Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ( CMS) Region VIII Teleconference Call Series

Save the Date – Wednesday, December 5^th

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Region VIII Update Teleconference Call Series

Our 4^th in a series of bi-monthly teleconference calls designed to keep you updated on the latest CMS program issues will be held on Wednesday, December 5^th.  CMS Denver Regional Office managers and staff will provide and be available to listen to your concerns and respond to your questions.  This is your “go to” meeting for all your questions.        

Topics:  Will vary in accordance with CMS policy priorities for Medicare & Medicaid programs, Health Exchanges, and more.  Our December 5^th Agenda is attached. 

   

Target Audience:  Provider organizations and members, congressional offices, state and local governments, partners and advocacy groups. 

Teleconference Format:  Our CMS Region VIII leadership and staff will share timely program updates, seek input, and address questions from participants. 

Logistics:  You don’t need to register for these calls. Each session will accommodate 100 participants on a first come, first served basis. We ask that if several people are calling in from one location that they call in on one line.

Audio Conference Line (all calls): 1-877-267-1577, Meeting ID: 2845

  

Wednesday December 5, 2012 – 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (MT)

Wednesday February 6, 2013 – 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (MT)

Wednesday April 3, 2013 – 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (MT)

National Diabetes Month Resources

Nearly 26 million people have diabetes in the United States, and pre-diabetes is far more common than previously believed. About 35 percent of U.S. adults, 20 years and older, or 79 million people, currently have pre-diabetes. Racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by diabetes, especially the elderly among these populations. Each year in November, the American Diabetes Association joins with health care organizations, practitioners and advocates in raising awareness about the disease.

View the Presidential Proclamation on Diabetes Awareness Month

Visit the AANHPI Diabetes Coalition webpage , hosted by NCAPIP

Learn more: Diabetes 101 | Promotional materials from diabetes.org | Screening and risk information from NIDDK

Get diabetes data and statistics and research info from the Office of Minority Health

Test your knowledge and take this quiz on gestational diabetes

Text4baby Partners with Feel Rich, R&B Singer Tyrese to Reach New & Expecting Moms

Text4baby announced a new partnership with multi-platinum recording artist Tyrese Gibson and Feel Rich, the first ever multicultural health and fitness media company. The partnership, Feel Rich Moms, will raise awareness of text4baby and encourage moms to sign up for this critical service. The central piece of this partnership will be a contest; the grand prize winner will receive a customized lullaby for her baby written and recorded by Tyrese and produced by QD3. One runner-up will receive a year's supply of Johnson's Baby products, courtesy of text4baby founding sponsor, Johnson & Johnson. To enter the contest for free, text the word "BABY" to 511411, and when prompted, enter the participant code FEELRICH or enroll through the online form.

The Office of Minority Health, text4baby and the National Healthy Start Association congratulate Ashley P., winner of the 2012 State Enrollment Contest! Read her story.

The Knowledge Center at the Office of Minority Health Resource Center

The Knowledge Center at the Office of Minority Health Resource Center is the largest repository of health disparities information in the world, with a collection of 10,000 documents, reports, books, journals, media and more than 30,000 articles related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations. The library collection also includes sources of consumer health material in more than 35 languages.

Search the online catalog.

American Heart Association Releases State of the Nation 2012 Physical Education Report

Last week, the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Heart Association (AHA) released The 2012 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA, a report highlighting the current landscape of physical education in American public schools. The report found that almost half of all students in the United States do not receive physical education in an average week. While all 50 states have some form of physical education requirements on the books, only 26 require some form of student assessment in the subject, only 14 require specific fitness assessments, and only six require physical education in every grade. The report includes a variety of policy recommendations for states, including requiring adequate time for physical education for all students in grades K-12, setting minimum standards for students’ achievement in physical education, and ensuring other forms of physical activity—such as recess and classroom breaks—throughout the school day.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation weekly update

Participation in annual Conference on Social Awareness

For the past eight years ASUU Diversity Board at the University of Utah has sponsored the Conference on Social Awareness (COSA) and in following with this tradition our theme this year is “Empowering Diversity.” The purpose of this conference is to create awareness about disparities, inequities, and oppression in society within a framework of social justice.

ASUU Diversity Board would like to invite you to participate in this conference. The event will be held on Saturday, January 26th 2013 from 11am to 5pm in the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building at the University of Utah. The Keynote speaker will be Julian Bond.  If you would like to participate in this event, contact Eduardo Galindo, ASUU Diversity Board Director at dgalindo@asuu.utah.edu. Deadline for proposal submissions is December 21st 2012 at 5pm.

AMERICORPS VISTA POSITION

Title: Utah Circles AmeriCorps VISTA

The AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America)  position is part of a national program where community members have the opportunity to serve in local nonprofits for one year helping eliminate poverty. In return for service, members receive a living allowance, health insurance and other benefits. Community Action Services and Food Bank in Provo Utah is seeking a dedicated, highly motivated individual to serve as a VISTA in the Utah Circles Initiative and in the Community Gardens.  Utah Circles is a community approach to ending poverty that brings all segments of the population together to identify barriers to self reliance and provide support and friendship to those working to improve their financial situation.

T he VISTA will work primarily with the Utah Circles Initiative and focus on the following goals:

·         Recruit volunteers and coordinate their roles, duties and activities.  This will include, but is not limited to recruitment, creating volunteer orientations, tracking volunteer activities, training and providing other needed support to volunteers.

·         Overseeing the production of Circles Tuesday night weekly meetings and committee work, making adjustments and improvements as needed.  This will include, but is not limited to, attending and organizing the set up, activities, childcare, meals and clean up of the meetings, working with committees and the Guiding Coalition to fulfill their responsibilities and working to support and strengthen the experiences of volunteers.

·         Further promote the community approach to ending poverty by creating partnerships within the community by assisting with poverty awareness activities and overseeing Circles social media involvement.

·         Assist low income families with learning self-reliance and healthy living through development of the community garden.

This is a volunteer position requiring a one year commitment to the project.  There is no opportunity for a change in the pay (living allowance).  VISTA is similar to the Peace Corp.  VISTAs are not allowed to be enrolled in school or to be employed outside of the VISTA position.

Closing Date:  December 1, 2012

Interviews will take place on December 3 and 4, 2012

VISTA to start in mid-to late January

Qualifications:

-Full-time service for one year without school or other work commitments

-College experience

-Ability to remain calm and professional even while others are in distress.

-Ability to develop partnerships with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

-A demonstrated ability to lead others.

-Strong organizational skills in managing complex tasks with autonomy.

-Ability to work a flexible schedule.

-General office and computer skills 

-Excellent writing and verbal skills

-Reliable, personal transportation necessary.

-At least 18 years of age

To apply:  Email your resume and cover letter to Jane Carlile at jcarlile@CommunityActionUC.org. An online application with AmeriCorps is also required after the interview process is complete. 

Benefits:
-Living Allowance ($946 a month pre-taxes),

-At the end of year of service, the VISTA can choose an Education Award ($5,550) or End of Service Cash Stipend ($1,500)

-Health Coverage
-Relocation Allowance
-Childcare assistance, if eligible

Annual Gift of Love Free Thanksgiving Dinner in Ogden

Community Health Workers in Utah report is released

Community health workers (CHWs), also known as promotoras or patient navigators, have received considerable attention for their potential to improve access to and the quality of healthcare. The National Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (NHDSP) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlined evidence based strategies on which states should focus their efforts and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) promoted the use of CHWs and similar occupations.

This prompted the Utah Department of Health’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (HDSPP) to assess the role CHWs play in Utah. HDSPP contracted with the University of Utah’s Center for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA) to conduct a literature review, a nationwide survey, and a Utah‐specific survey on current practices and impacts of programs utilizing the services of CHWs.

Copy of report is located at http://health.utah.gov/disparities/data/CommunityHealthWorkersInUtah2012.pdf

New OHD Report with Data by County

This new report provides local health and demographic data by county--and points the reader to more information by local county on the Internet.  It is available in the Data section of the website and at http://health.utah.gov/disparities/data/countyhealth.pdf

Pacific Islanders Celebrate Improving Pacific Islander Health

Pacific Islanders Celebrate Improving Infant Health

1st annual Pacific Islander Health Week is Nov. 11-17

(Salt Lake City, UT) - After a 2010 report by the Utah Department of Health (UDOH), Office of Health Disparities (OHD) found the state’s Pacific Islander (PI) babies died in infancy at nearly twice the rate of babies statewide (8.8/1,000 live births compared to 4.5), OHD partnered with the Pacific Islander community to find a solution. Now, after just two years and a focused research effort, OHD is pleased to report that:

•  Among Utah Pacific Islanders, obesity during pregnancy dropped from 39.5% to 35.0% of childbearing mothers;

•  54.0% of these mothers received early prenatal care compared to 48.1% previously, and;

•  51.2% of Pacific Islander women ages 18-44 report taking folic acid, up from just 31.9% when the project began.

"I am happy to see some research and resources out there telling our stories through our voices because infant mortality is a big issue,” said Lita Sagato of the Pacific Islander Health Coalition. “It is so refreshing to see how the state health department is taking an interest in our community.”

“We have so many health issues that are overlooked because we are such a small community here,” said Fahina Pasi, Director, National Tongan American Society (NTAS). “It is rare that health departments take on communities that can be perceived as invisible compared to the larger population,” she said. “It indicates to us that in Utah the health of all citizens is important.”

OHD conducted a statewide study of Utah Pacific Islander health, the first of its kind addressing mainland Pacific Islanders in the U.S. (See the report at http://www.health.utah.gov/disparities/data/PacificIslanderReport2011.pdf.)

OHD also collaborated with Community Health Centers, Inc. to assess barriers to prenatal care, breastfeeding, and maternal health. (See the assessment results at http://health.utah.gov/disparities/data/PacificIslandersCommunityPerspectives.pdf.)

In addition, OHD funded two Pacific Islander organizations, NTAS and the Queen Center, to educate their own communities through support groups, faith-based initiatives, case management, and health promotion activities.

“The NTAS has been able to help members of our community apply for benefits like health insurance and nutrition programs,” Pasi said. “Many Pacific Islanders have qualified for years but, due to language and system barriers, they have gone without the help they are qualified to receive.”

The Queen Center worked with OHD to create health videos featuring several local Pacific Islanders.

“I was happy my husband and I were chosen to represent our people in the video,” said Marion Cline. “At the time we were expecting our fifth child and were able to share our personal struggles with childbearing. We hoped that husbands and wives could relate to our story and both have an active part in prenatal care and the well-being of their babies.”

The videos have been viewed online more than 10,000 times and also shared in DVD format by local agencies. (Visit http://health.utah.gov/disparities/community/ForMeForUs.html.)

Another Queen Center activity, the MANA Fitness Challenge, will conduct its final weigh-in during Pacific Islander Health Week.  Other events include an appearance by Sione Fa of TV’s ‘The Biggest Loser’ and a ‘Healthy Families Celebration’ at the Sorenson Rec Center.

“This is a free event for the whole family and offers health screenings, resources, kids’ activities, Zumba classes, swimming, and free Quit-Kits for smokers. We want everyone to come enjoy our celebration of health and life,” said Queen Center Director Joyce Ah You.