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CHNA 18 is a local coalition of public, non-profit, and private sectors working together to build healthier communities in Massachusetts through community-based prevention planning and health promotion.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATESMental Health First Aid ADULT Training! Mental Health First Aid Adult teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in adults. This 8-hour training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. It also explores skills to manage a mental health crisis until professionals arrive to take over. As a community, we are responsible for supporting those in need around us. This training teaches us how to better understand and support the needs of those in our community who may be struggling with their mental health. It also helps us learn how to de-stigmatize mental health difficulties in our culture which will allow folks who are struggling to more easily access the care they need. As providers, we are responsible for providing quality care to those we serve and their support systems. This training teaches us ways to discuss complicated struggles more clearly and in a de-stigmatizing way. It also supports the on-going practice of crisis management skill building. Additionally, it can help us set our own boundaries around offering support to those we care about in our personal lives as we cannot support them the way we do our clients. Here are the dates and times of trainings and the registration links: Somerville: 9/24 9:30-5:30 @ Somerville Public Library Central Branch https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-health-first-aid-adult-training-somerville-registration-70791692859 Watertown: 9/30 9:15-5:15 @ Watertown Public Library https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-health-first-aid-adult-training-watertown-registration-70777676937 FB event for Watertown training: https://www.facebook.com/events/351202499093300/ CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SURVEY CONTEST WINNERS! Amy Willinksy from Jewish Family & Children's Services and Ellie Shrage from Thom Charles River Early Intervention ATTENTION LIBRARY STAFF! (town, city, school, and college) CHNA 18 announces a UNIQUE training opportunity just for you! Library Staff Training on Mental Health (...and how staff can better serve challenging patrons and their behaviors) Libraries are vibrant places these days with more than just the books that defined libraries of past generations. Today, libraries provide public computer access, loan DVDs and CDs, host book groups, house cafes, and so much more. For students, they may be a respite from the chaos of the school cafeteria or dorm. With all these changes, staff in public spaces like a library are increasingly called upon to respond to a wide range of patrons, including those with mental health and other challenges. It is not unusual for library staff to encounter people who are homeless and to observe patrons who are depressed or self-harming, anxious, disruptive, and have other issues that can be distracting, scary and troublesome to staff and other patrons. Join our speaker, Jon Mattleman, as he presents this new and unique workshop that will:
9:00am-11:00am * Breakfast Included Attendance is free and open to library staff from city, town, school, and college libraries. To register, please contact the CHNA Director, Jhana Wallace, directly at: jhanaw@gmail.com Announcing our 2018 grant winners!
African Cultural Services Inc. (aka AFRICANO) Asperger/Autism Network, Inc Brookline Department of Public Health Needham Community Farm Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cross Cultural Student Emotional Wellness (CCCSEW) & Brookline Asian American Family Network (BAAFN) Healthy Waltham Waltham Partnership for Youth, Inc. WATCH Community Development Corporation Wellesley Health Department and Wellesley Area Schools Food Rescue Program Congratulations to all! For more information about their projects, visit our grants page. __________________________________________________ Welcome to our newest Steering Committee member, Caitlin Haynes, M.P.H. A little bit about Caitlin... Caitlin received a Master in Public Health from Northeastern University in May 2015. Caitlin is a long time advocate for health care access and health equity for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. Aside from collaborating and organizing to promote decreased health disparities, equity and social justice for local communities, Caitlin is also interested in the use of technology to make health measurements and healthcare more accessible. In 2016, a study she developed and implemented was published in Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing. Currently, Caitlin is the Assistant Director/ADA Coordinator at the Town of Brookline's Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. We are excited to have her join! Workshop Update: We had a blast at our recent workshop "From Ideas to Action: Innovative Approaches to Local Health Issues." Workshop facilitator Kristen Peterson took attendees through a variety of exercises to spark creative thinking and to generate ideas. Here's a few pics from the program:
UPDATE: GRANT NOW CLOSED
Deadline for Letters of Intent is April 1st, applications April 16th. Click here for the application. Some applicants may need a Google account to access the application. Announcing: Mini-Grants Supporting Innovative Approaches to Local Health Issues The West Suburban Community Health Network Area (CHNA) 18 will be releasing funds totaling $40,000 to support programs and projects using innovative and creative approaches to local health issues. These grants may be used for ANY project or program, or component thereof, that seeks to improve the health and well-being of residents in our nine cities and towns. Projects may be new or support other programs already in place. If a project is supporting an existing program, it should clearly add a new component. ********************************** CHNA 18 is thinking new and differently about the granting process. Projects do not need to be sustainable over time to be funded. Rather, successful applicants will submit projects offering a unique perspective and approach and be willing to share these innovations with other organizations; for example, a project that re-imagines the use of existing resources or connects community partners in new ways. While funded grants do not need to meet as rigorous “proven effectiveness” guidelines as previous CHNA 18 grant processes, they should be 1) appropriate, 2) relevant, 3) need-based, and 4) have an understanding of successful public health practices Applicants are encouraged to attend the March 19th workshop “From Ideas to Action: Innovative Approaches to Local Health Issues.” (see below for registration info). There will be an opportunity to “workshop” grant ideas during the event. A short grant information session will follow the workshop. BONUS POINTS WILL BE AWARDED TO APPLICANTS THAT ATTEND THE WORKSHOP. Spring Workshop
March 19 2018 "From Ideas to Action: Innovative Approaches to Local Health Issues" Presented by: 
Monday, 3/19, 1:00-4:00 pm (check in 12:30) Wellesley Free Library, Wakelin Room, 530 Washington Street, Wellesley MA Cost: $20.00 to reserve your spot, fully refunded to YOU when you attend and sign-in. Facilitator: Kristen Peterson is a Senior Partner at New & Improved, LLC. Click for Kristen's bio This interactive and fun workshop helps participants learn and embrace new and improved creative thinking and problem solving skills to become an innovation catalyst. You'll explore the barriers we all face in thinking creatively, and how to overcome them. You'll learn the power of asking the right questions to tackle challenges from fresh perspectives and drive creative solutions as opposed to criticizing why a new idea won't work. You'll learn and apply a selection of creative problem solving tools, techniques to go from ideas to action. Click for the Agenda Registration open NOW! Space is limited, so register today!
Guest Speaker Trenni Kusnierek, Reporter/Anchor at Comcast SportsNet, discusses her struggle with anxiety disorder and depression.
The panel at "Reducing the Stigma". Trenni Kusnierek, Kerrie Cusack LCSW, Katie Colthart MSW LICSW, Susan Swick MD MPG, and Alisa Miller Ph.D.
Jon Mattleman, recently retired Director of Youth Services at the Needham Health Department, lets us all know what is going on in the minds of teens. The entire audience was riveted!
Congratulations to our mini grant lottery winner at the "Reducing the Stigma" workshop!
Pat Cooper, Elder Services Project Coordinator and Advocate at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, was the winner! REACH plans to use the $250 prize to purchase therapy supplies for its child and adolescent therapy program. CHNA 18 announces new Director and Community Health Initiative
Jhana Wallace, previously the Coordinator for the CHNA, will be taking on the role of Director. As the Executive Director, Ms. Wallace will serve as the community liaison for the CHNA and lead the CHNA through a new phase of targeted community support and involvement. Ms. Wallace has a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University and over twenty years of experience in public health, including direct service, program development, and administration. We are excited to welcome her into this new role! CHNA 18 plans to implement a professional development program in September 2016 to support agencies and organization working to improve the health of community members in our nine cities and towns and beyond. We hope to launch this new program in late Spring with an open-house event for all community members.
Stay tuned for more information! 
Mobile from the CHNA 18 "Using Art to Promote Health" Workshop on January 15th. This mobile focuses on mental health and well-being, but the project and process to make it can be used for any health issue. The mobile can be moved and displayed anywhere.
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