Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

Native Americans for Community Action is hosting a FREE Training

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

Presented by:
Hilary Cummings and Ruth Begay
experienced and passionate trainers and facilitators with

certifications in Suicide Intervention from LivingWorks.net

Tuesday and Wednesday, October 11 and 12, 2011
8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Community Room, Flagstaff Aquaplex
At 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff, Arizona

Training will include:
•    Recognizing invitations for help, reaching out and offering support
•    Reviewing the risk of suicide, applying a suicide intervention model
•    Linking people with community resources

(Lunch, snacks, coffee, and water will be provided to participants)

Click here to download the registration form.

Please send registrations  to Ruth Begay: rbegay@nacainc.org
or call (928) 526 – 2968 or fax: (928) 526-0708

Senate Appropriations Bill Eliminates All CDC Youth Violence Prevention Funds: Act Now

Last Wednesday the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that zeroed out funding for the CDC’s Youth Violence Prevention activities—suddenly and without input. Elimination of this $19.7 million in funding will have a devastating impact on efforts to prevent violence across the country and compromise decades of work. It is critical that everyone working in community prevention,  violence prevention and safe and healthy communities reach out to their Senators—today—and tell them the health and vitality of our communities depends on putting the youth violence prevention funding back in the budget.

Contact your senator now and tell them to restore CDC’s youth violence prevention funding.

A public health approach to preventing violence stops violence before it ever occurs. This CDC money currently funds research to develop best practices, community violence prevention efforts and the Urban Network to Increase Thriving Youth (UNITY), Prevention Institute’s work with large cities across the country to prevent violence. Though the Appropriations recommendations support important priorities, such as job skills, Promise Neighborhoods and community transformation programs, none of these can be fully actualized if our young people are not safe. 

Instead of simply ‘treating’ violence one arrest at a time, the CDC’s public health approach hones in on what causes violence: it engages youth to create new opportunities for participation, leadership and economic opportunity, and dismantles barriers to peaceful streets and connected neighbors. Eliminating this funding takes public health expertise out of the conversation and leaves solutions solely in the hands of criminal justice. Without funding and support, violence prevention interventions will default back to an emphasis on arrest and imprisonment. This is unacceptable.

Tell your Senator to support opportunity—not arrests—for our young people.

A prevention approach is grounded in the knowledge that violence is preventable, not inevitable. But without this funding in place, advocates will be limited in our ability to bring the peace, connection and community that all of our neighborhoods deserve. Make a call today and tell your senator to put youth prevention funding back into our budget.

Please forward this email to your networks and ask them to get involved in protecting youth violence prevention funding.

FREE EVENT at NAU to Help Prevent Rape and Sexual Assault!

Sex Signals is "the real life, funny, sort of improv show about sex and stuff." Sex Signals is a traveling troupe who engage students in the conversation about the topics of sexual violence awareness and prevention. A delightful mix of audience interaction, education, and improvisational comedy provide a refreshing approach to sexual violence prevention and create a highly effective, engaging, and necessary dialogue about rape prevention.

Friday, Sept. 23rd
7-9pm
FREE!
Cline Library Auditorium

Arizona ranks 15th in nation in child obesity

From KTAR.com:

Arizona is concerned about its growing rate of childhood obesity, which now ranks 15th in the nation.

Cynthia Melde with the Arizona Department of Health Services says child obesity has tripled in Arizona in the past 20 years and the department is taking steps to help fight it.

"For example, in schools, we're really trying to figure out how to help schools get more salad bars during lunchtome, so that children have more access to choose fruits and vegetables during their lunchtime."

Obese children tend to be obese as adults and that opens up a laundry list of chronic diseases, Melde said.

"Heart disease, diabetes, any cardiovascular diseases."

She is particularly concerned that more and more obese teens are being diagnosed with Type II diabetes, "which is not what we saw 10 to 20 years ago."

However, despite the growing rate of child obesity, Arizona is not following Michigan's lead in asking doctors to report the body fat levels of kids, Melde said.

Fruits of Sunnyside Gleaning Project! September 24th 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Fit Kids Family Fun Night at Killip 9/29/11 5:30-6:30

Today--September 20--is Healthy Air Call-In Day!

From the American Lung Association:

Please join with thousands of others from across the U.S. who care about cleaning up mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants. Call your Representative and two Senators in Washington on Tuesday, September 20, and ask them to oppose legislation that would block the Clean Air Act and new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards that reduce toxic air pollution and smog- and soot-forming pollution that blows across state lines.

How to call your representatives in Washington

Find the names and phone numbers of your elected officials in Washington by visiting http://action.lungusa.org/findyourmembers and typing in your zip code.

Talking points for making your calls

Today, please call your 3 representatives in Congress (1 House Member and 2 Senators) and ask them to support the Clean Air Act and specifically, rules to cleanup air pollution from power plants to protect the health of your family and neighbors.

Each call will only take a minute but will make a difference.

•  My name is [INSERT NAME] and I'm calling from [INSERT NAME OF TOWN].

•  FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: I'm calling to urge [Representative [NAME]] to support clean air and vote NO on HR 2401 the TRAIN Act that will block the cleanup of mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants and will impede the rules to cleanup soot- and smog-forming pollution that blows across state lines.

•  FOR SENATE: I'm calling to urge [Senator [NAME]] to support the Clean Air Act and oppose any legislation that will block the cleanup of mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants and will impede the rules to cleanup soot- and smog-forming pollution that blows across state lines

•  FOR BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE: The power plant cleanup standards will prevent more than 25,000 premature deaths, more than 120,000 asthma attacks and 11,000 heart attacks each year.

•  Congress required the cleanup of toxic mercury in the 1990 Clean Air Act. Twenty-one years is too long to wait to protect infants and children from this potent neurotoxin that damages children's ability to think and learn.

•  [PLEASE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL STORY ABOUT HOW AIR POLLUTION AFFECTS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.]

•  I urge [Senator [NAME]/Representative [NAME]] to protect the health of my family and support clean and healthy air.

•  Thank you.

Please email to tell us you made your call and report any feedback at advocacy@lungusa.org.

To learn more, visit www.LungUSA.org/cleanairact.

Community Assets Coordinator - Position Open with CCC&Y

The CCC&Y is hiring for a Community Assets Coordinator.  Please click here for the details of this position.

We are offering $30,000 annual salary and full benefits.

Please send a complete resume and references by Friday, September 30 to:

CCC&Y
2625 North King St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86326

or email Ruth Ellen: resuding@coconinokids.org

Thank You,

Ruth Ellen

Quitting Smoking May Improve Personality, Study Suggests

Aside from the well-known health benefits of quitting smoking, new research suggests that people who kick the habit may improve their personalities as well.

Researchers from the University of Missouri found that smoking is a trigger for impulsivity (acting without thinking) and neuroticism (often being emotionally negative and anxious) among adults under the age of 35. Those who stop smoking, however, can lose these unfavorable traits and improve their personality, the study suggested.

In comparing smokers ranging in age from 18 to 35 years with their peers who had quit smoking, the researchers found that the smokers were more impulsive and neurotic. In addition, they noted that young people with higher levels of impulsivity and neuroticism were more likely to engage in detrimental behaviors, such as smoking.

Read the full article here.

Source: HealthDay

Drinking guides may need update for cancer risk

From CBC News:

Sensible drinking guidelines for alcohol aren't strong enough for cancer prevention, a new review suggests.

Guidelines in some countries focus on short-term effects of alcohol, such as social and psychological issues and hospital admissions, without considering evidence for long-term harm, researchers said in Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Drinking guidelines in some countries focus on the short-term effects of alcohol, such as social and psychological issues, rather than cancer risk, French researchers say.Drinking guidelines in some countries focus on the short-term effects of alcohol, such as social and psychological issues, rather than cancer risk, French researchers say. NIPA/AP

The World Health Organization's International Agency of Research on Cancer concluded that alcoholic beverages are carcinogenic to humans and are related to malignant tumors of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver, based on a review of evidence.

Read the full article here.

Lung Cancer Rates Decline Nationwide

New data from 1999 to 2008 shows that lung cancer rates have decreased among both men and women, mostly as a result of smoking patterns nationwide. Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and results in more deaths than any other cancer. Learn more at www.smokefree.gov.

Read the Press Release.

Hopi Agricultural Lecture Series in Oct

For information contact 928/734-2390 or email leland.dennis@hopifoundation.org

Free Advocacy Training

Community Values Youth: a campaign for local change

Presented by Raena Honan, MPA, a former Legislative Director for the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club and consumer educator for the Arizona Consortium for Children with Chronic Illness and the Arc of Arizona.

This training will teach you:

• How to advocate on behalf of children and families
• Effective advocacy tips
• How to have an impact on an individual level through letter writing, emails and other correspondence
• Appropriate language to use with legislators
• How to directly influence bills and referendum

We invite attendees to bring a brown bag lunch.

This is a FREE Training

DATE:  October 19, 2011
TIME:  11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Coconino County Public Health Services District, Ponderosa Room
2625 North King Street, Flagstaff
Required RSVP:  resuding@coconinokids.org or 679-7318

VIA Youth Open House - YOU ARE INVITED!

Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth would like to remind all of you of the upcoming Voices In Action Youth Open House event on Saturday, September 17th from 4:30 to 6:30 at Club 412  located at 520 North Switzer Canyon Drive.  We are looking forward to seeing all of you there to support our local youth and youth groups while they showcase their activities and inspirations.

See you all on Saturday.

Ruth Ellen Suding
Executive Director
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth
Office: 928-679-7318
Cell: 928-821-0288
http://www.coconinokids.org/
see us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CoconinoCoalition

Friends of Coconino County Parks: Upcoming Schedule of Events

Thank you for your support of Friends of Coconino County Parks and Coconino County parks, trails, and natural areas.  We hope you'll be able to participate in these upcoming activities!  Please visit our website for more information.

Saturday, September 17 
Picnic in the Park- 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Supervisor Matt Ryan and the Parks & Recreation Department invite you to the 10th Annual Picnic in the Park at Raymond County Park in Kachina Village.  There will be kids' activities, information booths, and a BBQ.  The Friends of Coconino County Parks will be selling soda and water.

Bike Ride from Fort Tuthill to the Picnic- 10:00 a.m.

Meet at the tennis courts at Fort Tuthill (just east of the Fairgrounds and across the street from the Parks & Recreation Department office) and ride the Highlands Trail to Raymond County Park.  We'll enjoy some lunch and fun at the Picnic in the Park and then return to Fort Tuthill around 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 8
Bike Ride to Rogers Lake- 10:00 a.m.

In 2001, the Coconino County Parks & Recreation Department acquired over 2,250 acres at Rogers Lake, and in 2012, the Frontiere property at the west end of the lake was donated by the Frontiere family trust.  Come out and enjoy this spectacular new addition to the County parks system and join the Friends of Coconino County Parks for a bike ride from Fort Tuthill County Park to Rogers Lake.

The ride will start and finish at the Navajo Ramada (across from the Fairgrounds and the Parks & Recreation Office).  We'll ride out through Fort Tuthill to Woody Mountain Road and return the same route.  The terrain is intermediate with a round-trip distance of about 15 very beautiful miles.  Some climbing is required +/- 750 feet, and all riders should have a helmet and bike in good working order.  A spare tire tube, water, a snack/lunch, and sunscreen is also highly recommended.

Contact Information:

Jenn Hartin
Friends of Coconino County Parks
(928) 600-3145
fccp@rocketmail.com

NACA's parenting classes

Hello:

Once again, NACA is recruiting for parenting class participants.  The upcoming session will begin 4 October 2011 and will end 3 November 2011.  There are 10  workshops which are 2 hours long.   Participants will receive a certificate of completion after completing 80% of the classes.  There is also an opportunity to become a trainer as well.

As a facilitator, I have been integrating Urban Native experiences and some cultural teachings into the curriculum.   A few of the topics that are covered are: managing your child’s behavior, knowing  your child’s world, what is discipline, communicating with your child, diversity, family values and talking to your child about risky behaviors.   

I have received wonderful feedback from former parenting class participants.   Please feel free to call me or send an email if you have any questions. 

Respectfully,

Catherine Esquivel
Native Americans for Community Action
(928)286-7504 x 17  fax: (928)526-0708
cesquivel@nacainc.org
http://www.nacainc.org/

In Their Shoes: Teens and Dating Violence

A scenario based training designed to help participants learn what dating is like for today’s teens --- from their perspective.

Join us for an:
•Overview Presentation
•Scenario Learning Experience
•Resource Information

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Club Four Twelve: 520 N. Switzer Canyon Drive

This FREE training is designed for adults such as: teachers, counselors, youth group leaders, law enforcement, and parents. The teen characters are based on the experiences of real teens that include sexting, pregnancy, homophobia and stalking.

Participation is limited to 35 and reserved on a first come basis. RSVP to: coalition@coconinokids.org or (928) 679-7318

Support the Life's Sweeter with Fewer Sugary Drinks Campaign!

From the Center for Science in the Public Interest:

On August 31, CSPI officially launched the “Life’s Sweeter with Fewer Sugary Drinks Challenge.”  The campaign seeks to reduce soda and sugary drink consumption to a maximum of three cans per week by 2020, a healthy target recommended by the American Heart Association. 

Even before the launch, more than 110 organizations, institutions, and government agencies have signed on to the Challenge, including the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Cleveland Clinic, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and major municipal health departments (Philadelphia, Los Angeles, King County/Seattle, Cook County, IL).

We encourage you to join the “Life’s Sweeter Challenge” and promote the campaign message.  Please visit our official Life’s Sweeter website to join the Challenge and learn more about what you can do in your local community.  You can also “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website to get updates and share information about the Challenge.

We look forward to working together with you to limit sugary drinks in communities, workplaces, and homes and help fight the country’s obesity epidemic. 

Best,
Julie Salz Greenstein
Deputy Director, Health Promotion Policy
Center for Science in the Public Interest

www.facebook.com/fewersugarydrinks
http://www.fewersugarydrinks.org/

Free Self-Care Workshop!

On Wednesday, September 21, 2011 from 3-5 p.m., Further Shore is proud to offer Naturally Caring-TLC for Care Givers Workshop #6 "Finding Peace Through Sound". Your presenter is Judith Waidelich, Acutonics teacher and Sound Healer.  This FREE workshop will be held at the Joe C. Montoya Senior and Community Center in the arts and crafts room, located at 245 N. Thorpe Road next to Thorpe Park. The 2 hour workshop is designed for professional and family care givers.

During this experiential workshop you will create healing sounds through Tibetan bowls, other instruments and voice. The group will become a harmonic choir! The Series is funded in part by the Arizona and Flagstaff Community Foundation, Forest Highlands Foundation and Flagstaff Medical Center. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. Questions? Call 928-525-2910. Light refreshments will be served and certificates of completion awarded. Find out more about Further Shore at http://www.furthershore.org/

FREE KidStuff Swap!

Save the date for Coconino County Public Health Services District’s Annual

KidStuff Swap

Saturday, September 17th, 10am-1pm
Coconino County Health and Community Services Building- WIC lobby,
2625 N. King St., Flagstaff, Arizona

KidStuff Swap is a FREE event where families can exchange clothes, toys, furniture and other outgrown children’s items.  It’s easy – families drop off what they don’t need and/or take what they can use. Most items are for kids ages 0 - 6.

Participating Organizations:
Arizona Nutrition Network– “My Plate” portion plates and coloring books
Association for Supportive Child Care- Child care and parent resources
Reach Out and Read– Literacy activities for kids and families
Oral Health Program- Dental screenings and fluoride varnishes
Flagstaff Public Library– PALS mobile and Library Memberships (please bring
Driver’s license or photo ID and current mail with name and address)

Turn in your completed KSS passport to be entered to win a prize!

Call the CCPHSD Maternal, Child, and Teen Health Program for details: 928.679.7277

If you have a donation of gently used children’s clothes, books, furniture or toys, please call 928.679.7277 for information about where to drop it off or to make arrangements to have it picked up. 

Print the flyer here.

FREE Verbal First Aid™ Training: What to Say When Every Moment Counts

In a medical emergency, simply words can change the outcome.

This five and a half hour workshop is for all First Responders ~ Fire Fighters, Medical Personnel, EMT, CERT, Law Enforcement, etc.

In emergency situations words can mean the difference between pain and comfort, panic and calm and even life and death.

This workshop offers specific verbal strategies to Calm, Relieve Pain, Promote Healing, Basic Grief and Death Notification, Stress Management, CISM, Effective Crisis Management, work with children, and Save Lives.

Learn the theory and physiology behind Verbal First Aid…during times of shock, fear, extreme pain, acute distress, people are in an altered state in which words can reach their autonomic nervous system and have a profound effect!  During such states your words could harm or your words could heal.
    
Judith Simon Prager, PhD, trainer, is co-author of the book The Worst Is Over: What To Say When Every Moment Counts, which has been called “the ‘bible’ for crisis communication by the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and co-author of Verbal First Aid: Help Your Kids Heal From Fear and Pain—and Come Out Strong (Berkley Books, 2010)  www.judithprager.com

Date:  September 23, 2011

Time: 9 am ~ 12:00pm &1:00 pm ~ 3:30 pm
Place:  Christ’s Church of Flagstaff, 3475 E Soliere Ave, Flagstaff, AZ

Contact:  Alan Anderson, 928-853-4828, aanderson@coconino.az.gov
 

No cost for the training.  Reservations are a must, RSVP by today Sept 8, 2011
Sponsored by:  FMC Foundation and individuals/private donations
Continuing Education Units (CE) for RNs and Pre-Hospital Care

Workshop Leaders Needed! Learn How to Help Yourself while helping others!

Are you motivated to help others?

Training is available to people able to facilitate a 6-week workshop developed by Stanford University.

Would helping people learn how to take better care of their chronic health problems be a source of satisfaction for you?

Empower others to effectively manage chronic health problems by teaching them how to use simple self-management tools.

No prior teaching experience is necessary.

Next training will be offered:
January 27, 28 and February 3, 4 2012
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where: Northern AZ University,

Health and Learning Center

For more information contact:
Carol Sullivan
928-679-7266
csullivan@coconino.az.gov

Print the flyer here.

Infant First-Aid and CPR Safety Class

Flagstaff Medical Center’s Childbirth Education Department will be offering two free Infant CPR and First-Aid Classes. Each class is 2.5 hours. The classes are designed for parents, family, friends and caregivers of infants, from newborns to 12 months old. Participants will learn how to respond to crisis situations and deliver CPR, relieve choking and deliver first-aid care to manage emergency illness and injury until professional help arrives. The classes also will cover injury prevention, environmental emergencies and car-seat education. Participants will receive two American Heart Association booklets. This is a non-certification course.

Thursday, Oct. 20
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Flagstaff Public Library
300 W. Aspen Ave.

Monday, Nov. 14
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Coconino County Public Health Services District
2625 N. King St.

To register, call 928 773-2309.

The class is free and space is limited, so register today!

Click here to download the flyer.

Global Health Experts Say Curbing Drinking and Smoking Can Help Reduce Cancer

By Join Together Staff:

Cutting down on drinking alcohol and smoking, in addition to improving diets and increasing physical activity, could help prevent up to 2.8 million cases of cancer worldwide each year, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

The group released a report in advance of a United Nations summit on non-communicable diseases, which called on governments to avoid what it called a “public health disaster,” Reuters reports. The WCRF report states that the number of cancers has jumped by one-fifth worldwide in less than 10 years, to an estimated 12 million new cases a year. The group estimates that about one-third of all common cancers can be prevented by lifestyle changes including reducing smoking and drinking.

About seven million cancer cases each year occur in developing countries, and that number is expected to significantly increase, according to the report.