Collective impact initiatives utilize shared measurement systems to identify key metrics of success that align partners toward a common vision. But a recent article by Justin Piff in the Stanford Social Innovation Review suggests that the specific data we chose to track loudly signals what we believe to be important. In the article, the author shares four lessons from his work that can help collective impact initiatives use data more effectively for social change. They are: 1. Prioritize the...

Registration is now open for the 2022 National Health Outreach Conference to be held May 4-6 in Kansas City, MO. 45 concurrent sessions and 30 poster sessions were accepted for the 2022 conference. Sessions focus on such topics as coalition building, PSE change, workforce development, immunization education, diabetes prevention, and food insecurity. Keynote speakers include Dr. Salma Abdalla of the Rockefeller Foundation. To learn more and register for the conference, visit ...

Social determinants of health are the factors beyond individual behavior that impact the health status of individuals and communities. When these determinants disproportionately affect some groups in ways that are unjust or unfair, health inequities exist. One way to address the negative influences of these determinants is through collaborative partnerships. Community leaders like Extension professionals can initiate and develop cross-sector partnerships to collaborate with other...

A national survey of rural development stakeholders identified health as a priority recovery and growth in rural America. Investing in Rural Recovery: Findings from a Rapid Assessment of Stakeholder Priorities for Rural Development summarizes the results of a national survey conducted in the fall of 2021 by the nation's four Regional Rural Development Centers. The survey is part of a year-long Listening Session Initiative aimed at identifying key priorities and critical investments for rural...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized or approved using ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19 in humans and has cautioned about the potential risks of using ivermectin for COVID-19. This medication is FDA-approved to treat certain infections caused by internal and external parasites, but is not authorized or approved by the FDA to prevent or treat COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic and recent surges of COVID-19 cases, rates of ivermectin prescriptions dispensed...

"The Lancet Countdown is an international collaboration that independently monitors the health consequences of a changing climate. Publishing updated, new, and improved indicators each year, the Lancet Countdown represents the consensus of leading researchers from 43 academic institutions and UN agencies. The 44 indicators of this report expose an unabated rise in the health impacts of climate change and the current health consequences of the delayed and inconsistent response of countries...

USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants ( RHSE ) program supports quality of life in rural communities across the United States by addressing the needs of rural Americans’ individual and family health and safety in the context of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. RHSE fosters, improves, and coordinates education programs among Federal agencies, other levels of government, and institutions and private...

The focus of the November EXCITE Spotlight session was utilizing Social Media in our Vaccine Education project. Teams shared resources, success stories, and difficulties of using social media to share their project messages and reach their audiences. As part of the presentation, The College of Menominee Nation was highlighted for the significant progress made in their projects goals after launching social media campaigns to reach their target audience. The College of Menominee Nation is a...

Cooperative Extension's National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being is designed to serve as a roadmap for advancing the health-focused work of the Cooperative Extension System. The updated framework was approved by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) in July of 2021. The framework document resulted from more than a year of work by a work group of the Health Innovation Task Force of ECOP. This framework is organized around three core themes. These are health...

Has your land grant institution implemented an innovation that has accelerated Cooperative Extension’s work to advance health and well being? If so, we want to help you tell that story of innovation and the difference it is making in your state. The Well Connected Communities Initiative, administered through National 4-H Council with the generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will provide seven land grant universities with $25,000 each to perform a case study of a successful...

I am happy to share the Request for Applications (RFA) for seven additional land grant institutions to become a part of the Well Connected Communities Initiative. National 4-H Council through the generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to showcase land grant universities that are modeling how Cooperative Extension is already working in new ways to implement the five high-level recommendations included in Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and...

The 2022 National Health Outreach Conference (NHOC) will be held May 4-6 in Kansas City, MO. Be sure to put those dates on your calendar now, so that you won't miss out on Cooperative Extension's annual health-focused conference. The conference will focus on the long-term goals of improving population health and achieving equity in health status. Conference sessions will focus on the powerful roles of employment, education, income, housing, access to healthy foods, the physical environment,...