|
|
 |
|
On Tuesday night, President Obama gave his Farewell Address to the nation. In his address, President Obama urged us
to stay hopeful and optimistic as we move into these uncertain times. At MPHA we take these words to heart as we strengthen our commitment to health equity and racial and economic justice in the new year. Next week, we will be releasing our 2017-2018 priorities for the new legislative session that reflect this commitment. Be on the lookout!
We are honored to have received three new
grants that will help us expand our work for health equity in the Commonwealth. We are also
expanding our team and have set a date for our
Campaign Kick-Off
for the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. Join us on February 28th to advocate for the re-authorization for this first-in-the-nation program to promote prevention and advance health equity.
Read below to learn about even more ways that you can be involved, such as attending the upcoming Sexual Health Lobby Day at the State House, joining the Muslim Justice League's Health Justice Team, or attending a rally in support of the Affordable Care Act on January 15th in Boston.
Save the Date for MPHA's Spring Awards Breakfast, which will be held on Friday, June 2nd in Boston.
The Spring Awards Breakfast is the premier public health networking event in the Commonwealth. Join us as we recognize health equity visionaries and celebrate public health victories in the state.
Thank you for standing together with us into this new year. There is much work to do.
Best wishes,
Rebekah Gewirtz
Executive Director
|
Policy Notes
|
|
Save the Date: Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund Campaign Kick-Off
February 28, 2017 | State House
 Join us on February 28, 2017 for the campaign launch event to call on the legislature to continue the important work of the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund (PWTF). PWTF, a first-in-the-nation program, is an investment in prevention that has become a cornerstone of the state's public health strategy. The Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund helps support community based partnerships like municipalities, healthcare systems, businesses, regional planning organizations, and schools. These groups work together to provide research-based interventions that reduce rates of the most prevalent and preventable health conditions and that advance health equity.
Funding for this important program will expire on June 30, 2017 unless reauthorized.
Join more than 200 municipal, health, and civic leaders in supporting the re-authorization of this innovative program by RSVPing today. Click here to RSVP.
|
|
Join MPHA for Sexual Health Lobby Day on January 31st
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 | State House
MPHA is proud to be a sponsor of the second annual Reproductive and Sexual Health Lobby Day at the State House hosted by the
Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts. In today's uncertain national political climate, we must ensure that
all members of our Commonwealth have access to full reproductive and sexual health care that is affordable.
Make your voice heard: join us at the State House in Boston on January 31 to rally with advocates and meet with your elected officials at the Sexual Health Lobby Day!
Click here to register.
|
|
Marijuana Retail Shops Delayed, More Changes to Come
In December 2016, the Massachusetts legislature voted to
delay by six months the January 2018 open date for recreational marijuana retail shops in Massachusetts. The purpose of the delay is to give the state more time to prepare for implementation and regulation of the new industry. The legislature is considering more changes to the marijuana law, including a possible reduction in the amount of
home grown plants allowed. Hearings on the potential changes to the marijuana law are expected to be held later this winter. In the coming months, MPHA and our partners will be working to urge the legislature to include necessary public health protections and to address health and economic equity while also honoring the will of the voters.
Read on
|
Demonstrate Your Organization's Support to Safeguard Federal Nutrition Programs
Sign on by March 1, 2017
Join the National Anti-Hunger Organizations (NAHO) in calling on the incoming Congress and the President-Elect to safeguard and support critically-important programs that provide a national nutrition safety net for vulnerable, low-income individuals and families.
|
MPHA Updates
|
|
Join the Team! MPHA is Hiring for Three Positions and Seeking an Events Intern
 Events and Administrative Manager. The Events and Administrative Manager will have the opportunity to work closely with the MPHA Development Director and the MPHA Executive Director during the planning and execution of MPHA's spring awards breakfast and annual fall conference and expo. The Events and Administrative Manager will be the primary contact for the Salesforce database.
Read on
Consultant for Alliance for Community Health Integration.
The Consultant will to support the development, coordination, and action of the Alliance for Community Health Integration, an emerging coalition that seeks to impact the way the Massachusetts health care system addresses social determinants of health. Read on
Finance and Operations Manager. T
he Finance and Operations Manager is responsible for managing MPHA's administrative and financial functions and assisting the Executive Director.
Read on
Membership and Event Planning Intern. The MPHA Membership and Event Planning Intern will report to the Development Director and work closely with both the Development Director and the Events and Administrative Manager to support the execution of MPHA's Spring Awards Breakfast and membership program.
Read on
MPHA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are an equal opportunity employer.
|
MPHA Awarded Three New Grants to Support our Work for Health Equity
MPHA is beginning 2017 with three new grants to support our work to advance health equity in Massachusetts. Grants received from Baystate Medical Center and its
Community Benefits Advisory Council,
Tufts Health Plan Foundation
and
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation
will support our work to advance health equity in Hampden County, advocate for statewide policies to create age-friendly communities, and advocate for integration of the social determinants of health in health care reform.
On January 6, 2017, the Community Benefits Advisory Council for Baystate Medical Center announced the recipients of its Better Together grants including a grant to MPHA and the Western Massachusetts Health Equity Network (WMHEN) to expand collaborative field work in Hampden County-a region of the state with some of the worst health outcomes. Read on
Learn about MPHA's other sustaining funders, here. |
|
Kick off 2017 by becoming a member of MPHA today!
Benefits include:
 |
|
|
MPHA 2016 Annual Meeting & Expo attendees enjoy networking time |
- Exclusive member only rates to all MPHA events.
- A network of over 1000 local public health activists, and professionals who partner with MPHA in various ways to advance public health and wellbeing in Massachusetts.
- Timely updates on urgent policy issues, opportunities to participate in organized action, access to member only networking events, and MPHA's monthly e-newsletter.
Become a member today! For more information on the MPHA membership program
or to find out if your organization should become a member, please contact MPHA Development Director, Akosua Ampofo Siever at
[email protected] or (857)263-7072, ext 113.
|
Public Health News
|
|
Invitation to connect with the Health Justice Team, a project of the Muslim Justice League
 The Health Justice Team, a project of the Muslim Justice League (MJL), is a group of health professionals and health policy advocates collaborating to educate health sector colleagues about structural Islamophobia's impact on individuals and public health. The Health Justice Team organizes health professionals to safeguard professional ethics against counterterrorism policies that threaten to undermine those protections.
The Muslim Justice League welcomes connections with additional health professionals interested in learning about these issues and collaborating to protect marginalized communities' access to safe and dignified health care. Read on
|
|
MPHA Organizational Member Corner
|
|
Organizational Spotlight: Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND)
The
Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND) is a long time organizational member of MPHA, and a leading affiliate of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics was founded in 1917 by a visionary group of women dedicated to helping the government conserve food and improve the public's health and nutrition during World War I. Today, the organization is committed to shaping the public's food choices, treating persons with illnesses or injuries through medical nutrition therapy services, and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.
As a leader in food and nutrition issues in Massachusetts, MAND provides expert testimony at legislative hearings, lobbies Congress and other governmental bodies, comments on proposed federal and state regulations, and develops position statements on critical food and nutrition issues.
Read on
|
Upcoming Events and New Reports
New Report:
Dangerous by Design 2016. Smart Growth Alliance. Report looks at epidemic of pedestrians killed by vehicles across the country and the disproportionate impact dangerous city design has on low-income and communities of color.
|
|
The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA)
is the champion for public health in the Commonwealth. We are the catalyst for change, eliminating health inequities and creating healthy communities for all. For more information, visit us at
mapublichealth.org
or call 857.263.7072.
|
|
|
