Winnebago County’s Health Department Earns More than $600,000 to Fight Youth Substance Abuse
(Oshkosh, WI) – The Winnebago County Health Department has been awarded a grant of up to $625,000 by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Public Health Director and Health Officer Doug Gieryn announced October 8, 2008.
The Drug Free Communities Grant program awards up to $625,000 over five years to community organizations that to work to help keep youth from using illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The grant period began October 1. Winnebago County will receive up to $125,000 per year for the next five years.
"It’s not enough to tell our kids and teenagers not to use drugs," Gieryn said. "We need to help them understand why they should stay away from these substances. This grant will help us continue to reach that goal."
Communities with a Drug Free Communities program have proven that their efforts are effective in preventing substance use and abuse among teens when compared with national rates, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The grant will support the Winnebago County Drug Free Coalition and expand its efforts in reducing tobacco use and combating alcohol, prescription drug and other substance abuse.
"We encourage parents, youth and area community leaders and organizations to join and become actively involved in the Coalition’s activities to help protect families from the harms of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs," said Emily Dieringer, interim Winnebago County DFC Coordinator.
Winnebago County is actively recruiting to hire a grant coordinator to oversee the Drug Free Coalition’s activities.
The Drug Free Communities Program, created under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, provides grants to communities to help increase public participation in local antidrug efforts.
To learn more, contact the Winnebago County Health Department at (920) 232-3000.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Senate and Assembly Candidates Show Support for Smoke-Free Workplaces
On Tuesday, October 14, at UW Oshkosh’s Reeve Memorial Union nine area candidates were invited to share their views with the public on three "hot button" health-related issues. Guest speakers provided an informative educational session for the candidates and the public before the candidates gave their comments. Karen Aspenson, UWO Social Work Professor, spoke on the urgent need for Mental Health Parity. Bill Smith, State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), spoke on the complexity of Universal Health Care. Maureen Busalacchi, Director of SmokeFree Wisconsin, spoke on the importance of Smoke Free Air. The event was moderated by Jerry Burke (formerly with WBAY).
Candidates in attendance included John Townsend (R) Assembly District 52, Dick Spanbauer (R) and Jeff Mann (D) Assembly District 53, Mark Reiff (R) and Gordon Hintz (D) Assembly District 54, Dean Kaufert (R) and Mark Westphal (D) Assembly District 55, and Susan Garcia Franz (D) Assembly District 56. Senate District 18 candidate Jess King (D) sent a representative from her campaign as she could not attend due to the Oshkosh City Council meeting.
Each candidate was given one minute to respond to each topic after the educational session. Specifically on the issue of Smoke Free Air, candidates were asked if they would support a 100% comprehensive state-wide smoke-free workplace law that includes bars and restaurants. Townsend and Kaufert want to represent what a majority of their constituents want, so they both support such a state-wide law. Hintz, Garcia Franz and King would support such a state-wide law specifically noting the health effects of second hand smoke and the cost to treat tobacco-related diseases. Reiff does not support any state-wide smoke-free law explaining that it is a property rights issue and businesses should make that decision. Mann and Westphal would support a state-wide law if there were certain exceptions for taverns (Mann would not support a 100% comprehensive workplace bill as it stands now). Spanbauer, although torn, would want equal treatment for all workplaces and would support a state-wide law.
The forum was attended by over 100 potential voters living in Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties. It was sponsored by Winnebago County Public Health, the Fond du Lac County Health Department, the Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition, the Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control Coalition, UWO Student Social Work Association, Oshkosh Student Nursing Association, the UWO Kinesiology Club and the UWO HPER Club.
Thank you to all those who attended and to those who helped make the event a success.
Candidates in attendance included John Townsend (R) Assembly District 52, Dick Spanbauer (R) and Jeff Mann (D) Assembly District 53, Mark Reiff (R) and Gordon Hintz (D) Assembly District 54, Dean Kaufert (R) and Mark Westphal (D) Assembly District 55, and Susan Garcia Franz (D) Assembly District 56. Senate District 18 candidate Jess King (D) sent a representative from her campaign as she could not attend due to the Oshkosh City Council meeting.
Each candidate was given one minute to respond to each topic after the educational session. Specifically on the issue of Smoke Free Air, candidates were asked if they would support a 100% comprehensive state-wide smoke-free workplace law that includes bars and restaurants. Townsend and Kaufert want to represent what a majority of their constituents want, so they both support such a state-wide law. Hintz, Garcia Franz and King would support such a state-wide law specifically noting the health effects of second hand smoke and the cost to treat tobacco-related diseases. Reiff does not support any state-wide smoke-free law explaining that it is a property rights issue and businesses should make that decision. Mann and Westphal would support a state-wide law if there were certain exceptions for taverns (Mann would not support a 100% comprehensive workplace bill as it stands now). Spanbauer, although torn, would want equal treatment for all workplaces and would support a state-wide law.
The forum was attended by over 100 potential voters living in Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties. It was sponsored by Winnebago County Public Health, the Fond du Lac County Health Department, the Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition, the Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control Coalition, UWO Student Social Work Association, Oshkosh Student Nursing Association, the UWO Kinesiology Club and the UWO HPER Club.
Thank you to all those who attended and to those who helped make the event a success.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How do Winnebago and Fond du Lac Counties MEASURE UP?
REMINDER:
Current Issues on Health: Candidate Forum is TUESDAY OCTOBER 14 from 5:30-7:00pm at Reeve Union, UW Oshkosh. Hope to see you there. Details from the event will be posted soon!
Current Issues on Health: Candidate Forum is TUESDAY OCTOBER 14 from 5:30-7:00pm at Reeve Union, UW Oshkosh. Hope to see you there. Details from the event will be posted soon!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Drug Free Communities Grant update
As many of you may know by now, the Winnebago County Health Department received word that we've been awarded a new grant to form a Drug Free Communities Coalition. We won't receive our "official letter" probably until the end of September but the website below lists us as a new grantee for 2008. This is a wonderful opportunity for our county and will be a great addition to our Tobacco Free Coalitions work. I will hopefully post some of the details of the grant before our meeting on September 16.
Check it out!
http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/
Check it out!
http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Just wanted to share this article from about a month ago originally from the Boston Globe. Hope it re-ignites the passion you all have for reducing the prevalance of tobacco in Winnebago County. Our efforts DO make a difference!
And don't forget our next meeting is at Buffalo Wild Wings in Oshkosh at 4:30 on Tuesday September 16. See you there!
Massachusetts Tobacco Prevention Program Drove Dramatic Reduction in Smoking Rates, Officials Say
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday announced that the state's smoking rate declined by 8 percent in 2007, attributing the reduction to the reinvigoration of Massachusetts' tobacco control program, the Boston Globe reports. The report, which is based on survey data, indicates that the proportion of Massachusetts adults who smoke decreased from 27.8 percent in 1986 to just 16.4 percent in 2007, marking an 8 percent reduction over 2006 figures and a historic low for the state. Previous research also indicates that the reduction in tobacco use was especially pronounced among adolescents, as the percentage of teenage smokers who reported smoking regularly decreased from 20.5 percent in 2006 to 17.7 percent in 2007.
Massachusetts health authorities credit the improvements in large part to the recent renewal of a statewide anti-tobacco campaign. The two-month, $500,000 initiative included an "aggressive anti-smoking television ad campaign" depicting former smokers whose health was affected by tobacco use, as well as a Web site where state residents can access information on smoking cessation. The health department expects the smoking rate to further decline during 2008, citing evidence that, since the state increased the tobacco tax by $1 in early July, residents made 7,000 calls to the state's tobacco quit line, up from a monthly average of between 400 and 500 calls.
Reflecting on the report's findings, tobacco control specialists warn that it is difficult to predict future smoking rates based on just one year of data. The former director of the state's tobacco control program, meanwhile, says the drop in smoking rates over the last three decades suggests that the state's commitment to tobacco prevention has "fundamentally changed the social norms around smoking in Massachusetts." (Smith, Boston Globe, 7/31/08)
And don't forget our next meeting is at Buffalo Wild Wings in Oshkosh at 4:30 on Tuesday September 16. See you there!
Massachusetts Tobacco Prevention Program Drove Dramatic Reduction in Smoking Rates, Officials Say
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday announced that the state's smoking rate declined by 8 percent in 2007, attributing the reduction to the reinvigoration of Massachusetts' tobacco control program, the Boston Globe reports. The report, which is based on survey data, indicates that the proportion of Massachusetts adults who smoke decreased from 27.8 percent in 1986 to just 16.4 percent in 2007, marking an 8 percent reduction over 2006 figures and a historic low for the state. Previous research also indicates that the reduction in tobacco use was especially pronounced among adolescents, as the percentage of teenage smokers who reported smoking regularly decreased from 20.5 percent in 2006 to 17.7 percent in 2007.
Massachusetts health authorities credit the improvements in large part to the recent renewal of a statewide anti-tobacco campaign. The two-month, $500,000 initiative included an "aggressive anti-smoking television ad campaign" depicting former smokers whose health was affected by tobacco use, as well as a Web site where state residents can access information on smoking cessation. The health department expects the smoking rate to further decline during 2008, citing evidence that, since the state increased the tobacco tax by $1 in early July, residents made 7,000 calls to the state's tobacco quit line, up from a monthly average of between 400 and 500 calls.
Reflecting on the report's findings, tobacco control specialists warn that it is difficult to predict future smoking rates based on just one year of data. The former director of the state's tobacco control program, meanwhile, says the drop in smoking rates over the last three decades suggests that the state's commitment to tobacco prevention has "fundamentally changed the social norms around smoking in Massachusetts." (Smith, Boston Globe, 7/31/08)
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