Title: LOUISIANA YOUNG WOMEN'S HEALTH SUMMIT

Definition/Purpose: Young Women in Louisiana face an array of challenging issues that have a long-term effect on their health and well-being. To help young women meet these challenges, the DHH-Louisiana Office of Public Health Family Planning Program's Adolescent Health Initiative coordinated the 1st LA Young Women's Health Summit. This one-day event aimed to empower high school-aged young women to make healthy choices now and in the future. Topics addressed at the LA YWHS ranged from sessions entitled, " Understanding Feminism and the Girl Power Initiative to Advertisements and their Effects on Young Women to Incarcerated Women: The Truth Behind the Bars. At the end of the Summit was the Youth Explosion Event that consisted of poetry from local artists, a Step Show and a Concert from nationally recognized singing groups. This Summit took place at the Louisiana Superdome on March 22, 2003 for over 250 participants. Two key outcomes of this summit were the Houston Young Women's Health Summit and the Dallas-" It's Good to be You Teen Fashion Show" Then on May 6, 2005 we had the 2 nd LA YWHS and we had 450 people in attendance. We also served on the planning board and presented at the 1 st US Tribal YWHS held in Oklahoma in June 2005.

Product/Tools: LA Young Women's Health Summit Program Booklet and Pictures

Contact for All Projects: Trina Evans-Williams, State Adolescent Health Coordinator/Women's Health Liaison, Louisiana Office of Public Health-Adolescent Health Initiative. Tel. (504) 568-6636 email: Tevans@dhh.la.gov

Title: LOUISIANA BODYWISE NUTRITION AND OBESITY PREVENTION PROGRAM

Definition/Purpose: Originally developed by DHHS to prevent eating disorders in young women. The BodyWise Initiative in Louisiana was modified to meet the needs of youth in Louisiana. The Louisiana BodyWise Program was modified to teach in addition to disordered eating topics, nutrition/healthy eating, body image and physical activity. The LA BodyWise Program has completed its 3 rd year and is taught to both male and female students in their health and physical education classes. The LA OPH-Adolescent Health Initiative coordinates this program and because of its success it has expanded and is being taught to over 300 students at Lusher Middle School in New Orleans.

Products/Tools: LA BodyWise Fact Sheet and Program Manual on the AHI Website

Contact: Trina Evans Williams, State Adolescent Health Coordinator/Women's Health Liaison, Louisiana Office of Public Health-Adolescent Health Initiative. Tel. (504) 568-6636 email: Tevans@dhh.la.gov

Title: LOUISIANA LUPUS AWARENESS PROJECT

Definition/Purpose: The purpose of this project is to increase the awareness of Systemic Lupus Erthythematosus (SLE) throughout Region II-DHH Service Area in Louisiana by providing informational seminars to public health staff, by increasing the capacity of community based and faith based organizations to address lupus as part of their health outreach work, and by providing information and education to women in the target area. We had 6 seminars with a total of 129 persons in attendance. Also we had an additional 3 more Seminars. This project is Finished!

Products/Tools: Working on developing the 1 st Louisiana Lupus Community Resource Guide

Contact: Trina Evans Williams, State Adolescent Health Coordinator/Women's Health Liaison, Louisiana Office of Public Health-Adolescent Health Initiative. Tel. (504) 568-6636 email: Tevans@dhh.la.gov

Title: LOUISIANA YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE

Definition/Purpose: Suicide is the 3 rd leading cause of death for youth nationally and in Louisiana. Young females are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than young males. Therefore as a response to the Surgeon General's Call to Action to all states, the Louisiana Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force was created and is chaired by the Louisiana Adolescent Health Initiative. The purpose of the task force is to make a difference in the lives of Louisiana youth and families, to provide appropriate and timely help, to improve access and availability of prevention services statewide, and to prevent youth suicide and suicidal behaviors. Highlights of the task force are the unanimous passages of two- key legislations that establish suicide prevention in Louisiana schools and promote statewide awareness and prevention efforts. Other highlights are Gatekeeper Trainings on Suicide Prevention to over 1200 school and health professionals statewide and 5 Multi-Parish Planning Summits to raise community awareness.

Product/Tools: Inaugural edition of the LA School Plan to Prevent Suicide and the LA S.T.A.R. Plan to Prevent Youth Suicide.

Contact: Trina Evans Williams, State Adolescent Health Coordinator/Women's Health Liaison, Louisiana Office of Public Health-Adolescent Health Initiative. Tel. (504) 568-6636 email: Tevans@dhh.la.gov

Title: TUXCOE Healthy Tales

Definition/Purpose:

To eliminate health disparities among low-literate populations and increase the general health status of minority women. To create a culturally appropriate communication tool which is not literacy-dependent

Program Description:

By using a narrative-based health education tool, this program targets pre-literate, functionally illiterate and illiterate populations and establishes a communication link with a sub-population commonly referred to as "hard-to-reach." To address and eliminate health illiteracy, which is the inability to read and understand health information and the inability to translate such information into appropriate action, Healthy Tales aims to educate people with low literacy about health, diseases, risk factors, and chronic disease management in a manner that is easy to understand and remember.

Contact Information: Antor Ola, Health Educator, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: aola@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE Heart Healthy Women Program

Definition/Purpose:

Increase awareness and implementation of CVD prevention activities among African American and Hispanic women in the Greater New Orleans area.

Program Description:

Using a peer education or lay health advisor model, TUXCOE trains community women to make positive changes to their heart healthy behavior and to talk to and encourage their peers to do the same. Topics covered include disease definition, risk factors, tips for increasing physical activity, tips for decreasing fat and salt intake, and ways to effectively stop smoking.

Contact Information: Antor Ola, Health Educator, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: aola@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE MAMA Program

Definition/Purpose:

Increase awareness of issues in infant feeding and to increase consideration of breastfeeding among African American families in New Orleans

Program Description:

The TUXCOE MAMA (Mentor And Mommy Alliance) Program is lay breastfeeding advisor program designed to train community women with breastfeeding experience to educate their communities about breastfeeding. During the MAMA training, participants discuss barriers to breastfeeding in the African American community and how to address these barriers. By understanding the barriers, MAMAs can develop strategies to encourage families to consider breastfeeding. MAMAs are also trained in basic breastfeeding management and counseling strategies, and how to refer their mothers to available community resources. The training builds on the self-efficacy of the MAMAs to educate and support families on breastfeeding issues.

Contact Information: Meshawn Tarver, Senior Program Coordinator, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: mtarver@tulane.edu

Definition/Purpose:

To promote awareness of sexual health issues among African American women in New Orleans through community health educators.

Program Description:

This program is a collaboration between TUXCOE and the Institute for Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES). The target audience of this pilot will be underserved African American women ages 18-35, including the lay health educators (primary intervention tier) and community women and their partners (secondary intervention tier) in the Iberville Housing Development of New Orleans, Louisiana. The pilot process is divided into four interconnected areas: 1) Initiation; 2) Formative Research; 3) Training Methodology; and 4) Pre-testing & Revision.

Contact Information: Meshawn Tarver, Senior Program Coordinator, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: mtarver@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE Jane Wilson Smith Lecture Series

Definition/Purpose:

To offer accurate, accessible health information to community organization members.

Program Description:

This mobile lecture series is geared towards community organizations with large or exclusive female membership. TUXCOE provides the lecturer and all educational materials and asks that the requesting organization provide the location and any refreshments. Marketing is done collaboratively. The topic is chosen by the community organization based on their assessment of community need or specific request by members. Lectures last an hour, including 15 minutes for questions and answers from the audience.

Contact Information: Hosanna K. Fletcher, Program Manager, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: hosanna@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE LHA Training Program

Definition/Purpose:

To provide training on the concept of public health and lay health education to community women wishing to become LHAs (Lay Health Advisors).

Program Description:

TUXCOE utilizes lay health advisors for a variety of health education program topics. Prior to being trained in a specific topic, community women are trained in the concept of and ideology behind the lay health education/peer education model. This single session training builds on the skills that community women already bring to the role of LHA, including facilitating groups, handling difficult questions, and being a healthy role model in the community.

Contact Information: Hosanna K. Fletcher, Program Manager, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: hosanna@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE Adolescent Internship Program

Definition/Purpose:

Increase the self-efficacy of participants in terms of goal-setting, administrative, and basic leadership skills.

Program Description:

A summer internship with TUXCOE, including health research and administrative support, that exposes adolescent girls, ages 13 through 17, to a workplace setting in public health and specifically in women's health. Participants learn about the public health field, women's health issues (specifically those of their age group), and basic to advanced levels of administrative support skills. Participants are required to research and give a presentation on one health topic of their choosing. They are also required to perform the duties of administrative support personnel and are evaluated as employees. Participants are paired with a mentor as well as encouraged to provide peer mentoring to their peers.

Contact Information: Hosanna K. Fletcher, Program Manager, Mary Amelia-Douglas Whited Community Women's Health Education Center, Tulane Xavier National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Phone: 504.988.5100 Email: hosanna@tulane.edu

Title: TUXCOE/Xavier College of Pharmacy Diabetes Project

Definition/Purpose:

Provide the infrastructure that is required to conduct research and provide community education and clinical services aimed at eliminating health disparities. Create and innovative, multi-generational community-based approach to deliver information regarding healthy lifestyles and diabetes management and prevention to a medically underserved community, specifically, in the Gert Town neighborhood.

Program Description:

The Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Program will partner with companies, community organizations and city and state officials to utilize existing resources and to collectively address the needs of our citizens. MHDREP will coordinate existing efforts and develop new initiatives to promote minority health disparities research, prevention and education.

Program Objectives:

• Develop a training curriculum
• Train peer-partner/lay advocates
• Develop, implement, and train the peer-partners on the use of a referral form
• Implement the program in selected sites
• Evaluate the satisfaction level and clinical improvement of the peer-partners
  

Contact Information: Felicia Mobley, Program Manager, Xavier University Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Center. Phone: 504.520.5106 Email: fbolden@xula.edu