OMHHE Newsletter  
October 19, 2015  

In This Issue
Current & Upcoming Events
Health Literacy Month
October 1-31
The CDC has developed a web-based course to educate public health workers about health literacy.
 
WEBINAR
Reaching Minorities: Health Care Enrollment and Engagement
NIHCM
October 20, 2015
3:30pm ET
 
Register today!

WEBINAR
National Action Plan to Increase Safe Infant Sleep
HRSA Maternal Child Health Bureau
October 21, 2015
2:00 - 3:00pm ET
 
2-PART WEBINAR SERIES
What You Need to Know about NIH Application Submission and Review
 HHS/NIH, CSR
  November 5-6, 2015 2:00 EDT

WEBINAR
Getting to Know the Federal Government and Funding Opportunities
  HHS/OMH
  November 6, 2015 3:30 EDT

ONGOING EVENT
Healthy People 2020 Public Comment Period
HHS
Now through
November 13, 2015
  
EVENT
Free Dental Care to Low Income Veterans on Veterans Day
Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic
Orange, VA
November 11, 2015
8:00am - 5:00pm

EVENT
Virginia Oral Health Summit
The Westin Richmond
Richmond, VA
November 13, 2015
7:45am - 3:15pm
Learn more!

EVENT
National Rural
Health Day
November 19, 2015
Celebrate
the Power of Rural
  
SAVE THE DATE
MATRC 2016 Telehealth Summit
Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
April 10-12, 2016
Early Bird registration begins November 1

Funding Opportunities
HHS/NIH, Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD: Addressing Health Disparities in Maternal and Child Health through Community-Based Participatory Research (R03). Deadline for letters of intent is October 20, 2015.
 
USDA/FSA: Outreach and Education, Technical Assistance, and Financial Education for FSA Programs, Functions, and Activities.
Deadline is November 20, 2015.
 
HHS/NIH, NICHD: Academic-Community Partnership Conference Series (R13).
Deadline is November 17, 2015.

VHCF: Virginia Health Safety Net Grants
Deadline is March 2, 2016

HHS/National Institutes of Health (NIH): Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy (R01).
Deadline is May 7, 2016.
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The Mid-Atlantic RHEC would love to hear from you!
 
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Health Equity Council (RHEC) is dedicated to increasing awareness of the significance of health disparities by addressing unconscious bias and the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards.
 
The Mid-Atlantic RHEC has prepared a short survey to determine potential gaps and needs regarding our ability to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of changing populations within our region (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Health Equity 
HHS Awards More Than $240 Million to Expand the Primary Care Workforce
HHS, October 14, 2015

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell today announced more than $240 million - including about $176 million in Affordable Care Act funding - to support the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and NURSE Corps scholarship and loan repayment programs to increase access to primary health care in the communities that need it most.

"The most critical step in connecting people to quality health care is a primary care provider," said Secretary Burwell. "These awards provide financial support directly to health professionals, including physicians, registered nurses, and physician assistants, to help individuals -- particularly the 17.6 million uninsured who have recently gained coverage -- find the primary care services they need."
  
Atlanta-based global health organization saved millions with immunizations, officials say
Florida Times-Union, October 13, 2015
An unassuming brick building in Decatur houses a low-profile organization that has made huge accomplishments in improving people's health.

The Task Force for Global Health's 30 years of work was marked at a conference at the Carter Center in Atlanta on Monday.

 

The organization's founder, Dr. Bill Foege, was honored for his work in expanding public health. A former CDC director, Foege is widely credited with organizing the global strategy that eradicated smallpox.

Read more! 

Cultural Health 
Notre Dame replaces PE class with mandatory 'cultural competency' lessons
The College Fix, October 14, 2015

At Notre Dame, tennis, golf and ultimate Frisbee have been replaced with "cultural competence," "inclusiveness" and "human sexuality."

The University of Notre Dame this semester replaced its longtime mandatory physical education course for freshmen and replaced it with a health, cultural competency and social awareness course that aims to teach students how to "foster a spirit of inclusiveness on campus," among other lessons.
Read more!

Minority Women Get Worse Breast Cancer Care, Regardless of Tumor Type: Study
HealthDay News, October 13, 2015
 
No matter the type or stage of breast cancer, minority women are more likely to be diagnosed later in the disease than white women, and they are also less likely to receive recommended treatments, a new study shows.

While prior studies have found such disparities before, the new research finds that it exists "across all breast cancer subtypes," study lead author Lu Chen, a researcher in the public health sciences division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, said in a news release from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
 
Older Latino Population Thriving Financially, Enjoying Good Health: Report
Latin Post, October 13, 2015
  
The New American Vanguard: Latinos 50+: Healthy, Wealthy and Wise , a study published by Nielsen, indicated Latinos over the age of 50 are "exerting cultural, economic and political influence on the evolving U.S. mainstream."
 
While Millennials are frequently identified as being masters of influence, Latinos over the age of 50 are quite persuasive. Latinos over the age of 50 represent 10 percent of their age cohort, and that's expected to grow to 24 percent by 2060. The Nielsen report published Oct. 13 explores the consumption habits of older Latinos who've redefined retirement by living and working longer.
Rural Health
Study: Young Latinos in rural areas face discrimination when obtaining health care services
News-Medical.net, October 16, 2015

Young Latinos living in rural areas say they face discrimination when they obtain health care services - a factor that could contribute to disparities in their rates for obtaining medical care and in their health outcomes, a new study from Oregon State University has found.

Perceived discrimination is considered a barrier to obtaining health care services for underrepresented populations, including Latinos, according to lead researcher Daniel López-Cevallos, associate director of research for the Center for Latino/a Studies and Engagement at OSU.
Read more!

Bigger Challenges for Rural Cancer Patients
The Gazette, October 11, 2015
  
Rural Americans fighting cancer face even more challenges than those who live in more urban areas, including a lack of nearby physicians and treatment, transportation issues, and access to cancer screenings and follow-up care.

That's according to a review article published online with the journal Oncology, a monthly publication.
 
National Rural Health Day is November19

Is someone you know a rural health champion?
Do you know someone doing exceptional work in rural Virginia and advancing rural health?
Do you have a friend/family member/colleague who you feel should be recognized for contributions to rural health?
  
National Rural Health Day is quickly approaching, and the Virginia State Office of Rural Health is looking for nominations for rural health champions in Virginia to highlight! Let's take a moment to acknowledge those who are making rural Virginia a healthy and prosperous place to live and work!

Tools and Resources
The Health Resources and Services Administration released an online version of the chart book, The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011-2012. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Health Equity Council released a Regional Blueprint for Action illustrating regional trends on health disparities and the social determinants of health. Child Health USA released their findings related to the health status and service needs of America's infants, children, and adolescents. The White House published My Brother's Keeper Task Force document which provides the one year progress on the initiative to address disparities among young men of color. The Women of Color Health Data Book, Fourth Edition was released by the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health, which leads the development of this collection and presentation of data on race/ethnicity and disease.  A webinar recording is available for the 2014 Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook from Rural Health Research & Policy Centers. The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services recently released the CLAS Academy Training Catalog. Migrant Clinicians Network is offering a free Bilingual Picture Dictionary for Health & Safety in Agriculture along with lesson plans and training materials.