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Healthy People 2010 Strategic Partnership
Memorandum Of Understanding
Between
The American Optometric Association
and
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets
forth the terms and understanding between the American
Optometric Association (AOA) and the U.S Department of Health
and Human Services regarding activities related to Healthy
People 2010.
BACKGROUND
The AOA and the HHS share common priorities
and interests in Healthy People 2010, including but not
limited to the Healthy People 2010 Vision Objectives:
Focus Area 28. Each organization has unique competencies
through which it addresses these goals. The AOA and HHS
recognize that by forming a strategic partnership and with
efforts at the national, state and local levels, they can
capitalize on the individual strengths of each organization to
achieve the goals and targets set forth in Healthy People
2010, thereby improving the health of our nation.
Healthy People 2010, the nation's health
objectives for the first decade of the 21st
century, identifies 467 specific disease prevention and health
promotion objectives for improving the health of our nation
and its communities. The two over-arching goals of Healthy
People 2010 are the elimination of health disparities and
the increase in the quality and years of healthy living. One
of the 28 chapters in Healthy People 2010 specifically
addresses vision issues and is entitled, "Vision and
Hearing," including ten specific vision objectives (Vision
Objectives). The Office of Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion (ODPHP) manages and implements the Healthy People
2010 initiative. The National Eye Institute (NEI) is the
lead agency for Healthy People 2010's Vision Chapter.
Healthy People 2010 builds on initiatives
pursued over the past two decades. In 1979, Healthy People:
The Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and Disease
Prevention provided national goals for reducing premature
death and preserving independence for older adults. In 1980,
another report, Promoting Health/Preventing Disease:
Objectives for the Nation, set forth targeted health
objectives for the nation to achieve over the next ten years
and by the year 1990. In 1990, Healthy People 2000: National
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives identified
health improvement goals and objectives to be reached by the
year 2000. Healthy People 2010 continues in this
tradition as an instrument to improve health for the first
decade of the 21st century.
Founded in 1898, the American Optometric
Association (AOA) represents more than 33,000 doctors of
optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants
and technicians in more than 6,600 communities across the
country. The AOA is a federation of state associations with
affiliates in all states and the District of Columbia and also
includes the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA)
and the Armed Forces Optometric Society (AFOS). Principal
among the association's missions is its mission to improve
the quality and availability of eye and vision care for all
Americans. The AOA operates out of its main offices located in
St. Louis, Missouri, and metropolitan Washington, DC.
PURPOSE
This MOU reflects the common commitment of AOA
and HHS to address the vision challenges facing the United
States. This MOU reflects the intent of AOA and HHS to work
together toward: translating and implementing Healthy
People 2010 and its Vision Objectives into state, local,
and community action; increasing awareness and use of the
Healthy People 2010 and its Vision Objectives among the
nation's doctors of optometry; enhancing communication,
coordination and collaboration on a range of Healthy People
2010 Vision related activities, both existing and
proposed; achieving the targets set forth in the Vision
Objectives; and eliminating health disparities. The purpose of
this strategic partnership is to catalyze progress toward the
goals and targets set forth in the Healthy People 2010
Vision chapter and in several of the other Healthy People
2010 chapters with vision related issues and objectives,
such as the Healthy People 2010 chapter for diabetes,
and to improve the health of our communities and our nation.
These objectives will be accomplished by means
of:
- Programs, education, research and services designed to improve quality of
life and to reduce health disparities;
- The early identification, diagnosis, treatment and management of eye
diseases and vision disorders, which impact people of all ages from infants to
the elderly; and
- The prevention of blindness and vision impairment.
The American Optometric Association will:
- Promote public and professional awareness of eye diseases and vision
conditions found in the Healthy People 2010
Vision focus area (i.e. Chapter 28) (Vision Chapter) and emphasize that
most of these conditions are amenable to primary, secondary and tertiary
prevention;
- In partnership with NEI, contribute to the development of national action
plans for each of the Vision Objectives;
- Identify Public health policies that can serve to eliminate, reduce, or
mitigate the morbidity and mortality associated with vision disorders and eye
diseases conditions found in the Vision Chapter;
- Communicate with practicing optometrists and educators at schools and
colleges of optometry regarding the Vision Objectives, Healthy People 2010,
and health disparities, and encourage their implementation of activities to
achieve the targets set forth in the Vision Chapter and Healthy People 2010
to eliminate health disparities;
- Educate policymakers regarding Healthy People 2010, the Vision
Objectives, and existing health disparities;
- Identify Healthy People 2010 and its Vision Chapter as a resource
for policymakers, providers, and the public insofar as it provides a
comprehensive profile of our nation's health and vision status by population;
- Encourage state optometric associations to forge alliances with local
partners for the purpose of eliminating health disparities and achieving the
Vision Objectives;
- Disseminate information regarding Healthy People 2010, the Vision
Objectives, and health disparities through its networks and to practicing
optometrists and educators at schools and colleges of optometry, including but
not limited to at least 3 articles per year in its professional newsletter and
magazine;
- Provide a web link from the AOA Internet homepage to the Healthy People
2010, the Healthy Vision 2010 and healthfinder® homepages.
- Meet bi-annually with representatives from the HHS to review the progress
of activities and the partnership and to determine whether there are other
potential opportunities of mutual interest that would serve to further benefit
the joint endeavors of the organizations; and
- Provide AOA representation to national Healthy People 2010 related
and Healthy Vision 2010 related meetings.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will:
- Facilitate communication between the AOA and other Healthy
People 2010 partners;
- Develop and produce Healthy People 2010 and make provisions for
Healthy People 2010 to be accessible in print form, as CD-ROM, and through
the Internet;
- Monitor the health of the nation and progress toward
the Healthy People 2010 Objectives, including the Vision
Objectives and the elimination of health disparities;
- Bring the AOA together with other non-governmental
organizations that share a mutual interest in the Vision Objectives,
eliminating health disparities, and achieving the goals in Healthy
People 2010;
- Facilitate joint efforts for enhancing professional
education, including joint presentations, co-hosting of national
conferences, and dissemination of best practices.
- Provide staff expertise, as resources allow, for
promoting Healthy People 2010, the Vision Objectives, and the
elimination of health disparities to optometrists through dissemination
and implementation activities of mutual interest;
- Bring AOA together with other governmental and
non-governmental organizations that share a mutual interest in disease
prevention, health promotion and the elimination of health disparities
among children and adolescents;
- Provide technical assistance, as resources allow, for
data and implementation activities through the National Eye Institute,
the Healthy People 2010 Vision chapter lead agency; and
- Provide assistance, as resources allow, for promoting
Healthy People 2010, the Vision Objectives, and the elimination
of health disparities to health professionals and community
organizations and for developing a companion document to the Healthy
People 2010 Vision Objectives.
REPORTING
The AOA Executive Director, the Director of the National Eye
Institute and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion) jointly will evaluate the progress and effectiveness of this
relationship and determine the future direction of the partnership at the end of
each year based on mutually agreed upon criteria.
FUNDING
Nothing in this MOU shall be deemed to be a commitment or
obligation of Federal or American Optometric Association funds.
DURATION OF THE AGREEMENT
This Memorandum of Understanding is at-will and may be modified
by mutual consent of authorized officials from the AOA and the United States
Government. This MOU becomes effective upon signature by authorized officials
from AOA and the U.S. Government and will remain in effect until modified or
terminated by either party by mutual consent or upon 60 days' prior notice. In
the absence of a mutual agreement by authorized officials from the AOA and the
United States Government to continue further this partnership, this agreement
shall end on December 31, 2005.
LEGAL AUTHORITY
This agreement is authorized by Section 1701 and 1704 of the
Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 300u and 300u-3, as amended.
[signed September 26, 2002-October 1, 2002]
J. Pat Cummings, OD
President American Optometric Association
Eve E. Slater, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Assistant Secretary for Health
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Randolph F. Wykoff, M.D., M.P.H. & T.M.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health
(Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
CONTACT LIST
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION
J. Pat Cummings, OD
President
American Optometric Association
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd
St.
Louis, MO 63141
Phone: (307) 674-8042
Fax: (307) 674-8042
Email: JPCummings@aoa.org
John Whitener, OD, MPH
Assistant Director
American Optometric Association
1505 Prince
Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 2231
4Phone: (703) 739-9200
Fax: (703) 739-9497
Email: amoptcor@aol.com
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH
Eve E. Slater, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Assistant Secretary for Health
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W., Room 725-H
Washington, DC 20201
NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
Michael P. Davis
Associate Director
Office of Science Policy and Legislation
National Eye Institute, NIH
Building 31, Room 6A23
31 Center Drive MSC 2510
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2510
Phone: (301) 496-4308
Fax: (301) 402-3799
Email: mpd@nei.nih.gov
Rosemary Janiszewski, M.S., CHES
Deputy Director
Office of Communication, Health Education, and Public Liaison
National Eye Institute, NIH
Building 31, Room 6A32
31 Center Drive MSC 2510
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2510
Phone: (301) 496-5248
Fax: (301) 402-1065
Email: rjaniszewski@nei.nih.gov
OFFICE OF DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION
Randolph F. Wykoff, M.D., M.P.H. & T.M.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health
(Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: (202) 401-6295
Fax: (202) 690-7054
Emmeline Ochiai, J.D., M.P.H.
Health Advisor
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: (202) 401-6295
Fax: (202) 205-9478
Email:
EOchiai@osophs.dhhs.gov
Debra C Nichols, M.D., M.P.H.
Public Health Advisor
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: (202) 401-0735
Fax: (202) 205-9478
Email: DNichols@osophs.dhhs.gov
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