Thank you Shandy Dearth!

Director of the Center for Public Health Practice

IU Richard M Fairbanks School of Public Health

"Shandy has been faithfully committed to the advancement of public health efforts throughout the pandemic (and before). From the time the first case of COVID-19 entered the U.S., Shandy provided support to the Marion County Public Health Department in whatever capacity she could.

Initially, Shandy provided administrative support to the over-stretched department - scheduling meetings, taking minutes, and enforcing action items. She identified gaps in our response and offered solutions, both temporary and long-term. Once financial support was identified, Shandy led the team at IU FSPH to initiate contact tracing on a massive scale, removing that burden from the local health department to focus on other response efforts, such as planning, consultations, and vaccinations.

The Infectious Disease Department at Marion County truly could not have survived without her experience and support."

Submitted by Madison Weintraut

You can nominate a Public Health Hero too!

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!

The Indiana Public Health Association is thrilled to be celebrating 75 years of protecting Indiana’s public health. Join us virtually as we look back and commemorate public health accomplishments over the years, consider the current state of public health in Indiana, and explore the future of public health in our state.

Connect with other public health professionals across the state at this year’s Annual Meeting and Conference and learn from national public health leader, Kaye Bender, President of the American Public Health Association.

Combined sponsorship opportunities are available for the Virtual Annual Meeting & Conference and Health Equity Summit (Presented by Health by Design in May).

Scholarship opportunities are available for the Conference as well!

*Please note that our April Monthly Meet-Up is cancelled for this online event. We will reconvene Meet-Ups on May 17.

Welcome to the start of National Public Health Week! NPHW is a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation. Below are the daily themes for the NPHW. Don’t forget to check each theme to see how you and your organization can take action for public health, and follow along on social media using #NPHW!

Monday (April 4): Racism: A Public Health Crisis

Tuesday (April 5): Public Health Workforce: Essential to our Future

Wednesday (April 6): Community: Collaboration and Resilience

Thursday (April 7): World Health Day: Health is Human Right

Friday (April 8): Accessibility: Closing the Health Equity Gap

Saturday (April 9): Climate Change: Taking Action for Equity

Sunday (April 10): Mental Wellness: Redefining the Meaning of Health

Don't miss the opportunity to celebrate National Public Health week by nominating a public health hero!

STUDENTS: Check out the list of NPHW events from your campus and nationwide organizations!

• IU Bloomington School of Public Health (View the event calendar)
• April 6: Professionalism & Inclusion in the Workplace Panel
• April 6: Excellence in the Classroom/Celebrating Great Teachers
• April 7: Fuel & Fitness Cooking Demo & Scavenger Hunt
• April 8: Mindfulness Meditation

• IUPUI Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health
• April 7: Global Leadership Panel

• University of Indianapolis
• April 6: Master of Public Health Webinar - Ask current students, alumni, and faculty about the program.
• April 6: Health Communication in the Midst of the Pandemic Panel
• April 7: Roundtable Discussion with Current Public Health Students
• Online: Check out Twitter and Instagram to participate in the Wellness Passport raffle.

• Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
• April 6: Opportunities to Explore Public Health Webinar
• April 7: How Do You Want to Make Your Impact? Webinar featuring the authors of 101+ Careers in Public Health

• American Public Health Association
• April 8: Equity & Accessibility in Community: Lessons from the Pandemic and Beyond Webinar

Congratulations to our board member Jennifer Sexton, who was recently honored as a Distinguished Friend of Indiana University Kokomo's School of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals (SNAHP). Read about her contributions to public health and the Howard County Health Department.

Welcome to our newest IPHA members who joined us in March!

• Katherine Pope
• Cheryl Sullivan
• Michelle Dyer
• Delisha Gbeintor
• Jaxson Schoelein
• Jim Davidson

• Cathy Buchanan
• Amy Zhong
• Austin Routh
• Abby Church
• Mary Grace Heinig

Upcoming IPHA Meetings:

IPHA Annual Meeting & Conference

Tuesday, April 19, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Click here to register.

IPHA Policy & Advocacy Meeting

Wednesday, April 20, 2-4:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Governor's Public Health Commission Meeting

Thursday, April 21, 1:00 p.m.

Click here for the livestream link.

Health Equity Action Team Meeting

Thursday, April 28, 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Virtual Monthly Meet-Up

Tuesday, May 17, 12-1:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Other Public Health Events & Resources:

Events

• IU Bloomington School of Public Health is hosting a Juneteenth Health Series that is free to the public. With sessions on April 5, May 17, and June 20, this series will dive into the intersections of racism and public health.

• It's National Public Health Week! Join in the celebration April 4-10, and find event resources here.

• On April 13 the Public Health Communications Collaborative (made up of the CDC Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation, and Trust for America's Health) are hosting a webinar on "Communicating Through COVID-19 and Beyond: Impact & Insights from the Field of Public Health. Register here! You can also sign up for the PHCC newsletter here.

• The 2022 Public Health Law Summit is April 25-28. Learn more and register here.

• The Indiana Youth Institute Advancing Equity Summit is April 26. Learn more and register here.

Resources:

• The TEACH Initiative is facilitating Latinx Girls Matter Listening Session for Latinx girls ages 12-24. Participants will be compensated for their participation in the confidential session. Sign up here. (O para llenar la encuesta en español, haga clic aquí).

• Indiana Cancer Consortium is offering mini-grants to expand its Employer Gold Standard Initiative. Interested organizations could be awarded $5,000 to address the cancer burden through prevention for employees. Download the Application.

• The Call for Abstracts for the APHA Annual Conference is open! Learn more and submit your proposal here before April 30.

• The Indiana Department of Health Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity has a new grant program for Healthy Schools! Learn more here, and apply by April 14.

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

• The Coalition to End Social Isolation is seeking input from organizations that address or plan to address social isolation, loneliness, or social connection in older adults. Complete the survey here.

• Public Health and You trainings from Expand: Indiana University's Portal to Professional Education are available online. Budgetary Administration in Public Health trainings are also available!

• The IUPUI ECHO Center is partnering with the Indiana Minority Health Coalition to launch a new continuing education program on Minority Maternal Health. The program launches today, and you can learn more here.