July 14, 2009
Regional Center for Healthy Communities (Metrowest)
E-news 7/14/09
In this issue:
Community News
Conferences/Trainings
Funding Opportunities
Job Opportunities
Resources
The Regional Center for Healthy Communities (Metrowest) will hold the first of a series of brown bag lunches where we will watch videos from our library collection on Thursday July 23 from 12-1 PM at the Regional Center office in Central Square. The first video of the series will be Substance Abuse and the Elderly looking at the problematic combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. We hope you’ll stop by!
Community News
The Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR) has started planning for Recovery Month 2009 which will include a celebration at the State House on September 23. There will be a planning meeting on July 27 at 6:30 at North Suffolk Mental Health Association, 14 Porter St in East Boston. To get involved contact MOAR at 617-423-6627.
The Esplanade Association and World Rhythms Dance and Fitness will offer dance instruction and open dancing on Thursdays beginning July 16 at the DCR Hatch Shall. It’s free, so be healthy and active outdoors this summer!
Westford Against Substance Abuse (WASA) has created a new website. Check it out at www.westford.com/wasa.
The results from the 2008 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey are now available on the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation website http://www.mchcf.org/special_initiatives/specialinitiatives.html.
Conferences/Trainings
The Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Communities has begun preparations for the seventh annual MassForum for Creating Healthier Communities. For more information, see the attached brochure called <MassForum VII Brochure>. Please contact Peter Lee at plee@hria.org as soon as possible to express your interest and get more information.
The Northwest Suburban Health Alliance (CHNA 15) will be hosting a two-day training on the Strategic Prevention Framework with Jim Ryan of the Northeast Center for Healthy Communities on August 18 and 20 from 9AM-4PM at the Woburn Council on Aging. The cost of the training is $50 including lunch and a binder of materials. For more information and to register, contact Jan Hanson at jhanson800@aol.com.
Partners in Prevention will hold a grant-writing workshop with Amanda Ayers on August 26 from 9:30-12:00 at MIAA, 33 Forge Parkway in Franklin, MA. The cost is $15 and includes lunch and materials. Contact Carolyn Bohmiller for more information and to register (before August 21) at cbohmiller@miaa.net.
The New England School of Best Practices in Addiction Treatment will be held September 14-17 in Waterville Valley, NH. For more information and to register, visit http://neias.org/BP/BP09.html.
Funding Opportunities
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation has announced new grants in its Access Grant Program (3 program areas). Letters of inquiry from new applicants are due September 1 and full proposals for invited applications are due October 16. For more information on the grant areas and requirements, visit http://bluecrossfoundation.org/Grants.aspx.
Job Opportunities
Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) is looking for a Program Director to implement and manage the work plan developed by the members of the Commission. The deadline to apply is July 17. For a complete description, see the attached document called <MCSW Program Director>.
Massachusetts General Hospital is seeking a Youth Program Coordinator. For a complete description and to apply visit the MGH career website http://www.massgeneral.org/careers/viewall.aspx and search for youth program.
Resources
The Regional Center has updated its Legislative Directory for 2009 which includes basic pointers about how to contact elected officials (including their State House telephone and location), an explanation of how a bill becomes law, and how to navigate the halls of the state house. The Metrowest Legislative Directory can be accessed on our website in the Community Tools section or by clicking http://www.healthier-communities.org/files/Legislative%20Directory%20MW.pdf.
The National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) has released new guidelines for those interested in submitting programs to the Registry. They can be viewed in the June 23rd edition of the Federal Register at http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/pdfs/74_Federal_Register_119_June_23_2009_29706-29708.pdf.
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America has announced an urgent call to action to contact legislators in Washington to prevent cuts to the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities program. You can use their sample letter to fax directly to your representatives at http://capwiz.com/cadca/home/. Now is the time to break out those evaluation results to show the impact this money has had in your community. To personalize the letter with this information, contact dkurosky@cadca.org for a MS Word version of the sample letter.