Upcoming CSG Events                                                           

UPDATE: Starting next week, Healthy States e-Weekly and CSG's Health Policy Highlights will be merged into one weekly newsletter. All readers currently receiving one or both publications will automatically receive the new version. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at http://www.healthystates.csg.org/Comments+and+Inquiries/.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Forum for State Legislators and State Policymakers:
Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors: Childhood and Beyond
Sept. 17-19, 2006, Memphis, Tenn. 
CSG Healthy States
The RWJF forum is for key leaders from state executive and legislative branches who are trendsetters and innovative policymakers addressing active living and healthy eating. The conference will focus on childhood obesity and highlight effective legislation, as well as nutritional education and physical activity programs. Registration for this conference is limited.

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News Highlights                                                           

Cancer Prevention
Delaware: State Program Aims to Reduce Household Causes
Delaware State News
The state of Delaware is using an advertising campaign to promote a program encouraging citizens to reduce the amount of cancer-causing chemicals in their homes. The campaign directs individuals to the Web site, http://www.DelawareHealthyHomes.org, which contains tips for reducing chemical exposure.   

Obesity
National: Battle Against the Bulge
Chattanooga Times Free Press
The latest "F as in Fat" report from the Trust for America's Health found that the obesity epidemic is still an uphill battle. Thirteen states have obesity rates of 25 percent or higher and average rates rose in 31 states. The report recommends that state government seek to reduce these rates by developing, implementing and fully funding long-term strategies such as school-based efforts to strengthen physical fitness curricula and improve the nutritional value of food sold on campus and improving the "built environment" (sidewalks, parks and bike paths) in low-income areas to allow a more conducive setting for physical activity.

School Health
New Jersey: Fruitful Lessons: N.J. Schools Update Nutrition Rules and Cafeteria Menus
The Star-Ledger
As part of a state and national effort to get kids to slim down and eat healthfully, New Jersey schools have adopted a nutrition policy that includes more fruits and veggies and less fat and sugar.

Pennsylvania: Snacks, Soft Drinks Banished as Schools Focus on Nutrition
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
To respond to the childhood obesity epidemic, schools in Pennsylvania have banished unhealthy items from vending machines and the cafeteria. Healthier items such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and high fiber foods will be offered instead.

Smoking and Health
Virginia: Kaine Considers Ban on Smoking in State Buildings
The Washington Post
Gov. Timothy Kaine says he may order a ban on smoking in state government buildings and vehicles for the commonwealth's 100,000 employees. The governor opposes a government-imposed ban on smoking in private workplaces.

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Report Spotlight

Obesity
F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2006
Trust for America's Health
Thirty-one states had higher adult obesity rates over the past year, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health. The report offers a series of recommendations for addressing the obesity issue and its health impact at all levels, including a 20-step action plan to address the epidemic's health burden and financial costs. 
 

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Resources

Prevention and Wellness
Healthy States Initiative: State Official's Guide to Wellness (NEW!)
In this guide, state policymakers will see a snapshot of the current state of health in America, find out what the states are doing to achieve wellness and who is involved in the initiatives to promote healthy behaviors. The guide also provides a framework for understanding the major policy issues surrounding wellness.

Chronic Disease
TrendsAlert: Costs of Chronic Disease: What Are States Facing? (NEW!)
Click the link above to access Healthy States' newest TrendsAlert, "Costs of Chronic Disease: What Are States Facing?" This publication describes the startling trends in health costs, chronic disease rates and Medicaid costs for these diseases. The TrendsAlert also includes descriptions of some of the most recent state policies and programs to prevent diseases and promote good health among Americans.

Diabetes
Preventing Diabetes and Its Complications: What Works in the Hispanic Community  
Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. The disease can lead to heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, amputations and death. Yet diabetes can be prevented and its dire complications can be avoided. In this Healthy States issue brief, learn from state legislators and health experts about best practices and effective prevention strategies for Hispanic communities. Click the link above (.pdf) to download a copy of the newly released issue brief from the 2005 Web conference.

Emergency Preparedness
The Model State Emergency Health Powers Act
The Model State Emergency Powers Act grants public health powers to state and local health officials to formulate a well-organized response in the event of a public health crisis. The act was developed by The Center for Law and Public Health and Georgetown and Johns Hopkins to serve as a guide for implementing public health reform at the state and local level.

Public Health Policy Resources
The Community Guide: A Resource for Legislators and Policymakers
Legislators and policymakers support public health by enacting effective laws and policies and want to know what works and at what cost. This CDC Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) serves as a premier source of high quality information on those public health interventions and policies that have been proven to work in promoting health and preventing disease, injury and impairment.

Healthy States Quarterly Newsletter

Click the link above for a copy (.pdf file) of the Spring 2006 issue.  This issue features articles about how governors are highlighting policies that encourage healthy living, about how prevention efforts might help to curb rising health care costs and an interview with U.S. Health and Human Services Sec. Mike Leavitt about state pandemic flu preparations. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter and view the archives. After you've read the latest issue, we'd like to get your feedback.  Click here to take the HSQ Readership Survey and register to win a Healthy States backpack!

Web Conferences for State Legislators
The Healthy States Initiative hosted nine Web conferences in 2005 on state legislative approaches to public health issues. Click on the links below to view the presentations, slides, transcripts and issue briefs.

Preventing Youth Sexual Risk Behaviors (NEW Issue Brief!)
Colorectal Cancer: Prevention in African-Americans
Preventing Diabetes and its Complications in the Hispanic Community  
Proven Anti-Smoking Strategies
Immunization Disparities
Oral Health
Heart Healthy and Stroke-Free States
Vaccine Safety
Coordinated School Health Programs

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The Healthy States e-Weekly is a part of the Healthy States Initiative, a partnership between The Council of State Governments, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, National Black Caucus of State Legislators and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 

For more information about the initiative and to view other public health resources, publications and events targeted for state legislators, please visit www.healthystates.csg.org. 

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