September 28, 2012 – 12:30pm Eastern Time

More than 2,000 people have registered to watch the webcast of the National Forum on Disability Issues on September 28th.  Edward “Ted” Kennedy, Jr., and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will speak on behalf of their respective parties and present their campaign’s position on matters relating to Americans with disabilities.

Read the press release here:  http://bit.ly/UtiW4w

Register to watch here: http://bit.ly/S2Jubj

The Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy is a one-year, full-time, academic degree-granting program at Harvard University designed to create physician leaders who will pursue careers in health policy, public service, and academia.  An optional second year of practicum experience to supplement the fellows’ academic and leadership development training at Harvard with practical experience creating high performance health care for vulnerable populations is also available.  The Fellowship is designed to prepare physician leaders who will, over time, improve the capacity of the health care system to promote policies and practices that improve minority, disadvantaged and vulnerable populations’ access to high-quality care.

Find more information about the Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship here: (PDF file): http://bit.ly/P1HU8K

Application Deadline: December 15, 2012

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows Program provides the nation’s most comprehensive fellowship experience at the nexus of health science, policy and politics in Washington D.C.  It is an outstanding opportunity for exceptional mid career health care professionals.  Fellows participate in the policy process at the federal level and use that leadership experience to improve health, health care and health policy.

Find more information about the RWJF Health Policy Fellows Program here: http://bit.ly/Oo5gLl

Reference letters deadline: November 7, 2012
Application deadline: November 14, 2012
Award amount: Up to $165,000 in salary and fringe benefits

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.

More information at: http://1.usa.gov/PfBAMe  including a 1-800 number for general public inquiries and a link to searching for a local collection site.

The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is offering a competitive grant of up to $2,500 for hosting an event in support of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2013. This funding opportunity provides support for activities and events in the U.S. and affiliated territories.

Information about requirements for submission may be found at: http://1.usa.gov/Qz8c3L  . The submission deadline is October 18, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. MT. [Medical Reserve Corps listserv]

According to a new study from the Saint Louis University School of Public Health, many U.S. schools are not prepared for bioterrorism attacks, outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, or pandemics, despite the recent 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic that resulted in more than 18,000 deaths worldwide.

During National Preparedness Month, this study serves as an important reminder that schools need to have plans for disasters and emergencies too. Read more on the results of the study: http://bit.ly/UrkQ5I [ASPH Friday Letter, Sept. 21, 2012]

Suicide has now passed traffic accidents as the leading casue of injury-related death in the U.S. The new study was published online September 20,and will appear in the November 2012 issue of the  American Journal of Public Health, based on data collected from the National Center of Health Statistics to determine the cause of injury deaths from 2000 – 2009.

More at: http://1.usa.gov/PfvNX4  [Health Day, Sept. 20, 2012]

See also “First Look” highlights from the November issue at: http://bit.ly/RbUOFd .

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The Ready Campaign, FEMA, Citizen Corps, American Red Cross, and The Humane Society of the United States have come together to develop an emergency preparedness toolkit that can assist you in planning to keep your community, and specifically, the pets and people who care for them, safe from disasters.

The toolkit provides you with the resources on how to stay current on your local pet disaster plan, policies and procedures; examples of how to promote preparedness in your communities and engage other organizations in your efforts; as well as resources to educate the community about how to assemble a pet emergency supply kit and make a family emergency plan. In addition, there is a tools section that provides sample preparedness brochures, PowerPoint templates and press materials you can use to develop and distribute your internal and external preparedness messaging.” [http://1.usa.gov/S9yNYd]

Every year, between 6 to 12 million children in the United States get head lice.  Back to school time can mean itchy times for both kids and their family members.  The CDC and MedlinePlus.gov have resources on the prevention/control and treatment of head lice.

CDC: http://1.usa.gov/OIToOj

MedlinePlus: http://1.usa.gov/QooTS7

Healthfinder.gov has created a toolkit in support of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.  Resources include health promotion tools for your community and family.  Access the toolkit: http://1.usa.gov/RCBMoe