CHNA 20 News
New Website & Facebook
The Blue Hills Community Health Alliance (CHNA 20) is excited to announce our new Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council (BHRCC) website. The site will allow CHNA 20 to share updates on what the BHRCC is doing to address community transportation, and share any relevant findings with the broader community. We invite you to learn more and/or get involved!
We are also thrilled to share that CHNA 20 now has a Facebook page! We encourage you to check it out and “like” our page.
CHNA 20 Receives Massachusetts Department of Transportation Grant
CHNA 20 was recently awarded a $32,000 Community Transit grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to support Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council efforts. Read the press release here.
CHNA 20 Asked to Participate in Quincy 400 Event
On January 21st the Quincy 400 Committee held a community visioning meeting, asking residents for their input on how the city can improve by 2025 (Quincy’s 400th birthday). Event organizer Melissa Pond, who is a Principal Planner for the City’s Dept. of Planning and Community Development and CHNA 20 Steering Committee member, generously invited CHNA 20 to participate to advance efforts of the Blue Hills RCC. Specifically, CHNA 20 staff lead an interactive station to gather input on residents’ experiences using different transportation modes and recommendations for ways to improve the transportation landscape.
View the Patriot Ledger article that highlights the event and features several paragraphs on the CHNA 20 station. A big thank you to Melissa Pond for inviting us to participate!
Community Partner Announcements
MSAPC Receives CADCA’s 2019 Chairman Award
The Milton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (MSAPC) recently received CADCA’s 2019 Chairman’s Award “in recognition of their work in demonstrating outstanding knowledge, understanding, and application of the information taught at the National Coalition Academy, leading to positive outcomes within their community.”
MSAPC will receive the award during the National Leadership Awards Lunch on Thursday, February 6th at CADCA’s National Leadership Forum. Congratulations on this incredible achievement!
Randolph Community Wellness Plan
Developed in 2019 with technical assistance from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Randolph Community Wellness Plan (CWP) identifies health issues, assets, and needs of the Town, through application of a ‘social determinants of health’ framework, which evaluates community factors that influence health - including housing, transportation systems, park and open spaces, schools, food systems - in addition to health care services and access. The CWP responds to the priority health issues and needs and articulates long-term, systematic, evidence-based priorities for realizing the community’s vision for improved health. Goals areas are: Community, Health Care and Public Health, Transportation, Housing, Parks, Open Space and Recreation, Food, and Schools. Youth, older adults and immigrant residents were identified by the Steering Committee as three priority population groups. As such, the CWP articulates the issues, perspectives and needs particular to these resident groups, and recommends changes responsive to their health needs. For more information, visit our Community Data page.
The Mental Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) for Kids is Now Located at the Quincy Family Resource Center
The Health Law Advocates (HLA)’s “Mental Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) for Kids diverts children with unmet mental health needs from the juvenile justice system and helps them access services. MHAP for Kids attorneys are embedded in Family Resource Centers where they help at-risk youth overcome barriers to treatment in school systems, state agencies, and the court system.”
Upcoming Event: Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) Skills Group
Mondays, March 9 - April 27, 2020; 6:30 - 8pm at South Shore Peer Recovery
South Shore Peer Recovery is offering a unique support opportunity for parents and caregivers. The new Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) Skills Group teaches communication skills and strategies in a small group setting. Participants will work on learning modules through the Allies in Recovery online training website. Then, join other parents for a weekly discussion led by trained CRAFT facilities.
This free program is limited to 14 participants. Pre-register today at https://tinyurl.com/r7yu3aw. For more information contact Donn Young at 781-387-0453 or at dyoung@southshorepeerrecovery.com.
Statewide Announcements
New Tobacco Law in Massachusetts
Written by Mary Cole, Program Coordinator for the Greater Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership
A new tobacco law in Massachusetts is now in place and it affects where tobacco and vaping products can be sold. These changes are designed to reduce the youth vaping epidemic in Massachusetts and stop tobacco companies from targeting and addicting young people. The tobacco and vaping industries have long targeted youth, LGBTQ populations and communities of color, resulting in terrible health consequences for the public.
Here’s a simple summary of how the law will change where and what tobacco and vaping products can be sold.
The new law substantially restricts where e-cigarette and nicotine vaping products and flavored tobacco products can be purchased.
Now all flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products can only be purchased for on-site consumption at licensed adult-only smoking bars in Massachusetts.
Non-flavored nicotine products with a nicotine content of 35 milligrams per milliliter or less can continue to be purchased at stores licensed to sell tobacco products like convenience stores, gas stations, liquor stores and bodegas.
Non-flavored nicotine products with over 35 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine content can only be purchased at licensed, adult-only retail tobacco stores and smoking bars.
Beginning on June 1, 2020, menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products like cigars and flavored chewing tobacco can only be purchased for on-site consumption at licensed, adult-only smoking bars.
Also on June 1, 2020, the price of e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products will increase because of the addition of a 75% excise tax on the wholesale price.
The new law substantially restricts the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products to protect youth since flavors, including mint and menthol, are a leading reason they start using them. Local Boards of Health have the authority to assure that the new law is being followed by retailers in their communities. For more information, visit mass.gov/NewTobaccoLaw.
Contact Mary Cole at the Greater Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, mcole@baystatecs.org or 617-471-8400 ext. 138 to learn more about how this new law will protect youth from tobacco addiction and fight the tobacco industry’s targeting of youth, LGBTQ and communities of color with vaping products and menthol cigarettes.
Help for those who want to quit vaping, smoking or using other tobacco products is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and KeepTryingMA.org. Organizations that want to support people in quitting can contact Mary Cole for information and guidance on simple strategies they can implement.
Save the Date: MA DPH Ounce of Prevention Conference
March 31, 2020 at the DCU Center, Worcester
Featured Job Opportunities
Bay State Community Services (BSCS) is excited to launch a search for our newly created Grant Writer position. This is a critical position to support our mission, responsible for researching and writing proposals to foundations, corporations, and government grants.
MA Public Health Association is currently hiring for two exciting new Boston-based positions: the Public Policy Specialist will play a key role in coordinating MPHA-led coalitions as well as in analyzing and tracking policy priorities, while the Development & Communications Manager will be responsible for the development and implementation of annual communications and fundraising plans.