The Great Utah ShakeOut April 16, 2015

Millions of people worldwide practice how to

Drop, Cover, and Hold On each year duringGreat ShakeOut Earthquake Drills

Utahns can join them by registering today for the Great Utah ShakeOut. The next Utah ShakeOut Day of Action will be April 16, 2015, though you can register to hold your ShakeOut drill on any day of the year. Participating is a great way for your family or organization to be prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes –

wherever you live, work, or travel. ShakeOut is also a major activity of America's Prepare Athon!

Presidential Proclamation -- National Public Health Week, 2015

NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, 2015

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Last year, as Ebola spread in West Africa -- overwhelming public health systems and threatening to cross more borders -- American women and men responded with extraordinary courage and dedication, traveling to the front lines of the outbreak and leading preparedness efforts here at home. Driven by their sense of duty and a commitment to serving a cause greater than themselves, public health professionals rose to the challenge at home and abroad and turned the tide of an epidemic. They demonstrated what is possible when America leads and when we make policy based on sound science and good judgment. Their efforts represent what is best about our national character and embody the most basic human instinct: to leave our children a safer, healthier, more prosperous world.

As a Nation, we must continue to support public health with the same sense of purpose and fierce determination. This week, we join together to declare our intent to rise to the challenges of a changing world and meet our moral obligations to protect the health of our country and the well-being of the next generation.

America's public health is deeply tied to the health of our environment. As our planet becomes more interconnected and our climate continues to warm, we face new threats to our safety and well-being. In the past three decades, the percentage of Americans with asthma has more than doubled, and climate change is putting these individuals and many other vulnerable populations at greater risk of landing in the hospital. Rising temperatures can lead to more smog, longer allergy seasons, and an increased incidence of extreme-weather-related injuries and illnesses.

My Administration is dedicated to combating the health impacts of climate change. As part of my Climate Action Plan, we have proposed the first-ever carbon pollution limits for existing power plants -- standards that would help Americans live longer, healthier lives. And as we continue to ensure the resilience of our health care system, we are working to prepare our health care facilities to handle the effects of a changing planet. Climate change is no longer a distant threat. Its effects are felt today, and its costs can be measured in human lives. Every person, every community, and every nation has a duty to protect the health of all our children and grandchildren, and my Administration is committed to leading this effort.

The United States has faced challenges before, and each time we have boldly taken responsibility for our destiny and reached for the future we knew was possible. Today, vaccines prevent diseases that once devastated nations -- and we should do more to spread the facts about their benefits. After 5 years of the Affordable Care Act, more than 16 million uninsured Americans have gained health insurance coverage, and this achievement has cut the ranks of the uninsured by nearly one-third.

We are shifting the focus of our country's health care system from sickness and disease to wellness and prevention. First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative is working to make it easier for parents and children to make healthy choices about the food they eat and the exercise they get every day. With partners around the world, the United States launched the Global Health Security Agenda to help prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks before they become epidemics. And my Administration is taking aggressive, coordinated actions to slow the emergence and prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Public health is the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. When we invest in the safety and well-being of all Americans, we enrich our communities, bolster our economy, and strengthen our Nation. During National Public Health Week, we recognize public health professionals and all who care for the welfare of others, and we recommit to doing everything within our power to build a world where every child can enjoy the limitless possibilities of a healthy life.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 6 through April 12, 2015, as National Public Health Week. I call on all citizens, government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups to join in activities and take action to improve the health of our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA

Intermountain Medical Center Opens Breast Milk Donation Center in Murray

report by kuer.org

Intermountain Medical Center in Murray has opened a breast milk collection center to serve the Mother’s Milk Bank in Denver. Mothers are able to give their extra milk to the center within days of being screened. 

Photo-Primary Children's Medical Center Blog

Lori Eining is the director of Women’s Services for IMC.  She says lactation specialists at Intermountain have been working for about a year to get the center going. 

Miriam Bastian is confident the center will succeed. She is a nurse practitioner in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of both IMC and Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. She helped set up IMC’s collection center as a task force member of the Mountain West Mother’s Milk Bank. Bastian says the body of scientific evidence is overwhelming in favor of mother’s milk over formula, especially for newborns. 

“It’s even more important for medically fragile babies like premature babies or babies with heart disease or intestinal problems,” says Bastian, “Mother’s milk has been associated with a lot less complications.” Bastian says the goal is to have a facility in the Salt Lake Valley dedicated to the collection and distribution of milk by next year. She says the culture is swinging back toward the increased benefits of mother’s milk.

Webinars on the Health Care Law

The HHS Partnership Center and CMS have updated webinars on the health care law for faith and other community organizations. All webinars are open to the public and include a question and answer session. To RSVP, please click on the date of the webinar. Please contact us at Lisa.Carr@cms.hhs.gov if you have problems registering or if you have questions about the health care law. You may also join the webinar by telephone only.

Federal Income Taxes and Health Coverage 101

April 8 at 2:00 pm EDT

(1:00 pm CST, Noon MST, 11:00 am PST)

To Join By Phone Only: +1 (562) 247-8421, Access Code: 569-731-908

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key

 The 2015 tax season is the first time individuals and families will be asked for some basic information regarding their health coverage on their tax returns. Learn what consumers need to know when filing their taxes, the importance of Form 1095-A and the penalty for not having health insurance.

 Preventive Screenings 101 and Next Steps in Using Your Health Insurance

 Join us for this special Minority Health Month webinar focused on preventive screenings and how to use your health insurance now that you are covered. Dr. Cara James, Director of the CMS Office of Minority Health will highlight Coverage to Care materials on how to use your health insurance. We will also discuss recommended preventive screenings. We will highlight how faith and other community-based organizations are using Coverage to Care tools to help those in their congregations and communities learn about and use their health insurance.

April 20 at 3:00 pm EDT

(2:00 pm CT, 1:00 pm MT, Noon PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial +1 (415) 655-0059, Access Code: 690-504-310

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

 Special Enrollment Periods and Resources for the Uninsured

 Individuals and families can enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace during special enrollment periods if they experience certain circumstances. There is a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) in place for those filing their taxes and paying the penalty for not having health insurance. The tax SEP ends on April 30. Other special enrollment period circumstances include graduating from high school or college and losing health insurance, getting married or divorced or having a baby, losing employer insurance or turning 26 and losing coverage on a parent’s health plan. Join this webinar to learn more about special enrollment periods and how to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace. For those who are uninsured and don’t qualify for the special enrollment period, learn what resources are available and when to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace. 

April 14 at 3:00 pm EDT

(2:00 pm CT, 1:00 pm MT, Noon PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial + 1 (702) 489-0007, Access Code: 669-927-957

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

May 6 at 2:00 pm EDT

(1:00 pm CT, Noon MT, 11:00 am PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial +1 (415) 655-0059, Access Code: 419-734-181

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

June 17 at 2:00 pm EDT

(1:00 pm CT, Noon MT, 11:00 am PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial 1 (415) 655-0051, Access Code: 564-443-351

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

Got Coverage? Next Steps in Using Your Health Insurance

Many people now have health insurance but may not know how to use it. This webinar will discuss how to read your insurance card, how to find a doctor, what you need to know in making an appointment and what to do in case you have a health emergency. Key terms will be discussed as well as recommended health screenings. We will highlight the Coverage to Care materials on health insurance literacy during the webinar. We will also discuss how faith and other community-based organizations are using these tools to help those in their congregations and communities.

 May 19 at 3:00 pm EDT

(2:00 pm CT, 1:00 pm MT, Noon PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial +1 (646) 307-1706, Access Code: 763-833-558

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

June 23 at 4:00 pm EDT

(3:00 pm CT, 2:00 pm MT, 1:00 pm PT)

To Join By Phone Only, Dial +1 (415) 655-0051, Access Code: 379-833-859

For those joining by phone only, the Pin Number is the # key.

The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of our Nation

Please join the Utah Association for Infant Mental Health (UAIMH) for Utah’s first official screening of:

The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of our Nation

April 9  7:00 - 9:00 pm

 Rowland Hall Beginning School, 720 S. Guardsman Way, SLC

The Raising of America is a 5-part documentary that will be completed in its entirety in May, 2015. This film brings to light many of the challenges faced by America’s youngest children and their parents, examines root causes for these challenges, and offers possible solutions. Which solutions would work for Utah, the youngest state in the nation?

UAIMH will be showing THE RAISING OF AMERICA SIGNATURE HOUR: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation, followed by a panel discussion. 

Here is a description of this hour-long episode:

The U.S. is a can-do nation. So why is child well-being in the U.S. so much worse than in other rich countries? How does what Paul Kershaw calls “the growing squeeze” on so many young families and caregivers—the squeeze for time, for money and for resources—“drip down” on their infants and young children, literally altering the wiring of their developing brains with potential long-term consequences for learning, earning and mental and physical health? How might we do better?

This hour-long episode interweaves the latest discoveries from neuroscience with the stories of families and communities struggling to provide the nurturing environments all babies and young children need to thrive—while too often hindered by social conditions that put their children on low developmental trajectories. It doesn't have to be this way. If the nation aspires to a healthier, safer, better educated, more prosperous and equitable future, we must find a way to enable all our children the opportunity for a strong start now.

How Ages and Stages Questionnaires can Help Kids AND Parents!

Reported by Help Me Grow Utah

A very discouraged mom with three children under age 6, each with a different disability, had been using the Ages and Stages (ASQ) through Help Me Grow for about two years.  She used the ASQ activity calendars in daily play with her children.  She could see very little progress at first.  She told her care coordinator about all the tasks her children couldn't do and about how using the activity pages to "teach" her children tasks didn't work.  

The care coordinator (CC) suggested that mom go over the earlier ASQs, making a list of things that her children COULD do and things they had improved in since the first ASQ they had done.  The CC also suggested that mom only use the activity pages until the kids lost interest, explaining that children learn best when they choose how to play.  

After several months, mom wrote, "This is the first time I have ever looked at my children in light of their strengths. Now that I know how they learn, I've gone from seeing their disabilities to seeing their successes.  Thank you so much!"

Ages and Stages Questionnaires are available through
Help Me Grow Utah for any child up to the age of 5 1/2.  

Help us support families by referring them today!

April is National Minority Health Month

During National Minority Health Month in April, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) joins with its partners in raising public awareness about  health and health care disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minorities and efforts to advance health equity.

The theme for National Minority Health Month 2015 is “30 Years of Advancing Health Equity The Heckler Report: A Force for Ending Health Disparities in America.” This theme commemorates the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) efforts towards eliminating health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities that were mobilized by the findings from the Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, commonly referred to as the Heckler Report.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, released in 1985 under the leadership of former HHS Secretary Margaret Heckler.  This landmark report marked the first convening of a group of health experts by the U.S. government to conduct a comprehensive study of racial and ethnic minority health and elevated minority health to a national stage.

This milestone anniversary serves as a paramount opportunity to highlight national and local efforts towards eliminating health disparities and advancing health equity, including legislative policy and actions such as the Affordable Care Act, the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, and the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities. 

Despite our country’s progress towards ending health disparities, racial and ethnic minorities continue to face significant health disparities. This means our work is not yet done and we need your help.

Throughout the year OMH – in conjunction with its federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners – will raise a clarion call for all Americans to take action towards ending health disparities in their community.  Together through our collective efforts we can accelerate momentum towards achieving a nation free of disparities in health and health care.​

To find out more about National Minority Health Month, contact OMHMedia@hhs.gov