As part of its Culture of Health Program , earlier this year the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) released a model for developing Community-Driven Health Equity Action Plans , as well as Community-Driven Health Equity Action Plans developed by groups from across the country with facilitation from the NAM. The model and completed plans are intended to serve as resources for communities as well as state and national organizers interested in advancing health equity at the community level. The...

Click here at 1 PM ET on September 24th to Enter The Chat! According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) a health disparity exists when one group bears a higher burden of illness, injury, disability, or mortality relative to another as a result of conditions closely linked to social, economic, or environmental disadvantage. Conversely, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) defines health equity as a desired state where “everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as...

The month of November is American Diabetes Month. Like most national health observances, this month is meant to promote awareness of and increase support for reducing the burden associated with this chronic condition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report which is a periodic publication that provides estimates of diabetes and prediabetes, information on risk factors and associated complications, and describes the...

Applications are currently being accepted for a health promotion specialist who will provide technical assistance and support to an Extension-wide project to promote the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines. The successful candidate may be a current LGU employee who's services will be supported by a full-time buy-out of their professional time or service contract beginning April 1, 2021. See the position announcement immediately below for additional information. Position Announcement: Vaccinate...

Applications are currently being accepted for a Health Promotion Specialist for the Cooperative Extension Immunization Education Project who will provide technical assistance and support to an Extension-wide project to promote the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines. The successful candidate may be a current LGU employee who's services will be supported by a full-time buy-out of their professional time or service contract beginning April 1, 2021. See the position announcement immediately below...

During this virtual meeting, members of the Committee for Examining the Long-term Health and Economic Effects of Antimicrobial Resistance in the United States will hear presentations from speakers from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota on the agencies' progress on the National Action Plan for Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. May 12, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM Eastern To Register visit ...

The opioid epidemic is a national issue impacting communities across the country. It was declared a public health emergency in October 2017. Communities have mobilized at the national, state, and local level to address the problem, and Cooperative Extension has partnered with them in their efforts. The drivers and impacts of the opioid crisis in communities are complex and require a multi-level response. We employed a stakeholder engagement methodology, the SEED Method , to create...

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...

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...

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...

Roger, thank you for sharing this view about using data effectively for social change. It's a quick reminder to focus on why the data is being used and the importance on both the numbers and stories and their meaning; on the people we are serving. And to proceed with the near and long term in mind. Periodically asking questions that arise from the cited author could be very useful. Here's a list that came to me: Why are we using the data? What does it mean? How can we learn from the data?

The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) Health Program Action Team (PAT), in partnership with the Extension Foundation (EXF), seeks a Heath Partnership and Development Coordinator who is passionate about advancing health equity through the work of the Cooperative Extension System and its partners. The central focus of the work is to assist the Extension Health Director and the Health Program Action Team identify and manage progress toward milestones related to the...

@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...

High-speed internet service is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. But too many families go without high-speed internet because of the cost or have to cut back on other essentials to make their monthly internet service payments. Lowering prices—including the cost of high-speed internet service—is President Biden’s top priority. In early May 2021, President Biden and Vice President Harris announced that they have secured private sector commitments that will lower high-speed internet costs...

On December 15, six land-grant universities shared information about current work happening at their respective institutions to advance health equity and well-being. Summaries of these presentations are found below. University of Missouri - Chiquita Chanay and Lisa Washburn shared information about how University of Missouri Extension is engaging various units across campus to address the health challenges of Missourians. Their Project ECHO replication is a peer-learning, knowledge network...

The University of Kentucky is pleased to announce two new health-focused faculty positions with significant Extension responsibility. The first is an Assistant/Associate Extension Professor in Community and Family Health. Visit https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/458642 . The second is an Assistant Clinical Professor in Mental Health and Well-Being. See ttps://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/458638 . The review of applications will begin on May 1, 2023 with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2023.

The Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) seeks to add 1-2 program coaches for the adult immunization education program from June 1, 2023 through November 30, 2024. See the application and a pply here. Applicants should have knowledge of public health and have some experience relative to Cooperative Extension based at Land Grant Universities. This position will be part of the EXCITE program team and will serve as an online coach for 5-7 Land Grant...

It’s almost time for the school bells to ring and students to return to their classrooms. The American Red Cross offers these tips for making sure your student is safe as they head back to school for the upcoming year. 1. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports distracted walking can be dangerous, even deadly. Teach your students to not text or talk on the phone while walking. 2. Stay far from the curb . When students wait for the school bus, tell them to stay far away from the traffic on...

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

Plan to attend that National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference to be held May 13-15, 2024 in Greenville, SC. Mark your calendars now!

The University of Georgia is currently accepting applications for a District Program Development Coordinator within its Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Program. This position gives leadership and training to the Family & Consumer Sciences ( FACS ) Agents and staff in the Southeast District of UGA Cooperative Extension. It fills a significant role in helping Agents identify programming needs, plan educational programs, and manage county educational priorities. This position is...

Cooperative Extension is uniquely positioned to be a key leader in advancing community-based initiatives aimed at tackling health inequities in underserved communities. In 2021, the Extension Committee on Operations and Policy (ECOP) adopted Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity & Well-being (Framework) that articulates a vision for this work. Advancing health equity as a core system value across the Extension system is the first of five key recommendations. A case...