Crosscutting
A product of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, this web site
provides a medium to convey timely behavioral health care news, as well as information on
products and services, policy positions, and related information. The interactive and
user-friendly site contains both public and "members only" sections, offers
educational and membership resources, and is a venue for ordering publications. The site
is located at http://www.nccbh.org.
Physical Activity and Fitness
Weight-control Information Network (WIN) offers information on obesity, nutrition, and
related topics for health professionals and the public. Materials including information on
weight control and eating disorder programs can be downloaded free of charge, and there
are links to other weight- or nutrition-related sites. Go to http://www.niddk.nih.gov/NutritionDocs.html.
Crosscutting
The HealthyLifer Self-Care Guide offers tips to consumers and focuses on
specific health topics. It includes a checklist for making better medical decisions, an
expanded emergency care section, and 21 illustrations. Medicaid, Medicare, and Spanish
editions are available.
Designed to provide consumers with preventive and self-care information
to reduce health care costs, the flow chart format helps readers determine what a medical
emergency is, when to call a doctor, what self-care procedures to use, and more. Each
publication can be used as a workshop tool, in conjunction with an instructor's guide and
video. For more information, contact the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, 30445
Northwestern Highway, Suite 350, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, or call (248)539-1800.
Environmental Health
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: Strategies and Resources describes the
threat to the well-being of children who come in contact with lead. It describes
intervention strategies for regional, State, and local health professionals, as well as
gives information to parents. For a single copy, available at no cost, write to National
Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse at 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 450, Vienna, VA
22182-2536, or call (703)821-8955, or fax (703)832-2098.
Crosscutting
Health at Home has been converted into two software programs available for
Intranet, Internet, and PC use. These interactive programs assist hospitals and managed
care organizations that market their services and who want to provide consumers with
self-care information. One package is written in hypertext markup language and can be
loaded onto the Intranet or an organization's Internet home page. For a preview disc,
write to the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, 30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite
350, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, or call (248)539-1800.
Physical Activity and Fitness
A variety of health and fitness campaigns are available through a Midland, MI,
organization to assist health promotion professionals in motivating Americans to adopt
healthy lifestyle habits. One of Health Enhancement Systems' most recent projects is a
90-day campaign developed to decrease the costs and other consequences of inactivity
through an incentive program to get people up and walking daily. Wellness coordinators
implement "Walk This Weigh" with a custom kit containing a variety of
camera-ready materials, including flyers, log forms, and promotion activities. For more
information, call (800)326-2317.
Maternal and Infant Health
A new educational outreach program attempts to help women care for themselves while
balancing work and family. Educational materials are aimed at improving the use of
FDA-regulated products, such as medicines, health screenings, and food labels. The program
targets midlife and older women and puts special emphasis on reaching underserved
populations. Fax requests for information to the FDA Office of Women's Health at
(301)827-0926.
Diabetes and Chronic Disabling Diseases
A diabetes prevention and management program to help reduce overall blood sugar levels
and improve knowledge about diabetes management targets three main groups: employees in
the early stages of diabetes, employees whose health has experienced significant erosion,
and individuals at higher risk for complications. The tools used include risk assessment
instruments and videos and a CD-ROM on topics, such as meal planning, as well as
counseling with certified diabetes educators, phone support, and other services. For more
information on the PCS Diabetes Management Program, write to Kevin Hanna, PCS Health
Systems, 9501 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ 85260-6719, or call (800)223-7745, or http://www.pcshs.com.
Maternal and Infant Health
Pregnant women can obtain proper prenatal information through a toll-free telephone
line linked to information and referral services nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Launched
by the Department of Health and Human Services, this system automatically connects women
to their State maternal and child health hotline or to one of the 22 Healthy Start
prenatal care hotlines. The toll-free number is (800)311-BABY. For information in Spanish,
call (800)504-7081.
Educational and Community-Based Programs
A new 3-year, $675,000 Colorado initiative--"Colorado Healthy Steps"--is
designed to foster healthy growth and development among children from birth to age 3.
Families, to be recruited by Western Colorado Pediatric Associates before or immediately
after their baby is born, will be offered services to enhance their children's physical,
emotional, and intellectual growth and development. Services will include primary health
care, home visits, a child health and development record, handouts for parents, parent
groups, assessment of child development at 6-month intervals, and linkages to community
resources. This initiative is a product of The Colorado Trust, which joins the
Commonwealth Fund.
Violent and Abusive Behavior
A three-video series entitled, "Cancelled Lives: Letters From the Inside,"
chronicles the experiences of youth living in juvenile facilities and adults serving hard
time in prison. The goal of this series is to open the eyes of at-risk, predelinquent, and
other juvenile viewers. Each of the three videos, chronicling the lives of real people and
featuring well-known celebrities, stands alone and focuses on experiences in one of three
areas: violence and gangs, substance abuse, or what life is like when your are "doing
time." For more information about "Cancelled Lives" or to request a free
96-page catalog describing videos, posters, books, and other educational resources, write
to The Bureau For At-Risk Youth, 135 Dupont St., P.O. Box 760, Plainview, NY 11803-0760,
or call (800)99-YOUTH.
Mental Health and Mental Disorders
"Voices of Strength: An Inside Look at Children's Mental Health" is a new
video produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center
for Mental Health Services public education campaign, Caring for Every Child's Mental
Health:
Communities Together. The 20-minute video highlights the stories of young people with serious emotional disturbances and their families.
The purpose of the video is to introduce children's and adolescents' mental health issues, including the fact that children with mental health problems can and do get better. Additionally, the video introduces the principles and values of the "system of care" approach to serving children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families.
The video is targeted to a broad-based audience, including families who have children with mental health problems, child-serving professionals, community leaders, policymakers, and the public. Copies of the video are available for a cost-recovery fee through CMHS National Mental Health Services Knowledge Exchange Network at (800)789-2647. A free copy of the video is available to members of the media by calling Michelle Herman at (301)443-2792.
State Initiatives Immunization and
Infectious Diseases Cook County in Illinois has also taken measures to ensure vaccination for hepatitis B. A new State mandate requires a three-dose immunization series against hepatitis B for all children entering 5th grade, as well as those children over age 2 entering prekindergarten. This initiative will immediately affect 15,000 children, and that number is expected to climb. |