps can be used at organic food markets and farmers markets.

I recently signed on to support and participate in a community organization project in West Baltimore. I was surprised to find that one of the local concerns was transportation and access to proper nutrition in the poor communities. I drove about 5 miles down a major street in the middle of the community and saw one grocery store that was filled with processed food ads in the window. However, in that same proximity I saw several gas stations, liquor stores, fast food chains, and fried chicken and Chinese food restaurants.

According to Bon Secours hospital in Baltimore, MD the extended stays required for many patients stemmed from malnutrition. The consumption of processed food often leads to hypertension, malnutrition, high cholesterol, diabetes, and adult and childhood obesity. Preventative health care relies heavily on proper nutrition and cannot be successful without it. Medication and weekly doctors’ visits will not help a chronic condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol unless accompanied by proper nutrition and exercise. Nutrition is such a major part of life preservation that some of the issues affecting children and families living in poverty can no longer be ignored. What action can we take as social workers to remedy this problem?

Explore Fellowship Opportunities for Social Workers in Aging and Health

Applications Due April 2010

NASW is pleased to advise its members of two fellowship programs, unaffiliated with NASW, for professionals specializing in aging and health care.

Practice Change Fellows: Leaders in Geriatric Care

The two-year Practice Change Fellows program provides leadership training, individual mentoring, structured peer feedback, and funding to support each participant in developing leadership skills and content expertise that will enhance care for older adults. Fellows complete a project aimed at implementing a new geriatric program or service line integrated within their organization, allowing them to remain at their full-time jobs throughout the two-year program.

Social workers, nurses, and physicians who hold a leadership role in a health care delivery organization (including long-term care residences), health-related institution, or community-based organization—and who have both direct responsibility for geriatric services or aging-related programs and enough seniority in their organizations to have decision-making authority and be able to effect change—are eligible to apply. (Eight social workers have been selected as fellows since the program’s 2007 inception.)

The Practice Change Fellows Program is funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the John A. Hartford Foundation and is administered by the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, in partnership with the National Council on Aging. Please visit www.practicechangefellows.org for an application and more information, including a schedule of informational teleconferences in February and March. The application deadline for the 2010 award cycle is April 7, 2010.

Health and Aging Policy Fellows

The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program offers practical experience and professional mentoring in health policy development and implementation on behalf of older adults. Fellows may complete one of two tracks:

• A residential track that includes a nine-to-12-month placement in Washington, D.C., or at a state agency. One of these placements will be completed in partnership with John Heinz Senate Fellowship in Issues of the Aging

• A nonresidential track that includes a health policy project in the fellow’s own community and brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites

Social workers and other clinical professionals with practice experience in health and aging and a desire to be involved in health policy at the federal, state, or local level are eligible to apply. (Two social workers have been selected as fellows since the program’s 2008 inception.) Applicants may be at any career stage, and previous experience in policy is not required.

The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies and is administered by the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry in collaboration with the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program. Please visit www.healthandagingpolicy.org for additional information. The application deadline for the 2010–11 year is April 15, 2010.

Representatives of NASW recently attended Dignity & Choices:  A Symposium on End-of-Life Advocacy. Held October 13- 14, 2009, in Washington, D.C., the symposium was organized by Compassion & Choices, a leading organization in the choices-in-dying movement.

The core objective of the symposium was to equip health care professionals with accurate information to address the current health care reform debate, with particular emphasis on the importance of consistent practice methods and messages in end-of-life care.

Workshop highlights included:

• Expert recommendations on advocacy strategies to refute “death panel” claims;
• Clarification on the end-of-life counseling reimbursement proposal in the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R.  3200, sec. 1233, 2009);
• The impact of the health care professionals’ conscience regulations on patients’ end-of-life rights;
• The differences between hospice and palliative care ; and
• The importance of education and training for health care professionals in end-of-life counseling.

Plenary sessions included talks by Jacque D’Amboise, founder of the National Dance Institute and world-renowned ballet dancer; Dr. Elmer Huerta, former president of the American Cancer Society; and Jane Brody, New York Times columnist.

Additional information and professional resources:

NASW’s Specialty Credentials in Hospice and Palliative Care:

http://www.socialworkers.org/credentials/default.asp

NASW’s Standards for Social Work Practice in Palliative and End of Life Care:

http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/bereavement/standards/default.asp

NASW Director’s article ‘Death Panel’ Rhetoric Sets Us Back

http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/news/2009/10/clark.asp

NASW is promoting the Joint Commission’s Annual Behavioral Health Care Conference in November 2009 as an important program for social workers and other professionals committed to the treatment of behavioral health. These seminars address all aspects and dimensions of behavioral health care including community mental health, substance abuse, opioid treatment programs, inpatient crisis stabilization, and children and youth services and programs. NASW CE credits approved.

Annual Behavioral Health Care Conference: Hope in Uncertain Times

November 17-18, 2009, Westin River North Hotel, Chicago, IL [#09071]

Uncertain times provide us with great opportunities to forge lasting improvements in behavioral health care. This conference will shed new light on best practices and help you serve as a catalyst for improving the health and welfare of your clients. The agenda features a roster of respected clinical faculty from the government, the private sector, and national organizations. Count on:

► Current and relevant evidence-based information to take back to your behavioral health care setting and immediately apply.

► A CD-ROM toolkit comprised of proven strategies and useful tools designed to offer solutions and help implement change.

► Collegial resources for continual networking and problem solving.

For more information, or to register for this conference, go to:

http://www.jcrinc.com/Conferences-and-Seminars/Annual-Behavioral-Health-Care-Conference/1523/

or phone Customer Service at 877-223-6866.

Preconference Workshop: Behavioral Health Care Seminar: The Joint Commission 2010 Behavioral Health Care Standards and Survey Process Update

An in-depth workshop straight from the surveyors about accreditation topics you cannot afford to miss, including: challenging standards from 2009, survey process and accreditation changes for 2010, and what to expect in 2010 related to National Patient Safety Goals.

November 16, 2009, Chicago, IL [#09070] (This is a pre-conference to the Behavioral Health Care Conference)

For more information, or to register for this preconference seminar, go to:

http://www.jcrinc.com/Conferences-and-Seminars/Behavioral-Health-Care-Update/1522/

or phone Customer Service at 877-223-6866.