October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring an event, Bridging the Gap: Screening and Counseling for Intimate Partner Violence in Health Care Settings, scheduled for October 9th, 2012 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. (Eastern) in the Great Hall of the HHS Building at 200 Independence Avenue, SW. It will be an opportunity to highlight the new Institute of Medicine recommendation that intimate partner violence screening and counseling be a part of women’s basic preventative care. If you can’t attend in person, the event will be webcast on HHS.gov. Register for the event, in-person or via webcast, at http://bit.ly/PXw01y

Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control-funded Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLC), Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) has made significant strides to help operationalize the preparedness workforce competency model. The model, originally developed in 2010, is now accompanied by the new Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSAs) for the Public Health Preparedness and Response Core Competency Model completed in September 2012. These KSAs are recommended for instructors, trainers, evaluators, learners, and other users to both improve and standardize preparedness training and curricula for public health with the ultimate aim of enhancing the public health workforce in protection of the nation’s health.

The KSAs were developed and pilot-tested using an iterative process with representatives of the 14 Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLC) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The final 172 KSAs were also vetted by content experts associated with the Leadership Group, which developed the foundational preparedness competency model. The KSAs were selected to enable public health professionals, regardless of work setting, to identify areas of training needed in order to become proficient in the competencies required to address their areas of responsibilities.

The full Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSAs) for the Public Health Preparedness and Response Core Competency Model report is available at http://bit.ly/SHZIq3

There has never been a greater need to improve the health of our nation’s young people than now. In the United States, the leading causes of adolescent death and disability are related to preventable health risk behaviors, including unhealthy dietary behaviors, sedentary lifestyles, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, unsafe sex, injury, and violence.

Improving the health and future of America’s youth is the focus of National Health Education Week (NHEW) 2012. During October 15-19, health education specialists and other health advocates across the country involved with the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) will work to raise awareness of adolescent health issues and empower young people to make informed health decisions. This year’s theme is “Adolescent Health: Planting Seeds for a Healthier Generation.”

Resources, fact sheets and suggested activities for NHEW are available online at the SOPHE website. Each day of NHEW 2012 has a different theme related to adolescent health:

• Monday, Oct. 15: Nutrition and Physical Activity: Action for healthy adolescents
• Tuesday, Oct. 16: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use: Integrating evidence-based strategies for prevention
• Wednesday, Oct. 17: Sexual Health: Making the case for comprehensive sex education
• Thursday, Oct. 18: Emerging Trends in Adolescent Injury and Violence
• Friday, Oct. 19: Lesbian, Gay, & Transgender Youth: Embracing diversity and promoting inclusion

In addition, a planning guide and toolkit, sample press release, sample proclamation are available at http://bit.ly/R3Jskk

From large urban areas to rural communities, Americans often report similarly high levels of interest in news. Still, a national survey shows that community differences emerge in the number and variety of local news sources people use in different types of communities, as well as their degree of “local news participation” through social media and their mobile news consumption.

A new report from the Pew Research Center shows that many of the differences in local news consumption emerging from these data reflect the varying demographic compositions of different community types (urban, suburban, small town, and rural communities) in the U.S. Some differences in the platforms people use might also be tied to the lower overall use of the internet and mobile platforms in small towns and rural areas. Some of the key findings include:

• Across the four community types, residents report similarly high levels of general interest in news, attention to local news, and interest in most specific local topics
• Across the four community types, residents also report similarly high levels of interest in most of the 16 specific local topics asked about
• Residents of different community types differ in the sources they rely on for their local news
• Urban and suburban residents on average use more sources of local news than their small town and rural counterparts and are more likely to consume local news on mobile devices
• The most active “local news participators” also tend to reside in suburban and urban communities
• Rural residents are the least likely to say it is “easier” to keep up with local news and information today than it was five years ago

The entire article is available at http://bit.ly/SC5OwH

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has created a new video series for suicide attempt survivors.

The series “features inspiring stories from three people who survived an attempted suicide. Told through their voices and those of their families, the stories recount their journeys from the suicide attempt to a life of hope and recovery. Includes a video guide.” [http://1.usa.gov/QvBPnC]

For more Suicide Prevention Resources, check out SAMHSA’s Fall 2012 newsletter: http://1.usa.gov/PYYMjh

Want to know more about a genetic condition or how genetics can affect health?  The National Library of Medicine has resources for patients, families and students on genetics and inherited diseases.

Genetics Home Reference provides consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variations on human health: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov

GeneEd Web, developed and maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Human Genome Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a safe and useful resource for students and teachers in grades 9 – 12 to learn genetics: http://geneed.nlm.nih.gov

Flu season is upon us.  To learn how to protect yourself, your family and your community, check out the following resources:

Flu.gov – Know what to do about the flu: http://www.flu.gov

MedlinePlus – Flu: http://1.usa.gov/Uhu8qB

CDC – 2012-2013 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Safety: http://1.usa.gov/StuaKR

World Arthritis Day is celebrated on October 12th and is the first day of Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week (October 12-20).  Join in the international Waving for World Arthritis Day challenge by uploading a current or archived waving photo at: http://bit.ly/RydnDy.  With more than 5,700 pictures and videos in the Waving for World Arthritis Day gallery, received from more than 70 countries across the globe, mobilizing the planet is truly happening with this campaign.

To read more about World Arthritis Day go to: http://bit.ly/VpWpJh

In addition to World Arthritis Day on October 12, Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week spans five days of spreading awareness of musculoskeletal conditions through a collaboration of multidisciplinary groups, and people are encouraged to support World Spine Day (October 16), World Trauma Day (October 17), World Pediatric Bone and Joint (PB&J) Day (October 19), and World Osteoporosis Day (October 20).  For more information visit: http://bit.ly/WflmXg

The 2012 Kids Count Data Book introduces a new Kids Count index, which provides a detailed picture of how children are faring in the United States.  In addition to ranking states on overall child well-being, the Data Book provides state rankings for four domains: Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family and Community.  Read the full 2012 Kids Count Data Book online here (PDF file): http://bit.ly/UEc2ts

The Data Book also provides state profiles online here: http://bit.ly/SAANp4

The Roots of Health Inequity is an online learning collaborative between the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the National Institutes of Health.  This course provides an online learning environment from which to explore root causes of inequity in the distribution of disease, illness, and death.  It seeks to ground participants in the concepts and strategies that could lead to effective action.  Each of the five course units provide an in-depth look at a specific topic by using interactive maps and timelines, slideshows, resource libraries, videos and interviews with practioners.

There is no course fee, and you can get started any time.  More information about the course can be found here: http://bit.ly/SAGWkh