Welcome to August!

It's Back to School Season, so make sure your mentees, interns, and other public health students in your network know about IPHA's free first year of student membership!

Read on for the latest news from IPHA and our partners.

Thank you Erik Ohannesian!

Indiana Department of Health

Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Disease Public Health Investigator

"Have you ever wondered what to do if you were bitten by a stray dog? What about a bat? Well look no further, Erik Ohannesian has all the answers! Erik is one of the 'unsung' public health heroes. Many may not know, human rabies has virtually been eliminated in the US with fewer than 5 human cases being reported nationally in recent years. That is not to say that there are not animals that still carry the deadly rabies virus. Public health professionals, such as Erik, play a key role in promoting rabies prevention education and assisting veterinarians and medical providers in providing proper rabies prophylaxis recommendations. Erik is available to the medical community, local health departments, and even private citizens who have questions regarding animal bites and rabies exposures. He is a public health hero and an invaluable colleague."

Submitted by Kira Richardson

We're now accepting 2023 Public Health Hero nominations!

We're accepting nominations to feature Indiana's public health heroes each month, including the governmental and non-governmental workforce, professionals in community-based organizations, clinical care partners, academic faculty and staff, and students. Use this form to nominate a peer, colleague, or even yourself!

IPHA extends a warm welcome to our newest IPHA members who joined us in July!

• Lisa Warner
• Madeline Moser
• Connor Heerschop
• Michael Herrera

• Rida Khatri
• Huma Aziz
• Jackson Pechin
• Anye Carson

The Indiana Public Health Association supports public health students around the state with career development, networking, and more. As the new school year approaches, we want to get involved at your university! Hosting an involvement fair, networking event, student orientation, or job fair? Let us know. One of our staff would be happy to chat with you about attending or presenting!

Our next Virtual Lunch Meet-Up will be held Tuesday, August 16 at noon Eastern time. Join us to hear from Brandon Burgoa, who plays multiple roles within the Indiana Department of Transportation Planning & Programming Division! Brandon serves as your Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator, INDOT's Greenfield District Planning Liaison, and Indiana's Scenic Byways Coordinator. Brandon is an alumni of Ball State's Master of Urban Design program, and has a passion for connecting with others, removing barriers to mobility, and increasing community access to resources. Join us to learn about the important ways our transportation and public health systems overlap!

Our IPHA intern, Htayni Sui, presented the findings of her research on public health internships and student development to IPHA staff, board members, and partners at the end of July.

Htayni is pursuing both a Master of Public Health and Master of Public Administration from the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, and focused her work with IPHA on the outlook of public health internships and workforce development in Indiana. Her research will be impactful for IPHA and public health students throughout the state.

We're thrilled that Htayni will continue to shape the future of public health as a member of our Student Advisory Group. Thank you Htayni for all you've contributed to our team!

Bruce Davis is joining IPHA's team as our next intern! Bruce is a third year Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Public Health (MPH) dual-degree student at the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health and has a bachelor's degree from Indiana University Bloomington. He is a project manager on the Population Health Solutions team at Amerihealth Caritas and was previously a senior project manager in Community Outreach and Engagement at Indiana University Health. When he isn't working, Bruce is an avid world traveler. 

It's that time of year again! The Indiana Environmental Health Association Photo Contest is open for it's 7th year. Categories include: Food Protection,

General Environmental Health, Terrorism and All Hazards, and

Wastewater Management. Email your photo and submission form to gehsc.ieha@gmail.com by August 31, 2022 for a chance to win a $25 gift card! Download the submission form here.

Upcoming IPHA Meetings:

Virtual Monthly Meet-Up

Tuesday, August 16, 12-1:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

IPHA Policy & Advocacy Meeting

Wednesday, August 17, 2-4:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Health Equity Action Team Meeting

Thursday, August 25, 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Other Public Health Events & Resources:

Events:

• August 3: The National Network of Public Health Institutes is hosting a public health communication online training, "Rolling with Resistance: Building Communication as a Two-Way Street."



• August 3: Preventative Medicine Grand Rounds' August session is "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cost-Effectiveness but Were Afraid of Being Bored." Long title, effective program! Sign up for the webinar to learn about evaluating cost effectiveness of public health programs. 



• August 8: IPHA is presenting a session in Prosperity Indiana's Health is Wealth Series

• August 18: Join the National Academies Environmental Health Matters Initiative for their "Indoor Air Management of Airborne Pathogens" webinar.

• The Indiana Commercial Tobacco Control Partner X-Change is August 29-31. This year's theme is "Defending Our Communities." Register for one or all three days of the event on their webpage.

• Registration for the APHA Annual Meeting is open! This year's meeting will be in Boston, November 6-9.

Jobs:

• The Marion County Public Health Department is hiring a Cardiovascular Program Manager with a focus on Active Living in their Chronic Disease Department. Learn more and apply.

• A Call for Applications for the 2022 Hester-Shultz fellowship is now open! "The spirit of this Fellowship is to further develop individuals who will continue to be an inspiration to others and contribute to the vibrancy of Indiana communities through social norm and policy change that improve quality of life." Learn more and apply by August 24.

Funding Opportunities:

• Check out Together We Will mini-action grants and technical support in eight different public health program areas.

Resources:

• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention are continuing to provide updates related to monkeypox that may be of interest for public health professionals:
• Information for Healthcare Providers on Obtaining and Using TPOXX for Treatment of Monkeypox  
• Clinical Considerations for Treatment and Prophylaxis of Monkeypox Virus Infection in People with HIV
• Clinical Considerations for Monkeypox in People Who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding

• You can also review resources regarding monkeypox on the IDOH website.

• Speak for Health with APHA: Learn about public health advocacy from the American Public Health Association, access fact sheets and other resources, and find recent action alerts for policymaking around public health.

• The Indiana Department of Health's Start Smart Campaign aims to help students catch up on vaccines before the start of the school year. Visit their website for resources and a map of vaccination sites.

• Region V Public Health Training Center is launching their Racial Equity Resource Library this month! You can also check out their training catalog for more equity resources.

• The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is available to help people with disabilities get vaccinated and access COVID-19 tests. Trained staff can help find local vaccination locations, assist with making vaccination appointments, help connect to available testing options, and connect callers to local services - such as accessible transportation - to overcome barriers to vaccination and testing. Interested parties can Call 888-677-1199 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org.

• The Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute has released a report on Medical Debt in Indiana, highlighting that Indiana has the eleventh highest share of its population with a medical debt in collections across the U.S. The report discusses the health and social impacts of medical debt, explains how individuals become indebted, provides data about financially vulnerable Hoosiers and statewide trends, summarizes recent government and private action, and recommends policy solutions to address rising medical debt.