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This Leadership Team Newsletter is published every two weeks by the Dean's Office in the College of Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

To submit content, email: slsmith@uaa.alaska.edu
The UAA College of Health advances the health and well being of people and communities
April 13, 2017
Announcements
Congratulations 2016-17 Junior Health Professions Academy Graduates!
 
The College of Health would like to congratulate the participants of the 2016-17 Junior Health Professions Academy, a partnership with the Anchorage School District (ASD) and Clark Middle School's Pre-Medical Academy. This is the second cohort of Clark students to graduate the program, which consists of eight health professions learning sessions through the fall and spring semesters. The sessions are facilitated by UAA staff and faculty volunteers, as well as health practitioners from the Anchorage community.

 
T his year, we would like to thank the following volunteers: Dr. Cynthia Booher and Daniel Booher, UAA School of Nursing; Dr. Christopher Gay, Pain Management and Anesthesiology; Dr. Anne Musser, DO; Dr. LeeAnne Carrothers, UAA Physical Therapist Assistant Program; Emily Berman and David Berry, UAA AHEC; Dr. Richard Luff, DDS; Cynthia Armstrong, UAA School of Allied Health; Kelly Brewer, Speech Language Pathologist; and Marissa Beninati and Ryan Shercliffe, UAA COH Simulation Center.
 
The students participated in a program reception acknowledging their successful completion of the academy on April 1, 2017. We would like to thank the College of Health Dean's Office for their support, the ASD and Clark Middle School, and all of or volunteers. If you would like to volunteer with the academy, please contact Carey D. Brown at 907-786-4417.

KTVA News Airs Segment on Careers in Behavioral Health for Rural Alaskans
 
On April 5, KTVA aired the segment "Workforce Wednesday: Careers in behavioral health for rural Alaskans." The 32-credit Rural Human Services program connects rural Alaskans into health and behavioral health career pathways. This program is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Rural Academic Pipeline and is offered in Anchorage, Bethel, and the Kuskokwim campuses. To read more or watch the news segment, visit: http://www.ktva.com/workforce-wednesday-careers-behavioral-health-rural-alaskans-936/.
 
COH Curriculum Committee Meets Wednesdays  

For the Fall 2016 semester, the COH Curriculum Committee will meet Wednesdays, 3-4:30 pm. Submissions need to be in the CIM system ready for committee review by 9 am Monday the week prior. Contact Harriet Paule, hrpaule@alaska.edu, with questions and to co-ordinate pre-review of submissions prior to starting CIM workflow processing.
 
Unit Updates
Center for Human Development - - - - - - - - - - -
 
16TH Annual Full Lives Conference a Success!
 
Led by the Center for Human Development's Alaska Training Cooperative (AKTC), the 2017 Full Lives Conference brought together Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) from throughout the state with both national and Alaskan experts to address key issues that affect DSPs and the people they serve. Important topics included employment of individuals with disabilities, impacts of Medicaid redesign, and cultural responsiveness. The 16th annual conference featured recognition of the 2017 Outstanding DSPs serving people of five categories: 1) Developmental Disabilities - Elsie Stormont of Fairbanks Resource Agency (Fairbanks); 2) Alzheimer's Disease, Other Age-Related Dementia & Elder Care - Barbara Reynolds of Providence Chiniak Bay Elder House (Kodiak); 3) Chronic Alcoholism & Other Substance Related Disorders - Dona King of Southcentral Foundation Dena A Coy (Anchorage); 4) Traumatic Brain Injuries - Tara Stiller of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Anchorage); and 5) Behavioral Health & Severe Mental Illness - Trey Lewis of Juneau Alliance for Mental Health, Inc (Juneau).
 
(l-r) E. Stormont, L. Cauble (AKTC Director), B. Reynolds, T. Lewis, T. Stiller, D. King, and award presenter D. Casto, State of Alaska, Department of Health & Social Services
 
ECHO Autism Launching in May
 
ECHO Autism is a virtual learning network for primary care providers and pediatricians with real-time access to autism and behavioral experts. Participants will learn about evidenced-based best practices for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism and common medical and psychiatric concerns in children with autism through case-based learning.
 
Upcoming ECHO Autism Clinic Dates:
 
May 11, 2017          What is Autism
May 25, 2017          While you Wait
June 8, 2017          Anxiety & Autism
June 22, 2017         ADHD & Autism
 
For questions, contact Meghan Clark, meghanc@alaksachd.org. Additional information and registration can be found at http://bit.ly/AKECHOAutism. Please share with your pediatrician or family practice doctor!
 
Department of Health Sciences - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
National Public Health Week Filled with an Array of Events
 
The Department of Health Sciences celebrated National Public Health Week from April 3-9. The celebration included a week-long book and information display in the Consortium Library and, on Monday April 3rd, exhibitors from UAA Student Health and Counseling Center, the Department of Health Sciences, the Tobacco-Free Campaign Team and Alaska Department of Health, the Municipality of Anchorage Department of Health, ANTHC, and Rural Cap. A total of seven proclamations were signed to support National Public Health Week 2017: From the Governor and Mayors from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Homer, Kenai, Bethel, and Delta Junction. In addition, the COH Diversity Committee presented a film, The Visitor, followed by a discussion on immigration issues in the US. It was a successful week that brought health and wellness to the forefront!
 
 
Don't Miss the 2017 Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance Summit!
 
You are invited to the annual Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance Summit, to take place April 27-29 at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel. In particular, key community members, such as faculty and staff from UAA College of Health, are encouraged to attend. Local, state, and national experts will be discussing tobacco policy, education, and current events. For more information, and to sign up, visit: http://alaskatca.org/summit/.
 
Justice Center  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dr. Allan Barnes Talks about Crime Rates at Rotary
 
Dr. Allan Barnes,   Justice faculty, spoke to members of Anchorage Gateway Rotary about the community's increased concern about crime. He provided copies of the  AJSAC "Fact Sheet" on recent violent crime trends and other relevant AJSAC information. He also demonstrated how to use the Anchorage Police Department's new Community Crime Map program and gave them information for creating a Neighborhood Crime Watch program in their home area. A lively discussion ensued on the causes for the perceived increase in violent crime in Anchorage. For more information, visit:
 
Tales from Territorial Lawyers Featured at UAA Bookstore Thursday, April 13
 
Pamela Cravez, Alaska Justice Forum editor, presents her new book The Biggest Damned Hat on April 13 from 5-7 pm at the UAA Campus Bookstore. The Biggest Damned Hat presents a fascinating collection of stories ranging from the gold rush to the 1950s. Based upon legal research, oral histories, and interviews of more than 50 lawyers who came to Alaska prior to 1959, it provides new stories and perspectives on Alaska history from gold rush times to statehood. It is published by University of Alaska Press. For more information, visit: http://uaajusticecenter.blogspot.com/2017/04/tales-from-territorial-lawyers-featured.html.  
 
Students Take Sides in Wrongful Death Mock Trial
 
Students in Prof. Ryan Fortson's Trial and Advanced Litigation Processes class recently participated in a mock trial. Students performed all elements of the civil wrongful death trial, including opening and closing statements, examination of witnesses, laying the foundation for expert witnesses, and making objections. Prof. Kristin Knudsen, Legal Studies faculty who has spent more than eight years as an administrative law judge, served as judge for the trial. For more information, visit:
 

Moving in the Right Direction on Domestic Violence, But Still a Long Way to Go
 
In an interview with the Anchorage Press, Dr. André Rosay, director of the Justice Center, stated that more than half of adult women in Alaska have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both. The findings are from the 2015 
Alaska Victimization Survey, for which Dr. Rosay is principal investigator. "We're moving in the right direction, but we have a very, very long way to go," Dr. Rosay said. "We've turned a curve and proven we can make a difference." Still, he's concerned that budget cuts are beginning to make the emphasis on domestic violence go away. For more information, and to read the complete story in the Anchorage Press (March 22, 2017), visit: http://uaajusticecenter.blogspot.com/2017/04/moving-in-right-direction-on-domestic.html.  
 
Prof. Troy Payne Interviewed on Mat-Su Officer-Involved Shootings
 
The Alaska Dispatch News recently interviewed Professor Troy Payne, Justice faculty, regarding four officer-involved shootings in the last nine months in Mat-Su. Payne is author of the report Officer-Involved Shootings in Anchorage 1993-2013 (December 11, 2013), for which the Alaska Dispatch News called a "pivotal 2013 report" of Anchorage police shootings over a 20-year period. For more information, and to read the report, visit: http://uaajusticecenter.blogspot.com/2017/04/prof-troy-payne-interviewed-on-mat-su.html.  
 
Non-Adversarial Alternative Courts Provide Challenge and Rewards
 
Last week, Assistant Professor Cory Lepage, Justice faculty, spoke to an audience at a panel discussion on alternative courts last week at the UAA/APU Consortium Library. She said, alternative or therapeutic courts are probably one of the biggest movements in the judiciary since the Judiciary Act of 1789. The non-adversarial courts bring prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, probation officer, and defendant together to craft a set of requirements that often include intense outpatient treatment, random UAs, getting a job or doing volunteer work, and regular updates to the court for 12 to 18 months. For more information, visit: http://uaajusticecenter.blogspot.com/2017/04/non-adversarial-alternative-courts.html.

 
(l-r) Assistant District Attorney Heather Nobrega, Assistant Public Defender Ben Muse, US District Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith, and Federal Probation Officer Chris Liedike
 
Help Break the Silence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
 
Governor Bill Walke r proclaimed April  Sexual Awareness Month, citing the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey which presents research on violence against women in Alaska. Although Alaska experienced a decrease in sexual violence in the past 12 months, the state is still ranked highest in the nation. Sexual Awareness Month is observed on the national level as well as state level.
   
To support increased awareness, the UAA Justice Club presents "Breaking the Silence." During the month of April, every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 am - 2 pm in the Social Science Building, people are invited to share your words or story and help break the silence. For more information, contact Joseph at jmitzel@alaska.edu or uaa_justice@alaska.edu. Additional information is also available at: http://uaajusticecenter.blogspot.com/2017/04/help-break-silence-during-sexual.html 
   
Calendar
Upcoming Events/Deadlines
  • April 13 - Leadership team meeting
  • April 27 - Leadership team meeting
  • May 3 - UNAC workload due to faculty
  • May 7 - Spring Commencement
  • May 11 - Leadership team meeting
  • May 13-18 - Spring Break
  • May 17 - Holiday
  • May 25 - Leadership team meeting