#1286
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 08:44:33 -0500
From: "Simmons, Rob" <RSimmons@CHRISTIANACARE.ORG>
Subject: 6th Annual Health Education Advocacy Web Site and Summit - March 8-10
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Hadn't seen this posted on the HEDIR so wanted to share a short press
release on the new health education advocacy web site that was launched last
month by the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations. It is a
great collaborative resource for health education advocacy. Also wanted to
mention the 6th Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit which will be held
on March 8-10 in Washington DC. Hope to see many health education advocates
at the summit in March.
Rob
Rob Simmons, Dr.PH, MPH, CHES
SOPHE Advocacy Co-Chair
Director, Government and Community Relations
Christiana Care Health System
P.O. Box 1668
Wilmington, DE 19899-1668
(302) 428-4277
(302) 428-2698 fax
rsimmons@christianacare.org
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Coalition of National Health Education Organizations
NEW ADVOCACY WEBITE LAUNCHED FOR HEALTH EDUCATORS
Washington, DC - A new "one-stop-shop" website
containing advocacy alerts, Federal legislation, testimony, fact sheets, and
other public policy tools for health education and health promotion
professionals is being launched today, as voters take to the polls.
The Health Education Advocate
sponsored by the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations
(CNHEO), provides a central source of timely advocacy information so that
health professionals can take a more proactive role in shaping public policy
that supports healthier individuals, communities, and environments. The site
enables users to search the status of specific bills, send emails to their
Congresspersons, access health resolutions and policy statements of
sponsoring organizations, identify advocacy training opportunities, and
provides tips for working with the media.
The new E-resource is an outgrowth
of more than five years of collaborative advocacy action on behalf of CNHEO
members: American Association of Health Education; American College Health
Association; American Public Health Association (APHA) Public Health
Education and Health Promotion Section; APHA School Health Education and
Services Section; American School Health Association; Association of State
and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Public Health Education;
Eta Sigma Gamma; Society for Public Health Education; and Society of State
Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
"This website is the first of its
kind and combines the resources of nine professional groups to facilitate
consistent advocacy messages and action among the nation's health education
specialists," says Ellen Capwell, PhD, CHES (certified health education
specialist), Coordinator of the CNHEO and Associate Professor, Otterbein
College. "We want health educators to provide input into the political
process not only today, Election Day, but every day hereafter to improve the
health of adults and youth.
Founded in 1972, the CNHEO is a
non-profit 501(c)(3) federation of organizations dedicated to advancing the
profession of health education by strengthening communication and action
among member organizations. Collectively, CNHEO members represent more than
26,000 professionals and students dedicated to health promotion and health
education in all major areas -- the community, elementary and secondary
schools, colleges and universities, worksites, health care settings, and
international organizations.
The CNHEO has sponsored an Annual
Health Education Advocacy Summit since 1998 to develop a core legislative
agenda, build capacity and competencies of health educators to advocate
effectively, and visit with key Congressional committees, Senators, and
Representatives. For additional information about the CNHEO, see
####
------------------------------
#1287
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 09:34:40 -0800
From: Mark Fulop <fulopm@NWREL.ORG>
Subject: Health Education Advocacy Web Site?
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Rob,
I want to applaud the launch of the health education advocate website. It
seems to represent the unified voice concept that Michael Pejsach was
discussing recently. I look forward to the depth and focus of the site to
increase. What is not transparent and could be useful to those of us used
to working in the area of advocacy is a fuller disclosure of what the HEA
priorities are and how policy statements are selected, written and approved.
For example, the website lists five advocacy issues for 2002 and all of them
relate to "increased appropriations." Now there is nothing wrong with
coming to the "food trough" for more money but if that is all the site is
known for, the self-serving nature of the site will be transparent quickly.
We have an administration bent on a)going to war for little gain other than
oil, b) throwing more people off of welfare, c) giving immunity to drug
companies, d) making permanent tax cuts against the rich, e) continuing to
promote trade in spite of human rights abuses, and f)even tactically petty
things like eliminating Programs that Work from CDC's website. All of these
other issues seems to merit as much if not more consideration for advocacy
than an across the board agenda of give us more money.
Again, I applaud the efforts but if you really want to be known as a source
for advocacy, it seems like the focus should continue to expand and get more
weighty.
M
------------------------------
#1288
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 23:56:42 -0500
From: Daniel Leviton <dl16@UMAIL.UMD.EDU>
Subject: Re: Health Education Advocacy Web Site?
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Agree 100% with Mark. Have been arguing for decades that health
promotion/education should advocate for the prevention of forms of Horrendous
Death (i.e., people-caused deaths where the motivation exists to kill others),
and their root causes. Now the nightmare is realized in its many forms -- let
us
count the ways:
War, terrorism, unemployment, environmental degradation, loss of civil
liberties, increase in health and income disparities -- all while the rich get
richer, and the poor die. And where is our profession, and its professional
organizations? Quiet. So very quiet.
On the other hand we should be representing the very best of what the U.S. is
really about -- what Joseph Nye (see his "The Paradox of American Power: Why
the
World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone") calls "soft power," that is the
very best music, education, programs, ideas, that our culture has to offer.
Offer for what? To win friends world wide, and reduce hatred and agression.
Tom Friedman, columnist for the NY Times, wrote on Dec. 9th, 2001 calls for
"offering a hand up for the good guys. That means doubling our foreign aid,
intensifying our democracy promotion programs, increasing our contributions to
world development banks (which do microlending to poor women) and lowering our
trade barriers for textile and farm imports from the poorest countries."
I have argued that much of what our professions have to offer are democracy
promoting programs, can contribute to globalization in terms of health and
well-being for all, and should be a tool of diplomacy, and improving civility
among and between states. If interested see Leviton, D. (2002). "Potential
untapped: Health education and health promotion as a means to peace." The
International Electronic Journal of Health Education 5(12): 12-27.
For years I've been asking my large classes to fill out a survey on Horrendous
Death. The bottom line is that few think they are going to die by terrorist
attack, few fear it, and most have an optimistic view of the future. Some of
the
questions that follow were administered right after the alarm in November that
Al Qaeda was again going to attack. Some of the survey questions follow. Do
not
ask for results since I am working on that now.
19. Do you worry about your dying in a terrorist attack by al Qaeda, other
group, or individual?
1. never worry
2. rarely worry
3. sometimes worry
4. worry a lot
5. preoccupied with the thought
What type of death is most worrisome? Rank each on a 10-point scale with
1=absolutely no worry to 10=extreme worry.
20. Suicide bombers ____
21. Nuclear explosion ____
22. Chemical-biological-germ attack ____
23. Homicide by sniper ____
24. Heart attack or heart disease/stroke ____
25. Cancer ____
26. Other disease ____
27. Other form of Horrendous Death (see question 9)(identify) ____
28. Consider the types of Horrendous Death mentioned in questions 20-27. Do
you
worry about others you love dying in the ways mentioned?
1. never worry
2. rarely worry
3. sometimes worry
4. worry a lot
5. preoccupied with the thought
29. Consider the above question. Whose death worries you the most (choose only
one)? 1. parent 2. sibling 3. close friend 4. grandparent 5.
other relative 6. Companion animal 7. school mate 8.
lover/mate/husband or wife 9. child 10. grandchild 11. my own
12. Other (who?:___________________) 13. no one
30. Do you feel that you can have an effect by yourself or with others in
reducing or eliminating the types of Horrendous Death mentioned in questions
20-27 by writing letters to people of influence, contributing money to or
joining relevent organizations, civil disobedience and/or demonstration,
lobbying, voting, etc.?
1. My actions would have no effect
2. My actions would have some effect
3. My actions would have a significant effect
31. Under what circumstances would you act to reduce or eliminate types of
Horrendous Death mentioned in question 20-27 by writing letters to people of
influence, contributing money to or joining organizations, civil disobedience
and/or demonstration, lobbying, voting, etc. (may choose more than one
action)?
1. No circumstances 2. If my life were threatened 3. If a loved ones life
was
threatened 4. I do and have acted 5. Other (describe ______________)
6. If I knew it would have an effect 7. Any and all circumstances
32. How would you describe your view of your future?
1. totally pessimistic - I don't have a future
2. largely pessimistic - the future looks bad for me
3. ambivalent - the future looks so-so
4. largely optimistic - the future looks good to me
5. very optimistic - I have great expectations for my future
6. don’t think about it
33. How would you describe your view of the world?
1. totally pessimistic - the world doesn't have a future
2. largely pessimistic - the future looks bad
3. ambivalent - the future looks so-so
4. largely optimistic - the future looks good
5. very optimistic - I have great expectations for the future of the world
6. don’t think about it
35. In your opinion do you think that the types of Horrendous Death mentioned
in
question 20-27 can be eliminated or reduced by people? 1. Yes 2. No
36. If your answer is No, why not? Circle all that apply:
1. Killing others is instinctual 2. It is part of God’s plan 3. People are
basically evil
4. The problem is too complex 5. Other (what?
_____________________________)
47. What action would you take, if any, to eliminate the Horrendous Deaths we
have been discussing?
So keep up the good work, Mark. The good news is that others are as concerned.
The bad news is that it might not make any difference.
Dan
Mark Fulop wrote:
> **
> ** Leading into the Future-AAHE
> ** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
> **
>
> Rob,
>
> I want to applaud the launch of the health education advocate website. It
> seems to represent the unified voice concept that Michael Pejsach was
> discussing recently. I look forward to the depth and focus of the site to
> increase. What is not transparent and could be useful to those of us used
> to working in the area of advocacy is a fuller disclosure of what the HEA
> priorities are and how policy statements are selected, written and approved.
> For example, the website lists five advocacy issues for 2002 and all of them
> relate to "increased appropriations." Now there is nothing wrong with
> coming to the "food trough" for more money but if that is all the site is
> known for, the self-serving nature of the site will be transparent quickly.
>
> We have an administration bent on a)going to war for little gain other than
> oil, b) throwing more people off of welfare, c) giving immunity to drug
> companies, d) making permanent tax cuts against the rich, e) continuing to
> promote trade in spite of human rights abuses, and f)even tactically petty
> things like eliminating Programs that Work from CDC's website. All of these
> other issues seems to merit as much if not more consideration for advocacy
> than an across the board agenda of give us more money.
>
> Again, I applaud the efforts but if you really want to be known as a source
> for advocacy, it seems like the focus should continue to expand and get more
> weighty.
>
> M
>
> ** Advertise Jobs On The HEDIR
> **
> ** Check Your HEDIR Info & Photos
> **
--
Dr. Daniel Leviton
Director, The Adult Health & Development Program
Professor, Dept. Public & Community Health
College of Health & Human Performance
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-2611
Phone: (301) 405-2528; Fax: (301) 445-1546
------------------------------