What's housing got to do with it? health equity & Great Neighborhoods

Massachusetts Public Health Association

Action for Equity in Health

September 2017

In This Issue:

Sponsor MPHA 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo

Click here

to learn how you can support MPHA's work for health equity by sponsoring MPHA's 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo.

Autumn is upon us and that means things are active again on Beacon Hill! MPHA and our partners continue to work hard on several initiatives to advance health equity, including:

guiding and ensuring swift implementation of the MA Food Trust,
advancing transportation equity through organizing, advocacy and targeted communications, and
leading the charge to make certain that social determinants of health (SDOH) are fully integrated into health care reform.

More details on this important work will be unfolding in the coming months, so stay tuned!

You can learn more about the timely, exciting opportunities for addressing SDOH through health care in Massachusetts by joining us on November 29th for the 2017 MPHA Annual Meeting . You will want to be a part of this important conversation! Get your ticket today!

I am also delighted to report that in August, MPHA's board voted to endorse legislation allowing judges to sentence parents and other caregivers to community-based programs or community supervision rather than jail or prison. A newly released report by Human Impact Partners and Families for Justice and Healing focuses on the health equity impacts of this public health approach to sentencing.

Thank you for everything that you do to advance health equity in Massachusetts.

I look forward to seeing you on November 29th!

Warmly,

Jodie L. Silverman

Interim Executive Director

MPHA Updates

Reserve Your Seat at the MPHA 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo Today!

Join us on November 29th at the DCU Center in Worcester for our 2017 Annual Meeting and Expo! This year's meeting will feature a panel of national and state visionaries shaping health care transformation by focusing on the integration of the social determinants of health into health care. The meeting will also feature dynamic workshops offering tools and skill building opportunities.
Reserve your seat today!

Policy Focus

Supporting Affordable and Safe Homes and Healthy Communities in Massachusetts

When MPHA reached out to communities across the Commonwealth during our 2017-2018 priority setting, we heard regularly that lack of access to affordable, quality housing is a significant barrier to good health for many of our neighbors. This is especially true for Black and Latino families due to the compounding effects of historical and continued discrimination in housing, employment, and the criminal justice system.

Increasing access to affordable, safe housing is among MPHA's top priorities this legislative cycle. As an active member of the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), MPHA is participating in the Great Neighborhoods Campaign to increase the number of affordable homes while also creating safer, healthier, and thriving communities.

The health impacts of affordable housing shortages are many, including:

Greater levels of chronic stress in both children and adults
Increased likelihood of experiencing food insecurity
Increased likelihood of foregoing health care due to cost, and
Greater exposure to contaminants such as lead and asthma inducing triggers

Along with creating more affordable and safer homes, the Great Neighborhoods Campaign will create walkable neighborhoods which foster better health by:

Increasing opportunities for physical activity
Allowing older adults to age in place and with the community support they need
Allowing for closer proximity to important resources such as transportation and health care, and
Reducing exposure to air pollution and mitigating climate change impact

To voice your support for Great Neighborhoods, please sign this petition! To learn more about great neighborhoods, click here .

Member Corner

Member Spotlight: Interview with Carl Sciortino, AIDS Action Committee Executive Director


	AIDS Action Committee Executive Director Carl Scriortino

MPHA enjoys a diverse membership of organizational partners who share our vision for an equitable and healthy Commonwealth. Each partner in our membership program is vital to supporting MPHA's work for health equity.

This month, we are happy to highlight the work of our partner in public health, AIDS Action Committee. Click here to read our interview with AIDS Action Executive Director Carl Sciortino.

To learn how your organization can become a member of MPHA, click here.

Public Health Bulletin

MPHA Field Director Will Lead Coalition Building Training in Worcester


	MPHA Field Director Andrea Freeman

In October, MPHA Field Director Andrea Freeman will lead a two-part training on coalition building. The morning session will focus on keys to coalition development and sustaining momentum through coalition life-cycles. During the afternoon session, participants will examine their coalition structure and explore other models and approaches.

Date: October 11, 2017

Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Location: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester, MA

Click here for more information and to register

Baker Administration Launches Campaign to Help Parents Protect Children from Opioid Misuse

On August 31, 2017, The Department of Public Health announced the launch of the Stop Addiction Before it Starts Campaign to raise awareness among parents about what they can do to protect their middle and high school-aged kids from prescription drug misuse and addiction.

Click here to view campaign website

Upcoming Public Health Events

9.27.17: Women Behind Bars: Public Health and Criminal Justice Reform. Western Massachusetts Health Equity Network at Mass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Click here for more info and to register

9.28.17: Gun Violence: Stories Behind the Numbers. Boston University School of Public Health. Click here for more info and to register

9.29.17: Online Training: Using Data to Tell Your Story. Community Health Training Institute. Click here for more info and to register

10.11.17: Using Epidemiology to Study Policy as Well as to Inform It. Boston University School of Public Health. Click here for more info and to register

The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) is the champion for public health in the Commonwealth. We are the catalyst for change, eliminating health inequities and creating healthy communities for all. For more information, visit us at mapublichealth.org or call 857.263.7072.