Join IPHA for our Virtual Lunch Meet-up!

Cara Veale, CEO of the Indiana Rural Health Association, will be speaking at this month's Virtual Lunch Meet-up. Cara began her career as an Occupational Therapist in 2006 and transitioned into hospital leadership in 2011. Hear from Cara on Tuesday, September 21st at noon.

Register for the meet-up at:

https://tinyurl.com/IPHAVirtualLunches

Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced on August 18 that he is establishing a 15-member commission to examine Indiana’s public health system and make recommendations to improve its structure, funding and operations. IPHA is excited and grateful to have been invited to fill one of the fifteen seats on the commission, alongside local health officers, association representatives, and elected officials. You can read about the executive order creating the commission here.

New rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) expand eligibility to college students between the ages of 18-49 during COVID. If students meet all other SNAP requirements and one of the student-specific criteria below, they can visit fssabenefits.in.gov to apply for SNAP!

• Are eligible to participate in a state or federally-funded work program
• Have an expected family contribution of $0 based on FAFSA
• Are enrolled in a Perkins Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Program
• Are employed or self-employed for at least an average of 20 hours per week
• Participate in an on-the-job training program
• Have a documented mental or physical disability
• Care for a child under age 6, or under age 11 if no adequate childcare is available
• Are a single parent taking care of a child under age 12 and enrolled as a full-time college student

Spread the word to help students take advantage of these benefits!

The Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI is aiming to train 200-300 public health workers by 2026. In order to accomplish this, a network of public health partners are forming the PHIT Consortium, which will consist of multiple academic intuitions and public health agencies and organizations.

Consortium partners will work together to educate and train students and ultimately guide them into placements in the public health field for their careers. Public health partners receive funding for training in informatics, funding for interns, and consulting resources from consortium partners. Find the full list of benefits and duties of PHIT Consortium Members here.

The deBeaumont Foundation has published materials for public health professionals around guidance for schools and businesses. Most importantly, they also shared a guide for health leaders to protect their mental health. Read tips and resources for public health professionals here.

Read their tip sheet for talking to parents about school reopening and vaccination policies here.

Check out the interactive business reopening guide from Health Action Alliance here.

The Public Health Communications Collaborative has developed a toolkit on research-based vaccine messaging, which you can find here.

The Center for Health Equity at Indiana University and the Indiana State Department of Health's Division of Chronic Disease, Primary Care, and Rural Health is hosting an online Optimal Health for All Workshop Series with events for Indianapolis (October 1), Gary (October 15) and New Albany (November 12). The workshops cover the current landscape for disability and health in Indiana, common barriers for people with disabilities in healthcare settings, and disability awareness, sensitivity, and effective communication. To learn more about these free workshops download the flyer here and register online here.

Upcoming Meetings:

IPHA Policy & Advocacy Meeting

Wednesday, September 15, 2-4:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

IPHA Monthly Meet-Up

Tuesday, September 21, 12-1:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Health Equity Action Team Meeting

Thursday, September 23, 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Other Public Health Events & Resources:

• September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Use #SMP21, #BeThere, and #StopSuicide this month to increase awareness.

• September 16: Coalition Resiliency in a Pandemic World. This is the Connections IN Health Annual Conference - a free, 3 hour virtual event. Register to attend here.

• September 17: Transform911 Community Stakeholder Gathering on Improving community response to 911. Register here.

• Wednesday, Sept. 22: 2021 Interfaith Health & Wellness Summit. Register for the free event here.

• Division of Aging Caregiver Survey: FSSA wants to hear about what caregivers of individuals ages 55+ need. Take or share the survey here.

• Rural Health Stakeholder Survey: For individuals who live in or work with rural communities with a specific interest in the health of rural Americans. Access the survey here.

• Anti-Racist Public Health Webinar Series: Training from Public Health Reawakened Michigan on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18. Register here.

• October 24-27: American Public Health Association Annual Conference (Find conference travel & lodgings information here.)

• Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity: An EHMI workshop series. Dates TBA, read more about the series here.

• Sign up to be a smoke-free air champion at smokefreeIN.org and raise awareness on secondhand smoke in Indiana workplaces.