NHSC Scholar Orientation and Placement Conference
Date: July 19-21, 2012
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Registration due: June 26, 2012
Registration is now open for sites interested in attending the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) 2012 Scholar Orientation and Placement Conference. We anticipate over 100 NHSC scholars will be in attendance, so please encourage sites to take advantage of the opportunity to interview, recruit, and network with scholars currently in the placement cycle. Representatives from Primary Care Organizations and Primary Care Associations may also attend to recruit on behalf of sites that are not able to attend.
Source: HRSA
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Cord Blood Awareness Month
The term "cord blood" is used for blood that is drawn from the umbilical cord and the placenta after a baby is born. Up until recently this afterbirth was discarded as medical waste. Cord blood contains stem cells,which may be frozen for later use in medical therapies, such as stem cell transplantation or regenerative medicine.
Source: Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation
UV Safety Month
The sun releases energy (radiation) in many forms. The sunlight we see is one form. The heat we feel from the sun is another. Ultraviolet (UV) rays, a third type, are also invisible to the eye. UV rays cause sunburn. They can also damage your eyes and hurt your vision.
Source: Prevent Blindness America
National Minority Mental Health Month
Mental illness is a leading cause of disability, yet nearly two-thirds of people with a diagnosable mental illness do not seek treatment, and racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. are even less likely to get help, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) representation, is raising awareness of the importance of treatment in improving mental health and accessing resources that support wellness.
Source: Office of Minority Health (OMH)
National HIV Awareness Month: The Solution Is All of U.S.
The time has come! This July will be the inaugural National HIV Awareness Month (NHAM), an unprecedented opportunity to rally the American people through awareness and action to turn the tide of the HIV epidemic here at home. According to the CDC, nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV in this country.
Source: AIDS.GOV
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The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday upheld nearly all of the landmark federal health law, affirming its requirement that most everyone carry insurance, but complicating the government's plan to extend coverage to the poorest Americans.
Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. joined the court's four liberals in upholding the mandate, the best-known and least popular part of the law. The court also upheld hundreds of other rules embedded in the law designed to help millions more Americans obtain insurance and to refashion the health care industry.
But a majority of the justices voted that the government could not compel states to expand Medicaid, the federal and state program for the poor, by threatening to withhold federal money to existing Medicaid programs.
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The mission of the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH) is to strengthen the capacity of federally funded Public Housing Primary Care (PHPC) health centers and other health center grantees by providing training and a range of technical assistance.
NCHPH, a project of North American Management, receives funding through a cooperative agreement grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration.
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Mental Health 101
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The following article will highlight general information on mental health and how it can affect residents of public housing. It outlines some of the problems, risk factors, and disparities of mental disorders; as well as addresses ways to deal with social stigmas and treatment options for this surprisingly common illness.
Almost sixty years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This definition opened the window to an increased recognition of the human as a holistic being of mind, body and spirit, and propelled the need to better understand the interrelationship between physical and mental health.
Mental health is how a person thinks, feels, and acts when faced with life's situations. It is how people look at themselves, their lives, and the other people in their lives, evaluate their challenges and problems, and explore choices. This includes handling stress, relating to other people, and making decisions.
To learn more, click here
Source: Office of Minority Health
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| HRSA Updates | |
Factsheet on HHS Response to Deep-water Oil Spill, July 9, 2010
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking actions to prevent injury, illness and exposure to hazardous substances among response personnel and the general public, monitor the short- and long-term potential health impacts of oil and dispersant, and ensure the safety of seafood from areas affected by the oil disaster. To read more click here
Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Recognizing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 1 in 29 Americans, from our country's service men and women to abused children and survivors of rape, domestic violence and natural disasters. During PTSD Awareness Month in June, and throughout the year, we recognize the millions of Americans who experience this challenging and debilitating condition. To read more, click here
SAMHSA's Mental Health Services Locator Helps those with PTSD find Local Treatment Services and Support
This Locator provides you with comprehensive information about mental health services and resources and is useful for professionals, consumers and their families, and the public. You may also access the underlying facility location information click here
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| Cultural Awareness Corner | |
The Business Case for Breastfeeding
Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite (Toolkit in Spanish)
This Spanish language toolkit provides information for employers and employees about the benefits of starting a lactation support program in the workplace. It contains a factsheet about breastfeeding initiatives and legislation, program feedback forms, a letter from the physician to the employer, a trifold brochure for managers, a guide for employees, sample bulletins, promotional flyers, table tents, and a poster. The kit also includes information on how to order additional copies.
To read more, click here
Source: HRSA
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Understanding Neighborhood Effects of Concentrated Poverty
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Neighborhoods of concentrated poverty isolate their residents from the resources and networks they need to reach their potential and deprive the larger community of the neighborhood's human capital. Since the rise of inner-city poverty in the United States, researchers have sought to interpret the dynamic between neighborhood and residents in communities of concentrated poverty.
To read this article click here
Source: HUD
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Prevention and Chronic Care
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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) utilizes the Institute of Medicine definition of primary care, which recognizes that primary care is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. Primary care is the foundation of the U.S. health care system, and is by some measures its largest part. In 2008, 490 million visits were made to primary care physicians-a bit more than half of all visits to physicians' offices. Good access to primary care is associated with more timely care, better preventive care, avoiding unnecessary care, less costs, and fewer deaths. For more information on improving primary care practice and evidence based decision-making click here.
Source: AHRQ
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Minorities and Mental Health
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Mental Health Data/Statistics
Mental health treatment is often underutilized, with patients reluctant to seek these services and insurers reluctant to pay for them. Research has suggested that fewer than one-half of people with serious mental illness receive treatment.Poverty level also has an impact on the mental health status of all Americans. In 2010, adults living below the poverty level were three times more likely to have serious psychological distress as compared to adults over twice the poverty level. In general, minorities have less access to, and less availability of mental health services. To learn more about Minority Health, click here.
Source:Office of Minority Health
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Adult ADHD Significantly Increases Risk of Common Form of Dementia
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Adults who suffer from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more than three times as likely to develop a common form of degenerative dementia than those without, according to research in the January issue of the European Journal of Neurology.
Researchers from Argentina confirmed the link during a study of 360 patients with degenerative dementia and 149 healthy controls, matched by age, sex and education. The dementia patients comprised 109 people with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and 251 with Alzheimer's.
To read more click here
Source: Office of Minority Health
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| Advocacy and Policy | |
HRSA Patient-Centered Medical/Health Home Initiative
This Program Assistance Letter (PAL) describes the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Patient-Centered Medical/Health Home (PCMHH) Initiative, which supports and encourages health centers to gain recognition under the medical home program offered in partnership with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This PAL outlines the processes and requirements for applying for recognition and highlights the technical support available under the HRSA PCMHH Initiative. Click Here.
Source: HRSA
Talking About Medicare: Your Guide to Understanding the Program: Welcome
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and for some younger adults with permanent disabilities and medical conditions. Prior to 1965, the year in which the Medicare program was established, about half of all seniors lacked health insurance. Today, virtually all people 65 and older have coverage under Medicare, and are eligible for this coverage without regard to their income or medical history. Medicare currently provides health insurance coverage for nearly 50 million Americans. Click Here
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Mental Health Care without the High Bills
One in 5 American adults -- nearly 46 million -- experienced some form of mental illness in the past year, according to a recent study from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA. Slightly more than 11 million adults, or about 5% of the population, suffered a serious mental health issue that substantially interfered with or limited the way they live. To learn more about the bill, click here.
Source: FOX
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| New Access Point (NAM) |
North American Management would like to congratulate all 220 New Access Point Grantees, who were awarded on June 20th 2012 by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). We would also like to send out a special congratulations to all new Public Housing Primary Care (PHPC) grantees who were awarded this year as well:
Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc.
Mobile County Health Department
ARcare
Los Angeles Christian Health Centers
Alta Med Health Services Corporation
Venice Family Clinic
The Brevard Health Alliance, Inc.
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
The Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Illinois
SWLA Center For Health Services
York County Community Action Corporation
Hudson River Health Care
The Floating Hospital
Columbus Neighborhood Health Center
Neighborhood Health
For a full list of new grantees click here.
Source: HRSA
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The National Center for Health in Public Housing
North American Management Health and Family Services
Visit us online at www.NCHPH.org
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This publication was made possible by grant number U30CS09734 from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care and its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA. |
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