November 2014

In This Issue

ACA Reference Listing

New Success Stories

Fruit and Vegetable Coordinators' Calls

ASPHN Needs You!

Contribute to Our Website

ASPHN Workforce Development Progrm

ASTHO Healthy Eating Statement

Pediatric Obesity CoIIN

About ASPHN

New from ASPHN

Affordable Care Act Resource

Have you ever wondered where to find basic resources on Fruits and Vegies

the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? The ASPHN Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Council has created an ACA reference listing to help state public health nutritionists easily access resources to implement health care reform policies. This new reference, developed with the support of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, is now available on the ASPHN website.

This reference listing includes a sampling of print and electronic resources that provide an overview of the ACA plus more detailed resources on the nutrition and preventive services provisions in the ACA. The listing includes a web link and summary for each document.

ASPHN hopes you find this resource helpful. Please give us your suggestions to improve the listing as well as your ideas for additional resources we can include. Send your suggestions to Sandy Perkins.

New ASPHN Success Stories

We've added three new stories to our bank of stories highlighting our

members' successes. We feature New York State's

Locally Grown Produce Initiative, a project to improve the quality of food distributed through the state's Emergency Food Relief Organization.

Bringing Salad Bars to Michigan's Schools
demonstrates challenges and successes in getting school food service directors to champion school salad bar programs.

Supporting Systems and Environmental Change Programs in California highlights how the state health department partnered with local health departments to improve nutrition and physical activity and to promote breastfeeding in their communities' built environment.

Attention Fruit and Vegetable Coordinators!

For the first time in more than ten years, the National Council of Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators will work without dedicated funding. "Over the next year the Council's leaders will identify the best way we can help coordinators promote fruit and vegetable consumption through their states' preventive agenda planning," said Council Chair Amy Koren-Roth.

Amy is currently hosting the Council's regular training calls. Visit the Council's webpage to find information on upcoming calls. You'll also find information for Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators on our webpage. For questions, contact Joan Atkinson.

Join the ASPHN Collaboration Commitee

ASPHN offers many opportunities for you to lend your time and expertise to

the public health nutrition community. Volunteering with ASPHN is a great way to meet nutritionists who share your passion and your commitment - and to have fun!

We are currently looking for new members for the ASPHN Collaboration Committee. This committee coordinates ASPHN's work with our partner organizations, including recruiting members to represent ASPHN with these groups. Contact Martha Hagan if you are interested in getting involved or if you have any questions.

Contribute Content for ASPHN's Website
ASPHN welcomes your contributions to our website, including program resources, reports or updates. To make it simple, we have created a Website Request Form to help you give us all the information we need. Back to top

ASPHN Launches Workforce Development Program

In July, ASPHN received a new cooperative agreement from the Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under this agreement, ASPHN is creating a workforce development program for public health nutritionists.

In the first year of the agreement, we will develop a competency-based continuing education program that includes trainings in public health, leadership, and business management. We plan to link existing training programs to the identified competencies and develop new trainings as needed. Also in the first year, we will develop a mentoring program for public health nutritionists. Keep an eye out in this newsletter and on ASPHN's website for progress on the project! Questions? Contact Karen Probert.

ASTHO Releases Healthy Eating Position Statement

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) recently released a healthy eating position statement. In the statement, ASTHO supports state health agencies' actions to address the availability of healthy foods, change the culture in the United States to promote healthier lifestyles, and make the healthy choice the easy choice for everyone. The new position statement recommends policies to regulate sodium and trans fat, menu labeling, added sugars, and food marketing.

Pediatric Obesity CoIIN

ASPHN is working with faculty from the Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Training Programs and with staff from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to establish a pediatric obesity CoIIN. CoIIN is short for Collaborative Improvement and Innovative Network and is described as a team of self-motivated people with a collective vision who share ideas, information, and work. CoIINs are known to achieve results quickly in response to complex health problems.

The overarching purpose of the pediatric obesity CoIIN is to implement the Expert Committee Recommendations Regarding the Prevention, Assessment and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity (Barlow, 2007). The focus of this CoIIN will be on consistent messaging, referrals to qualified professionals in weight management, and statewide nutrition and physical activity policies. To date, ASPHN members from five states have participated in the formative evaluation for the project. The MCH Nutrition Council will host a webinar for members in January 2015 to share information about this CoIIN.

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.