Wellness and Prevention Health Reform Digest, July 21, 2015 | Health Reform

Wellness and Prevention

Health Reform Digest

Today’s News (7/21/15)

The ninth in the series of dear colleagues on the Prevention Fund was distributed last week, with a focus on the Fund’s support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. This letter was led by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Edward Markey (D-MA). For a full set of the letters.

Here’s a timely blog post, Funding for CDC Community Health Programs in Jeopardy on Capitol Hill, from the American Planning Association (APA) on the Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) program. It includes a take action site for communicating with Congress. You should also check out work being done through the PICH program by APA affiliates via its Plan4Health program. {FYI, we’ll be sharing a final version of the letter to Congressional appropriators signed by more than 75 organizations later this week.}

While much of our recent focus has been reacting to proposed funding levels for public health programs as recently approved by House and Senate appropriators, there are also a number of troublesome policy riders attached to one or both bills that may adversely impact the nation’s health. Working with some of our partners, we have taken a stab at identifying a number of such riders addressing environmental, childhood nutrition, tobacco, research and other issues. We consider this a working list. If we have missed anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

From the Campaign to End Obesity, a statement addressing the status of physical education programs included in last week’s Senate-passed version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known as the Every Child Achieves Act. And here’s a summary of all of the bill’s major provisions.

Take Action

Last week, the Vitality Institute launched a 90 day global public consultation on a draft set of responsibility guidelines for personalized health technology. The consultation will be open for 90 days (until October 15th).
The American Lung Association has launched a Thunderclap (social media tool for building support for an issue) urging the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “to stop lobbying for Big Tobacco.” Here’s a backgrounder on the situation from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, alleging that the Chamber has “worked systematically in countries around the world to help the tobacco industry fight life-saving measures to reduce tobacco use.” Deadline is July 27th at 3:00 p.m. (EDT).
Reminder - NDD United is encouraging national, state and local organizations to sign onto a letter urging Congress to build on the Bipartisan Budget Act and stop sequestration. To sign on (by August 21st).

Reports and Supporting Materials

The Aspen Institute has released Physical Literacy in the United States: A Model, Strategic Plan, and Call to Action. The report, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, “is informed by research showing that children with motor skills competence are more likely to stay physically active into adolescence and adulthood. It identifies the populations in greatest need and a set of 150+ ideas that can be acted upon by the key sectors that touch the lives of children.”

From the CDC, a new set of metrics on the Tips from Former Smokers (TIPS) Campaign, the first-ever paid national tobacco education campaign. An average of 1,000 commercials are running each week on national cable networks.

Safe Routes to School National Partnership has released two new reports exploring equity and violence prevention in active transportation.
At the Intersection of Active Transportation and Equ ity: Joining Forces to Make Communities Healthier and Fairer“explores the complexities of equitable active transportation and the issues that arise at the junction of efforts to advance walking and bicycling and work to increase health, fairness, and opportunity for all communities.”
Taking Back the Streets and Sidewalks: How Safe Routes to School and Community Safety Initiatives Can Overcome Violence and Crime “provides a primer for Safe Routes to School professionals looking to address community safety threats that may discourage or endanger students walking or bicycling to school, explains the relevance of Safe Routes to School to violence prevention proponents, and sets out strategies for collaborating to reduce violence and crime, and increase safety and health for children and youth.”

Upcoming Events

Please note that the time and location of today’s NDD Town Hall: What’s the Deal with the Deal has changed. It will be held 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. in HVC-215, Capitol Visitors Center. To attend, you must have already RSVPd.

Opportunities/Deadlines The Opportunities/Deadlines categories are live links you can click on for further information.

Sign On Documents and Opportunities for Input

The American Heart Association has launched a petition that urges lawmakers to protect strong school nutrition standards. “With 95% of schools already meeting the new standards and 72% of parents supporting them, the gains made by the Healthy, Hunger Free-Kids Act must be protected by Members of Congress.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is circulating a petition to stop Marlboro from marketing to kids around the world via a series of video ads. Go to StopMarlboro.org to see some of the ads, watch the Campaign’s video showing how Marlboro appeals to teens, and take action to stop it.
Prevention Partners is “asking organizations with school obesity prevention programs to map their location and promote themselves as a resource to schools on the newly launched School Health Hub. There’s no cost to participate-the goal is to get programs on the map so we all know where we are and to then promote the Hub to schools so they can take better advantage of these programs.” To submit your program.
The recently launched Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP) engages diverse stakeholders behind a comprehensive and balanced public policy strategy to reduce prescription opioid abuse and promote treatment options, both for those living with chronic pain and confronting addiction. For more information and/or to join the Collaborative.
The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) is asking organizations to sign a pledge to have healthy meetings, conferences, and events. To assist organizations, NANA has developed a Healthy Meeting Toolkit. (no deadline)
The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) is circulating a CEO Pledge, encouraging every CEO in the United States to recognize physical activity as an important driver of employee health and business performance. (no deadline)

Regulatory Comments/Federal Postings

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking comments, data, research, and/or other information “related to nicotine exposure warnings and child-resistant packaging for liquid nicotine, nicotine-containing e-liquid(s), and potentially for other tobacco products including, but not limited to novel tobacco products such as dissolvables, lotions, gels, and drinks.” (deadline, August 31st).

The White House Office of Management and Budget has released a Spring 2015 update of the status of regulations at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants has updated its document on upcoming regulations that provides a summary of upcoming key regulations regarding nutrition, obesity prevention, nutrition facts labels, tobacco, early care and education, and other public health topics based on a scan of the most recent Semiannual Regulatory Agenda publication released in Spring 2015 (updated June 2015 - multiple deadlines).

Funding Opportunities and Awards

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has announced a call for proposals for Evidence for Action: Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health, a program supporting “investigator-initiated research to develop the evidence base needed to build a national Culture of Health - in which everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest life possible.” Between five and 12 grants will be awarded each year, totaling approximately $2.2 million. (Letters of intent are being accepted on a rolling basis)
The Notah Begay III Foundation’s national program, Native Strong: Healthy Kids, Health Futures, has announced its 2015 Seeds of Native Health Promising Program Grant Request For Proposals (RFP). The Foundation “will provide needed investment to tribes and native organizations working to improve nutrition andaccess to healthy foods for their children and communities.” Grants of up to $40,000 each will be awarded, with preference given to applicants located in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota. (deadline, July 20th)
The de Beaumont Foundation has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Health Data Consortium to sponsor the Health Datapalooza challenge, a joint U.S. - England initiative to tackle the epidemic of adult obesity. A multi-tiered award of $40,000 will be divided among five winners. For information on the U.S. challenge. (deadline July 31st)
The New York State Department of Health, Alzheimer’s Disease Program has announced the availability of funding for the Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Support Initiative. A total amount of $15 million per year will be disbursed among either one statewide or ten regional entities across New York State over a five year period. The RFA is #1504231000, and can be accessed through the Grants Gateway website or the Department of Health. (deadline, August 4th)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting applications for the Million Hearts® Cardiovascular Risk Reduction model. “Health care providers who participate in the model will work with Medicare beneficiaries to determine their individual risk for a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years (for example, 25 percent). Then, providers will work with patients to identify the best approach to reduce their individual risk - for example, stopping smoking, reducing blood pressure, or taking cholesterol-lowering drugs or aspirin-and show them the benefits of each approach.” (deadline, September 4th)
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is offering a scholarship to honorably discharged veterans to provide them with everything they need to start new careers as personal trainers when their service ends.

Upcoming Events today’s additions in red

Tips to Engage Legislators on Healthy Food Access, School Zone Safety Bills

TFAH Health Reform News