New Template for = MPHA

September=20 = Update

"Pandemic Flu: = Learning=20 from the Past, Preparing for the Future" MPHA = Annual=20 Meeting

Another=20 influenza pandemic is inevitable...but we don't = know=20 when. We must forge new partnerships and=20 strengthen our foundations to address today's = problems=20 and prepare for tomorrow's threats. Please = join us=20 at MPHA=92s annual meeting to discuss how to = learn from=20 the past, respond to the present, and plan for = the=20 future.

The meeting = will be=20 held on Thursday, October 5, 2006 from 11:30 = a.m. - 5:00=20 p.m. at the Royal Plaza Hotel in = Marlborough.

Our=20 keynote speaker is Dr. Alfred Crosby, author of=20 America=92s Forgotten Pandemic: The = Influenza of=20 1918. We will have a response panel = including=20 Paul Cote, DPH Commissioner and Stacey DeBoise = Luster,=20 Human Resources Director for Worcester Public=20 Schools.

The = meeting also=20 features a poster session and expo, awards = celebration,=20 light buffet lunch, and book-signing by Dr. = Crosby and a=20 networking reception. CEUs for nurses are=20 available.

To download the brochure = with a=20 registration form, please click here. You may also register online here = or by=20 visiting www.mphaweb.org.

Environmental = and=20 Occupational Health Section=20 = Meeting

The = Environmental and=20 Occupational Health Section will be meeting on = Thursday,=20 September 28, from 5:30 =96 7:30 at the MPHA = office in=20 Boston. The meeting is open to all MPHA = members=20 and interested newcomers. For more = information,=20 please contact Eric Weltman: 617-524-6696, ext. = 111; eweltman@mphaweb.org.

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Central=20 Massachusetts=20 Report

The Central=20 Massachusetts Regional Committee has been = continuing its=20 work on emergency preparedness and pandemic flu = planning=20 for special populations. On August 7, MPHA = staff=20 and regional committee members Joanne Triestman = and=20 Keesha LaTulippe attended a meeting to discuss = community=20 planning and communications. Participants = included=20 local emergency planners, the Metropolitan = Medical=20 Response System, the Worcester Office on = Disability,=20 Worcester city council members, and community=20 organizations. The regional committee is = planning=20 a forum on the issue in the last week of = October.

In addition, = the=20 regional committee is working with the = Massachusetts=20 Coalition of School Based Health Centers, = Worcester=20 Interfaith, and Worcester community leaders to = conduct=20 research and identify a planning committee for = the Model=20 Healthy Schools campaign.

For more = information,=20 or to get involved, contact Sara Kanevsky: = 508-414-0976;=20 sara.kanevsky@gmail.com.

Western=20 Massachusetts Report

In late=20 August MPHA and the Springfield Department = of=20 Health and Humans Service conducted a focus = group on=20 emergency preparedness and vulnerable = populations at=20 Shriners Hospital in Springfield. The meeting = was=20 facilitated by Jeff Timperi of the Department of = Public=20 Health=92s Office for Emergency Preparedness and = Dr. Frank=20 Robinson of Bay State Health Systems. = Members of=20 Springfield neighborhood groups and agencies=20 participated in the focus group. Javeria = Mir, a=20 graduate student at the UMass School of Public = Health=20 and an MPHA intern, is analyzing the = results.

MPHA was = invited to=20 participate in the planning process for a 10 = year-grant=20 from the Kellogg Foundation. The proposed = project would=20 identify nutrition and exercise needs for the = City of=20 Holyoke and institute programs to improve the = health of=20 the city=92s residents. Participants in = the planning=20 group include Daniel Ross of Nuestras Raices = Inc., Judy=20 Sopinski of the Holyoke Health Center, and MPHA = member=20 Jeff Harness, of the Western Massachusetts = Center for=20 Healthy Communities (a program of = Cooley-Dickenson=20 Hospital).

For more = information,=20 or to get involved, contact AJ Juarez: = 413-750-2060; ellis6065@charter.net.

Save the Date! = Book=20 Reading

Michele = Simon will=20 be reading and signing her new book, Appetite = for=20 Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our = Health and=20 How to Fight Back, on Wednesday, November 1, = 2006,=20 6-8 p.m. The reading is sponsored by = MPHA,=20 with the location to be determined. For = more=20 information, contact Roberta Friedman: = 617-524-6696,=20 ext. 103; rfriedman@mphaweb.org.

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Save the Date! = APHA=20 Reception

MPHA will be = hosting a=20 reception for all Massachusetts APHA and MPHA = members at=20 the APHA Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 5 = from=20 6-7:30 p.m. at the Seaport Hotel. For more = information, contact Roberta Friedman: = 617-524-6696=20 x103; rfriedman@mphaweb.org.

Commercialization=20 Summit

The Campaign = for a=20 Commercial-Free Childhood is holding its annual = summit,=20 entitled "Consuming Kids," on October 26-28 in=20 Boston. It features a distinguished group = of=20 scholars, activists, parents, and educators who = will=20 talk about how marketing undermines children=92s = health=20 and well-being and what we can do about it. This = year=92s=20 summit features a special focus on marketing in=20 schools. For more information,=20 contact Lauren Wholley at 617-278-4280 or = www.commercialexploitation.org.

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Harvard symposium to honor Dr. = Julius=20 Richmond

The Harvard Medical = School=20 Department of Social Medicine, Harvard School of = Public=20 Health Fran=E7ois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for = Health and=20 Human Rights, and the Center on the Developing = Child at=20 Harvard University will host a symposium on = September=20 26, 2006, =93Child Health and Development in the = 21^st Century,=94 to celebrate the=20 90^th birthday of Dr. Julius B.=20 Richmond,=20 founder of Head Start and former Surgeon = General. The=20 event will be held=20 from 8:00 a.m =96 5:00 p.m. at the Harvard = Club, 374=20 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. Admission is free.=20 Registration in advance is strongly=20 encouraged. Information and registration = are found=20 at www.hsph.harvard.edu/richmond.

Renew your membership=20 today!

MPHA = has won=20 important victories in recent months and your = support,=20 your voice, and your membership were critical to = these=20 victories. MPHA has an ambitious agenda = laid out=20 for the coming months and we need your continued = support. Please take a moment to renew your membership = in MPHA=20 and invite your friends and colleagues to join,=20 too!

Not sure if = your=20 membership is current? Contact Kara Keenan = for=20 more information: 617-524-6696 ext.113; kkeenan@mphaweb.org.