VTSF Southeast Region

Vending Machine Mini Grant

2011-05-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

Safe Routes to Schools Mini Grant

2011-05-18T05:31:00.001-07:00

Southeast Healthy Youth Day Events

2011-02-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

The southeast region grantees conducted Healthy Youth Day events around the region. Click on the link to see a video of their efforts. Thank you for all your support and doing a great job at your event.

http://animoto.com/play/VEBVLEmA8yazXMc4FXT0wg

San Francisco Ordinance on Toys in Childrens Meals

2010-11-17T10:46:00.006-08:00

While reviewing some information on the San Francisco ordinance, I ran across a few articles that are interesting and thought I'd pass them along.....

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A16PR20101102

www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2030383,00.html

www.calorielab.com/news/2010/11/05/san-francisco-happy-meal-law/

Proposed Cigarette Warning Labels

2010-11-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA) requires that cigarette packages and advertisements have larger and more visable graphic health warnings.

www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/CigaretteProductWarningLabels/default.htm

Prevention Connections School Vending program

2010-11-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

The Prevention Connections Vending program is accepting applications for up to 75 mini-grants for $500 each. The mini-grants are to support a healthy vending initiative in Virginia Title I middle schools as well as high schools with at least a 40% enrollment in the school's free and reduced lunch program.

This is a great opportunity for schools/students to look at what is offered in their vending machines during the school day.

To apply, visit http://www.preventionconnections.org

Walk to School Event

2010-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

VFHY is mentioned the Times-Dispatch article on the Walk to School Event.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/oct/07/walk07-ar-547206/

5 Worst Kids’ Meals in America

2010-08-09T06:34:00.000-07:00

Men's Health Magazine published a very informative article about unhealthy meals for kids.
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/worst-kids-meals

It also includes links to other sites such as:

The World's Fastest and Easiest Exercise Tips
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/100-best-fitness-tips/index.php?cm_mmc=Yahoo-_-ETNT-_-Worst_Kids_Foods-_-100_Best_Fitness_Tips

The Absolutely Worst Drinks in America
http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slideshow/20-worst-drinks-america-2010%20?cm_mmc=Yahoo-_-ETNT-_-Worst_Kids_Foods-_-Worst_Drinks_Updated

30 Saltiest Foods in America
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/30-saltiest-foods-america?cm_mmc=Yahoo-_-ETNT-_-Worst_Kids_Foods-_-Saltiest_Foods%20

Best and Worst Chips and Dips

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/custom.do?incFile=etntnl.jsp&cm_mmc=Yahoo-_-ETNT-_-Worst_Kids_Foods-_-Shop_Once_NL

You can also sign up for a FREE Eat This, Not That newsletter.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/custom.do?incFile=etntnl.jsp&cm_mmc=Yahoo-_-ETNT-_-Worst_Kids_Foods-_-Shop_Once_NL

Surviving Abundance: Overweight Kids in Crisis

2010-07-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

A half hour documentary, produced by WHRO, examines the epidemic of childhood obesity. Childhood health professionals paint a grim picture for the future of overweight children unless we begin to make systemic changes that support more healthy choices. Local, state and national childhood health experts, including William H. Dietz, Jr., MD, PhD, Director of Nutrition & Physical Activity at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discuss steps we can take to turn the tide, and the program highlights organizations with exemplary programs which encourage healthier lifestyles.

http://www.whro.org/home/cfc/productions/survivingAbundance.htm

Whether a Child Lights Up, or Chows Down

2010-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting article that was posted in the New York Times on July 9th.

(Click on the link below.)

Youth Smoking or Youth Obesity???

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/weekinreview/11kolata.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=obesity&st=cse

Historic Triangle Substance Abuse Coalition

2010-04-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

The Historic Triangle Substance Abuse Coalition

Presents

Let's Clear the Air: New Developments in Tobacco Cessation

Spring 2010 Coalition Meeting & Exhibitors Cafe

Guest Speaker: Linda C. Hancock, FNP, PhD
Director of the Wellness Resource Center, Virginia Commonwealth University

Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: James City-Williamsburg Community Center

School Foods at the Forefront of Research, Initiatives

2010-04-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

More than one in three middle school students who regularly eat school lunches are obese or overweight. They're also more likely to have high LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels than kids who bring lunch from home.

The research suggests that efforts to provide healthier choices on school lunch menus still have a long way to go, says Elizabeth Jackson, MD, MPH, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor. ...

Kids who bring lunch from home less likely to be overweight.

The study involved 1,076 middle school students who filled out questionnaires asking what they ate, how much physical activity they got, and the number of hours they watched TV, played video games, and spent on the computer each day. ...

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. Compared with kids who brought lunch from home, those who ate school lunches were more likely to be overweight or obese (38.2% vs. 24.7%); were more likely to eat two or more servings of fatty meats like fried chicken or hot dogs daily (6.2% vs. 1.6%); were more likely to have two or more sugary drinks a day (19% vs. 6.8%); were less likely to eat at least two servings of fruits a day (32.6% vs. 49.4%); were less likely to eat at least two servings of vegetables a day (39.9% vs. 50.3%); and, had higher levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol.

READ MORE

Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth is Now on Facebook

2010-04-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

If you are a member, please consider joining our Fan Page.

Here is the link: http://tinyurl.com/yaz5qx7

We will be posting updates on tobacco and obesity prevention.

New Commericals Coming Soon

2010-04-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

Click the link below to view the latest and greatest ads from VFHY.

http://www.healthyyouthva.org/vtsf/marketing/commercials.asp

Regional Trainings

2010-03-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth is hosting trainings across the sate. The trainings are open to anyone in the field of prevention. Each training workshop is a day-long and only costs $25! The $25 includes the cost of the training and a continental breakfast and lunch. Below is the list of the trainings for March and April. To register, click on the following link: http://www.healthyyouthva.org/training/

The Training Opportunities page will be displayed listing all available workshops with dates and locations. To review the course descriptions and register, either click on the course title or the MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION link. Simply fill in the requested information and click on the submit button.

March 30 - Richmond - Advanced Cultural Competency
March 31 - Richmond - Advanced Prevention
April 7 - Roanoke - Advanced Prevention
April 8 - Richmond - Measuring Youth Program Outcomes
April 13 - Northern Va - Assessing Student Learning
April 14 - Richmond - Assessing Student Learning
April 14 - Richmond - Fidelity Based Adaptations
April 20 - Richmond - Youth Helping Youth
April 27 - Tidewater Area - Facilitation Skills
April 28 - Richmond - How To Make Tobacco A Priority Issue
April 29 - Roanoke - Identitying the Potential of Youth
April 30 – Roanoke - Managing Behaviors In Youth Programs

Southeast Regional Advisory Board Members

2010-03-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Regional Advisory Board Members from across the state recently met to discuss current future funding, program status and to receive updated training for the current proposal process.

All Board members were recognized for their outstanding service to the Foundation. Congratulations to all members for your service - You are all greatly appreciated!!

In attendance: Kathleen Watson, Cindy Palmaz, Terrina Thomas, Kristina Beavers, Renee Rountree, Robert Alpino, Janis Dauer, Sandra Riggin, Steve Kast, Joee Hoxter, Martha Muniz, Brenda Holden, Anthony Armistead and John Mack. Absent: Michelle Donovan and Lisa Newman

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

2010-03-09T12:28:00.000-08:00

For those who haven’t heard, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will be hosting a new show called “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” which premieres Friday March 26 at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Jamie Oliver is here to start a revolution. The impassioned chef is taking on obesity, heart disease and diabetes in the USA, where our nation's children are the first generation NOT expected to live as long as their parents. Now that's scary!

Jamie is inviting viewers to take a stand and change the way America eats, in our home kitchens, schools and workplaces with the thought-provoking new series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, which debuts FRIDAY, MARCH 26 9/8c on ABC. In the six-part series, Jamie heads to Huntington, West Virginia. Why? Well, Huntington has been called the unhealthiest city in America. Jamie wants to do something about that. Through his efforts in this one town, he hopes to start a chain reaction of positive change across the country.

For more information visit the show's web site:
http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution

Play is an important part of childhood

2010-02-23T05:01:00.000-08:00

LIPause for a moment and remember how you played as a child.

Did you make mud pies, build forts, hold tea parties with imaginary friends or play kickball, baseball or some other sport in the backyard or a nearby empty lot?

Whatever you did to "make" your own fun, do your children have similar opportunities?

Leaders of the Alliance for Childhood, a national nonprofit organization of health professionals and educators, believe play helps children develop socially, academically and physically.

These days, said Joan Almon, executive director of the Maryland-based Alliance, which focuses on children's health and well-being, many consider childhood play unimportant. Yet the Alliance believes unstructured, imaginative play can help grow a successful adult.

The organization also believes play will be critical to curbing childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 9 million American children ages 6 to 19 are overweight or obese.

First lady Michelle Obama launched a campaign this month called "Let's Move" to combat childhood obesity; however, the Alliance says play is the missing ingredient.

Play does not include time spent in front of the computer, mastering video games or participating in organized sports, Almon said.

"Video games have a playful element, but most games do not really spark children's creativity, and that's one of the things authentic play does -- their imagination gets stronger, their social capacity gets stronger, their aggression levels go down," she said.

Organized sports can be great, she said, but the kids are being directed by adults.
"The way children used to play sports, they created rules or adapted rules as they needed to. What we have now is children starting at a young age to become competitive, so that in adolescence or even in college, when their bodies are really ready for sports, too many are burned out."

The Alliance advocates that children have at least 60 minutes of unstructured play every day.
Parents can make play a priority by:

•Getting children outside. Take them to the park or the backyard and let them run free while you enjoy a book.

•Cutting back on media (such as TV and video games) and reading fairy tales, myths and legends that get their imagination going.

•Giving them materials with which they can create fun stuff -- hammers, nails and plywood for older children to build a fort or tree house; sheets and clothespins to make a tent; ropes, cardboard boxes, etc.

•Allowing them to fill their own time during play dates with made-up games or activities.
It may take courage on a parent's part to pull back from some structured extracurricular activities to make this happen, but the long-term benefits will be worthwhile, she said.

"Today's children are being asked to behave in very grown-up ways and not being given the chance for the natural experience of childhood. They need time for play and for reflection. You get to know yourself and the world around you in childhood, through the informal lessons in life that sometimes come through play."

Stacy Hawkins Adams
Richmond Times-Dispatch

VCU researcher says electronic cigarettes don’t deliver the nicotine they promise

2010-02-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

One of the hottest new alternatives to smoking -- electronic cigarettes -- may deliver little of the nicotine they promise, a study at Virginia Commonwealth University is finding.

And because they lack the jolt of tobacco cigarettes, users may be modifying the electronic devices to deliver more toxic nicotine, VCU researcher Thomas Eissenberg said yesterday.

The study, to be presented this month at an academic conference, also suggests that e-cigarettes, when used according to directions, don't suppress the craving to smoke very much, Eissenberg said.

"These data scream out for the need for regulation of these devices," said Eissenberg, who is director of VCU's Clinical Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory.

"They say they are giving people nicotine, but based on our study, with the two brands we looked at and tested the way we did, that's not clear."

Nicotine is the addictive compound that hooks tobacco users.

E-cigarettes use small heaters to vaporize a mix of nicotine and alcohol, usually propylene glycol, a common ingredient in antifreeze, for a smoker to inhale. Because e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco leaf, users believe they avoid the toxins and cancer-causing compounds in cigarette smoke.

"There's millions of people who use e-cigarettes, and he's studied 16," said Amy A. Linert, a spokeswoman for the Electronic Cigarette Association.

Eissenberg tested nicotine in the smokers' blood streams

He said the results from the first 16 were so surprising that he fired off a letter to the journal Tobacco Control with his preliminary findings. The letter is being published in this month's edition of the journal. He'll present the full results to the Society for Research in Nicotine and Tobacco this month.

His blood tests found smokers averaged 16.8 nanograms of nicotine per milliliter of blood plasma five minutes after smoking conventional cigarettes, but only 2.5 nanograms or 3.4 nanograms with the e-cigarette devices.

While nicotine affects heartbeat, he noticed an increase only after his subjects smoked tobacco but not after using the e-cigarettes.

The only significant reduction in craving for a cigarette came, briefly, after his subjects tried one variety of e-cigarette within an hour of their first attempt.

"We have hundreds of thousands of customers, and their collective experience and purchasing decisions strongly indicate that our products meet the needs of people interested in an alternative to combustible, smoke-producing cigarettes," said Jack Leadbeater, chief executive officer of NJOY, the company that made one of the two devices Eissenberg tested.

Leadbeater said half his company's sales are to repeat customers, and that 94 percent of customers say they continued using the product after their first trial.

Eissenberg said he's concerned about how people are using the devices.
"If people are reporting what they are reporting about cravings, the data suggest it's not because of the drugs in the device," he said.

But Eissenberg said he's concerned about comments he has seen on blogs that some e-cigarette users are "dripping," or letting liquid from the devices' cartridges fall directly onto the heating element.

That means they may be getting relatively large doses of nicotine, which can be toxic in amounts of about 50 milligrams, Eissenberg said.

While the cartridges contain 16 milligrams, they can be refilled from bottles labeled as containing 500 milligrams, or 10 times the toxic dose, he said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has seized imports of e-cigarettes, saying they are unapproved drug-delivery devices. NJOY and another firm are challenging those seizures in federal court.

Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell Joins First Lady Michelle Obama at “Taking on Childhood Obesity” Event in Alexandria Yesterday

2010-02-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

ALEXANDRIA - Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell joined First Lady Michelle Obama to kick-off Mrs. Obama’s “Taking on Childhood Obesity” initiative yesterday. The event was held at the YMCA in Alexandria. Also in attendance were Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Dr. Judith Palfrey, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Both Mrs. McDonnell and Mrs. Obama are advocates for childhood obesity prevention and the importance of teaching children how to live an active lifestyle and eat healthy.

Speaking about Mrs. McDonnell at yesterday’s event, Mrs. Obama remarked, “Let me begin by thanking the new First Lady in the room, Maureen McDonnell. We are going to have a great time working together. She is already very engaged and supportive of these initiatives. And since she's so close I am counting on her to work alongside on some of these issues.”

Mrs. McDonnell has long been an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle. Raising five children, she always stressed the importance of staying active and eating right. Last week, Mrs. McDonnell participated in the First Annual Healthy Youth Day in Richmond, sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, where she spoke with children about physical fitness and healthy living habits. As First Lady, Maureen McDonnell will make childhood obesity prevention one of her chief initiatives.

For more information about yesterday’s event, please visit First Lady Michelle Obama’s website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama

###

Branding ban on cigarette packs?

2010-02-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

LONDON (Reuters) – The UK government launched plans on Monday to halve the number of smokers by the end of the decade and said it would consider removing branding from cigarette packets and banning cigarette vending machines.

At the moment, 21 percent of the population smoke and ministers want to reduce that figure to 10 percent by 2020, with a particular focus on young people.

"We've come so far and now we'll go even further -- to push forward and save even more lives," said Health Secretary Andy Burnham.

"One day, in the not too distant future, we'll look back and find it hard to remember why anyone ever smoked in the first place."

The number of people lighting up in Britain has fallen by a quarter in the past decade as a result of various policies including a ban on advertising, putting grisly pictures on packets and raising the age of sale for tobacco to 18.

In 2007, the government joined several others throughout the world in introducing a ban on smoking in virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces.

But despite falling smoking rates, the number of deaths attributed to smoking is still 80,000 a year.

Now restrictions will be reviewed to see if they should be extended to include entrances to buildings so non-smokers do not have to run a gauntlet of smokers.

The government is looking at protecting children from second-hand smoke by promoting smoke-free homes and cars.

Ministers are also to consider the case for plain packaging, and banning the sale of tobacco from vending machines as part of the moves to deter young people.

"Now that we've banned advertising and will soon see an end to attractive displays in shops, the only remaining method of advertising tobacco is the packaging," Burnham said.

"So we will carefully consider whether there is evidence for making tobacco companies use plain packets."

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby, Michael Holden and Kate Kelland; Editing by Steve Addison)

Smokeless-Tobacco Use By 12th Graders Hits 11-Year High

2010-02-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

Smokeless-Tobacco Use By 12th Graders Hits 11-Year High
By Richard Craver, Media General News Service

The use of smokeless-tobacco products reached an 11-year high among 12th graders nationwide in 2009, according to the annual Monitoring the Future study released yesterday. The study by University of Michigan researchers found that 8.4 percent of 12th graders used the products within a 30-day period - the highest level since 8.8 percent in 1998.

The rate had been as low as 6.1 percent in 2006 and was 6.5 percent in 2008.The rate of use among 8th graders rose from 3.5 percent in 2008 to 3.7 percent in 2009, while the use among 10th graders increased from 5 percent to 6.5 percent. By comparison, 20.1 percent of 12th graders said they smoked within a 30-day period compared with 20.4 percent in 2008.

The study, in its 35th year, included 46,097 8th, 10th and 12th graders from 389 schools. It also showed that marijuana use is becoming more popular among U.S. teens and that they have cut down on binge drinking and using methamphetamine.

The study comes on the heels of a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that showed that more local high-school students were using marijuana than smoking cigarettes. Most researchers and analysts say that it is too soon to tell whether the combination of new smokeless-tobacco products, particularly at subsidiaries of Reynolds American Inc., and recent prominent advertising in magazines played a prominent role in the increases in the use of smokeless-tobacco products.

But the report is likely to stoke further debate between two sets of anti-smoking groups. One set says smokeless tobacco serves as gateway products for teenagers to cigarettes. The other set encourages the products as a way to reduce the risk of tobacco use compared with cigarettes.

"These new products no doubt appeal to kids because they are easy to conceal, carry the names of youth-popular cigarette brands, and come in candy-like forms and flavors," said Matthew Myers, the president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "More than 60 percent of smokeless marketing is spent on price discounts, including coupons, that make smokeless tobacco products more affordable and appealing to price-sensitive youth customers."

Among the more outspoken proponents of smokeless-tobacco products as reduced-risk alternatives has been Bill Godshall, the executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania. "It appears that more youth smokers, like adult smokers, are beginning to substitute smokeless tobacco for cigarettes," Godshall said. "Since cigarettes are 100 times more hazardous than smokeless tobacco, public health benefits every time a smoker switches to smokeless, regardless of age."

The increased marketing of smokeless tobacco likely has had some effect on teenagers, said Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Spangler is involved in federally funded research aimed at developing strategy for reducing use or even quitting smokeless-tobacco products.

"It should be noted that research does not support the concept that people will quit smoking by switching to smokeless," Spangler said. "In fact, there is a very high risk that smokers who turn to smokeless tobacco become dual users of cigarettes and oral tobacco." David Howard, a Reynolds spokesman, said that "it is a guiding principle of the company that youth should not use tobacco products. All of our marketing communications are designed for, and communicate with, adult tobacco consumers."

Although it was the 10th time in the past 12 years that the smoking rate among 12th graders declined, anti-tobacco advocates said they are concerned by the marginal drop. That's because the number of adults who smoke rose from 19.7 percent in 2007 to 20.6 percent - or 46 million Americans - in 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."The proportions of students seeing a great risk associated with being a smoker has leveled off in the past several years," Johnston said.

One factor in the continuing decline of cigarette smoking among teenagers may be hormonal - 81 percent of 8th graders, 80 percent of 10th graders and 75 percent of 12th graders said "they would prefer to date people who don't smoke." "It is clear that any young person today who becomes a smoker will pay an important social price for that choice by becoming less attractive to the great majority of the opposite sex," the researchers said.

Source: Monitoring the Future study by University of Michigan researcher

The FDA Directs Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients

2010-02-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has directed cigarette companies to provide detailed information on their products by June, when the agency for the first time will begin studying the composition of cigarettes in detail, the Associated Press reported Jan. 18.
Tobacco companies also must give the FDA any research they have conducted on the effects of cigarette ingredients.
The FDA will classify the ingredients, determine their relative harm, and possibly ban some ingredients or combinations thereof. Information protected under trade-secret laws won't be publicly disclosed, but the FDA is mandated to publish a list of harmful and potentially dangerous ingredients by the middle of next year.
"Tobacco products today are really the only human-consumed product that we don't know what's in them," said Lawrence R. Deyton, the director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products.

From www.jointogether.org

Delegate Paula Miller and Councilwoman Daun Hester Visit Program in Action

2009-09-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2009

Delegate Paula Miller and Councilwoman Daun Hester paid a visit to the Tarrallton Community Center in Norfolk to observe the Life Skills Training program in Action. Both Delegate Miller and Councilwoman Hester took time to let the kids know what a wonderful job they are doing.

Youth Advocate of the Year Award - Prevention Connections

2009-08-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

Prevention Connections is currently accepting nominations for the Youth Advocate of the Year Award. Below you can find the links to the Prevention Connections web site and the nomination form.

Please share this information with anyone who may be interested.
Deadline: September 21, 2009

PC Youth Advocate award letter

Nomination form

American Lung Assocation Launches NOT Web Site

2009-07-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

The American Lung Association in Virginia is pleased to announce a new and exciting website for teens – www.vanot.org. This is a great resource where teens can begin to find out how, and why, they should stay away from cigarettes. By exploring some of the posted hard facts and other useful links, young people are exposed to an abundance of valuable information. In addition to this, teens can find out what the Not On Tobacco program is all about and where it is being offered throughout the state. Check it out today!

Military Community Addressing Tobacco Prevention

2009-07-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

If your organization reaches the millitary community, take time to visit the web site below for some great information.

Topics Include:

Your Brain on Tobacco
Tobacco News Widget
Pass It On!

http://www.ucanquit2.org/Default.aspx

New Grantee Documentation

2009-07-09T05:34:00.001-07:00

Now that the new great year has started, please make sure that all contract documentation has been submitted.

Contract

Contract Modification

Grants Manual Acknowledgement Form

If you have any questions or need assistance in getting your documentation submitted, please feel free to contact me.

End of 2008-2009 Grant Year

2009-07-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

With the end of another great year in tobacco prevention, the 2008-2009 grant year Final Quarterly Reports and Final Invoices are due by July 15. Your prompt submission is greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Judy

Welcome New Grantees

2009-07-09T05:22:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the following organizations who have been funded for programs starting July 1, 2009.

Accomack County Public Schools
Alternatives, Inc.
American Lung Association
Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Virginia
Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck
Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula
C. Waldo Scott Center for HOPE
Chesapeake Community Services Board
Eastern Community Services Board
Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board
Historic Triangle Substance Abuse Coalition
Life Changing Development Corporation
Medical Home Plus
Middle-Peninsula Community Services Board
Newport News Office on Children Youth & Families
Norfolk Office of Youth Development
Pathways-VA, Inc.
Portsmouth Public Schools
Southside Area Health Education Center
Southside Community Services Board
The UP Center
Three Rivers Health District
Western Tidewater Community Services Board
William A Hunton YMCA
YMCA of Southampton Roads

A Return to the BLOG

2009-07-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings. Let the BLOGGING begin. I am in the process of gathering some information to add to the Southeast BLOG. If you have any information you would like to share about your organization, program, related topics, etc., please send it to me for posting.

I plan on updating the BLOG weekly, so please visit often.

Judy Link
Grants Program Administrator
Southeast Region

More products trying to appeal to young women

2008-11-06T12:23:00.001-08:00

http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2008/10/virginia-slims-purse-pack-available-1st.html

What's coming next??

2008-11-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

Dissolvable tobacco offered as smoking bans proliferate; critics say it looks like candy.

Sen. Miller Visits Newport News Boys & Girls Club

2008-08-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sen. Miller for taking time from his busy schedule to visit the Newport News Boys & Girls Club. After a tour of the club, Sen. Miller, Marty Kilgore (VTSF Executive Director) and Steve Kast (Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula) took time to watch the Positive Action Program in progress. VTSF was delighted to arrange the visit and to share the work being done by our grantees in the community. 8/11/08

Alicia Keys asks cigarette maker to stop branding show

2008-07-31T11:41:00.000-07:00

Kudos for Alicia Keys!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/31/keys.cigarettes.ap/index.html

2nd Annual Statewide Parent Education Conference

2008-07-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Virginia Statewide Parent Education Coalition (VSPEC)
2nd Annual Statewide Parent Education Conference

Parent Education in Virginia ~ We’re All in This Together
Monday, September 15, 2008

TIME: 8:30am-4:30pm (8:30am Registration & Sign In)
** Continental Breakfast and Lunch Provided **

PLACE: Holiday Inn Select Richmond- Koger South Conference Center
10800 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23225

COST: $25.00 Registration Fee (The registration fee will remain the same as last year. This includes all food and conference materials.)

REGISTRATION FORM: The registration form and tentative agenda is available on the Rural Virginia United Coalition web site at www.rvuc.com

Community Builders Network of Virginia Conference

2008-07-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

Community Builders Network of Virginia
5th Annual Statewide Conference
August 21-23, 2008

The Community Builders Network of Virginia is conducting their 5th Annual Conference at the OMNI Richmond Hotel. Many interesting and helpful topics will be addressed such as:

Building Youth Leaders
The How & Why of Program Evaluation
Impact on Violence on Children & Youth
Speakers such as Dr. Ted Miller and Dr. Steve Ridini

Take advantage of this education opportunity and visit the link below.

http://www.123signup.com/calendar?Org=NetworkVA

A new wrinkle in smoking enforcement...

2008-05-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article - ENJOY!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080512/od_nm/smoking_dc;_ylt=AjMsSxVz.Ftrb_EXYx.g0cztiBIF

Photo Sharing

2008-05-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Send in your digitial pictures from your programs to share on the BLOG and to use for our Annual Conference in September. Send me any shots you have of programs in session or group shots from a graduation.

Your smiling faces will help to inspire others in their tobacco prevention efforts.

Office on Smoking and Health

2008-05-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES/RFPs

Small Innovative Grants Program. The American Legacy Foundation is accepting Letters of Intent for the Small Innovative Grants Program. This program supports projects that advance creative, promising solutions based on sound principles of tobacco control to remedy the harm caused by tobacco use in America. The deadline is Friday, May 23, 2008, 5:00pm eastern time. For guidelines and application instructions, visit: http://www.americanlegacy.org/1710.aspx.

Strategic Alliances for Health Communities Grants. Strategic Alliance for Health Communities focuses on the chronic disease risk factors of physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use, and population-based responses such as policy, systems, and environmental changes. Closing date for applications is June 24, 2008. For more information: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=LRJJ9MT8TQhhCYZTRLjLyN6pyLsPpkzB12sMRLyTXkwnpwndn2nM!1480235049?oppId=17562&flag2006=true&mode=VIEW

If you have trouble accessing these web sites, you can copy the address and paste it in your browser.

April is Cancer Awareness Month

2008-04-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Love, honor, and remember your loved one this month and celebrate National Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is the #1 most devastating killer in the United States. This year alone approximately 565,650 will die from the disease. With this startling statisitc, there is a need to increase awareness of early detection methods and ways to help live a healthier lifestyle which can help prevent cancer and reduce recurrence risk.

National Foundation for Cancer Research encourages you to be proactive this April in the fight against cancer and take the critical steps toward early detection and prevention—it could save your life.

For tips on how you can reduce your risk of cancer, click HERE.

Three Rivers Health District concludes END Program

2008-04-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Eighth grade students from Teen Life classes at Page Middle School in Gloucester County recently completed the Ending Nicotine Dependence (END) program. The students in this photo have prepared healthy snacks as part of the Nutrition module in the END program.

5th Annual Community Builders Network of Virginia

2008-04-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Mark you calendars for the 5th Annual Community Builders Network of Virginia conference on August 21-23, 2008, at the Omni Richmond Hotel. Please visit the web site at www.networkva.org as updated information will be posted.

This conference is designed to provide a framework for organizations to expand the delivery of effective prevention strategies throughout Virginia. Mark the web site on your Favorites as registration information will be released at a later date.

Mid-week Humor

2008-04-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Training Opportunities

2008-04-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

The VTSF 2008 Training Schedule is now available and 21 workshops will be offered. The trainings are open to anyone in the prevention field. A minimum of 15 registrants are required for a workshop to be held so sign up as soon as you can. If there are not enough registrants to hold the workshop, cancellation will be made from 1 to 2 weeks prior to the workshop date.

Each workshop registration fee is $25 which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Payment can be made in the form of check, purchase order or inter-agency transfer. Please send your payment with a copy of your registration form to:

Charlie McLaughlin
Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation
701 E. Franklin St. Ste 501
Richmond Va 23219.

You can register by clicking on the direct link:
http://www.vtsf.org/registration/upcoming-programs.asp

Or visit our web site
www.vtsf.org
Click on Programs then Training Opportunities.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Judy Link
757-886-2882

CDC Calendar on Tobacco Control

2008-03-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

The CDC has created a nice calendar related to tobacco control, and it can be found at the link below. It looks like it could really be a valuable tool for anyone in the tobacco prevention/cessation field.

http://cdc.gov/tobacco/media_communications/calendar/index.htm

Quarterly Reports Due April 15th

2008-03-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION GRANTEES

This is a reminder that your third quarter reports are due on April 15th.

When completing your report, please remember to share as much information as possible, especially on the front page, Upcoming Events, and the back page comments.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any assistance.

Virginia Figures Updated from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

2008-03-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Visit the link below to view the latest figures as provided by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
www.vtsf.org/data/index.asp

Also, you can visit their webs site for information from around the country.
www.tobaccofreekids.org

Foundation of Prevention

2008-03-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Foundations of Prevention is an online course offered by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention that covers the basic core knowledge of substance abuse prevention, providing information on prevention principles, approaches, strategies, as well as guidance for planning effective programs and measuring results. The course consists of eight instructional units. It may be taken for FREE or continuing education credits are available through the University of Maryland College Park for $25. To access this course:

Go to www.samhsa.gov

*Click on Center for Substance Abuse Prevention [CSAP] (right column)
*Click on Prevention Platform (left column)
*Register as a user to utilize the tools
*Click on Training at the top of the page
*Click on featured Resources
*Click on CSAP’s Foundations of Prevention On-Line Course
*Follow the prompts to register to take this specific course

Kick Butts Day - April 2nd

2008-03-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Many of you have events and activities planned for Kick Butts Day on April 2nd but if not, it's not too late to plan. Check out http://www.kickbuttsday.org/ for tons of resources.

Kick Butts Day is an annual national celebration of youth tobacco-use prevention efforts and activities sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

This would be a great way to reward your program participants and get them involved as tobacco use prevention activists!

Gov. Kaine Announces Restaurant Smoking Ban Legislation

2008-01-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

You can visit the Governor's web site and click on News Releases. Or you can go directly to the release.

Governor Kaine Web Site
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/

News Release from Governor Kaine
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/MediaRelations/NewsReleases/viewRelease.cfm?id=579

Virginians for a Healthy Future Coalition

2008-01-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

The BLOG address shown below is from the American Lung Association. This site provides valuable information on smoke-free issues, news in Virginia, and particularly this General Assembly session.

http://blog.smokefreevanow.org/

VTSF Overview Video

2008-01-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

Please take a few minutes to view the new VTSF Video by clicking on the link below. This video provides a wonderful overview of the Foundation and all that we do.

Feel free to share this BLOG site with any organization that you think may have an interest.

http://www.vtsf.org/index.asp

Smoking Bans and Cigarette Tax Increases

2008-01-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year and Smoking Bans and Cigarette Tax Increases are going into effect all over the country!

Illinois: Statewide ban goes into effect Jan. 1.
Colorado: Statewide ban extends to casinos Jan. 1.
Kansas: Kansas City suburbs' smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1 & 2, pressuring Kansas City itself.
Maryland: Baltimore smoking ban goes into effect. Jan. 1.
Texas: McKinney, Sugar Land and Fort Worth restaurant smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1.
California: Smoking ban in cars with kids goes into effect Jan. 1.
Wisconsin: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $1.77.
Maryland: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $2.

Share Your Program

2007-12-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

Take pride in your programs and share the good news. Provide me with a write-up of your program, graduation or special celebration along with photos (if available) and I'll post it to the BLOG. Other grantees love hearing about your successes and I love to share them with others.

Best Practices: Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs

2007-12-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

These are some highlights from the recently released Best Practices document from the CDC. Follow this link to find the complete CDC document: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/tobacco_control_programs/stateandcommunity/best_practices/index.htm

The more states spend on comprehensive tobacco control programs, the greater the reductionsin smoking—and the longer states invest in such programs, the greater and faster the impact.Evidence-based statewide tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustained, andaccountable have been shown to reduce the number of tobacco-related deaths and disease.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the recommended level of investment for tobacco prevention and control in Virginia is $103.2 million per year, or $13.50 per capita.

In Virginia, an estimated 9,300 adults are projected to die each year from smoking.For each person who dies, another 20 people are suffering with at least one serioustobacco-related illness.
If current smoking rates among people younger than age 18 continue, an estimated 152,000 of these Virginia youth are projected to die from smoking.

2007 VTSF Grantee Conference Follow-Up

2007-10-02T09:07:00.001-07:00

Southeast Grantees

It was great to see everyone together!! I hope you had time to talk to each other and to share your programs.

The conference was a great success. Thanks go to Terri-ann Brown and Charlie McLaughlin for pulling it together – they did a great job. I hope that everyone will share the information they have gained with their colleagues and community.

I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

Statewide Evaluation Process Update

2007-09-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

A message from Terri-ann Brown, Program Specialist

As many of you are aware, the statewide evaluation process has been modified for the 2007 - 2008 grant year. Students will now only be completing a single survey at the end of the program. This means that students will no longer be required to create a unique identifier as we will not be matching pre and post surveys. The student post surveys are one page long (front and back) and should take no longer than 10 - 15 minutes to complete. Before surveys can be administered parents must be notified about the survey using a parental notification letter.

Additionally, changes have been made to the instructor cover sheet. The cover sheet has been expanded to collect additional information regarding program fidelity. We feel that this additional information will help compare program outcomes across the state.

You should expect to receive periodic updates from VCU regarding the surveys they have received from you. If you do not receive an update directly from VCU at least quarterly, please call or e-mail your SERL contact person to request an updated list.

The timeline for receiving and submitting surveys is as follows:

- Agency contact should have received surveys at least two weeks before the program is scheduled to end (unless the agency has requested an alternative mailing cycle)

- Agency contact will distribute surveys and parental notification letters to instructors

- Instructors return surveys with coversheets as soon as they have been completed (within two weeks of last session)

SERL Contact Info

Central and Southwest Regions
Candace Price
Phone: 804-827-4247Fax: 804-827-3793e-mail: ceprice@vcu.edu

North and Southeast Regions
Andy Hollins
Phone: 804-827-4223
Fax: 804-827-3793
e-mail: s2aholli@vcu.edu

We are hopeful that this streamlined process will enable us to effectively assess program outcomes across the state as well as track program fidelity across programs. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me!

Terri-ann Brown
Program Specialist
Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation
701 E. Franklin Street
Suite 501
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 225-3466
Fax: (804) 225-2272
www.vtsf.org

Governor’s Conference Round Table

2007-09-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Building on the success of the Round Table format from the first Prevention Comes First Conference, the Governor’s Office for Substance Abuse Prevention is inviting individuals and groups to apply as presenters at the “Round Table - Mini-Workshop” sessions at this year’s Prevention Comes First Conference. The conference is being held on Monday, October 29, 2007 in Richmond. The intent is for participants to hear how groups in communities across the Commonwealth have chosen and implemented an effective prevention practices & program, as well as the resulting outcomes.* The choice of which prevention program and/or practice to present is left to the presenter(s) and is not limited to the theme of bullying; hence, the “and beyond” in the title. The proposal to present is attached.The Round Table – Mini-Workshop format is an effective way for participants to receive a great deal of information about programs and practices in a condensed time period. Presenters will speak with groups of ten (10) or fewer participants at a “round table” for 15, minutes with five (5) minutes for questions before participants move to another table.

Presenters repeat their presentation in three consecutive sessions, enabling participants to hear multiple presentations. Presenters are asked to use flip charts or battery-powered laptops (no cords or sound) as visual aids, and to bring handouts for participants to take with them. Set-up time should be kept to ten (10) minutes or less. Round Table – Mini-Workshops will be held from 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Proposals should be submitted to:
Dr. Michelle Schmitt Mail: GOSAPEmail: mmschmit@vcu.edu
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23219
Fax: (804) 828-0962

Selection of presenters will begin on September 15, 2007. Those chosen will be notified by October 1, 2007. Each Round Table Presentation selected will receive complimentary access for one presenter to attend the full Prevention Comes First Conference.

For questions please contact Dr. Schmitt at (804) 827-2610.

Deadlines

2007-09-04T06:59:00.001-07:00

Program Schedules:
Program Schedules are due as they are finalized. All schedules are to be submitted prior to the beginning of the program.

Invoices:
Monthly invoices are due by the end of the month following the expenditures.
Example: July expenses are due by the end of August.

Final Invoice is due on July 15, 2008.

Quarterly Reports:
Reports are due by the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter.

October 15, 2007
January 15, 2008
April 15, 2008
July 15, 2008 (includes Final Report)

Local Evaluation Contact Needed

2007-08-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Please provide a helping hand to another grantee!!
If you know the name of someone who does local evaluation, please send their contact information to me. One of our grantees is in need of a local evaluation consultant for their Life Skills Program.
I appreciate your help - Judy

VTSF Report Forms

2007-08-23T05:55:00.001-07:00

The latest program forms are on our web site - http://www.vtsf.org/

Please be sure that you have successfully downloaded your forms. All three-year grantees must download the invoice form as it has been updated for the current grant year.

If you have any problems, please contact me. Thanks

2007 - 6th Annual Grantee Conference

2007-08-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

The deadline for the conference rate at the Marriott Newport News at City Center is August 25th. If you have not already done so, please register soon. The hotel reservation number is: 866-329-1758. Use code VTNVTNA. Below are the links to the registration form and to verify your registration if you have already registered.

Registration: http://www.vtsf.org/registration/registration-form.asp?regfrm=57-6tn

Verify Registration: http://vtsf.org/registration/reglist2.asp?regfrm=57-6tn

If you need any assistance, please feel free to contact me. Thanks!

Greetings

2007-08-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Southeastern Region VTSF grantees

Welcome to the latest vehicle VTSF is utilizing to help network regional grantees and share information about the tobacco prevention and cessation world.

I will be using this blog to post announcements, reminders, news, etc. on VTSF. You can also leave a comment for any of the posts. The hope is to make this a resource for grantees to make inquires, provide assistance and overall network with other grantees as well as VTSF staff.

Please forward any suggestions you may have for the blog. Items that will be posted include:
- Training opportunities
- Announcements
- Helpful hints
- Photos sent in by YOU!
- Reminders of due dates/deadlines
- News from grantees (please email me any success stories)

I will monitor and update the blog regularly so plan to visit often. I look forward to working with all of you to make this blog a great success. Judy