WashtenawCountyHealth Improvement Plan
E-Newsletter: Fall, 2005

HIP Celebrates 10 Years
On September 12, 2005 HIP celebrated ten years of healthy success with a luncheon at Washtenaw Community College. Participants heard from Public Health director Ellen Clement, UM School of Public Health, Health Behavior and Education chair Marc Zimmerman, testimonials from HIP partners on the influence HIP has had in the community and a progress report and look to the future from Adreanne Waller. (more)

2004 HIP Progress Report
The 2004 HIP Progress Report is now available. This is an annual report on the progress towards the HIP objectives.

Don’t Hang Up – On the 2005 HIP Survey!
The first calls for the 2005 HIP survey begin in October and will run to the end of December. Surveyors will be reaching over 2,000 county residents this fall with results available this spring. HIP staff will also be conducting a Latino Health survey this fall, with hopes to complete 300 surveys to help identify health needs of the growing Latino population in Washtenaw County. Beginning next summer, HIP will begin reviewing this new data and objectives. HIP partners are welcome to use the survey flyer (Don’t Hang Up!) to educate the community about the benefits of the HIP survey. If you would like to be involved in reviewing the data and objectives, stay tuned for work group opportunities!

HIP Wins Special Public Health Community Achievement Award
The Michigan Association of Local Public Health (MALPH) awarded the Washtenaw County Health Improvement Plan with a special “Public Health Community Achievement Award” at its recent state-wide conference. (more)

Are You Interested in a Leadership Role with the CHC?
The terms of office for Ruth Shantz, CHC Chair, and Measie James, Vice-Chair, are coming to an end. Kudos and thanks to both for their leadership in improving the health of our community! Now, the tough question….are YOU interested in throwing your hat in the ring? Taking a leadership role in HIP is a small time commitment with a big payoff of deeper connections with other partner agencies in HIP and a more public role in the HIP process. (more)

State Funding Updates

• The Washtenaw Steps Up project has been renewed for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Each Steps Up coalition (Saline PUPS!, Ypsilanti Health Coalition and Healthy Communities of Chelsea, Manchester, Dexter) received increased funding to implement environmental and policy changes identified this summer through various assessment projects.
  
• The Coalition for Infant Mortality Reduction (coordinated by Washtenaw County Public Health) has been renewed. For more information about the coalition, please contact Ruth Kraut, krautr@ewashtenaw.org or 544-3068.
  

HIP Committee Updates

• The next HIT team will meet on November 30, 8:00-10:00 AM at Zingerman’s Next Door. (There will be no December meeting)
• The next CHC meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Click [here] for meeting announcement.

Community Resources:

Grant finding web sites

www.fdncenter.org - The Foundation Center, a data base of private funding foundations
www.grants.gov Federal grants www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/state.htm - Michigan grants

New Active Living Research briefs available

The Designing for Active Recreation Fact Sheet (pdf) summarizes the scientific studies from the health field about the types of environments that are "activity friendly." (Updated February 2005)

The Designing for Active Transportation Fact Sheet (pdf) summarizes the current state of research into the way community design is related to whether people walk or bicycle to get to where they're going. (Updated February 2005)

The Designing to Reduce Childhood Obesity Fact Sheet (pdf) summarizes the scientific studies about the potential to change children's environments in fighting the obesity epidemic. (February 2005)