November is Tobacco Awareness Month and NashvilleHealth continues to work with partners on efforts to reduce the number of Nashvillians who smoke and by doing so drastically reduce preventable illness and death in our community. Tobacco control is one of NashvilleHealth’s initial focus areas because 21 percent of Nashvillians smoke, far more than the 12 percent national target set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On November 16, NashvilleHealth hosted the Tobacco Free Tennessee Coalition for productive discussions on tobacco-oriented policy and related legislative activities.
NashvilleHealth is also a committed partner of the Tennessee Department of Health’s annual “Quittin’ Time” campaign. “Quittin’ Time” encourages and empowers smokers across the state to break the smoking habit. Stay tuned for more information on campaign events to take place throughout the week of February 13, 2017.
NashvilleHealth continues work with the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) and Tennessee State University on our Collective Impact Learning Collaborative (CILC) to reduce infant mortality rates in Nashville.
On September 9, we co-hosted a local stakeholder meeting with nearly 50 attendees participating in small group discussions. The purpose of the meeting was to hear reactions to broad themes and recommended interventions from national experts. This feedback will help us to continue to define the most effective strategies to pursue in reducing infant mortality in the community. The meeting was covered by press including The Tennessean and WKRN-TV.
Supported by CityMatCH, the national organization of urban maternal and child health leaders, the CILC is designed to build a community collaborative to enhance the impact of efforts to advance child health priorities in the community.
Above: Great work by Saint Thomas Health at their recent Medical Mission that convened Nashville agencies to provide free care to more than 700 local residents. Hundreds of volunteers provided primary and specialty care, vision screenings, dental and pharmacy services and behavioral medicine.
In celebration of four decades of service to the Nashville community, Neighborhood Health hosted a Recognition Breakfast on September 22. Mayor Megan Barry was the keynote speaker at the event, which honored the contributions of three early founders of the 40-year-old network of community health centers: Dr. Robert Bone, Irwin Venick and Dr. Eric Chazen.
The Dispensary of Hope, part of the mission of Ascension and Saint Thomas Health that distributes more than $2.2 million in medications a month to the low-income and uninsured in 24 states, has moved into a larger building in North Nashville. The new facility is four times bigger than the Dispensary’s previous home and offers increased physical capacity to serve those in need.
NashvilleHealth was pleased to recently announce our inaugural Governing Board, comprised of distinguished business, health, academic, government and community leaders. “The caliber of these board members confirms the importance of NashvilleHealth’s charge and demonstrates the outstanding commitment of the city’s leaders to collaboration, innovation and the health of all Nashvillians,” said Senator Frist.
To read the full news release, please click HERE. For further information, see news stories below.
Sen. Bill Frist launches initiative to boost health outcomes in Nashville (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Meet the heavy hitters tapped by Bill Frist to help guide his newest project (Nashville Business Journal)
Health officials tackle high infant mortality rate in Tennessee (WKRN-TV)
New collaboration takes aim at infant mortality in Nashville (The Tennessean)
HHS Announces “A Call to Action to Create a 21st Century Public Health Infrastructure” (Health.gov)
Above: MPHD spread the word about safe sleep with this ad during Infant Mortality Awareness Month in September.
Building off our collaborations with HHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Karen DeSalvo, NashvilleHealth is featured prominently in the final Public Health 3.0 report — Public Health 3.0: A Call to Action for a 21st Century Public Health Infrastructure. In addition, Metro Health Director Bill Paul participated on a panel session during the report presentation in Washington, D.C.
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