A Message from the President



A Message from the PresidentWelcome to the 2012 CPHA Annual Meeting and Conference! We are pleased to bring you another outstanding program. This year, we address a critical test facing the public health community: how to position ourselves to deal with the changing needs and demands, as well as take advantage of the opportunities, born of a transforming system. This is a challenging time to practice public health. From the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression to the hope and promise of the Affordable Care Act, public health must adapt to major changes, which will affect how our programs and services are developed, delivered, and evaluated. This year’s conference focuses on these major forces, which are “re-wiring” public health, and provides you with the insight you need to forge new partnerships, rekindle old alliances, and improve competencies. Speaking of changes, you will find more time on the agenda this year for networking with your colleagues from around the state. We are also pleased to provide skill-building sessions in two “hot” areas: grant writing and leadership. Another change: There will be no awards ceremony during the conference. Instead, we will hold an awards ceremony event in the spring of 2012 to provide another opportunity to gather with colleagues and share our passion for public health. Please take a few minutes to look over the CPHA Committee reports in this program book. You can be very proud of your colleagues and the exceptional work they have done on behalf of our organization over the past 12 months.Looking ahead, CPHA Board members recently affirmed that our top priority is to make CPHA a more “member-centric” organization. Many new members to CPHA received phone calls from CPHA Board members over the summer, as we conducted an informal survey to find out why they had joined CPHA. These results will be used to help us develop more networking events, improve our communication activities, identify partners for professional development opportunities and sharpen our advocacy efforts at the capitol. Please visit our exhibitor tables, take in the student posters and introduce yourself to at least one new colleague. This is our day to celebrate all that we do each and every day to make Connecticut a healthy place to live!Best wishes,Kathi Traugh, MPHCPHA President___________________________________________________________________________CPHA Board of DirectorsPresident - Kathi Traugh, Yale School of Public HealthPresident-Elect; Chair, Communications Committee - Elaine Abrams, Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County Secretary; Chair, Health Education Committee - Kimberly Ploszaj, Connecticut Department of Public HealthTreasurer; Chair, Program Committee - Alison Gilcreast, AetnaImmediate Past-President - Tracey Scraba, AetnaDirector-at-Large - Ashika BrinkleyEx-Officio; Representative of the Connecticut Department of Public Health - Renee Coleman-Mitchell, Connecticut Department of Public HealthDirector-at-Large - William Faraclas, Southern Connecticut State UniversityEx-Officio; Chair, Membership Committee - Monika HaugstetterEx-Officio; Chair, Finance Committee - Steve Huleatt, West Hartford-Bloomfield Health DistrictDirector-at-Large; Chair, Mentoring Committee - Pamela Kilbey-FoxEx-Officio; Representative of CAPHN - Andrea Lombard, Connecticut Department of Public HealthEx-Officio; Representative of CADH - Patrick McCormack, Uncas Health DistrictEx-Officio; Chair, Advocacy Committee - Colleen O'Connor, APHA Maternal and Child Health FellowDirector-at-Large - Elaine O'Keefe, Yale School of Public HealthAPHA Affiliate Representative - Joan Segal, University of Connecticut School of MedicineDirector-at-Large - David Skoczulek, Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC.APHA Affiliate Representative – Alternate - Kristin Sullivan, Connecticut Department of Public HealthProgram Committee Committee Chair - Alison Gilcreast, AetnaCommittee Co-Chair - Kim Ploszaj, Connecticut Department of Public HealthElaine Abrams, Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield CountyNatasha Austin, Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc.Hannah BreakstoneLinda Mako, AetnaRuthanne Marcus, Yale School of Medicine Elaine O’Keefe, Yale School of Public HealthJoan Segal, University of Connecticut School of MedicinePriya Shah Adam Tarr, Attorney-at-LawKathi Traugh, Yale School of Public HealthTracy Van Oss, Quinnipiac UniversityCPHA StaffEileen Kehl, Administrative AssistantNoele Kidney, Project DirectorJonathan Noel, Website and Database ManagerJennifer Vazquez, Project DirectorConference Goals and ObjectivesGoal: To provide public health practitioners and agencies with the tools and skills needed to anticipate and respond to changes that will be necessary to protect and transform the public health infrastructure in Connecticut. Objectives: To examine the changing roles of public health in response to changes in the economic, political and social environments To identify best practices and strategies to adapt to the changing public health landscape in Connecticut and improve the quality of public health services To increase practitioners’ abilities to respond to and address the new challenges and demands Connecticut faces in public health To increase practitioners’ knowledge and skills in core areas of practice, including communication, workforce development, informatics and creating partnerships Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u A Message from the President PAGEREF _Toc336370045 \h 2CPHA Board of Directors PAGEREF _Toc336370046 \h 3Program Committee PAGEREF _Toc336370047 \h 3CPHA Staff PAGEREF _Toc336370048 \h 3Conference Goals and Objectives PAGEREF _Toc336370049 \h 3Table of Contents PAGEREF _Toc336370050 \h 4Business Meeting Agenda PAGEREF _Toc336370051 \h 4Schedule of Events PAGEREF _Toc336370052 \h 4Keynote Speaker Biographies PAGEREF _Toc336370053 \h 5Morning Breakout Session Objectives and Biographies PAGEREF _Toc336370054 \h 6Afternoon Breakout Session Objectives and Biographies PAGEREF _Toc336370055 \h 10Student Poster Session PAGEREF _Toc336370056 \h 13Committee Reports PAGEREF _Toc336370057 \h 18Communications Committee PAGEREF _Toc336370058 \h 18Health Education Committee PAGEREF _Toc336370059 \h 18Membership Committee PAGEREF _Toc336370060 \h 19Program Committee PAGEREF _Toc336370061 \h 19Sponsors, Exhibitors, Advertisers PAGEREF _Toc336370062 \h 20Program Evaluation PAGEREF _Toc336370063 \h 24Map of the Four Points Sheraton PAGEREF _Toc336370064 \h 26Business Meeting Agenda11:40AM Lunch Seating & Serving12:05PM Lunch and Business Meeting Kathi Traugh, President?Accept CPHA Committee Reports?Accept Treasurer’s Report?CPHA Election Results/CPHA Articles of Incorporation12:20PM Luncheon Speaker Introduction Alison Gilcreast12:25PM Luncheon Speaker Dr. Jewell Mullen, MD, MPH, MPA, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public HealthSchedule of Events8:00AM| Registration and Breakfast8:30AM| Welcome Message Kathi Traugh, President, CPHA Alison Gilcreast, Program Chair, CPHA8:40AM| Morning Keynote Address“Transforming Public Health: Our Only Option”Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director, Trust for America’s Health; Professor, Department of Health Policy, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services9:45AM| Poster Session/Network/Break10:00AM| Morning Breakout SessionConnecticut Public Health Practice Based Research (Arlington)Emil Coman, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Institute for Community ResearchSteve Huleatt, MPH, Director of Health, West Hartford-Bloomfield Health DistrictDebbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, Clinical Instructor, Yale School of Public HealthJennifer Kertanis, MPH, Director of Health, Farmington Valley Health DistrictMoira Lawson PhD, MPH, Associate, CT Association of Directors of HealthLeveraging Health IT to Improve the Population’s Health (Brunswick)Matthew Cook, MPH, Clinical Research Associate, UConn School of MedicineMinakshi Tikoo, PhD, Assistant Professor, UConn School of MedicinePrimary Care and Public Health: What’s in Your Community? (Ballroom)Bruce Gould, MD, Associate Dean for Primary Care, UConn School of MedicineJohn Lynch, Vice President, ProHealth PhysiciansRuthann Marcus, Associate Director, Clinical and Community Research, Yale School of Medicine AIDS ProgramDr. Bernadette Thomas, APRN, MPH, DNP, Chief Nursing Officer, Community Health Centers, IncWORKSHOP: Creating Reviewer Friendly Grant Proposals (Danbury)Diane Gedeon-Martin?, President, The Write Source LLC11:30AM| Poster Session/Network/Break11:40AM| Lunch12:10PM| Business Meeting12:25PM| Luncheon Keynote Address“Public Health, Health Care and Health Reform: Defining our Future”Dr. Jewell Mullen, MD, MPH, MPA, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health1:00PM| Poster Session/Network/Break1:15PM| Afternoon Breakout SessionFrom Backpack to Briefcase: A Guide for Student Career Development (Arlington)Michael Carey, State of CT Dept of Public HealthDavid Gregorio, PhD, MA, Director, UConn Graduate Program in Public HealthHongje Wong, MLIS, MA, AHIP, Information and Education Services Dept. UConn Health CenterIntegrating Digital Communications (Danbury)Amanda Nelson, Community Content Manager, Salesforce Radian9Jonathan Noel, MPH, Clinical Research Coordinator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterDan Weingrod, Digital ConsultantWhither Accreditation: Big Changes Ahead for Public Health (Brunswick)Tim Callahan, MPH, RS, Director of Health, Norwalk CTKaren Spargo, MPH, RS, Director of Health, Naugatuck Valley Health DistrictCarolyn Wysocki, MA, MHSA, Chair, CABOH; NALBOH Board MemberWORKSHOP: Leading Through Stress: Leadership in Public Health (Ballroom)Dave O'Brien, Speaker, WorkChoice Solutions LLC3:45PM| Networking Happy HourKeynote Speaker BiographiesJeffrey Levi, PHDExecutive Director, Trust for America’s HealthJeff Levi, PhD, is Executive Director of the Trust for America's Health, where he leads the organization’s advocacy efforts on behalf of a modernized public health system. He oversees TFAH’s work on a range of public health policy issues, including implementation of the public health provisions of the Affordable Care Act and annual reports assessing the nation’s public health preparedness, investment in public health infrastructure, and response to chronic diseases such as obesity. In January 2011, President Obama appointed Dr. Levi to serve as a member of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. In April 2011, Surgeon General Benjamin appointed him chair of the Advisory Group. Dr. Levi is also Professor of Health Policy George Washington University's School of Public Health, where his research has focused on HIV/AIDS, Medicaid, and integrating public health with the healthcare delivery system. He has also served as an associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health, Deputy Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. Dr. Levi received a BA from Oberlin College, an MA from Cornell University, and a PhD from The George Washington University.Jewel Mullen, MD, MPH, MPACommissioner, Connecticut Department of Public HealthIn December 2010, Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced his appointment of Dr. Jewel Mullen as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). As Commissioner, Dr. Mullen oversees the state’s leading public health agency whose mission is to protect and improve the health and safety of Connecticut residents. Prior to joining the Department, Dr. Mullen was Director of the Bureau of Community Health and Prevention at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She also is the former medical director of Baystate Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Mullen began her clinical career as a member of the National Health Service Corps at Bellevue Hospital in New York, after which she joined the medical faculty of the University of Virginia. A Connecticut resident since 1992, she has been a member of the medical staff at the Hospital of St. Raphael, the Yale University Health Services and Yale New Haven Hospital. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Mullen received her Bachelor and Master of Public Health degrees from Yale University where she also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in psychosocial epidemiology. A graduate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she completed her residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a Master in Public Administration degree from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. She brings to her role as Commissioner the recognition that efforts to improve the health of individuals and communities must be informed by an understanding of the social context, which determines their behaviors and their access to resources.Morning Breakout Session Objectives and BiographiesConnecticut Public Health Practice Based ResearchProvide an introduction to the field of public health systems and services research (PHSSR) and the role of public health practice based research networks (PBRNs)Describe the mission and research agenda of the CT PBRN and discuss the relevance of this research to public health practice and policy in CTPresent the aims and findings of ongoing CT PBRN studies concerning the services and financing of local health departments in CTEmil Coman, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Institute for Community ResearchEmil Coman, PhD, of the Institute for Community Research, is a statistician and emotions researcher, with experience in causal modeling of health communication and risk behavior, particularly in evaluating community-based interventions. He provides consultation on complex statistical methods for social and behavioral research. He tackles complex quantitative methodological challenges like measurement development and testing (including testing indices vs. testing scales, ethnic invariance), evaluation of intervention effects through latent variable modeling, moderated mediation, mixed designs (clustering and multilevel models), propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses. Dr. Coman participates in the CT PBRN and is co-PI on a CT PBRN stud, “Measuring quality in local public health emergency preparedness: the H1N1 Experience”.Steve Huleatt, MPH, Director of Health, West Hartford-Bloomfield Health DistrictSteven J. Huleatt, MPH, RS is the Director of Health for the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District. He has over thirty years of experience in local public health. Huleatt is past President of the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health and the Connecticut Public Health Association. He currently serves on Boards of the Connecticut Health Foundation, National Association of County and City Health Officials and is the immediate past Connecticut Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association. Huleatt is an active member of Connecticut Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness Planning workgroups and Advisory committees and serves as the Regional Deputy Chair of Regional Emergency Support Function 8 (Public Health and Medical) for the Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee. He also serves on the Pharmaceutical Taskforce of the Capitol Region Metropolitan Medical Response System. Mr. Huleatt is designated by contract between the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District as the Cities Readiness Coordinator for the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Region 3 consisting of 17 local health departments serving 41 municipalities with a population of approximately 1.2 million. Mr. Huleatt received his Master of Public Health degree and a graduate Certificate in Business Mastery at the University of Connecticut (UConn). He is Adjunct Instructor in the University’s Department of Community Medicine and serves on the Community Curriculum Planning Committee and the Applied Practice Workgroup in the UConn Public Health Program. Huleatt completed the National Public Health Leadership Institute at the University of North Carolina in 2011. Huleatt is a member of the CT Public Health Practice-Based Research Network and serves as co-PI with Dr. Emil Coman on the study “Measuring quality in local public health emergency preparedness: the H1N1 Experience”.Debbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, Clinical Instructor, Yale School of Public HealthDr. Humphries has a broad background in public health research and practice. She has consulting expertise in the areas of diet and physical activity behavior change, sustainability of community health programs, program monitoring and evaluation, and training in participatory monitoring and evaluation. She is interested in interdisciplinary research on nutrition, immune function, and disease, as well as programmatic approaches to improving nutrition and preventing disease. With the support of the Connecticut PBRN Dr. Humphries was able to work with a team of one PhD student and eight MPH students to design, implement and analyze the study reported here.Jennifer Kertanis, MPH, Director of Health, Farmington Valley Health DistrictJennifer Kertanis, MPH, is Health Director for the Farmington Valley Health District, a position she assumed in September 2012. She is the founding Executive Director of the CT Association of Directors of Health (CADH) and served in that role for 10 years, overseeing the operation and administration of all CADH programs and services. While serving as Executive Director for CADH she co-founded the CT Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) and served as co-director of the PBRN for three years, assisting to develop and implement the PBRN’s pilot studies in Connecticut. Jennifer is very active in the National Association of County and City Health Officials and has served on its Membership Committee, in its Project Public Health Ready-Emergency Preparedness recognition program and its Health Care Reform working group. Jennifer previously worked in Environmental Epidemiology at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) where she conducted numerous health assessments of hazardous waste sites. While at DPH, she was successful in securing funds and establishing the first pediatric asthma surveillance efforts for Connecticut. Jennifer also worked for the American Lung Association. Jennifer received her Master of Public Health from the University of Connecticut and her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University. Moira Lawson PhD, MPH, Associate, CT Association of Directors of HealthMoira Lawson is an associate at the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health (CADH). She received her MPH from Southern Connecticut State University with a concentration on community health education and health policy. Moira supports CADH's health equity initiatives to reframe community assessment and improvements in health outcomes through an emphasis on public health policy and practice. Before joining CADH, Moira worked on the Health Equity Alliance program at the Ledge Light Health District in New London, Connecticut. Prior to her career in public health, she was director of program management at Protein Sciences Corporation. She has also been an associate professor, international coordinator and acting department chairperson at The University of Copenhagen in Denmark and a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Moira earned a Master of Science degree and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Pace University.Leveraging Health IT to Improve the Population’s HealthDescribe how informatics principles have been applied to public health practiceDiscuss how public health services (e.g. registries, surveillance) can be enhanced through interoperable health information technology (HIT) and health information exchange (HIE)Demonstrate ways in which public health informatics can be leveraged to improve the population’s healthMatthew Cook, MPH, Clinical Research Associate, UConn School of MedicineMatthew J. Cook, MPH is a Research Associate and Instructor in the CICATS Biomedical Informatics Division at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. For the past five years, he has worked closely with community health centers and physicians on the adoption, implementation and use of health information technology including electronic health records. Currently, he works with the CT Department of Social Services to implement the Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive program. He is also a member of the Special Populations Committee of the Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut (HITE-CT) which is charged with developing policies and educational materials related to consumer and patient education about the state's health information exchange (HIE). Besides his work at UConn, Mr. Cook also teaches several courses at Capital Community College, including Public Health Informatics, in its Health IT Workforce Development Training Program. He earned his MPH degree at UConn and a graduate certificate in biomedical informatics at Oregon Health & Sciences University.Minakshi Tikoo, PhD, Assistant Professor, UConn School of MedicineMinakshi Tikoo, PhD is the Director of Evaluation and Program Development in the Biomedical Informatics Division, CICATS, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut’s School of Medicine in the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care. Dr. Takeo’s research includes health informatics, health services research; designing, implementing, and evaluating behavioral health programs; measuring quality of care; and designing information systems for measurement of outcomes. She has over 15 years of experience in the design & development of management information systems for improving data quality and performance management. Currently, she is the principal investigator for evaluating Connecticut's Health Information Exchange, using mixed-methods, survey research to understand the implications of HIEs at local, state, and federal level.Primary Care and Public Health: What’s in Your Community? Examine the importance of collaboration between primary care and the public health sector in Connecticut.Increase knowledge about the Connecticut Primary Care Coalition who focus' on access and quality of primary care and how it integrates public health.Identify ways to develop partnerships between public health & primary care in CT through technology, community based outreach, & policy.Dr. Bernadette Thomas, APRN, MPH, DNP, Chief Nursing Officer, Community Health Centers, IncBernadette Thomas, APRN, DNP, MPH, is the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Community Health Center, Inc. (CHCI), overseeing diverse nursing services across the CHCI network, including primary care, health care for the homeless, and school based health services. As CNO she ensures the quality and expansion of nursing services, the development of nursing policy, and continuing nurse education. Bernadette also works collaboratively to ensure Joint Commission and Patient Centered Medical Home compliance throughout CHCI. Building upon her service in the Peace Corps and domestic civic organizations, Bernadette continued her mission to meet the needs of the underserved by earning her MSN and MPH at Yale University in 2005, and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Johns Hopkins University in 2011. Bernadette joined CHCI as a family nurse practitioner, in 2005 as a National Health Service Corps Scholar. While at CHCI, Bernadette has served as the On-Site Medical Director in the Clinton office, the Vice President of the Medical Staff, the Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and has served as a preceptor for the Nurse Practitioner Residency Program since its inception. Bernadette has been leading quality improvement efforts to innovate the meaningful use of electronic health records to better manage chronic disease. With support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) her program to improve Blood Pressure Goal Attainment Among Adults with CKD and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus is building a model for wider application in efforts to improve and assess chronic disease management and reduce health disparities among the patients served by CHC. Bernadette has taught Adult Primary Care and maintains a faculty appointment at the Yale School of Nursing, and is a member of the Coordinating Panel of the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) for the NIDDK of the National Institutes of Health. Bruce Gould, MD, Associate Dean for Primary Care, UConn School of MedicineBruce E. Gould MD, FACP serves as the Associate Dean for Primary Care at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, the Director of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center Program, and the Medical Director for the Hartford Department Health and Human Services. He is a primary care general internist and the medical director of the Burgdorf Health Center, a community health center model clinic serving the needs of an underserved population in the north end of Hartford, CT. He is the founder and advisor to the Mobile Free Migrant Farmworker Clinic that serves the needs of the migrant Farmworkers of Connecticut. He is the recipient of numerous awards for service and education including the 2004 Pride in the Profession Award from the American Medical Association, the 2009 UConn Health Center Board of Directors Faculty Recognition Award as well the 2010 CPHA Charles G. Huntington III Award. He is the recipient of numerous awards. He was most recently awarded the 2012 Andy Nichols Social Justice Award from the National AHEC Organization for his “vision and service in pursuit of social justice and health care for the underserved, and his dedication as a role model and mentor for a generation of students and residents.” His past research focused on patient safety and quality improvement in practice and medical education as well as the health care of underserved populations. He served on the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health for the Health Resources and Services Administration from 2000-2004 and as Chair for 2004. He is a professor of Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Professor of Nursing at the UConn School of Nursing.John Lynch, Vice President, ProHealth PhysiciansJohn T. Lynch, MPH, holds Bachelor of Science, cum laude, and Master of Public Health degrees from Yale University. He has more than 36 years of experience in health care informatics working for Yale Medical Computer Sciences, the Hill Community Health Center, the Connecticut Hospital Association, Superior Consulting, ProHealth Physicians, and the Connecticut Center for Primary Care (CCPC). Mr. Lynch currently is the Executive Director for the CCPC, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit with a mission to be a premier center: for primary care research, for the translation of research, quality improvement, and patient safety into primary care practice, and for the transformation of the CT primary care system. Mr. Lynch also serves on the board of directors of the Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut (HITE-CT), a quasi public/private entity designated by the Connecticut Legislature to lead Connecticut’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) efforts. He has served as an investigator on projects from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Mr. Lynch is currently the Principal Investigator on an AHRQ grant (BICEP) to study comparative effectiveness of healthcare treatments of complex hypertension/diabetes patients. Mr. Lynch is experienced integrating multiple large, statewide, health care databases and transforming data to information including inpatient, ambulatory surgery, emergency department, hospital pharmacy, and trauma registry datasets for all hospitals in Connecticut for the Connecticut Healthcare Information Management and Exchange (CHIME). He has experience performing Clinical Quality Improvement outcomes research (Toward Excellence in Care) melding clinical insight from provider panels, information analysis, quality comparisons, and comparative monitoring of outcomes. He also is experienced in investigations of medication errors/outcomes including “RxInfo – Data Mining Tools for Assessing the Impact of Pharmaceutical Therapies on Population Based Healthcare Outcomes,” “Medication Related Errors in a Community-Based Family Medicine Practice,” “MEADERS,” and “Reducing Adverse Self-medication Behaviors in Older Adults.” He served as the associate project director of the ONC-funded Connecticut Health Information Privacy and Security Initiative and co-chair of the 10-state “Adoption of Standard Policies” Collaborative, developing policy and procedures specifications for authentication, audit, authorization, and access control for trusted HIE of personal health information. Ruthann Marcus, Associate Director, Clinical and Community Research, Yale School of Medicine AIDS ProgramRuthanne Marcus is the Associate Director of Clinical and Community Research at the Yale School of Medicine AIDS Program. She has been an epidemiologist and clinical researcher for over 25 years conducting research on infectious diseases. For 15 years, she worked as a lecturer and epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health with the Connecticut Emerging Infections Program as the Director of the Connecticut Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). Prior to that, she spent seven years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta studying transmission of HIV in health care settings. She has published numerous articles at the forefront of the HIV epidemic focused on occupational transmission of HIV/AIDS, as well as numerous articles on foodborne illness. As a Public Health Ambassador, she mentors and lectures students on careers in public health. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Medical Anthropology at the University of Connecticut conducting research on homeless women.WORKSHOP: Creating Reviewer Friendly Grant ProposalsLearn new techniques to write grantsUnderstand the nature of proposals from the reviewer's point-of-view.Improve their approach to writing grant proposals.Diane Gedeon-Martin?, President, The Write Source LLCDiane Gedeon-Martin is a nationally recognized consultant, instructor, and lecturer in the area of grants and grant seeking for nonprofit organizations. Since starting The Write Source in 1993, her firm boasts a roster of over 230 clients in 25 states and Washington, DC. Her clients achieve their goals through grant proposals she prepares to foundations, corporations, and government agencies ranging from $5,000 to $5.0 million. She is an adjunct faculty member of The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, Vice-President of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the Education Committee for the Connecticut Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and a charter member of the Grant Professionals AssociationAfternoon Breakout Session Objectives and BiographiesFrom Backpack to Briefcase: A Guide for Student Career DevelopmentObtain new understanding of occupational outlook of public health professionObtain new knowledge of resources and services for career developmentLearn new skills to readily access and effectively use the resources and services covered in the sessionMichael Carey, State of Connecticut Department of Public HealthMichael Carey is a Rhode Island native, who graduated from Providence College in 1985. He became a public servant in Connecticut in February of 1988. His entire state service has been spent in the area of human resources. About 13 of those years were at the Department of Social Services as Human Resources Generalist and as Labor Relations coordinator. He joined the Department of Public Health in 2002, and was appointed to his current post of Agency Personnel Administrator in 2003. He is an avid Red Sox fan, enjoys jazz, and in 2007 received a graduate certificate in Business Mastery for Health Related Professionals, through a program offered by the University of Connecticut in partnership with the Department of Public Health.David Gregorio, PhD, MA, Director, UConn Graduate Program in Public HealthDavid Gregorio received a Ph.D. in sociology (University at Buffalo, 1980) for work on the determinants of social movement participation. He subsequently completed an NIH Post-doctoral fellowship in Medical Sociology and Epidemiology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute where he received an M.S. in epidemiology for work on the effects of dietary fat intake on breast cancer survival. Dr. Gregorio joined the UCONN faculty in 1986 where he coordinates the Department's teaching activities in both medical/dental education and the public health program. He was appointed Director of the University's Graduate Program in Public Health and Associate Head of the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care in 2004. Dr. Gregorio teaches principles of clinical epidemiology, coordinates the MPH program's practicum project, advises graduate students and supervises independent research projects. He is the author of multiple peer reviewed research projects including racial and socioeconomic disparities in cancer screenings and geographical mapping of cancers. Dr. Gregorio's current research includes integrating public health into community college curricula and monitoring of local health department delivery of services amidst funding reductions.Hongje Wong, MLIS, MA, AHIP, Information and Education Services Dept. UConn Health CenterHongjie Wang is currently Head of Information and Education Services Department of the Medical Library and holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care at the School of Medicine of the University of Connecticut Health Center. He is also a Distinguished Member of AHIP (the Academy of Health Information Professionals.) Hongjie got his Master of Library and Information Science from Brigham Young University in 1993 and Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition from Iowa State University in 1991. Hongjie is author and co-author of a number of peer-reviewed articles, presenter of several poster sessions at professional conferences, and fellow of the National Library of Medicine's Medical Informatics program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in 2000. He is also an award winner from the APHA (American Public Health Association) for its annual conference last year and the grant winner from National library of Medicine for developing a public health statistical information course, which he taught consecutively at professional conferences of Medical Library Association, Special Library Association and other regional MLA chapters. In addition, he has been teaching a Medical Informatics course for the Master of Public Health Program for the last 12 years.Integrating Digital CommunicationsUnderstand how digital media channels integrateUse social media and owned media to get resultsUnderstanding that you can succeed in digital marketing even on a low budgetAmanda Nelson, Community Content Manager, Salesforce Radian9Amanda Nelson is a Community Content Manager at Radian6, a Salesforce company. She has been in advertising for over eight years for full service and interactive advertising agencies in New York and Connecticut. Amanda has worked on a number of brands including JetBlue, Atlantic Records and Twinings Tea. She has awards from the Advertising Club of Connecticut, New England Direct Marketing Association, the Publicity Club of New England and the American Banker Association. Her focus is social media and her current role involves building, growing and managing the expansive Radian6 social media community, as well as curating and creating content for the brand. She is also a blogger and avid writer.Jonathan Noel, MPH, Clinical Research Coordinator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterJonathan Noel, MPH, is currently a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Prostate Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. His work focuses on the identification of new biomarkers for the early detection of prostate cancer as well as studying the quality of life after prostate cancer treatment. Jonathan is also the Website and Database Manager for the Connecticut Public Health Association. Before his current position, he worked at the Harvard School of Public Health conducting research on novel tobacco products and tobacco product design. He has also worked at the University of Connecticut Health Center conducting research on screening and brief interventions for illicit drug use, and researching alcohol advertisements shown during the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Jonathan received a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a Master of Public Health from the University of Connecticut.Dan Weingrod, Digital ConsultantDan Weingrod is a digital strategy consultant with over 15 years experience building successful Web presences, digital and social marketing strategies. He has established and led digital departments and has hands-on expertise with SEO and PPC, Analytics, online Media, Mobile, Social and Web development processes. Dan’s latest focus is consulting with brands and businesses to build participation and driving innovation and creativity using Lean and Agile methodologies. Dan has a wide range of experience with brands across multiple verticals including The Hartford, Prudential Securities, Mass Mutual, M&M Mars, Humana, United Health Care and Aetna.Whither Accreditation: Big Changes Ahead for Public HealthDefine national public health accreditation and what it involvesDiscuss movement toward accreditationDescribe what local health departments need to do to prepare for accreditationTim Callahan, MPH, RS, Director of Health, Norwalk CTTim Callahan has had extensive experience with local public health in several urban, rural and suburban locations in CT. He helped to organize the Pomperaug Health District and later served as administrator of the City of Bridgeport Dept. of Health and Human Services. For the last 19 years, he has served as Director of Health for the City of Norwalk (CT) Health Department. There he helped found the Norwalk Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center providing primary care and other services to the uninsured. He serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors of Connecticut Renaissance, Inc., a provider of halfway houses for the state’s corrections system and is a member of the Board of Directors Kingsway Homes, senior housing in Norwalk. He was a member of the Governor’s Council on Regionalization of Public Health Services in Connecticut. Mr. Callahan helped to develop the national standards for public health accreditation. In 2009-2010, he served as a field surveyor for the Public Health Accreditation Board during its beta testing of the new public health accreditation tools and field survey process.Karen Spargo, MPH, RS, Director of Health, Naugatuck Valley Health DistrictFor more than 14 years, Karen Spargo has served as Director of Health of the Naugatuck Valley Health District headquartered in Seymour, CT. NVHD serves the residents of 6 municipalities in Naugatuck Valley including Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton. Ms. Spargo is currently president of the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health (CADH). In 2009-2010 Ms. Spargo served as a field surveyor for the Public Health Accreditation Board during its beta testing of the new public health accreditation tools and field survey process.Carolyn Wysocki, MA, MHSA, Chair, CABOH; NALBOH Board MemberAfter her early retirement as a psychologist from Connecticut Department of Mental Health in 1995, Carolyn Wysocki became an advocate for environmental public health. She is a past-chair and current member of the Central Connecticut Health District Board and is the New England Regional Representative and a Director on the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) governing board. Carolyn served on the Governor’s Council for Local Public Health Regionalization and as a member of the DPH Commissioner’s Council for Local Public Health. She was a founding member of the Connecticut Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut and is currently President of the Ecological Health Organization, Inc. (ECHO).WORKSHOP: Leading Through Stress: Leadership in Public HealthIdentify and explore stress drivers?Create a framework for understanding the key dimensions of workplace stress ?Build awareness of what is controllable and what is not controllable?Dave O'Brian, Speaker, WorkChoice Solutions LLCDavid’s Human Resources and Organizational Development consulting career spans twenty five years and includes key leadership and P&L responsibility within a variety of industries including, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Financial Services. In his current role, David is responsible for providing Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness consulting, coaching and training services to companies throughout the United States. His clients include such market leaders as Aetna, Avery Dennison, ConnectiCare, ESPN, Hamilton Sundstrand, KPMG, Mass Mutual, MetLife, Otis Elevator, PeoplesBank, Saint Mary’s Hospital, The Hartford, Travelers, United Technologies and U.S. Airways. He also works with many small and emerging market leaders as well as a wide range of non-profit organizations to help bring about sustainable improvements in organizational effectiveness. Prior to launching WorkChoice Solutions, LLC in 2000, David spent ten years with Lee Hecht Harrison, a global provider of business-to-business consulting services. In his role as Senior Vice President & General Manager, he was responsible for directing workforce management and executive development consulting initiatives at a number of Fortune 500 companies. Before joining Lee Hecht Harrison, David spent six years with Oak Technologies, a regional provider of Human Resource consulting services. In his role as Managing Director, David was responsible for leading training and recruiting initiatives within the high technology manufacturing sector. Prior to Oak Technologies, David was with Porter & Chester Institute for five years as Manager of Career Services. In this role, David created a pioneering co-operative education program, which received high marks from students, faculty and numerous employers. David’s strong commitment to community service has resulted in him receiving several awards including Employer of the Year (State of Massachusetts) and Business Leader of the Year (Holyoke Chamber of Commerce) for his volunteer work. Currently, he serves on the Board of the Mental Health Association of CT and the National Association of Asian American Professionals and is an active volunteer in several other community organizations. In addition to his undergraduate education in business administration, David has completed numerous professional development programs and certifications related to his profession. He is a frequent keynote speaker on the topic of leadership excellence and is a guest lecturer in the Executive MBA programs at Quinnipiac University, The Hartford Graduate Center and the University of CT. His first book, The Navigator’s Handbook, 101 Leadership Lessons for Work & Life is available on-line and in bookstores nationwide. Additionally, his articles have appeared in a wide range of local, regional and national publications and his case study, Driving Resilience from the Top Down is featured in the global MBA textbook, Leadership Learning from Real World Cases.Student Poster SessionCASE MANAGEMENT IN CONNECTICUT FOOD PANTRIES: ASSESSING AN EMERGING PRACTICEGrace Damio, MS, Hispanic Health Council; Sally Mancini, MPH, University of Connecticut; Katie Martin, PhD, University of Connecticut; Jane Ungemack, PhD, University of ConnecticutBACKGROUND: Despite a national network of over 30,000 food pantries, food insecurity rates remain high. The provision of case management services within food pantries may help increase food security and promote self-sufficiency among clients. METHOD: Assessed the extent to which Connecticut food pantries are utilizing case management and connecting customers to other services in addition to food using both qualitative (7 key informant interviews and 1 group interview) and quantitative methods (online survey to 140 Connecticut food pantry agencies). RESULTS: Almost one half of survey respondents (46%) reported providing individualized case management services. Case management practices are strongly associated with the provision of multiple services in addition to food. Case management services did not differ significantly by pantry size. CONCLUSION: Current staffing and volunteer patterns may limit the ability to provide more time consuming case management. Clarity is needed to define case management and how to implement the practice in food pantry settings. HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE NEW BRITAIN-HARTFORD BUSWAYMoira Lawson, PhD, MPH; Southern CT State UniversityBACKGROUND: A health impact assessment was conducted to determine the impact of the New Britain-Hartford Busway on health outcomes and current community conditions in the neighborhoods surrounding the project, and predict the effects of the Busway construction on residents. METHOD: Using the Connecticut Health Equity Index, measures of housing, access to healthcare, mental health, childhood illnesses, infectious disease, diabetes, and life expectancy were examined for residents living alongside the proposed site of the Busway. The effects of the project on employment and housing were then postulated for these residents, and recommendations made to enhance the positive and mitigate the negative effects of building the new transportation route. RESULTS: An assessment of the communities surrounding the Busway showed that in most cases, residents are less economically secure than in the municipalities as a whole. Economically vulnerable residents may be displaced, which can lead to negative health outcomes. CONCLUSION: While the Busway may bring increased employment opportunities, care must be taken to protect economically distressed residents from gentrification of their community.ASSESSING HIV/AIDS PREVENTION NEEDS AND SERVICES FOR YOUNG MSM IN CONNECTICUTDebbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, Yale School of Public Health; Kevin Irwin, AIDS Project Hartford; Derrick Gordon, PhD, Yale School of Medicine; Stephanie Platis, Yale School of Public Health; Shawn Lang, Connecticut AIDS Research Coalition; Margaret Lippitt, Yale School of Public Health; Yao Yang, Yale School of Public Health; Ana Sierra, Yale School of Public Health; Katelyn Stetler, Yale School of Public HealthBACKGROUND: Young men who have sex with men (MSM) bear the greatest burden of new HIV cases in Connecticut, yet funding for services have decreased. This study aimed to understand how well Connecticut agencies are serving young MSM amidst current funding environment and barriers to preventing HIV infection. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with 10 key staff at agencies serving young MSM in Hartford and Norwalk about perceptions of behavioral trends, barriers to accessing prevention services in the community, and challenges and successes in prevention programming. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. RESULTS: Young MSM face profound barriers and challenges in accessing services and have a multitude of risk factors. Despite enormous commitment and creativity, agencies struggle to overcome challenges in providing services to this community. Some challenges, particularly related to funding changes and evolving behavioral profiles of younger MSM, are relatively new. CONCLUSION: This report underlines the continuing need for closer and more responsive partnerships between public and private agencies and the entities that support them, and the need to continue to address MSM risk factor challenges.TRANSPORTATION AS A BARRIER TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLANDVincent McMahon, JD, MA, MSW, LCSW, MPH, ADC, CCS (USN), University of ConnecticutBACKGROUND: Access to transportation as a physical and psychological barrier in the delivery of substance abuse treatment is examined for individuals in Newport, Rhode Island. Experiences of similarly challenged localities are also examined as possible examples for addressing substance abuse transportation issues in Newport. METHOD: Using both quantitative and qualitative data, a search of internet resources to supplement reports published by state agencies and local facilities. Available modes of transportation and geographic locations for treatment in Newport are contrasted with the Rhode Island mainland, adjacent states, and similarly analogous catchment areas sharing geographic transportation challenges such as rural locations. RESULTS: Transportation for substance abuse treatment access, while technically available, is such that it represents a barrier to individuals in Newport seeking substance abuse treatment, retention in treatment, and post-treatment care. CONCLUSION: The lack of access to treatment and limitations in sufficient transportation for accessing residential facilities off the island negatively affects the likelihood of successfully treating substance abusing and dependent persons in Newport. Newport has a substance abuse treatment gap, and transportation access for substance abuse treatment is critical to closing this gap. USE OF SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY IN THE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANT INDIAN WOMENPavita Singh, Yale School of Public HealthBACKGROUND: Underutilization of mental health services is a major problem facing minority and immigrant populations who often have negative experiences with mental health services because of assumptions made by the practitioners. This study’s objective is to examine how mental health professionals’ perceptions of Indian immigrant women in the United States impact their treatment of and outreach towards this population. METHOD: The principal investigator audio-recorded qualitative interviews with 9 South Asian mental health professionals in the U.S. who serve Indian immigrant women. RESULTS: Changing the notion that Indian culture is a monolithic category is significant to creating effective treatment strategies (i.e. differences in language, religion, caste, and geography) which include helping clients to make sense of the immigrant experience, involving family members in the treatment process, integrating cultural values and objects familiar to the clients into the process, and challenging assumptions about Indian women and Indian culture. CONCLUSION: Use of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the idea that their observations, environments, and social networks influence individuals, helps inform suitable treatment strategies for this historically underserved and inappropriately treated, heterogeneous population.HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ NEIGHBORHOOD ASSESSMENT: IDENTIFYING PROMISING NEIGHBORHOODS FOR CHILDREN IN HARTFORDKatie S. Martin, PhD, University of Connecticut; Angela G. Colantonio, BS, University of ConnecticutBACKGROUND: Neighborhood conditions in which children live are critical to their ability to learn and thrive. The needs assessment presented identifies high-risk neighborhoods in Hartford and highlights how community resources can be utilized. This report is an update of a similar assessment completed in 2009 and is supported by Hartford Public Schools. METHOD: Neighborhoods were evaluated based on the Harlem Children’s Zone model. This framework uses child poverty rates, educational attainment, crime statistics, health indicators, neighborhood stability, and community assets to calculate scores for each neighborhood. Current scores were compared to the 2009 assessment. RESULTS: Key findings were: (1) most neighborhoods showed improvements in indicators since the 2009 assessment; (2) Frog Hollow and Clay Arsenal remain the two neighborhoods with highest risk scores; (3) Asylum Hill had the largest increase in total score; and (4) Sheldon / Charter Oak had the largest score decline, showing improvements in poverty, education, and health indicators. CONCLUSION: This report can be used to investigate what social, economic, cultural, or political changes took place in Hartford that may be responsible for the changes in scores observed. Results can be used to design interventions that promote child health and development in neighborhoods of greatest need. TRANSFORMING CONNECTICUT’S PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE BY PLANTING THE SEED FOR STATE-WIDE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER RECOGNITION Brigette Davis, Yale School of Public Health; Meredith Ferarro, Southwestern AHEC; Milagrosa Seguinot, Southwestern AHECBACKGROUND: A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline worker who serves as a liaison between underserved communities and health and human services—usually a member of that community. CHWs help reduce health disparities by increasing access to services, increasing compliance, and acting as a cultural mediator. Several states have undergone the process to define, recognize, and receive state support for this workforce. METHOD: This needs assessment tackles the first component—defining the workforce in Connecticut. During the summer two surveys were created—one for self-identified CHWs, one for health and human service providers. Surveys were electronically distributed, and gather demographic, job description, and professional development information about CHWs. Both are currently open and accepting responses. A pilot focus group took place at the host site Southwestern Area Health Education (AHEC) center in Trumbull, Connecticut. RESULTS: The needs assessment is still in its early stages and should be completed within the year. Preliminary analyses suggest few Connecticut health and human service providers are familiar with CHWs, but are familiar with the associated job titles: Outreach Worker, Patient Navigator and Case Worker. CONCLUSION: Organized events throughout Connecticut aim to bolster support for state-wide CHW recognized as an effective approach to Connecticut’s health disparities.HEALTH LITERACY OF MEDICARE RECIPIENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR PHARMACY PART DFereshteh Malekshahi, University of ConnecticutBACKGROUND: To investigate whether Medicare beneficiaries can make adequately informed choices about their health benefits given their health literacy profile. The project was motivated by a concern that the elderly are unable to make informed decisions about their health care plans due to inadequate health literacy levels. The paper focuses on the Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) of the Medicare program available to people aged 65 or older. METHOD: Analytical comparison of health literacy profile of the elderly population and the characteristics of the Medicare program using Simple Measure Of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Readability Index tool for assessing the information provided to elderly to compare health literacy and reading levels. RESULTS: Documents that were tested for health literacy level in this study for the most part required reading levels ranging from grade level 10 to 12 and even 16 (i.e., college graduate) in one case. As various studies mentioned in the study have demonstrated the reading level of the elderly at best should be considered to be at the 9th grade level and at 5th grade level for the elderly, minorities and immigrants (Doak, Doak and Root, 1996), which is much lower than reading levels of the documents that were analyzed for this paper using the SMOG formula. CONCLUSION: There is a considerable gap between reading levels of the recipients and the reading level of information on Medicare Plan D. Adequate assessment of health literacy is the key if the federal and state governments are to succeed in reforming health care and reducing health inequities, if health care providers are to increase the quality of care that they provide, and if health insurers are to control the cost of care and increase efficiencies.SURMOUNTING OBSTACLES IN SMOKING PREVENTION AND CESSATION: BARRIERS TO SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING AT A COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH CENTER IN CTAvantika Saraf, Yale School of Public Health; Frank Lin, Yale School of Public Health; Tiffanie Jones, Yale School of Public Health; Katherine LaMonaca, Yale School of Public Health; Debbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, Yale School of Public Health; Alix Pose-Sussman, Optimus BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Although smoking cessation is important to prevent various chronic diseases, durable smoking cessation is achieved by only a small fraction of current smokers. Healthcare providers possess the ability to promote smoking cessation through both counseling and pharmacotherapy. The purpose of this study is to assess the challenges and limitations to offering smoking cessation counseling encountered by clinicians at Optimus Health Care (Optimus), the largest community health center network in undeserved regions of Connecticut. METHODS: This study utilized an unstructured interview along with a structured questionnaire identify the primary barriers to smoking cessation counseling. The study also analyzed electronic medical data in order to assess whether receiving smoking cessation counseling differed by gender, race/ethnicity, age group, or insurance status. RESULTS: Barriers were identified under domains of knowledge, attitude and external barriers. Apart from that the medical data analysis showed that smoking cessation counseling offered differed with respect to gender, age, race and insurance status. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study help in providing recommendations for community-based healthcare providers regarding ways to overcome the identified barriers to smoking cessation counseling.PROGRAM EVALUATION OF AIDS PROJECT NEW HAVEN (APNH) CARING CUISINE NUTRITION INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDSIsy Tavarez, Yale School of Public Health; Xindi Fang, Yale School of Public Health; Stephanie Shao, Yale School of Public Health; Mariam Girguis, Yale School of Public Health; Chris Cole, Yale School of Public Health; Nick Boshnack, Yale School of Public Health; Logal Rimel, Yale School of Public Health; Britton Gibson, Yale School of Public Health; Debbie L. Humphries, PhD, MPH, Yale School of Public HealthBACKGROUND: HIV infection has been shown to increase resting energy expenditure by at least 10% in those undergoing HAART. In response to the increased nutritional needs of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and the high risk of food insecurity in this population, APNH started Caring Cuisine in 1988 to provide home delivered meals to homebound clients in the Greater New Haven area. METHOD: A chart review of 120 APNH active clients was conducted to compare clinical characteristics of APNH clients who are participating in Caring Cuisine to those who are not. In addition, twenty APNH clients were interviewed to compare food security, dietary intake and diversity, risk behaviors, and quality of life between the two groups. RESULTS: Caring Cuisine clients were older, lower income, and larger households and had a higher rate of viral load suppression than clients not in the program (p<0.005). In Interviews, Caring Cuisine clients were found to be less food insecure although this value was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Caring Cuisine clients significantly differ from case management clients. The higher proportion of viral load suppression for Caring Cuisine clients suggest that home delivered meal programs for people living with HIV/AIDS could enhance treatment effectiveness.PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST COLLISIONS: A HARTFORD HOTSPOT ANALYSIS George C. Bentley, MA, University of Connecticut; Kevin T. Borrup, JD, MPA, University of Illinois at ChicagoBACKGROUND: Pedestrian and cyclist collisions are a significant source of morbidity and mortality. These collisions are preventable and dependent on environmental factors, human behavior, and road design. METHOD: This study of pedestrian / bicyclist collisions with automobiles in Hartford, CT utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualize and analyze collision locations. Spatial data contained in the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s 2009 Accident History File is used to geocode the collision locations. The statistically significant clusters were mapped along with the Hartford road network and the locations of Hartford public schools for visualization purposes. RESULTS: Results of the Hot Spot Analysis reveal patterns of statistically significant collisions in 15 clusters based on pedestrians only, bicyclists only, and pedestrian and bicyclists combined. CONCLUSION: The identification of collision clusters can inform prevention efforts in those streets and neighborhoods, including streetscape design and community outreach programs.RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN TEENAGE PREGNANCY: PERSPECTIVES FROM TEENS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MAJOR CT CITIESBrigette Davis, Yale School of Public Health; Amelia Reese Masterson, Yale School of Public Health; Kate Schedel, Yale School of Public Health; Surabhi Srivastava, Yale School of Public Health; Jamille Taylor, Yale School of Public Health; Bridget Whitney Britton Gibson, Yale School of Public Health; Debbie L. Humphries, PhD, MPH, Yale School of Public HealthBACKGROUND: Teen childbearing can have negative consequences for both mother and child. Connecticut (CT) has one of the lowest teen pregnancy rates in the US; however, disparities still exist between whites and other ethnicities. Compared to white teens, black teens in CT are 4-5 times as likely to give birth; Hispanic teens 8 times as likely. METHOD: In partnership with Planned Parenthood, the project aimed to identify leading risk factors for teen pregnancy among ethnic minorities in CT, and to develop program recommendations to reduce teen pregnancies. Three teen focus groups and 2 key informant interviews were conducted to examine barriers to teen birth reduction among ethnic minorities in CT. CT teen-pregnancy data was used to estimate the effect of eliminating racial/ethnic disparities on overall teen pregnancy. RESULTS: By eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in teen pregnancy, 25.4% of CT teen births could be avoided. Focus group respondents attributed teen pregnancy to desire for pregnancy, perceived invincibility, lack of knowledge, and family precedent. Key informants pointed to lack of support to finish school, cultural attitudes toward teen pregnancy, and lack of community support as important factors. CONCLUSION: Teens and community leaders indicated that a more substantial presence of peer educators, improved sex education in schools, and increased community support could help reduce teen pregnancy among racial/ethnic minorities in CT.GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERNS IN GUATEMALARama Fall, Southern Connecticut State University; Khristen Flennoy, Southern Connecticut State University; Etienne Holder, Southern Connecticut State University; Yadiris Vega, Southern Connecticut State UniversityBACKGROUND: Global health is of concern because of its consequences reach beyond the respective country. METHOD: A group of 17 undergraduate and graduate students traveled to Guatemala for 2 weeks during summer of 2012 exploring the health concerns affecting the native Guatemalan people and obtaining a thorough understanding of the health risks and behaviors. RESULTS: This project highlights health concerns in 5 different geographic locations in Guatemala (e.g. Antigua and homelessness; Chichicastenango and air quality; Santiago Atitlan and water quality; San Juan la Laguna and reproductive health; and Tikal and sustainability). CONCLUSION: It is imperative to narrow in on these crucial health concerns since they can negatively impact the health of all Guatemalans. The efforts of various health promotion programs, health clinics and coalitions that create positive change in the health of their communities were also explored. The project should increase the knowledge of global health concerns, in addition to inviting other health advocates to become involved.AN EVALUATION OF AN URBAN MEDICAL MOBILE CLINC: IMPROVING CARE FOR MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN NEW HAVEN, CTBritton Gibson, MPH, Yale University; Ruthann Marcus, MPH, Yale University; Jamie Morano, MD, MPH, Yale University; Denise Stevens, PhD, Yale University; Debbie Humphries, PhD, MPH, Yale University; Frederick Altice, MD, MA, Yale UniversityBACKGROUND: Medical mobile clinics (MMCs) are innovative methods for providing healthcare for marginalized populations. The Community Health Care Van (CHCV) is a MMC that serves vulnerable communities in New Haven, Connecticut. An evaluation of the CHCV program was conducted to assess client demographics and service utilization patterns. METHOD: There were 23,629 CHCV visits by 8,312 clients between 1/2003 and 7/2011; 7,473 clients had complete information. Frequent and non-frequent users were analyzed using frequencies, rate ratios, and multivariate regression. Geospatial mapping assessed CHCV catchment and disease-specific areas. RESULTS: CHCV client characteristics included medically underserved populations, including the uninsured (54.5%), foreign-born (27.7%), recently incarcerated (16.9%), and injection drug users (16.7%). While insurance status did not differ between uninsured frequent and non-frequent users (53.8% vs. 54.7%, p=0.404), frequent users were significantly more likely to have social and medical comorbidities, such as homelessness (14.1% vs. 8.3%, p<0.001) and HIV (17.4% vs 4.7%, p<0.001), all of which remained significant on multiple logistic regression. Mapping showed clients originating across the entire state, but concentrated in New Haven. CONCLUSION: The CHCV serves the healthcare needs of groups that are often marginalized, and provides services to overcome barriers to healthcare and improve community mittee ReportsCommunications CommitteeChair, Elaine AbramsStaff, Jonathan NoelThe Communications Committee manages the CPHA e-newsletter and website, as well as the CPHA social media activities. This year, the Committee published 4 issues of CPHA e-newsletter, which provides members with timely updates about other committee activities, membership benefits, educational and networking opportunities, and legislative advocacy. In addition, the Committee maintains the Association's website which received over 6300 unique visitors and over 10,000 total visits from all 50 states and 150 cities within Connecticut in the last year. CPHA's presence on Facebook and Twitter has grown with over 160 Facebook "likes" and over 100 Twitter followers as of September 1, 2012. In addition, CPHA's membership blog has been active with over 40 blog posts to date.Health Education CommitteeChair, Kimberly PloszajCo-Chair, Tracy Van Oss Purpose: A forum for the exchange of information. An opportunity to educate the public health workforce and other health professionals by increasing the competency, skills and performance as they relate to the core public health essential services. The Committee serves as a networking opportunity for public health professionals that are employed in a variety of settings.Activities: The Health Education Committee meets the second Wednesday of January, April, June, September and November. Refreshments and networking occur from 8:45 am – 9:00 am. The meeting is held from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Meetings begin with (2) one-hour programs on a variety of health topics or skill ability topics of interest to the group. The remainder of the meeting involves networking, sharing of ideas, best practices and job opportunities. Goal: The goal of the Health Education Committee is to offer networking opportunities to Connecticut health educators in addition to offering CHES credits for attending education sessions. Members: Members of the Health Education Committee consist of public health professionals who work in local/state health departments, non-profit and not-for-profit organizations, community based organizations, clinical practice, academia and other healthcare settings.Membership CommitteeChair, Monika HaugstetterPurpose: The CPHA Membership Committee recruits new members and works to retain current membership. The Membership committee also promotes the efforts of the other CPHA Committees, including advocacy, health education, program planning and finance. As of September 2012, CPHA has over 315 members.Activities: The Membership Committee meets periodically to plan the coordination of membership recruitment activities and membership events, and to identify opportunities for value added services to membership. The CPHA’s management system provides CPHA with project and web content and it has allowed consolidation of the membership database. The committee strives to provide its members with opportunities to network with other members and to participate in public health advocacy efforts. The new and existing members are continuously updated (via electronic means) on all CPHA activities.Goals: The Membership Committee’s goals include maintaining the CPHA memberships throughout the year; creating a plan to emphasize and inform members and the public about the benefits of being a CPHA member; increasing the sign-up of new members.Members: The Membership Committee consists of the Committee Chair, Board Members and the Board President. Interested members of the Association are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate.Program CommitteeAlison Gilcreast, ChairKimberly Ploszaj, Co-ChairPurpose: The Program Committee’s purpose is to plan CPHA events, particularly the Annual Meeting and Conference and the Semi-annual event. This year's conference theme is Public Health Infrastructure, Quality Improvement, Workforce Development, and the title is ―Transforming Public Health: Changing Roles and Meeting Challenges.Activities: The Program Committee holds regular biweekly or weekly meetings via teleconference. Committee members, guided by the Program Committee Chair, discuss and finalize items such as conference content, budget, logistics, invited speakers, publicity materials and content, sponsors and advertisers, registration logistics, food, recruitment of volunteer staff, elections, student posters, and requirements of session organizers. Many committee members accepted tasks to handle individually such as handling CHES credits or reviewing student poster submissions. Members correspond with other CPHA committees, academic institutions, conference vendors, sponsors and presenters in order to ensure a well-executed annual conference. A paid staff person assists the Committee with many details of the conference.Goal: The goal of the Program Committee is to hold an educational, timely, interesting and well-executed annual conference.Members: Members of the Program Committee consist of public health professionals at local/state health departments, non-profit and for-profit organizations, community based organizations, clinical practice, academia and other healthcare settings.Exhibitors and AdvertisersThank you to all of our exhibitors and advertisers. Your support is vital to CPHA’s continued involvement in Connecticut’s public health activities.Gold Sponsor:AetnaBronze Sponsor:The ConnectionFriends of CPHA:Kathi TraughExhibitors:Alcoholics AnonymousCharter Oak Community CollegeCoalition for a Safe and Healthy ConnecticutConnecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc.CPHA Health Education CommitteeCPHA - CABOHConnecticut AHEC Program OfficeConnecticut Association of Directors of HealthConnecticut Department of Public Health, Office of Multicultural HealthCT-RI Public Health Training CenterMerck VaccinesPatient Advocate for You, LLCPrometheus ResearchSouthern Connecticut State University, Department of Public HealthThe United Illuminating Company/Connecticut Efficient Healthy Homes InitiativeUniversity of Connecticut Graduate Programs in Public HealthUniversity of Connecticut Health Center, Center for Public Health and Health Policy Program EvaluationMap of the Four Points SheratonNOTES_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ................
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