In This IssueNational Prevention Council Spotlight The National Prevention Strategy's 2014 Annual Status Report (PDF) is now available. It's been 3 years since the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (the National Prevention Council) released the first-ever National Prevention Strategy to refocus our nation on prevention and wellness and increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. The achievements listed throughout this year's report demonstrate the nation's progress and highlight the collective impact of the federal government and its partners to improve health and quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. | |  |
Prevention in Action Highlighted Prevention Activities from Various National Prevention Council Departments Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Proposed Updating of Nutrition Facts Label FDA proposed to update the Nutrition Facts label on food packages to reflect new public health and scientific information, including evidence on nutrition, obesity, and chronic disease. As part of the proposed updates, serving size requirements would be updated to reflect the amounts of food people are actually eating and drinking now as opposed to 20 years ago when the Nutrition Facts label was first introduced.  | | HHS/FDA - The Real Cost Campaign FDA launched "The Real Cost," a website that provides youth with information about different types of tobacco products and the real health risks associated with their use. Users can also learn about addiction, access resources on how to quit smoking, and find out about new ways to cope with difficult situations using substances. |
HHS/Office on Women's Health (OWH) - Solutions for Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace OWH launched an online resource to assist businesses in supporting breastfeeding women at work. The resource, Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions, proposes ways in which employers can comply with the Affordable Care Act's requirement to have accommodations for employees who are breastfeeding. Department of Education (ED) and HHS – Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive Collaborative ED and HHS have announced the launch of Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!, a collaborative effort with federal partners to encourage developmental and behavioral screening for children to support the families and providers who care for them. ED – Green Ribbon Schools The White House Council on Environmental Quality joined ED to announce the 2014 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees. Forty-eight schools were honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways. In addition, nine districts were honored for the District Sustainability Award. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Obesity Prevent Programs USDA announced the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will make three grants totaling $5 million to universities to develop childhood obesity prevention programs. USDA - School Wellness Standards First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced proposed guidelines for local school wellness policies. The guidelines suggest items for inclusion in wellness polices, such as goals for nutrition education and physical activity, informing parents about policies and their implementation, and assessing and reporting progress. To assist schools with the implementation of new policies, the USDA has created a School Nutrition Environment and Wellness Resources website, which includes sample wellness policy language and marketing resources. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – 2014 Clean Air Excellence Awards EPA presented the 2014 Clean Air Excellence Awards honoring nine projects from across the United States and one individual for their work on clean air and climate initiatives. The award recognizes innovative programs that protect Americans' health and the environment, educate the public, serve their communities and stimulate the economy. Department of Defense (DOD) - Campaign to Reduce Sexual Assault DOD has targeted alcohol consumption as part of its campaign to reduce sexual assault in the military, Stars and Stripes reports. There were more than 5,000 reports of sexual assault by service members last year—a 50 percent jump from the previous year.
Partners in Action: Community Highlights Poughkeepsie, NY - Housing and Services for Seniors and Veterans A new development in Poughkeepsie, New York is providing affordable housing and supportive services for seniors and homeless or disabled veterans. The 72-unit Poughkeepsie Commons includes onsite medical services and offsite referrals, and was completed with a combination of federal, state, county, and local funding support. San Antonio, Texas - Campus of Hope The Haven for Hope campus in San Antonio, Texas provides comprehensive services to the area's homeless population. The project includes the transformation of an underutilized 20-acre site near the city's downtown. The campus aims to address the root causes of homelessness by creating a dignified space for individuals to access services and resources that will help move them toward greater self-sufficiency. Resources HHS/Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - National Behavior Barometer SAMHSA released the National Behavioral Health Barometer, which provides data on key indicators of behavioral health issues at state and national levels. Data on mental illness, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, underage drinking, and treatment for disorders are included. HHS/SAMHSA - National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs SAMHSA's National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs provides updated information on federal, state, and local government and private facilities that provide substance abuse treatment services. Program information is also available online in a searchable format with maps showing the location of each facility. SAMHSA has also sponsored National Launch of the 2014 Town Hall Meetings to help educate communities about underage drinking and mobilize them around its prevention. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) - Updated Model Programs Guide OJJDP updated its Model Programs Guide (MPG), which features 180 evidence-based prevention, intervention, and reentry programs addressing a variety of topics, including child victimization, substance abuse, youth violence, mental health and trauma, and gang activity. The MPG, which now uses the CrimeSolutions.gov program review process, includes program profiles as well as literature reviews, information on implementation, and links to resources. USDA - Updated Food Environment Atlas USDA updated the Food Environment Atlas with 2012 data for many variables and 2013 data for farmers' markets. New variables include SNAP policy variables, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), very low household food security, and 2012 state-level obesity rates. HHS/CDC - Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools Toolkit CDC's new toolkit, Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools, helps schools make the healthy choice the easy choice for all students by ensuring access to free drinking water as an alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages before, during, and after school. The easy-to-use toolkit includes needs assessment tools, implementation strategies, and evaluation guidance to improve access to drinking water as part of a healthier nutrition environment in schools. EPA - EnviroAtlas Ecosystem Mapping Tool EPA has released EnviroAtlas, a web-based interactive tool that integrates over 300 separate data layers to help decision makers understand the implications of planning and policy decisions on our fragile ecosystems and the communities who depend on goods and services from these ecosystems. EnviroAtlas is designed for people from all levels of government, professionals, researchers, educators, non-governmental organizations, and anyone interested in considering the benefits or impacts of a decision, such as siting a new road or city park. ED - Teen Dating Abuse Toolkit for Trainers ED released Preventing, Assessing, and Intervening in Teenage Dating Abuse - A Training for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel. This training toolkit addresses teenage dating abuse. Specifically, it is designed for trainers to assist specialized instructional support personnel (e.g., school psychologists, social workers, school nurses, guidance counselors) in identifying, assessing, effectively intervening in, and preventing teenage dating abuse.  HUD - Consumer's Guide to Energy-Efficient and Healthy Homes HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research developed the Guide to Energy-Efficient and Healthy Homes. The Guide helps consumers better understand the strategies and product options available to them for home improvements that promote energy efficiency and improve indoor air quality. |
Community Preventive Services Task Force - Community Guide Toolbox The Community Guide launched the Community Guide Toolbox, an online resource that works hand-in-hand with The Community Guide website to help public health practitioners apply evidence-based intervention strategies. The Toolbox contains more than 20 tools for putting the recommendations found in The Community Guide into practice. Videos and Social Media Videos HHS/CDC Division of Community Health - Making the Business Case for Prevention The Division of Community Health announced new enhancements to their Success Stories application and the availability of new of three videos on Making the Business Case for Prevention: Smoke-Free. Please click on the following links to view the videos: Making the Business Case for Prevention: Smoke-free Multiunit Housing – Boston, MA Making the Business Case for Prevention: Healthy Corner Stores – Louisville, KY Making the Business Case for Prevention: A Grocery Store's Healthy Options – Parkersburg, WV Blog Posts ED - Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault in Schools This blog post highlights the importance of raising awareness, developing effective prevention strategies, and educating young people about healthy relationships. It features resources to support schools and communities in creating safe, healthy learning environments and identifying, investigating, and remedying teen dating violence and sexual assault.  My Brother's Keeper: A New White House Initiative to Empower Boys and Young Men of Color President Obama launched a new initiative, "My Brother's Keeper," which will bring the public, private, and nonprofit sectors together to create opportunities for boys and young men of color to reach their full potential. The President also created the My Brother's Keeper Task Force, which will analyze how current efforts are working and determine how the federal government can support those efforts. |
Reports and Publications HHS/CDC - Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action HHS/CDC has released Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action and its companion guide to equip communities, public health professionals, families, and young people with steps to make real and lasting differences in stopping and preventing youth violence. HHS/CDC - Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities HHS/CDC reported on public health interventions that are proven effective or show promise in reducing health disparities. The report, Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities — Selected CDC-Sponsored Interventions, United States, 2014, highlights examples of health interventions that address various topics in the 2013 report CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report—United States, 2013. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Study on Alcohol Industry Compliance with Self-Regulatory Guidelines The Federal Trade Commission released its fourth major study on alcohol industry compliance with self-regulatory guidelines, including those designed to address concerns about youth access to alcohol marketing.  Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for Full Day Kindergarten Programs The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for full-day kindergarten programs to promote health equity. The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends full-day kindergarten programs to improve the health prospects of low income and racial and ethnic minority children, based on strong evidence that full-day programs substantially improve reading and mathematics achievement. |
USPSTF Final Recommendation Statement The U.S. Public Health Service Task Force published a final recommendation statement on primary care behavioral interventions to reduce illicit drug and nonmedical pharmaceutical use in children and adolescents. **Contents of this Quarterly Update include selected activities from March 2014 to June 2014** You can also connect with us on Twitter! Follow @Surgeon_General and share your updates on the National Prevention Strategy using the #NPSAction hashtag.  | 
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