Happy New Year! Free Calendars from Center for Multicultural Health

The Center for Multicultural Health has received 2011 Calendars from Donate The Gift of Life, an organ donation program highlighting the many minorities who have benefited from organ donation.  We have calendars reflecting Asian/Pacific Islander, African American and Hispanic recipients.

Please stop by our offices at 3760 South Highland Drive 5th Floor,  Salt Lake City and pick up free copies to distribute to communities you serve. Pick up times are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Contact Christine Espinel at cespinel@utah.gov or 801-273-4137 for more information.

Thank you for all you do.

Happy New Year!

Center for Multicultural Health   

An Opportunity to Hear Pacific Islander Voices In Utah

Did you know that…

• Utah Pacific Islander babies are nearly twice as likely to die before their first birthday as babies statewide.
• Pacific Islanders have the highest diabetes death rate of all Utah groups, due in part to the fact that 75% of Utah Pacific Islanders are overweight.
• Almost three times as many Utah Pacific Islanders are uninsured today compared to five years ago.

…but you can help!

The Utah Department of Health will contact Utah Pacific Islanders during the months of December 2010‐March 2011 to learn more about how to address health problems in the Utah Pacific Islander community. 

You may be asked to respond to a telephone survey, participate in a discussion group, or fill out an online survey. Your participation is completely voluntary and confidential.

Your responses will help the Utah Department of Health learn how to best prevent health problems in the Utah Pacific Islander community and the results of this study will be used to direct funding to outreach for Utah Pacific Islanders beginning in spring of 2011.

If you would like more information, contact the Utah Department of Health, Center for Multicultural Health: ddiez@utah.gov or 801-273-4140.

Thank you for your willingness to make a difference in your community.

Click here for a printable version of this announcement.

3 Fun Ways to Be Active Indoors

Don't let the winter chill take the fun out of your physical activity plan.  These indoor activities add variety to your routine and challenge your body building your fitness level and burning serious calories. 

Kick it Up a Notch!
Kickboxing mixes boxing style punches, quick moving footwork and martial art style kicks to create a fun and fast paced workout.  This high intensity activity can be toned down or intensified to meet various fitness levels.  For example, alternate foot taps to the side in place of jumping to lower the impact or add traditional jumping jacks in between moves to kick it up a notch!  Kickboxing is typically completed in an aerobic class setting but DVDs are also available.  If you are a beginner remember to start slowly and work up to more complicated moves.  A sixty minute class is estimated to burn 650 calories.*

Spin Off!
Spinning takes the stationary bike to the extreme.  Spinning is an aerobic exercise that takes place on a specially designed stationary bike, typically in a class setting.  While pedaling, motivating music and instruction help you visualize an outdoor cycling workout.  Spinning burns major calories (750 calories/hour*), tones your quadriceps (front thigh muscles) and outer thigh muscles and requires little coordination.  This workout can be adjusted to meet the fitness level of many, simply by adjusting pace and the tension knob on the bike.  Although this activity is appropriate for many it is generally not advised for those just beginning a program.

Go for a Dip!
Take it to the pool (indoors of course)!  Swimming, water aerobics and pool based classes offer an option for every fitness level and are a great way to stay active during the winter months.  The benefits of working out in water are many but one of the greatest is the ability to participate in a high intensity workout with almost no impact.  This is especially beneficial for the individual recovering from injury.   Calories burned during a sixty minute workout vary and depend on the water activity selected.  For example during a sixty minute water aerobics class you can burn 285 calories.  Swimming laps at a moderate to vigorous intensity for the same sixty minutes will burn between 500 and 750 calories.*

*Estimates are based on a 150 pound person participating in the activity listed for sixty minutes.  The estimates were completed using the Healthy Utah Physical Activity Tracker. 

Information provided by the Healthy Utah Team

Contest: Students Challenged to Help Prevent Dating Violence

Thursday, December 9, 2010

For more information contact:

Katie McMinn

Violence and Injury Prevention Program

(o) 801-538-9277 (m) 801-856-6697

What's Love Got to Do With It?

Students challenged to help prevent dating violence

 

WHAT: The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) invites Utah students to create artwork that will raise awareness of the seriousness of dating violence among their peers. Students are encouraged to submit entries inspired by the theme, "Dating Abuse Prevention: What's Love Got to Do With It?" The contest is part of a larger effort to encourage students, parents, and schools to participate in Utah's Teen Dating Violence Prevention Week held February 6-12, 2011.

Students may submit artwork in one of three categories: Visual arts, YouTube video, or Written Work. Each winner will be recognized at an awards ceremony and will receive a tuition-paid visual arts, film production, or writing class from one of three local businesses: Spy Hop Productions, Visual Arts Institute, and Higher Ground Learning Center.

WHY:   In 2009, nearly 11% of Utah 9th-12th graders reported being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

WHO:   The contest is open to all Utah students in grades 7-12.

WHEN:  The deadline for entries is January 9, 2011.

WHERE:  Entries must be posted on the Utah Teen Dating Scene Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/UtahTeenDatingScene). For more information about the contest, visit http://health.utah.gov/vipp/datingviolence/mediacontest.html.

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New Program for Pregnant and Parenting Girls

Are you pregnant or a mother under age 18? You can become a member of our weekly support group.
Bene fits for Teen Success Members:
• Earn $10 for each week completed class
• $100 bonus for every 25 weeks attended
• Snack and child care provided
• Scholarship opportunities for qualifying participants
Meeting Day and Time: Wednesday 5:30 - 7:00
Meeting Location: YWCA, 322 East 300 South, Salt Lake City
For more information call Paco with Planned Parenthood: (801) 521-2741 or visit www.facebook.com/pputah

Happy New Year! Health Reforms Come into Effect Jan. 1

Many of these provisions benefit seniors on Medicare, including free preventive care doctor appointments, reduced copayments for prescriptions, and improved follow-up care after a hospitalization.  Others are designed to reduce health care costs in Medicare and in private and small employer health plans.  By this date, the federal government must also submit a plan to improve healthcare quality for Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.  Finally, any new health plan policy that began after March 23 is required to offer free preventive care services, without co-pays or deductibles, as soon as the new "policy year" begins.  For many policies, the renewal date is January 1. Check with your insurance provider or employer to verify whether these free services apply to you.

 

Prescription Drug Discounts

Seniors who reach the coverage gap will receive a 50 percent discount when buying Medicare Part D covered brand-name prescription drugs. Over the next ten years, seniors will receive additional savings on brand-name and generic drugs until the coverage gap is closed in 2020.

 

Free Preventive Care for Seniors

The law provides certain free preventive services, such as annual wellness visits and personalized prevention plans, for seniors on Medicare.

 

Improving Care for Seniors after They Leave the Hospital

The Community Care Transitions Program will help high-risk Medicare beneficiaries who are hospitalized avoid unnecessary readmissions by coordinating care and connecting patients to services in their communities.

 

Improving Health Care Quality and Efficiency

The law establishes a new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation that will begin testing new ways of delivering care to patients. These new methods are expected to improve the quality of care and reduce the rate of growth in costs for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). By January 1, 2011, HHS will submit a national strategy for quality improvement in health care, including these programs.
Learn more about the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

 

Addressing Overpayments to Big Insurance Companies and Strengthening Medicare Advantage

Today, Medicare pays Medicare Advantage insurance companies over $1,000 more per person on average than is spent per person in Original Medicare. This results in increased premiums for all Medicare beneficiaries, including the 77 percent of beneficiaries who are not currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. The new law levels the playing field by gradually eliminating this discrepancy.  People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan will still receive all guaranteed Medicare benefits, and the law provides bonus payments to Medicare Advantage plans that provide high quality care.  Learn more about improvements to Medicare.

 

Bringing Down Health Care Premiums

To ensure premium dollars are spent primarily on health care, the new law generally requires that at least 85% of all premium dollars collected by insurance companies for large employer plans are spent on health care services and health care quality improvement.  For plans sold to individuals and small employers, at least 80% of the premium must be spent on benefits and quality improvement. If insurance companies do not meet these goals because their administrative costs or profits are too high, they must provide rebates to consumers.Learn more about getting value for your health care dollars.

Providing Free Preventive Care

All new health plan policies must cover certain preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies without charging a deductible, co-pay or coinsurance.

This part of the law is effective for people who enrolled in new job-related health plans or individual health insurance policies after March 23, 2010. If you have enrolled in a new health plan since that date, this provision will affect you as soon as your plan begins its first new “plan year” or “policy year” on or after September 23, 2010.  Since many health plans begin plan years on January 1, this is when this provision will go into effect for many people.

Learn more about preventive care benefits

This information is from http://www.healthcare.gov/

Latino Safety Video, Music and Art Contest: Entries Due December 15

GENERAL CONTEST RULES:

Submit your entry in one of three categories:

1. Create a YouTube video  Enter a video up to 90 seconds in length. Upload to YouTube then fill out online form.

2. Put your message to music  Enter an original song/rap or dance up to 90 seconds in length.

• Song/rap – Hand in media file hard copy to your local health department or email (click here for locations and addresses) OR you may include internet link when you fill out online form.
• Dance –Video record and either: Hand in hard copy/email (click here for locations and addresses) or include internet link when you fill out online form.

3. Design a work of art  Any medium is acceptable. Fill out online form then deliver hard-copy to the Utah County Health & Justice Building (151 S. University Ave. Suite 2700 Provo, UT 84601) or Salt Lake Valley Health Department (788 East Woodoak Lane (5380 South)
Murray, Utah 84107). If your artwork is computer-aided or electronic in nature you may email it or include internet link when you fill out online form. Questions about submitting artwork should be directed to the Utah County Health Dept. 801-851-7068. Artwork will be become property of the Utah County Health Department. Original artwork may be picked up after September 30, 2011

All entries must communicate the theme of:

¡Cuídate! No eres reemplazable

and one or more of the following topics:

Don't drive distracted

Don't drive under the influence of drugs/alcohol or drive drowsy

Wear your seatbelt

ENTER CONTEST BY CLICKING HERE

          Winners will be notified by January 10, 2011

Who Can Participate?
Those who identify themselves as Hispanic, reside in Utah, and are between the ages of 13-19 as of Dec. 15^th, 2010. If you want to work in a group, each person must fill out a separate entry form. If scholarship money is won it will be split between members of the group.

Timeline:

• October 11th – December 15th, 2010: Contest entries accepted.
• December 15^th, 2010: CONTEST DEADLINE
• December 16^th – January 6^th: Judging by a panel of peers and professionals.
• January 10^th: AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
• March 2011:  Presentation of award winners at the Utah Latinos in Action Conference at Utah Valley University.

Awards and Judging:

Contest winners will be determined by a panel of peers, state and local-level health educators,and other professionals who will judge entries based on how closely it matches the ¡Cuídate! theme, artistic quality and relevance to Hispanic peers.

SCHOLARSHIP PRIZES:

 

What you win BESIDES the scholarship money:

Become a star! Experience state and local recognition: publishing of your artwork to a county or state-wide audience, airing of your video or song/rap as a commercial on local TV/radio stations, performing your song/dance/rap at community venues, exposure of your artwork at local galleries.

Detailed Contest Rules:

• Participants must identify themselves as Hispanic, reside in Utah, and be between the ages of 13-19 as of Dec. 15^th, 2010.
• Entries must be submitted between Monday, October 11^st 2010, 12:01 am – Wednesday, Dec. 15^th 2010, 11:59 PM. Enter the contest by visiting: HispanicHighwaySafety.pbworks.com
• Each entry must be accompanied by a completed entry form accessible HERE.
• All entries must reference avoiding distracted driving, avoiding drunk/drugged driving, or wearing your seatbelt. Entries may address more than one issue.
• Song entries must include a copy of written lyrics/scripts.
• Entries can either come from individuals or more than one participant working together.
• If winning entries are submitted by more than one student, scholarship money will be split evenly between them.
• Entries cannot have been submitted previously in a promotion or contest of any kind or exhibited or displayed publicly through any means previously.
• Entries must not put at risk the safety of those involved or others around them.
• Entries must not include a moving vehicle (driven by you or anyone assisting with the creation of your entry) or unsafe behaviors, including but not limited to actual driving under the influence, driving without a restraint, texting while driving, or attempt to re-enact a vehicle crash.
• Entries must not idealize inappropriate behaviors as ‘cool’ but rather clearly communicate how ‘un-cool’ and unsafe taking part in those behaviors really is.
• Entries must not contain material that violates or infringes on another’s rights, including but not limited to privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright or license infringement (entries must not contain brand names or trademarks; song lyrics and melodies created in a song or rap must be original.  Music in a video or recorded dance must be given proper credit).
• Entries must be free of obscene language and drug or gang references;
• Entries must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene, hateful, defamatory, slanderous or libelous;
• Entries must not contain material that promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age;
• Entries must not contain material that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to the laws or regulations in any state where Video is created; and
• Entries that violate any of the standards above will be disqualified and result in immediate exclusion from the contest.
• All submissions become property of Utah County Health Department (UCHD). Original artwork may be picked up after September 30^th, 2011 
• Winners (and parent or legal guardian if winner is a minor) may be required to sign and return a liability and publicity release within seven days following the date of the first attempted notification. Failure to comply with this deadline may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate winner. 
•  Acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Sponsor and its agencies to use winner's name and/or likeness, biographical material and/or entry (including an altered form of the entry) for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.
• Award money may be used for future academic and vocational training expenses. 
• By accepting prize, winner agrees to hold Sponsor, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representative agents, successors, and employees harmless of any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the promotion or acceptance of use of the prize. 

All submissions must be received by Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

If creative piece must be dropped off hard-copy, deliver or mail to:

Utah County Health Department Injury Prevention 
151 S. University Ave. Suite 2700

Provo, UT 84601

or

Salt Lake Valley Health Department Injury Prevention 

788 East Woodoak Lane (5380 South)
Murray, Utah 84107
(801) 313-6606 or (801) 313-6605

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Additional Resources:

These pages are trustworthy government and public health web sites that explain the dangers of distracted and other unsafe driving behaviors, and may be helpful as you create your video/song/artwork:

Zero Fatalities (Utah): A Goal We Can All Live With

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

http://distraction.gov/

National Safety Council: Driver Safety

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Teen Driving

Governors Highway Safety Association: State Info & Laws: Utah

Utah Department of Public Safety: Highway Safety Office

Distracted Driving Factsheet (statistics)

Contacting us:  Utah County Health and Justice Building: Injury Prevention

151 S. University Ave. Suite 2700. Provo, UT 84601

801-851-7068;  801-851-7035

StephanieR.uchlth@state.ut.us

askUCHD@gmail.com

Fax: 801-851-7508