Public Health is in session at the Statehouse this year.

Above: Hon. Susan Brooks recognizes members of the Governor's Public Health Commission at

Public Health Day at the Statehouse.

Indiana Public Health Association staff and board members attended Public Health Day at the Statehouse last week, joining public health workers and advocates from around the state. It was so inspiring to see a full house at the event to celebrate the Governor's Public Health Commission report recommendations and get ready to advocate for those recommendations to become a reality.

Of particular interest this session are Senate Bill 4: Public health commission, and House Bill 1001: State budget. SB4 and HB1001 are bringing public health into the spotlight in Indiana, and will hopefully equip our workforce with the tools (and funding) we need for a healthier Indiana. You can follow along with the Indiana Department of Health for updates on these two pieces of legislation.

In addition to watching what's happening at the Statehouse, the IPHA team is hard at work creating more opportunities for our members and allies. As you'll see below, we're celebrating Public Health Heroes and new members this month, and welcoming applications for our Student Advisory Group and our Conference Planning Committee.

Our monthly meetings are back on their regular schedule in February, so make sure to mark your calendar for the Monthly Meet-Up, Policy & Advocacy Committee, and Health Equity Action Team. We'll see you there!

Thank you Graham McKeen!

Director of Public and Environmental Health

IU Environmental Health and Safety

"Graham McKeen is a consistent advocate for strong public health processes and improvement in Indiana. During the COVID response, he offered clear and concise situational updates to leadership and staff throughout Indiana University, so we were all updated and on the same page. He collaborates often with local health department partners and excels at bridging the gap between the academic and practicing public health professionals. He recognizes health disparities and strives to implement common sense approaches to rectify them when he can. He understands the big picture of how investing in public health is the best path forward to building healthier communities."

Submitted by Shandy Dearth

We're 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!

Thank you to all of the speakers, panelists, and participants who joined us for the 2023 Policy & Advocacy Forum! As we advocate for the implementation of the Governor's Public Health Commission Report recommendations, our sessions covered "From Recommendations to Reality: Your Role in Advocating for Public Health in Indiana" at the local, state, and national level. We'll continue to provide updates throughout this legislative session!

Special thanks to our Forum sponsors!

Silver Sponsor: Covering Kids and Families of Indiana

Bronze Sponsors: American Lung Association and Tobacco Free Indiana

Partner: Region V Public Health Training Center

The Indiana Public Health Association, through a management services agreement with Health by Design, is hiring three Program & Policy Coordinators to support the ongoing development, management, administration, and evaluation of the Indiana Public Health Association’s public health infrastructure development and workforce capacity building initiatives.

Applications are open to join the IPHA Student Advisory Group (SAG) 2023-2024 cohort!  

The SAG serves as a key liaison between IPHA leadership and Indiana student stakeholders. Join us to serve as a voice for student needs and guide IPHA’s efforts to provide students with meaningful engagement opportunities! 



Applications are due by Friday, February 17.

The 2023 IPHA Annual Meeting & Conference will be hosted virtually on Tuesday, April 18! IPHA Members who are interested in joining the Planning Committee should fill out this interest form before February 17.

Our next Virtual Lunch Meet-Up will feature All of Us Research Program, a new form of collecting data for more representative, equitable, and effective health research! We'll convene on Tuesday, February 21st from 12 to 1 p.m. ET. Join the conversation by registering here.

IPHA extends a warm welcome to our newest IPHA members who joined us last month!

• Alessandra Smith
• Anthony Chastain
• Astha Bhardwaj
• Aurora DiOrio
• Bailey Rankin
• Brian Wikle
• Danielle Patterson
• Dayra Sanchez
• Diane Becker
• Jennifer Eades
• Jennifer Hamilton
• Julia Brunnemer

• Mallory Eller
• Mariah Ridley
• Matthew Feltrop-Herron
• McKenzie Altman
• McKenzie Gentry
• Michelle Woodruff
• Nadine Cline
• Rachel Plantenga
• Sarah Wiehe
• Shenae Williams
• Stephanie Fortman

Upcoming IPHA Meetings:

IPHA Policy & Advocacy Meeting

February 15 | 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

Click here to register.

Virtual Monthly Meet-Up

February 21 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

Click here to register.

Health Equity Action Team Meeting

February 23 | 1:30 p.m. -3:00 p.m. ET

Click here to register.

Other Public Health Events & Resources:

Events:

• February 7: Join HRSA for Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations.

• Tobacco Free Indiana's annual advocacy day is March 8, 10am to 2:30pm.

• April 18: Save the Date for IPHA's Annual Meeting and Conference!

• June 8-9: Mark your calendars for the Indiana Early Intervention Conference in Bloomington.

• June 26-June 30: Center for Public Health Practice Summer Program in Population Health (Ohio)

Professional Opportunities:

• Tuesdays at the Statehouse with Amy: Join our last Meet-up Presenter Amy Carter at the statehouse, where she leads weekly tours and helps demystify the legislative session! Sign up here.

• CDC's Public Health Associate Program is accepting applications trough February 3. PHAP is a paid, two-year training program for early-career public health professionals.

• Presentation submissions for the American Public Health Association 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo (November 12-15) are due March 31.

• Organizational IPHA Members can submit job openings to our Job Board!

Funding Opportunities:

• The Indiana Department of Health and Indiana Department of Education are offering a new four-month funding opportunity to local parks departments, not-for-profits, and community groups that work in parks or other outdoor spaces to receive staff training on mental health and/or create you programming that positively impact mental health and physical activity. Learn more about Project AWARE Goes to The Park Grant Program! Applications due February 10.

• HRSA is offering loan programs to health professions schools and educational institutions to support school-administered loan programs. Applications are accepted until February 28.

• Applications for Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome funding are due March 8.

Resources:

• Read about IPHA's Student Advisory Group in the Region V Public Health Training Center Blog!

• Read about the Top 10 Public Health Policy Issues to Watch in 2023 from ASHTO