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CHES/MCHES Employer Video Executive Edge – Sept/Oct Elaine Auld, MPH, MCHES SOPHE prides itself on providing outstanding conferences and continuing education. Our vision for continued professional excellence is unfolding in several recent exciting organizational decisions. At its November 2010 meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to sponsor only one national conference per year, beginning in 2013. The Society has sponsored an annual meeting in the fall, immediately preceding the APHA annual convention, for some 50 years. In the early 1980s, SOPHE also began offering a longer, midyear scientific meeting to complement the annual conference. Over the years, each of these conferences have grown and evolved to attract some 400-600 attendees and have been important non-dues revenue sources for our operations. Yet, sponsoring two large and dynamic conferences in the span of 12 months has not been without significant organizational commitment and expense. Thus, the SOPHE board appointed two special task forces to study our meetings enterprise. Under the leadership of Sandy Bulmer and Kelli McCormack Brown, data were gathered from SOPHE member surveys; member discussions on listservs and blogs; staff time sheets and accounting; and interviews with staff and leaders. Important findings and questions emerged from the analysis, such as: More than 60% of members do not attend a SOPHE annual or midyear meeting. The future economic outlook is expected to further limit opportunities to participate in face-to-face meetings. How is SOPHE poised to serve the professional development needs of all of its members? Many members can no longer afford time or expense to attend both the SOPHE and APHA fall conferences. Is SOPHE’s meeting link to APHA, first forged in our organizational infancy, still relevant for today and the future? Significant SOPHE volunteer and staff investment is needed to support two conferences annually. To recoup staff time (without raising meeting fees), SOPHE relies on external support via grants and contracts, which have become increasingly scarce and competitive. How can SOPHE redirect staff and volunteer efforts for a more secure and robust return on investment? The advent of distance learning technology, not available a decade ago, has transformed the learning landscape. SOPHE’s current distance offerings (i.e. through webinars, journal self-study) have been embraced and supported by members. How can SOPHE expand its business model in distance education to be poised as a “go to” source for continuing education among members and potential members? After carefully deliberating these and other questions, SOPHE’s board voted not only to offer one conference per year, but also to hold its “premier” meeting in the spring (March/early April). Our restructured four-day annual conference (including business meetings), will blend the best features of SOPHE’s historic midyear and annual conferences. Convening the annual conference in early spring will provide greater flexibility to select the city/location for affordability, preferred meeting dates, and expanded reach to new audiences. The new timeline will also expand opportunities for students to present their newly completed research or theses and use the meeting to explore employment connections. Finally, while SOPHE has traditionally avoided early spring meetings so as not to conflict with the AAHE/AAHPERD convention, AAHE’s disengagement from AAPHERD (if approved) is expected to be completed by spring 2013 (see page XX). In the midst of these meetings deliberations, SOPHE’s Professional Development Committee, led by Cam Escoffery, has developed plans to expand our distance education capacity. Selected presentations from the Midyear and Annual Meetings (including our upcoming annual meeting), will be taped and offered online for CHES credits. A new learning management system (LMS) software has been selected as the back-end for managing our online offerings. The new distance education portal will be distinctly branded and house our webinars (live and taped), taped sessions from our national meetings, journal self-study offerings, and an exciting bevy of new synchronous/asynchronous continuing education courses. The new LMS will also forge links to SOPHE’s Communities of Practice to enhance peer-to-peer learning. The first course, which we hope to launch by the end of the year, will feature selected chapters from SOPHE’s Health Promotion Programs textbook. Other courses and certificate offerings (e.g. health promotion program sustainability, advocacy, budgeting, management, leadership) are being explored for 2012 and beyond. SOPHE members will have access to the learning portal at a discount, including CHES and MCHES credits. In these trying economic times, health education researchers and practitioners are called now more than ever to demonstrate their contributions to employers and improving the public’s health. Ever mindful, we are repositioning SOPHE’s resources and practices to help keep you on the professional cutting edge. We look forward to hearing from you! SOPHE-AAHE Leaders Outline Plans for the Future In late July, 12 leaders and staff from AAHE and SOPHE rolled up their sleeves in College Park, Maryland to develop detailed plans and timeline for a modified merger that would unite the two largest health education organizations. Publications, awards, archives, and other legacies of AAHE were part of the discussions. A follow-up meeting involving AAHE and SOPHE leaders was held on September 6 in Reston, VA with representatives of the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPERD)], AAHE’s parent organization. A key next step is the approval of AAHE’s disengagement from AAHPERD by the AAHPERD Assembly of Members on March 17, 2012. For questions or further information, all are invited to the “Fireside Chat” and poster session at SOPHE’s 2011 Annual Meeting, October 28-29 in Arlington, VA. Conference Report: Pensylvania Public Health Association 2011 Annual Conference THE POWER OF PUBLIC HEALTH: MOVING THE MISSION FORWARD September 26-27, 2011 Philadelphia, PA The conference was very well received with a great turnout and standing room only for the Monday keynote and reception. About 210 participants joined us on Tuesday, with great presentations and a great poster session room. Here are slides from PA SOPHE's own Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MBA, MHum, MCHES with Blossom Paravattil, MPH, CHES and Melissa Rehrig, MPH, CHES. They presented the following: "Leveraging Health Education Certification to Move the Public Health Mission Forward" Click here or on the image to download the presentation Conference program (PDF) and Conference registration (PDF) SOPHE 62nd Annual Meeting in Arlington, Virginia October 27-29, 2011 LEVERAGING THE POWER OF HEALTH EDUCATION: CHANGING SYSTEMS Don’t miss the premier health promotion conference of the year! Registration and housing for the Society for Public Health Education’s 62nd Annual Meeting are now open! The 62nd Annual Meeting will take place October 27-29th in Arlington, Virginia at the luxurious Renaissance Arlington Capital View hotel, just minutes from the nation’s capital. Take advantage of early bird savings when you register by September 19, 2011. As a special bonus, all CHES/MCHES fees are included in the registration costs, making the SOPHE conference the best value ever! For more details go to SOPHE.org and click here to see the preliminary program (PDF)	President Laurie Weinreb-Welch Treasurer Rick Schulze Secretary Kathleen Allison Member at Large/Trustee Vacant Continuing Education Committee Kay Deaner National Delegate Kay Deaner Message from the President Laurie Weinreb-Welch, MPH, CHES It is a great honor to be elected President of PA SOPHE and will do my best to serve and represent all of our members well to others in our profession. I have been member of PA SOPHE since starting as an undergraduate student at East Stroudsburg University in 1989 and became an officer when I started my first job as a Public Health Educator for the Pennsylvania Department of Health in 1993. I have learned more about my role as an educator through this professional organization and from its membership, than any orientation or staff development that any employer could provide. I know that we all work hard in our professional and personal lives every day. It is always a challenge to perform our jobs well with tight budgets, declining funding and a tough economic climate, doing more with less and increasing demands to reach our goals and fulfill our job responsibilities. Not to mention the challenges we face as we assume the role as collaborator, educator and leaders in our own communities. I feel that PA SOPHE is a wonderful forum in which to share our challenges and many successes in our professional and personal lives. The members of this organization are instrumental in enhancing the quality of life and the health of those throughout Pennsylvania. I will do my best to lead the organization forward into the future and nurture it so it many continue to grow and flourish with the always changing times ahead. One of my favorite leadership quotes by Lance Secretary, Industry Week: “Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration-of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine. More than anything else today, followers believe they are part of a system, a process that lacks heart. If there is one thing a leader can do to connect with followers at a human, or better still, a spiritual level, it is to become engaged with them fully, to share experience and emotions, and to aside the processes of leadership we have learned by rote.” I look forward to sharing those experiences and working with you this year.
JOIN PA SOPHE FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2011 Fill out the membership application here. Dear Health Professional/Student: PA SOPHE is a professional association made up of a diverse membership of health education professionals and students that are working, living or attending school in Pennsylvania. The association promotes healthy behaviors, healthy communities and provides leadership in Pennsylvania through a code of ethics, following the standards for professional preparation set by National SOPHE, research and practice, professional development and outreach. The mission for the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE mirrors the National mission. To provide leadership to the professional of public health in Pennsylvania and to contribute to the health of those living and working in Pennsylvania and the elimination of disparities through advance in health education theory and practice, excellence in p professional preparation and to advocate for public policies conducive to health. The Pennsylvania Chapter works closely with National SOPHE on current and relevant health priorities. Why Join the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE? Collaborate with members that work in schools, universities, medical/managed care settings, corporations, voluntary health organizations and federal, state and local government. Local professional development opportunities. Professional Code of Ethics Continuing Education contact hours for Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Opportunities for awards and professional recognition Professional identity Networking and Peer exchange And More! Please consider joining the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE with the attached application. Due to the tough economic times facing everyone this year, PA SOPHE Chapter membership will be FREE for 2010! JOIN TODAY! Sincerely, Laurie Welch PA SOPHE Chapter President, 2011

Heads up: Good advice in an age of distraction Have we all forgotten a basic playground principle? Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES Posted August 5, 2010 Originally published in the Delaware County Daily Times "Heads up!" It's one of the first commands we learn in group play and team sports. When an errant ball is about to descend on a schoolyard or playground, "Heads up!" is shouted, and everyone knows to duck and cover. It's a friendly, good-natured warning that we intuitively understand and appreciate. Coaches, athletes, and commentators also use the expression to compliment a smart move. Or a coach may advise a team that they must collectively "play heads-up ball." If you don't play heads-up, bad things can happen. That's why hockey players must learn to skate with their heads up - or else get whacked when trying to move up-ice. The expression is also part of the business lexicon. The boss is famous for reminding employees to keep their heads up. From the CEO to the rank and file, nobody wants to be caught with a slumping head. No matter what life brings each day, one is better served by keeping one's head up. But today fewer and fewer people are heeding that sage advice. Much of our newfangled technology - including cell phones, PDAs, video game players, digital music players, and more - is drawing our attention, and our heads, downward. At one level, this is an inconvenience or an annoyance. People performing the basic functions of life with their heads down are obstacles to the rest of us. People checking their e-mails on BlackBerries slow down the herd as it moves through a train station. Traffic grows sluggish and cars meander as drivers peek at their iPhones. Store checkout lines grind to a halt when someone is summoned by a tone. "Is that all, Miss?" No answer, because the head is down. Why fret over these mundane proclivities of our fellow man? Because taking our eyes off the road of life is not without risk. People are literally missing a step (on stairways), making missteps (into traffic), or not stepping on the brake when they should be. Most important, when the inevitable apocalypse comes, wouldn't it be nice to know what it was? Don't we want to know what took us out? And what if we had an outside chance of getting out of its way for a while? Heads up, everyone. If your time has come, don't go out not knowing what hit you. Stephen F. Gambescia is an associate professor of health services administration at Drexel University. He can be reached at sfg23@drexel.edu. Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20100723_Heads_up__Good_advice_in_an_age_of_distraction.html#ixzz0vmFzhPYg Public Health Department Would Benefit All Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES Posted Friday, June 21, 2010 Originally published March, 26, 2010 in the Delaware County Daily Times http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/03/26/opinion/doc4bac2845d03aa839471336.txt Three health status and public health resources reports from reputable universities and foundations give information to support the establishment of a fully functioning public health department in Delaware County. One report shows that residents of Delaware County have mediocre health outcomes, such as average life expectancy and self-reported health conditions, ranking 36th of the 67 counties in the state. Another report shows that our state government cannot be counted on to secure and manage money from their own budgets or the federal government to give basic health promotion and disease prevention services. Pennsylvania ranked 47th among the states in per-person dollars secured from federal government money available in disease control and health promotion. Similarly, the state budgets a low amount of per-person dollars to public health efforts ranking 39th among states. Amidst these two reports, findings from a public-health assessment of Delaware County, commissioned by Delco public officials, show serious gaps in basic public-health services, lack of coordination of public-health services and information, and an overall inability to manage basic services to match a county this size. All surrounding counties in southeastern Pennsylvania have their own public-health departments. It’s understandable that at a time of economic hardship residents and budget planners are loath to fund additional government initiatives. Additionally, those with a “less government the better” posture may be thinking this is yet another entitlement for which they may not benefit. This is not true, as public-health services coming from a dedicated county department are true public goods with benefits shared by all residents. Three guiding functions of a public-health department are assessment, policy development, and assurance. A guiding rationale of public health is that those at the local level are in the best position to determine what needs exists for the people (assessment). Why risk judgment from Harrisburg or Washington when our residents are better situated and acutely aware of public-health needs? With our own public-health department, we could determine the information and services that are efficient and effective. Most successful public policy initiatives initially come from local municipalities and counties whose legislators generally bypass partisan politics and get to work on reasonable and responsible public health measures. Why wait for state legislators to intervene? For example, cigarette vending machines were pulled from municipalities and counties well before state legislators could fathom this youth risk reduction measure. Drivers are asked to put down hand-held communication devices in some local towns, while the state legislators diddle with what is a common-sense law that clearly reduces risk of death and injury on our roads. We are aware now more than ever of the need for quick emergency response to natural and human-caused catastrophes and threats. Public health and safety assurance is best handled, even if initially, at the local level. Emergency medical, public health, and health education specialists have retooled their knowledge and skills to assure that public-health information and services are delivered in a timely manner. Some critical of public-health departments claim they serve only the select few who need a “safety net.” Public-health actions and benefits are all around us — a county health department has proved to be worthwhile for all residents. Public-health services the population needs range from preventing and controlling infectious diseases or ensuring safe food handing and distribution, to individual needs such as maternal and child health care or violence-prevention programs, to risk reduction guidance such as barriers for outdoor pools or poison control hotlines. Balancing public sector budgets and arguing the merits of legislative bills can be tiring for all involved. Citizens at any level truly do not wish ill health to others. Let’s hope the discussions and debate in this are civil and stately. A great Roman statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, often reminded his Senate: “Ollis salus populi supreme lex esto — The safety (health) of the people shall be the highest law.” *Stephen F. Gambescia, resident of Havertown, is associate professor of health services administration at Drexel University.* Council Should Be Able To Ban Cell Phones While Driving Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES Posted November 4, 2008 Three Philadelphia Council Members have introduceda bill inSeptember to ban the use of hand-held cell phones and dissuade drivers from text messaging and using PDAs to go to the Internet. This important public safety measure should be well-received and supported by other Council members and hopefully will receive little resistance from some of Pennsylvania’s administrative and legal bodies. This local motor vehicle restriction should be supported given its common sense and well-supported, safety risk-reduction rationale; and when a full understanding of local public health and safety authority is considered, it should overstep possible state agency roadblocks. Click here for the full story. Stressing Prevention Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES Posted June 26, 2008 In his article Stressing Prevention, Dr. Gambescia discusses the role of health educators in Pennsylvania. Published in ThePatriot News AS I SEE IT column June 26, 2008, Dr. Gambescia makes the case for professionally prepared health educators to be included in the "Prescription for Pennsylvania," certainly one of the most ambitious health care reform plans proposed by any state. "One health care provider that is missing from the health care team, if we are serious about this change of culture to disease prevention and wellness, is the professionally prepared health educator...Unfortunately, the state Health Department and county health departments, as well as other organizations, use far too few, if any, professionally prepared health educators." Click here to read more.

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