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April 2014
In This Issue
Annual ASPHN Awards
2014 Annual Meeting
New ASPHN Brief
Impacts of 1305 Funding
2014 Blueprint Grantees
Share Your ECE Successes
Get to Know ASPHN Consultants
ASPHN in the News
New Project with ChangeLab Solutions
Share Your News
About ASPHN
There's still time to nominate an ASPHN member for an annual award! 
Nominations are open until April 11 for the annual ASPHN awards.  Do you know of an ASPHN member who is a rising star in the Association or who is making a big difference in the field of public health nutrition?  You can click on the links below to nominate members in the following categories: 
2014 ASPHN Annual Meeting in Minneapolis 
Breaking Barriers to Health: Building an Equitable and Sustainable Future is the theme of the 2014 ASPHN Annual Meeting.  This fun and important gathering will be June 8 - 10 at the Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Featured topics this year will be Health Equity Success Stories, Food Law and Policy, Sustainability, Updates from our federal partners and more!

The Annual Meeting is always a great opportunity to network with your colleagues in other states and to learn about the latest information and ideas in public health nutrition.  Check the ASPHN website for up-to-date Annual Meeting information.  Click here to learn more about visiting Minneapolis in the summer, and be sure to check out Minneapolis' Facebook page.

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New ASPHN Brief:
The Role of Nutrition in Infant Mortality 
ASPHN is pleased to announce the release of The Role of Nutrition in Infant Mortality - A Public Health Perspective. The brief summarizes the impact of nutrition on infant mortality and identifies areas where nutrition interventions can make a difference in reducing infant mortality.  The paper also describes the critical role that public health nutritionists play in preventing infant mortality.  It also outlines nutrition focus areas and action steps that practitioners can consider as they develop infant mortality interventions.

We thank our members and partners who are sharing this important new paper:  We have a link on the Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality website.  The brief is highlighted in the March 28 edition of the MCH Alert and in the March 19 edition of the USBC eNewsletter Staying Abreast.  CDC included a link to the brief in two of their listservs, State Nutrition and Physical Activity Forum for Obesity and Chronic Disease Nutrition.  A link to the brief has been included on several other listservs including:
  • Indian Health Service Listserv 16.0
  • New York Eat Well, Play Hard listserv (forwarded by Amy Koren-Roth) 
  • Two California distributions lists, one for perinatal nutritionists and one for county breastfeeding coordinators (forwarded by Suzanne Haydu) 
  • Kansas Dietetics Association listserv
  • Milwaukee County Breastfeeding Coalition
  • Rochester Area Birth Network. 
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Impact of CDC 1305 Funding on ASPHN Members 
In late 2013, ASPHN surveyed our members to gather preliminary information on the perceived impact of CDC 1305 funding on their work.  The survey also asked how ASPHN could assist members with their 1305-funded programs.  Seventy-five members from 33 states completed the survey.   
  • Forty percent of respondents worked directly with 1305-funded programs, but 35 percent said that their salary did not come from that funding stream. Thirty-five percent of respondents did not work on 1305-funded projects, but they did work collaboratively with colleagues in 1305-funded programs.
  • More than half (53 percent) of respondents indicated that the funding had affected nutrition services, programs and projects in their state.   
  • Respondents indicated that ASPHN could assist their states by sharing state-developed resources (81 percent) and strategies that funded states were implementing (60 percent).   Forty-three percent suggested educational calls or webinars.    

For more information and to read the full report, contact ASPHN Consultant Sandy Perkins. 

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ASPHN Announces 2014 Blueprint Grantees   

The  2014 ASPHN Cornerstones of a Healthy Lifestyle Blueprint for Nutrition and Physical Activity grant recipients are:

  • The Food Access and Health Work Group of the Iowa Food Systems Council for a  project to expand the Cultivate Iowa tools. 
  • The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services for a project to offer a Secrets of Baby Behavior nutrition and breastfeeding training event for home visiting staff. 

Congratulations! 

 

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Share Your Obesity Prevention Successes in ECE

ASPHN is compiling examples of our members' great work in obesity prevention.  We are currently seeking out successes in early care and education (ECE).  If you have recently completed or are soon to complete an ECE project - or if you know someone who is - please contact ASPHN Consultant Lynda Alfred.
 
Get to Know the ASPHN Consultants  
Did you know that ASPHN's great work is supported by a team of consultants  rather than staff?  ASPHN currently has nine consultants who work with the Association's committees and councils as well as on additional projects.  This month we'll introduce you to consultant Helene Kent, RD,  MPH.

In her work with ASPHN since 2008, Helene helped establish and organize the MCH Nutrition Council and the Obesity Prevention Nutrition Council Steering Committee.  Helene also has served as consultant to both councils, where she was the primary writer for several important briefs and  ASPHN resources.  In addition, Helene supported and provided technical assistance for the ASPHN Blueprint grants.  Helene enjoys working with ASPHN members and contributing to the important work of the Association.

Helene has worked extensively in public health and has specific expertise in women and children's health, nutrition and oral health.  She also consults with a number of other organizations.  Helene lives in Denver with her husband Eric.  She likes to read, cook, garden and travel.  Her travels have taken her to Patagonia, New Zealand, the Amazon and Ireland.  Ask Helene where she will be off to next!

ASPHN In the News 
Kathy Means with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) picked up two of ASPHN's MCH Nutrition Success Stories.  She blogged in PMA's Field to Fork about Danielle Quigley's work on the Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables Program in New York State and Donna Speed's work to train child care providers all around Mississippi on the state's new nutrition standards.

Thanks Kathy!

New ASPHN - ChangeLab Solutions Project 

ASPHN and ChangeLab Solutions are partnering on an exciting new project that will examine obesity prevention initiatives in rural communities.  Our organizations have found that obesity prevention strategies like improving street design or creating a healthy corner store program are more fitting for urban areas.   

 

To address this disparity, starting in July 2014 ChangeLab Solutions will bring together rural health leaders and researchers to learn about what obesity prevention strategies are working in rural communities and what support these communities need to advance obesity prevention initiatives.  ChangeLab Solutions will produce a short report for people working in obesity prevention and for funders highlighting the strategies and capacity needs these rural leaders will identify.  ASPHN will serve on the project advisory board, and ASPHN members can review and comment on the draft report.  


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Share Your News 
Would you like to share news about your important work with other ASPHN members?  If so, please submit a brief write-up to Lynda Alfred, ASPHN Consultant.  Please keep your story under 200 words, and be sure to include a photo or graphic!  Check with Lynda for deadlines.

About ASPHN
The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists  (ASPHN) is a non-profit membership organization that develops leaders in public health nutrition who strengthen policy, programs and

environments, making it possible for everyone to make healthy food choices and achieve healthy, active lifestyles.

 

Our vision is to create new environmental norms where healthy eating and active living are the easy and natural choices for all Americans.  We welcome your involvement in our growing organization.  Learn more about us at About ASPHN.