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The Collective for Health Equity and Well-Being

Cooperative Extension’s Collective for Health Equity and Well-Being is a community of Extension personnel and their partners united by their shared commitment to advancing health equity and well-being. Members work together to support the implementation of Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being (2021) to ensure that all people can be as healthy as they can be.

Tagged With "Extension"

Blog Post

American Journal of Public Health Includes Commentary of Cooperative Extension

Roger Rennekamp ·
Cooperative Extension is the subject of an article in a forthcoming special issue of the American Journal of Public Health focused on rural health. The commentary, co-authored by David Buys and Roger Rennekamp, "advances the notion that Extension, by working hand-in-hand with public health professionals, has an important role to play in addressing the health needs of rural communities." The article highlights five key steps that Extension can take with its public health partners to improve...
Blog Post

Count on Me NC Helps Businesses Reopen

Sarah Kirby ·
Although COVID-19 continues to spread, businesses are beginning to re-open to the public. As they do, it is essential that they do so in a safe, thoughtful, and science-supported manner. In North Carolina, the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association, NC DHHS, Visit NC, and NC State Extension have collaborated to create Count on Me NC. This public health initiative provides retail food establishments, businesses, and their visitors/guests with training and guidance needed to keep individuals...
Comment

Re: Count on Me NC Helps Businesses Reopen

Roger Rennekamp ·
This is a great collaborative effort. Thank you for sharing a link to the courses. Very timely and relevant.
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Re: Count on Me NC Helps Businesses Reopen

Michelle S. Rodgers ·
This is great to hear about. Great effort to address economic situation
Blog Post

eXtension Fellowships in Health and Well Being

Roger Rennekamp ·
I am pleased to announce that we have initiated a search to fill two open eXtension fellowships focused on health and well being. The work of the fellows will broadly focus on building the capacity of the Cooperative Extension System to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity to experience optimal health and well being across the lifespan. Much of this will be accomplished through a Connect Extension subgroup where fellows will work as a team to foster identification and sharing of...
Blog Post

Cooperative Extension- National Diabetes Prevention Program Interest Group

Ali Berg ·
Diabetes is one of the most common and costly chronic conditions, a leading cause of death in the US, and a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19. Thus, strategies to prevent diabetes are essential for protecting the health of the nation. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) is a partnership between public and private organizations aimed at reducing the prevalence of diabetes through evidence-based, cost-effective interventions that promote weight management through healthy...
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension- National Diabetes Prevention Program Interest Group

Roger Rennekamp ·
Thank you for making us aware of this opportunity to increase awareness of Cooperative Extension's work related diabetes.
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension- National Diabetes Prevention Program Interest Group

Kathryn Morgan ·
We are currently implementing this program, with multiple partners, at the University of Missouri.
Blog Post

The Tale of Two Crises: The Opioid Crisis and COVID-19

Ashley Yaugher ·
By: Chapel Taylor-Olsen, BA, Health & Wellness Coordinator & Dr. Ashley Yaugher, Health & Wellness Faculty, HEART Initiative; Utah State University Extension The opioid crisis has been claiming thousands of American lives per year for decades. Now, this healthcare crisis is colliding with a new threat sweeping the world: the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This article reviews the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on Americans; unique impacts on people with opioid use disorder...
Blog Post

ELI5: The Social Determinants of Health

Erin (Yelland) Martinez ·
To answer your first question, ELI5 is text lingo for 'explain like I'm five' - a way to break down often complex topics into digestible bits. This post will introduce the Social Determinants of Health and help to ELI5 the topic.
Comment

Re: ELI5: The Social Determinants of Health

Roger Rennekamp ·
It makes me think about the health impact pyramid. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836340/ We can spend countless hours and immense effort trying to coax people to change behavior when we might be able to make a greater impact through a focus on changing the context in which people live, learn, work, and play. Thanks for making this so simple to understand!
Comment

Re: ELI5: The Social Determinants of Health

Abby Gold ·
It also means being courageous in communities where we can push the envelope in presenting new ideas. And to recognize that our Extension work is a both / and rather than an either / or in terms of direct education and the public health approach of policy, systems, environments.
Comment

Re: ELI5: The Social Determinants of Health

Lindsey McConnell-Soong ·
Thank you! What great sets of questions to assist in a deeper understanding.
Comment

Re: ELI5: The Social Determinants of Health

Deb Andres ·
Many years ago, I participated in a book study of A Framework for Understanding Poverty , by Dr. Ruby Payne. While her work has sometimes been criticized for being a framework using a white, middle-class lens of the issue, it garnered significant traction is raising awareness and providing for conversations about poverty across many sectors, professions, and communities. Your ELI5 article stirs up many of the same opportunities. It is hard for an individual to look at things from another...
Blog Post

Webinar on Cooperative Extension's Updated Health Framework

Roger Rennekamp ·
Individuals who has a not yet had an opportunity provide input into Cooperative Extension’s Framework for Health Equity and Well Being are invited to participate in a Zoom meeting at 1:00 PM (Eastern) on Tuesday, May 25. To register, visit https://extension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclf-qrqj4qEtDaodJH-DLhIL1kZWiH4oX7 . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Also know that the session will be recorded. The Framework is an...
Blog Post

Take Your Health Program to the Next Level

Roger Rennekamp ·
Don't miss the opportunity to submit a proposal for a health-related project to be considered for support through the New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) accelerator program. Through this offering, early stage Extension work that has clear goals and a solid platform for greater success can apply to receive a suite of support services through the Extension Foundation to accelerate a project's impact and scale. Selected projects will receive mentoring and support in the areas of...
Comment

Re: Webinar on Cooperative Extension's Updated Health Framework

Kerry Gabbert ·
Is it possible to get a link to the webinar that took place on 5/25?
Blog Post

New Health Framework is a Roadmap for Cooperative Extension

Roger Rennekamp ·
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...
Comment

Re: New Health Framework is a Roadmap for Cooperative Extension

Sarah Eber ·
Are there any additional training programs on community assessment and development... I could use a refresher...
Comment

Re: New Health Framework is a Roadmap for Cooperative Extension

Amy Hollar ·
This framework has been key for UNH as we work to evolve our work on health and well-being, would love to know how other Extension systems are using it.
Comment

Re: New Health Framework is a Roadmap for Cooperative Extension

Former Member ·
This framework serves as a roadmap for advancing the health-focused work of the Cooperative Extension System. ultra pixel survive
Blog Post

Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Roger Rennekamp ·
Over the past several months, I've been involved with a group examining the notion of well-being economies. Seeking a deeper understanding of the concept, I came across a 2020 article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review by Anna Chrysopoulou that posed a compelling vision for what a well-being economy might look like. "To solve the social, economic, and environmental challenges we face today, we need to rethink the status quo. Governments and other institutions around the world need to...
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Former Member ·
I love this, Robert! Thank you for sharing. I think Cooperative Extension has a critical role in advocating for a well-being focused economy. Cooperative Extension was created to meet the needs of our communities, and our communities need well-being champions!
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Deborah John ·
Historically, Extension has worked in silos employing downstream measures, "focusing on health interventions related to poor diet" and "encouraging consumer demand for healthy food," along with upstream approaches to improving agricultural supply chains. Perhaps to mitigate the effects of larger problems it is time to break down the silos within our system, employ an Extension Health in All Policies and Programs , and attend to "root causes and interconnectedness" as an approach to social,...
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Michael Young ·
Great piece - this will be good bite-size fodder to help catalyze conversations with my natural-resource and CED extension colleagues.
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Joseph Sepp Sprietsma ·
Really enjoying the SSIR article and the idea of connecting this to extension work. Made me think of the "Health in All Policies: Working Across Sectors in Cooperative Extension to Promote Health for All" (Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, Volume 6, Number 2, 2018). https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/718 One key idea that stands out to me - the for this to take hold it will require extension to embrace the ideas from the ground up, and the top down. because extension has such...
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Maria Pippidis ·
Hi Roger, thanks for sharing this article. I whole heartedly agree. I particularly liked this statement "A well-being economy recognizes that people need to restore a harmonious relationship between society and nature, enjoy a fair distribution of resources, and live in healthy and resilient communities, and these elements are beginning to emerge in the individual policies of several countries." I do think this is a vision that Extension is well positioned to assist with. We are rooted in...
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Chuck Hibberd ·
@Deborah John is spot on. The real opportunity is for Extension to lead this conversation in all program areas. This will take genuine, inspired leadership on everyone’s part and a willingness to reduce our commitment to the program-driven expert model and engage with people and communities to be part of the solution. In many states, the performance evaluation model for Extension workers will need to shift to parameters that reflect engagement, trust-building, generative conversations, and...
Comment

Re: Building a Well-Being Economy: A Future Role for Cooperative Extension?

Jeff Piestrak ·
Thanks for sharing this article and posting this prompt Roger. I absolutely think Cooperative Extension has a unique and critical role to play in helping our communities transition to a well-being economy. Perhaps even an obligation! In fact this is something I looked closely at over the course of my year-long Extension Foundation fellowship back in 2018. My particular focus was on how Land Grants, Extension, and libraries like my own at Cornell might help optimize local and regional food...
Blog Post

Join NEW NUEL Urban Extension Connect Extension Group

Marie Ruemenapp ·
The National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) invites you to visit the updated NUEL website -(nuel.extension.org). At this site you will find resources for Extension professionals working in and/or supporting urban communities and audiences. At the website you’ll also find information on how to further engage in NUEL through regional NUEL Networks, Action Teams, and connecting with the NUEL Steering Committee. Additionally, NUEL has launched a new Connect Extension NUEL Subgroup to connect...
Blog Post

Join NEW NUEL Urban Extension Connect Extension Group

Marie Ruemenapp ·
NUEL has launched a new Connect Extension NUEL Subgroup to connect urban based Extension professionals across the country. We invite you to join this new NUEL Connect Extension Subgroup .
Blog Post

Special Urban Extension Issue of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Marie Ruemenapp ·
The latest issue of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension is now available online (Volume 10, Number 2). To access it, visit JHSE’s website at: Journal of Human Sciences and Extension | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu) This special issue of JHSE focuses on Extension engagement in urban communities. The 35 authors who contributed to this issue represent a range of geographic and programmatic viewpoints. Insights shared in this special issue demonstrate that diversity in our...
Blog Post

The Demand for Online Physical Activity Resources Continues to Grow: How Walk Across Arkansas Impacts Both Rural and Urban Residents

Heather Wingo ·
Walk Across Arkansas is an 8-week online group exercise program that has been changing the lives of rural and urban participants, one step at a time. Read more to learn how this program is being implemented by the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service…
Blog Post

Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Sophia Rodriguez ·
In my role as a Well-Being and Equity Project Manager, I am working to co-create a process for youth and adults to promote equitable development in their community by partnering with Cooperative Extension. I’d like to take a moment to ponder some of the ways Cooperative Extension currently shows up in this movement for societal progress. It is time we deeply question the ways we promote and discourage equitable development in our work, for perpetuating the status quo hurts communities and...
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Roger Rennekamp ·
A great thought-provoking article. We must all work together to transform in ways that ensure the future of Cooperative Extension.
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Rick Schumann ·
I am relatively new to Extension and come at it from the Master Gardener Volunteer side. I will say that your article mirrors my experience with the organization very well. There are a lot of great people working hard to make a difference but the structure and culture of CES make that an uphill battle. I fear that if Extension doesn’t address these issues soon, their relevance is going to be diminished greatly. That would be a tragic waste of what could be a very good thing given some...
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Kerry Gabbert ·
Sophia, thank you for sharing this. I agree, deep reflection and addressing some uncomfortable truths can lead us towards our aspiration to advance equity as a core system value.
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Elizabeth Irons ·
Thank you so much for this article. I agree there is passion and dedication everyday within CCE. But the accepted culture and the inherent creation of silos prevents a lot of good things from happening. With many times, gaps being closely related to the lack of effective, inclusive communication leading to unwillingness to collaborate on projects, programming and mission.
Blog Post

Opportunities for EXCITE Teams to Share your Great Work

MelaniePugsley ·
We are sharing different ways in which EXCITE and other health and wellness projects can share their great efforts with both internal and external audiences! This will help foster best practices, create and build partnerships, and spread the work of Extension. We encourage teams to explore different platforms and audiences to share their projects and further the mission of Extension becoming a trusted partner in public health. Internal Extension-focused opportunities: Consider writing a post...
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Cindy Fitch ·
Wow! You really got to the heart of Cooperative Extension in this thought-provoking essay. Our traditions can enrich our experiences but can present barriers to participation for others who are not part of our traditional audiences. I hope that we as leaders in this organization can develop a habit of reflection and self-knowledge that will allow us to adapt to a changing society and remain relevant. I am confident that we will do so.
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Lindsey McConnell-Soong ·
Excellent synopsis of our current situation and suggestions for moving forward - thank you! This is right in line with the conversations my teams are engaged in as we consider our approach to systems level change.
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Tracy Morgan ·
I would love to talk Sophia!!
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Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Sheila G ·
Well said!
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Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Zahrine Bajwa ·
so true and so relevant we all struggle with these issues would love to continue this discussion but with some plan of action
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Carrie Backman ·
Thank you for this. It definitely resonates with me, especially around silos and needing more two-way communication. Thought provoking read!
Comment

Re: Cooperative Extension: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Former Member ·
This article is a ray of sunshine in written form. I appreciate the author's ability to uplift and motivate. Watermelon Game

About the Extension Foundation

The Extension Foundation was formed in 2006 by Extension Directors and Administrators. Today, the Foundation partners with Cooperative Extension through liaison roles and a formal plan of work with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) to increase system capacity while providing programmatic services, and helping Extension programs scale and investigate new methods and models for implementing programs. The Foundation provides professional development to Cooperative Extension professionals and offers exclusive services to its members. In 2020 and 2021, the Extension Foundation has awarded 85% of its direct funding back to the Cooperative Extension System, 100% of funds are used to support Cooperative Extension initiatives. 

This technology is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation. For more information, please visit extension.org. You can view the terms of useat extension.org/terms.

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