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Meeting Calendar
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- JUNE 20th CAR SEAT CLINIC at WALMART PARKING LOT 12:30-2:30pm
- JUNE 22nd Community Health Group will meet at the LV Peace & Justice Center at 5:30 - working on S.A.N.E.(Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners)
- JUNE 22nd MSG Meeting (Mora, San Miguel, Guadalupe Behavioral Health Collaborative 4) 10am-noon in Santa Rosa at the High School
- JUNE 23rd HEALTH COUNCIL MEETING 9am-11am at the Public Health Office on 18 Gallegos Road
- JUNE 23rd INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE COMMITTEE - ORIENTATION TO SAFE HAVEN PROGRAM 11am-2pm at the Public Health Office on 18 Gallegos Road. Lunch will be provided.
- JUNE 23rd Key Interview Guide training for Diabetes / Obestiy Committee members who will be participating in policy research 3pm-5pm at the Pulic Health Office on 18 Gallegos Road
- JUNE 24th TriCounty Family Justice Center Community Partner meeting 11am 214 S.Grand
- JUNE 25th TCA Operations phone conference 9am
- JUNE 25th VISTA GALLINAS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING APARTMENT Groundbreaking 10:30am 2525 RidgeRunner Road
- JUNE 25th San Miguel DWI Council 11am-1pm at Pino's Restaurant
- JUNE 26th MSG Housing Coalition Meeting 11:30-1pm - Luna Community College Humanities Bldg Room 102
- JUNE 26th & 27th American Cancer Society Relay for Life
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- June 27th Tri County Family Justice Center ANNUAL BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT 9:30am NMHU Golf Course $65 per persons
- JUNE 27th 11 Annual Anti-Tobacco Bike-a-Thon. Sponsored by: SM Libre de Tabaco, Somos Familia, DOH/TUPAC, Trujillo Agency, 10:00-11:00 am at Somos Familia Parking Lot (1216 9th Street) 11:00 am, Ends at Melody Park (Activities at Melody Park). BBQ, Jumping Pen, Cake Walk, Bike Give-a-way, Games, Music, Tobacco Prevention Educational Booth FUN ! FUN ! FUN !
The health priorities that the Health Council is currently working on are interpersonal violence, diabetes and obesity, and teen pregnancy prevention. In addition, the health Council partners with health councils in Mora and Guadalupe counties to create the MSG Behavioral Collaborative.
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Policy & Advocacy Alerts
Issue: Co-pays for Medicaid beneficiaries
Background: HB 438 would require those who receive Medicaid to come up with
as much as a $50 co-pay before they could receive treatment in an emergency
room. This would serve as a barrier to getting prompt medical attention for
many low-income New Mexicans. And it's simply the wrong thing to do during
tough economic times when more and more people are struggling to make ends meet.
Action Needed: Please contact Governor Richardson and ask him to veto HB438.
What You Might Say: I urge you to veto HB 438 because it will cause needless
suffering, which will fall hardest on the most vulnerable New Mexicans. Thank you.
Contact Info: Email Gov. Bill Richardson via a form on his website or call 505-476-2200.
Issue: Funding for the Violence Against Women Act
Background: As the economy plummets, family violence is skyrocketing. Shelters are full and are turning victims away;
calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline have increased dramatically. Meanwhile, declines in local
and state funding have forced some programs to cut staff and scale back services.
Congress is beginning to make decisions about funding allocations for 2010. They need to hear from you to
know that funding for the programs that keep our families safe must be a priority!
Action Needed: Visit www.stopfamilyviolence.org/get-involved/take-action-now to urge your Representative to support full funding for
the Violence Against Women Act and other victim service legislation.
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March Interpersonal Violence Notes
Chair: Therese Melton, 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Victims’ Assistance Unit
Meeting: Every 4th Tuesday of the month right after the Health Council Meeting at 11 AM at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Interpersonal Violence Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on relationship violence, including child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. This incorporates causes and consequences, cost to the county and the affected family. The committee collaborates with schools, agencies and individuals working with these issues, and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- The Interpersonal Violence Committee is completing work on the planning framework. The objectives that need to be prioritized are: Advocating for the reimplementation of a multidisciplinary team to discuss cases/ strategies/etc, work with the 3 school districts to assess what programs are in place, assess what is awareness programs are in place in the community, implement a program similar to the Safe Haven project in Santa Fe, support efforts to establish a shelter for victims of domestic violence, awareness of existing policies & agreements.
- At the March Health Council meeting, various agencies who may deal with or provide services regarding violence in the community were invited to talk about what they do. Participants included: NMBHI-Community Based Services-Sexual Assault Services; NM CYFD; Somos Familia; Adolescent & Family Services; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
- The committee began a media campaign so that every agency/organization involved with the committee could pick a month and then create, public service announcements and participate in radio talk shows to raise awareness of interpersonal violence and what the agency/organization is doing to address the problem. We are currently reorganizing this activity and identifying a lead to ensure implementation
- Ordered posters and information from the Family Violence Prevention Fund that were dispersed within the county. The information included signs of violence and who to contact for help.
Past Accomplishments – Due to the work by this committee, the Tri-County Family Justice Center at 213 S. Grand Ave was opened. The center treats families impacted by domestic violence and currently the center is planning on a new location and has expanded services into More and Guadalupe Counties.
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March Diabetes/Obesity Notes
Chair: Michell Aragon, Las Vegas City Schools Cardinal School-Based Wellness Center
Meeting: Every 2nd Friday of the month at 10 A.M. at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Diabetes Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on diabetes; signs and symptoms, risk factors and consequences, and to collaborate with schools, agencies and individuals working with diabetes and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- There will be presentation and discussion on Diabetes/Obesity at the April Health Council meeting. We will invite: El Centro, Recreation Center, Headstart Chile Project, Dr. Ruiz, Lee (Pecos), East & West School Clinic/Wellness Center, Casa de Cultura, Riverwalk, Jeannie McKinley, Farmer’s Market & County Extension Agent. Presenters will be asked: What screenings are they doing (if any)?How are they following up? What outreach & program activities do they offer? What problems are they seeing in the community? How can the Health Council help them to reach their goals?
- Working with El Centro to create a community garden at their Las Vegas clinic
- Collaborating with NM Coalition to End Hunger, Communities for All Ages and Northeastern New Mexico Regional Community Foundation to organize the Las Vegas Coalition to End Hunger
- Partnering with schools and Alliance for a Healthier Generation to assess wellness policies
- Participating in a pilot program with Office of Health Promotion and Community Health Improvement, University of New Mexico Evaluation Team, and NM Diabetes Prevention and Control Program to develop a collaborative model around diabetes.
- Ensuring that diabetes health providers are identified in the Resource Guide, which includes a one-page quiz on determining risk factors for diabetes.
- First year Diabetes Fair in April, 2008. The fair is designed to educate children with either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes and their parents.
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March Teen Pregnancy Notes
Chair: Erika Derkas, New Mexico Highlands University
Meeting: Every second Friday of the month at 12:00 noon at the Las Vegas Public Health Office Conference Room at 18 Gallegos Rd.
Purpose: The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Committee focuses on bringing awareness to county residents on teen pregnancies; Causes and consequences, cost to the county and the teen parent, and to collaborate with schools, agencies and individuals working with teens, and plan activities to increase collaboration, identify and fill gaps in services, leverage resources, and raise awareness.
Current Activities:
- The Committee has received a $1,000 mini-grant from Office of Women's Health to conduct a community activity during Women's Health Week, May 11-16, 2009. We are planning a "Teen Town Hall", modeled after the "Believe in Girls" conference we worked on in 2007. We are having weekly phone conferences to plan this event. The calls are held every Thursday at 9am, 1-866-617-3400, access code 836916#. All meetings are open invitation.
- As part of a social work internship in 2006, Tanya Gonzales made classroom presentations to area high and junior high school students about her experiences as a teen mom. She expanded her presentations to include factual information on STDs and HIV, and on healthy relationships. She currently contracts with the San Miguel Health Council to provide about 110 presentations per school year in schools in the county.
- As a result of high rates of risky male behavior, lack of services targeting males, and a desire by the young men for information tailored to them, the Health Council applied for and received a grant to provide awareness to teen males through peer education. The South Valley Male Involvement Project visited Las Vegas and presented at Memorial Middle School and West Las Vegas High School in the first week of April, 2008. The Las Vegas Youth Commission attended training in June of that year to implement a similar project in our Community. In September, 2008, the Health Council began a partnership with Public Health to provide for a social work intern to deliver a male-centered curriculum called "Wise Guys" to junior high aged boys.
- Additionally, the Health Council co-sponsored the Believe in Girls Conference in the summer of 2007.
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March MSG Update
County Leads:
- Mora – Antonio Medina
- Guadalupe – JoAnn Rivera-Velasquez
- San Miguel – Yolanda Cruz
- Consumer Representative – Shela Silverman
- Family Representative – Barbara Gurule
- Provider Representative – Lorraine Esquibel
- Total Community Approach – Coordinator – Marino Rivera
- MSG/TCA Assistant – Kristy Tapia
Meeting: MSG meets bimonthly and locations vary. February and August at Mora, April and October at Las Vegas, and June and December at Santa Rosa. The April meeting will be held at Luna Community College from 10am-Noon, call Kristy Tapia for more information at 617-5571 or email at msg@desertgate.com - visit the MSG/TCA Website
Purpose: The overall purpose of Local Collaborative is to develop strong local voices to help guide Behavioral Health planning in New Mexico.
Goals:
- To have a single Behavioral Health System in New Mexico.
- The creation of a consumer, youth, and family driven system.
- A Behavioral Health System in which available resources are coordinated and managed effectively. At both state and local levels, the challenges of balancing limited services are being addressed by collaborating, sharing strategies, solutions, and resources in the hope of producing a better quality of life for those with Behavioral Health needs in New Mexico.
FREE Training - Person First Language
MSG Family Member Group and Luna Community College Montanas del Norte AHEC along with ValueOptions will be sponsoring a FREE training on April 22, 2009 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Current Activities:
- MSG Family Member Committee sponsored a Family Day Training in February 2009, provided by Value Options. Next Training, Person First Language, is April 22nd at Luna Community College 10am-12
- MSG Housing Task Force/Housing Coalition has been meeting regularly. During the first meeting on January 15, 2009, Tim Gallegos presented on the Veterans Housing Project. The February 5, 2009 meeting was more focused on establishing goals for the coalition. The next meeting is scheduled for April 9, 2009 at 11:30 am at Luna Community College, Humanities Building room 102. This area is one of two, state-wide that has been identified to work on supportive housing in New Mexico
- Two MSG providers are considering participating in a Quality Service Review (QSR) Pilot Project. Only two locations in New Mexico will be doing Adult QSR; Santa Fe and Las Vegas (MSG). This project will consist of Consumers and Providers reviewing cases of selected agencies The individuals participating from the MSG Group will review cases in Santa Fe and vice versa.
- The MSG Group TCA Project has been selected to pilot a project focusing on providing services to National Guardsmen and women. TCA was selected for this because of the Central Intake model being used here. The TCA is requesting training be provided for the Clinical and Recovery Support Service Providers;
- At the beginning of 2008, the MSG received notification that the group was awarded a grant for $700,000 to implement the Total Community Approach (TCA) grant to be started in Las Vegas with training activities in Mora and Guadalupe Counties. To learn more about TCA, go to their website at www.msg-group.info. The project is intended to treat substance abuse and co-occurring disorders in individuals by treating the whole person. It is a consumer driven project with outpatient treatment options from clinical counseling, recovery support services, such as oriental medicine and pastoral guidance, case managers known as promotoras, and various other options. TCA also provides some substance abuse services in the San Miguel County Detention Center. This program is funded by NM Behavioral Health Purchasing COllaborative through June of 2010.
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March Health Council Update
The San Miguel Health Council meets every fourth Tuesday of the month. Meetings are in the Las Vegas Public Health Office at 18 Gallegos Rd. Las Vegas, NM. These meetings are opened to the public and if anyone wishes to make a presentation at a meeting, please contact Yolanda Cruz, Health Council Coordinator at 425-9770 or smhealthcouncil@desertgate.com
Attendees for the March Health Council Meeting:
- Kathy Duran Adolescent & Family Services 454-8151 queenkatd@hotmail.com
- Linda Durant NM Alzhiemer's Association 426-9840 lindadurant@hotmail.com
- JoAnn LaFerriere NMBHI-CBS/Sexual Assault Services 454-5115
- Elaine V. Luna Montanas del Norte AHEC 454-2585 eluna@lunda.edu
- Mathew P. Martinez Alta Vista Hospital 426-3959 mathew_martinez@chs.net
- Adam Metcalf El Centro Family Health Center 425-6788 adam.metcalf@ecfh.org
- Sigrid Olson Pecos Valley Medical Center 505-757-6481 sigridolson@pecoshealth.org
- Barbara Perea Casey Court Appointed Special Advocates-CASA 454-0223 renacuajo01@yahoo.com
- Marino Rivera Mora Valley Community Health Services 575-387-5069 mrivera@mvhs.org
- Margaret Vazquez Geffroy Social Concerns Committee/IC Church vazroy@newmexico.com
- Yolanda Cruz San Miguel Health Council 425-9770 smhealthcouncil@desertgate.com
- Marvella Gallegos San Miguel Health Council 425-9770 smhealthcouncil@desertgate.com
- Kristie Tapia MSG/TCA 425-9770 msg@desertgate.com
- Justina ROmero CYFD 425-9335 jusintam.romero@state.nm.us
- Skye J. Mares CYFD 425-9335
- Donna Romero WLV Family & Youth Resource Program 426-2505 donnaromero.wlv.fyrp@hotmail.com
- Lisa Torres West Las Vegas Head Start 429-2490 e_i_torres@hotmail.com
- Pauline Valdez West Las Vegas Head Start 429-2490 pvaldez_54@hotmail.com
- Tim Gallegos Somos Familia 425-8120 tgallegos@somosfamilialv.org
- Renee' Ciddio San Miguel County Detention Center 454-7403 rciddio@smcounty.net
- Erika Derkas NM Highlands University 454-3432 ederkas@nmhu.edu
- Chief Gary Gold Las Vegas Police Department 425-7504 ggold@ci.las-vegas.nm.us
- Connie Trujillo Women's Health Care Provider 425-9801 connie@rezio.net
- Ron Hale NM Department of Health 505-827-0247 ron.hale@state.nm.us
- Jack Evans Mora Valley Community Health Services 575-387-5069 jevans@mvchs.org
- Hedy Trevino Ayudantes 425-6718
- Andrea Einer Ayudantes 425-6718
- Felicia R. Martinez Big Brothers/Big Sisters 426-8510
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Planning Framework
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Community Notices & News
Las Vegas Coalition to End Hunger:
Nancy Pope (with the NM Coalition to End Hunger and Communities for All Ages) and Marshall Poole (with Northern New Mexico Regional Community Foundation) have been working on getting a group together to focus on Hunger in Las Vegas. Last year, Nancy’s group worked with the schools on the summer food programs and provided weekend food bags for the youth. There are 2 pools of funding available for Las Vegas: $12,000 ($6,000 for the east side and $6,000 for the west side) - Most, about $5,000 per site, is used for weekend food bags and $1,000 per site for intergenerational community gardens; There is also $5,500 through Communities for All Ages for the community to complete a survey and create a plan defining how to change hunger. These are due June 1st. More funds will be available for subsequent years.
Victoria Sanchez, UNM and Ron Hale, NM Department of Health facilitated a needs analysis. It was expressed by those in attendance that we need to find an effective way to get people to food and food to people. There are many environmental barriers that exist. The poor live day to day, the middle class live month to month and the wealthy live year to year. How do we increase the ability for people to plan? There was also interest by some of the groups for cold food storage and emergency food rations. Kayt Peck facilitated a discussion around values the entire group share (why we were there). The three overarching values were: Everyone has the right not to be hungry, Human dignity, Whole & Healthy Community. Participants worked on a list of who needs to be at the table.
Next meeting will be April 14th from 3:30-5:00 at Luna Community College in the Student Services Building (sponsored by AHEC). The meeting is open to anyone interested. The group will be working to map resources—who’s doing what. The Plan of Action needs to be done by June 1st. The plan needs to integrate multiple generations. The community group will come up with the plan and NNM Regional Community Foundation will put it together
Inspire a New Generation of Healthy Kids:
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is looking for young people from all across the country to serve. We’re looking for tweens and teens with unique experiences and opinions to shape the programs of our Kids’ Movement and generate fresh ideas on how to make healthy living the norm, not the exception. Applicants must be between the ages of 8-17 years old when membership begins July 16, 2009 and live in the United States, including US Territories. To learn more and apply, visit www.empowerme2b.org
Deadline: April 24, 2009
Internet Crimes Against Children - A FREE training for Professionals: Social Workers, Counselors, Advocates, School Personnel, Probation/Parole Officers, etc. April 28th 12:30-5:00pm at Luna Community College Learning Resource Center. Social Work & Counseling CEUs. Sponsored by NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc., with the NM Attorney General's Office, the NM Behavioral Health Institute at Las Vegas Community Based Services and Las Vegas City School District - made possible with funding from the State of NM Department of Health, Behavioral Health Service Division. Register with JoAnn LaFerriere at 505-454-5115.See flyer below:
Online Internet Safety: Protecting our Youth - A FREE program for parents & community members. April 28th 6:00-7:30pm at El Rialto Restaurant. Free meal & free childcare. Sponsored by NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc., with the NM Attorney General's Office, the NM Behavioral Health Institute at Las Vegas Community Based Services and Las Vegas City School District - made possible with funding from the State of NM Department of Health, Behavioral Health Service Division. Register with Jennie Mae Ortiz at 429-8269 or JoAnn LaFerriere at 505-454-5115.See flyer below:
On April 30th the LCC MdN AHEC will be co-sponsoring an ATODA training entitled “ History of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs of Abuse” from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the Luna Community College Student Services Conference Room. You can register on-line at the following website: www.nmtraining.org
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Funding Opportunities
United Methodist Women – A Brighter Future for Children and Youth Grant:
The Women’s division of The United Methodist Church offers grants for projects and programs addressing the needs of children and young people between the ages of 5 to 18 in the areas of violence prevention, anti-abuse and relationship abuse. Preference will be given to projects that have significant involvement of women and youth at the grassroots level, demonstrate ability to raise funds, provide direct services to youth, promote diversity and cultivate spiritual lives and values.
Selected applicants will be awarded up to $4,000 with an average amount of $2,500. Eligible applicants include small-scale, community and church-based programs and projects, long-term projects, and new or existing programs.
Deadline: July 1, 2009
Contact: The United Methodist Church for more specific grant information
The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation – Meeting Needs of Children Grants:
The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation works to provide other nonprofit organizations with the means to educate the public about the needs of children across the US. The Foundation accepts funding proposals from nonprofit organizations that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual welfare of children through the dissemination of knowledge about new and innovative organizations and/or their programs are designed to benefit youth or from nonprofit organizations that increase dissemination of this information for society’s use.
Past cycles have awarded grants ranging from $1,500 to$70,000 each. Eligible applicants include nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations.Grants must have the potential to help American children in a large geographic area (more than one state).
Deadline: July 15, 2009
Contact: the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation directly for more specific grant information: http://www.legion.org/cwf/?section=grantseekers
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