Hutchinson
December 12th, 2011
Minnesota Department of Health awards Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) grants to fight chronic disease
Locally driven plans will create sustainable, systemic changes to support healthy choices
In a nation-leading effort to reduce chronic disease, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has awarded 18 grants to Minnesota communities to help lower the number of Minnesotans who use tobacco or who are obese or overweight.
The Statewide Health Improvement Program, also known as SHIP, will cover 51 counties, four cities and one tribal government over the next 18 months. Funding for the 18 grants totals approximately $11.3 million.
“The Statewide Health Improvement Program reflects our commitment to improving the health of our communities,” Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Ehlinger said, “and is an important part of containing the spiraling costs of health care.”
SHIP is part of Minnesota’s historic bi-partisan health care reform initiative first signed into law in 2008. It seeks to reduce the staggering human and financial cost of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases related to insufficient physical activity, poor nutrition and commercial tobacco use. In the first two years of SHIP funding, 41 grantees covering all 87 counties and 9 tribal governments began this important work, and resulted in successes such as helping improve nutrition at 544 child care sites serving approximately 8,564 children, assisting 255 cities create plans to increase walking and bicycling, and supporting Farm to School efforts in 350 schools and 22 school districts serving at least 69,323 students. Funding for SHIP was reduced during the 2011 legislative session; therefore, fewer grantees are receiving funding this year.
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Categories: Arlington, Biscay, Brownton, Cedar Mills, Cosmos, Darwin, Dassel, Eden Valley, Gaylord, Gibbon, Glencoe, Green Isle, Grove City, Henderson, Hutchinson, Kingston, Lester Prairie, Litchfield, McLeod, Meeker, New Auburn, News, Plato, Sibley, Silver Lake, Stewart, Watkins, Winsted, Winthrop |
August 1st, 2011
McLeod County SHIP and Public Health Department are encouraging workplaces to support breastfeeding moms during World Breastfeeding Week which is August 1st-7th.
How does this help the workplace?
Some of the economic benefits of breastfeeding for both employers and employees are better infant health which means fewer health insurance claims, less employee time off to care for sick children, and higher productivity. Mutual of Omaha found that health care costs for newborns are three times lower for babies whose mothers participate in the company’s employee maternity and lactation program.
What can employers do?
In 2010, the Affordable Care Act included a provision requiring employers to provide workplace accommodations that enable employees who are breastfeeding to express their milk. Specifically, Section 4207 of the Affordable Care Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by requiring employers to provide reasonable, though unpaid, break time for a mother to express milk and a place, other than a restroom, that is private and clean where she can express her milk.
With these changes, workplaces are encouraged to support breastfeeding moms by starting and maintaining a high-quality lactation support program for employees; providing clean places for mothers to breastfeed or express milk; and work toward establishing paid maternity leave for employed mothers. For more information on lacation support in the workplace you can contact Kerry Ward, McLeod County SHIP Coordinator at 320-864-1512 or via email at kerry.ward@co.mcleod.mn.us
You can also check out the Business Case for Breastfeeding website at: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/government-in-action/business-case-for-breastfeeding/
Categories: Biscay, Brownton, Glencoe, Hutchinson, Lester Prairie, McLeod, News, Plato, Silver Lake, Stewart, Winsted |
July 21st, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, MN – Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Erik Paulsen (MN-03) today announced the creation of the Congressional Wellness Caucus. This bipartisan, bicameral caucus will investigate and share the best practices, resources and research to help employers find the most effective ways to support employee health and wellness. The caucus will be co-chaired by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-Minnesota) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin).
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Categories: Arlington, Biscay, Brownton, Cedar Mills, Cosmos, Darwin, Dassel, Eden Valley, Gaylord, Gibbon, Glencoe, Green Isle, Grove City, Henderson, Hutchinson, Kingston, Lester Prairie, Litchfield, McLeod, Meeker, New Auburn, News, Plato, Sibley, Silver Lake, Stewart, Watkins, Winsted, Winthrop | Tags: worksite wellness
April 27th, 2011
Throughout the last couple of months, local daycare and preschool providers had the opportunity to participate in a free training called I am Moving, I am Learning. Through this training, they received the skills and resources to get the young children in their care up and active.
This training was offered to all local daycare and preschool providers that have been participating in the Statewide Health Improvement Program and making policy, systems and environmental changes in their own environment to make it easier for the children in their care to be active.
Categories: Arlington, Biscay, Brownton, Cedar Mills, Cosmos, Darwin, Dassel, Eden Valley, Gaylord, Gibbon, Glencoe, Green Isle, Grove City, Henderson, Hutchinson, Kingston, Lester Prairie, Litchfield, McLeod, Meeker, New Auburn, News, Plato, Sibley, Silver Lake, Stewart, Watkins, Winsted, Winthrop | Tags: daycare training, I am Moving I am Learning, preschool training
April 26th, 2011
A unique group has come together to improve access to community facilities in McLeod County. McLeod County Highway, Parks and Public Health Departments along with the current McLeod County Trails Committee have created new signage for the county parks in McLeod County. This group has also created a map highlighting trails and parks in McLeod County. To receive a copy of this map contact Kerry Ward- McLeod County SHIP Coordinator at kerry.ward@co.mcleod.mn.us or contact your city office.
2011McLeodTrails map
Categories: Biscay, Brownton, Glencoe, Hutchinson, Lester Prairie, McLeod, News, Plato, Resources, Silver Lake, Stewart, Winsted |
