Member Central
VaHS Health News
Health Advisory Committee
The Virginia State Health Advisory Committee meets about six times a year at the Hanover DSS. Meeting dates are on the Calendar of Events page. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 804-372-1065.
Dorothea Butts and Leslie Nussman, Health Advisory Co-chairs
Early Head Start Dental Health
Bright Smiles for Babies:
Fluoride Varnish Study of Virginia Early Head Start Children Executive Summary, Summary 2009 (PDF)
2009 Health Institute
The 2009 Health Institute was held on Nov. 5-6, 2009 in Glen Allen. See presentations and photos.
Upcoming Meetings
All Virginia Head Start Association Health Advisory Committee meetings will be held at the DSS in Ashland from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m except as noted.
- VAHSA Conference (TBD) Chesapeake Convention Center
- Tuesday, May 18, 2010
- Tuesday, September 21, 2010
- Tuesday, November 16, 2010
News
Weight of the State Conference
For those interested in childhood obesity prevention, plan to attend this Virginia summit on May 17 and 18, 2010. Note: There will be a registration fee (TBD) and VTSF grant funds may not be used. See the flyer.
The Healthy Child Care America Resource Library is now live!
www.healthychildcare.org/resourcelibrary.html
The Resource Library is a database with a wealth of resources related to early education and child care. Users are able to search by topic, type of resource, AAP materials, and/or materials for families.
New resources will added regularly, so check back often!
Virginia Code Change
Effective July 1, 2008, the Code of Virginia at § 32.1-37 requires family day homes, child day centers, children’s residential facilities, and child caring institutions licensed by the Department of Social Services to report outbreaks of disease to the health department. The health department defines an outbreak as ‘the occurrence of more cases of a disease than expected.’ This means that any time a facility director feels that more children are ill than is normal, she should call the local health department that serves the city or county in which the facility is located. This could apply to any disease, and there is no set level of disease that needs to be met to be considered an outbreak. The requirement boils down to if the director suspects that an outbreak may be occurring, the local health department should be notified by phone call. The health department will help assess the situation and make recommendations to help prevent the spread of disease. Please cooperate with the health department, provide them the information they request, and realize they are partners with us in protecting the health of the community.
Meeting Agendas & Notes
- January 2009 Meeting Agenda (PDF)
- September 2008 Meeting Minutes (PDF)
- September 2008 Meeting Agenda (PDF)
- April 2008 Meeting Minutes (PDF)
- April 2008 Meeting Agenda (PDF)
- January 2008 Meeting Minutes (PDF)
- January 2008 Meeting Agenda (PDF)
- September 2007 Meeting Minutes (PDF)
Info Memos
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Lead Screening, ACF, March 20, 2008 (PDF)
Resources
Strategies for Promoting
Prevention and Improving
Oral Health Care Delivery
in Head Start: Findings
from the Oral Health
Initiative Evaluation,
Volume I: Final Technical Report --
October 1, 2008 (PDF)
Sample Individual Care Plan, supplied at the April 2008 meeting (Word doc)
Sample Individual Care Plan for a Special Health Condition, supplied at the April 2008 meeting (Word doc)
Health Advisory Committee Bylaws, updated 9/2008 (Word doc)
Obesity
F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America
Adult obesity rates rose in 31 states over the past year and decreased in none, according to a new RWJF-supported report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH). But while the obesity epidemic continues to draw increased attention, there hasn't been a coordinated national response to match the scope of the problem.
The fourth edition of the report F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America ranks obesity rates in each state, provides a review of federal and state policies aimed at preventing or reducing obesity, and recommends action steps for families, communities, schools, employers, the food and beverage industries, health professionals, and government.
Study Finds Preschoolers Vulnerable to Fast-Food Advertising
Aug 7, 2007
A study in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine finds that most preschoolers prefer the taste of food packaged in McDonald's wrappers over identical food in plain wrapping, suggesting that children are significantly influenced by fast-food marketing, HealthDay reports. In one of the first studies to assess the effect of a company's branding efforts on children, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine recruited 63 children ages 3 to 5 enrolled in Head Start, a federally sponsored preschool program for low-income families, to participate in a taste test. Researchers presented participants with five pairs of food items, including hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, milk and carrots, wrapping one item in each pair in McDonald's packaging and the other in similar packaging without the McDonald's logo. Read more.
Health & Fitness
Food and fitness regimes are not universal -- we have cultural and ethnic considerations to keep in mind. This American College and Sports Medicine Newletter looks at Population-Specific Health and Fitness Issues and examines why certain populations are more at risk for certain diseases than others and what preventative measures can be taken by these populations to ensure healthier, happier lives.
ACSM Newsletter (PDF).