Recent MIPH Blog Posts

Recent MIPH Blog Posts http://www.miph.org/blog Display a blog posts as teasers en Integrated Curriculum http://www.miph.org/blog/integrated-curriculum <p>         <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-lot-us">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-lot-us#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:02:20 -0500 Jerry Jaker 912 at http://www.miph.org This is Public Health http://www.miph.org/blog/-public-health Sometimes it’s hard to explain what exactly it is we do at the Minnesota Institute of Public Health. Ours is a broader definition of public health than many other entities, but recently the American Public Health Association released the clip below that with sight and sound profiles the important work of public health, which in plain language in everyday lives touches people in a very meaningful way.<br /> <br /> It's well worth three minutes of your time. Click <a href="http://www.generationpublichealth.org/">here</a> and take a view.<br /> <br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-public-health">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-public-health#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:59:07 -0500 Jerry Jaker 911 at http://www.miph.org Connecting to the Big Picture http://www.miph.org/blog/connecting-big-picture One chronic challenge many have is connecting their day-to-day work with the Big Picture. How do my daily tasks and routines help advance the overall goal of my organization?<br /> <br /> It strikes me that is what gives true meaning to our work, and context to our efforts.<br /> It’s another way that work helps enrich our lives<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/connecting-big-picture">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/connecting-big-picture#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:01:21 -0500 Jerry Jaker 907 at http://www.miph.org Hanging in There http://www.miph.org/blog/hanging-there During tough times, there’s a lot to be said about the need for perseverance.<br /> <br /> I think of Abraham Lincoln and all he went through to become who he became. He failed in business; lost in the Illinois State Legislature; his fiance’ died; he had a nervous breakdown. Ran for Congress, the Senate twice, and Vice President, losing each time. After all that, in 1860 he was elected as our 16th president.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/hanging-there">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/hanging-there#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:32:56 -0500 Jerry Jaker 904 at http://www.miph.org Corporate Giving in Times of Change http://www.miph.org/blog/corporate-giving-times-change <p> On the heels of the 2008 economic downturn, MIPH and most other nonprofits I know of are re-thinking how they approach for-profit corporations for philanthropic support.<br /> <br /> One thing’s for sure: times continue to change. Danish author Isak Dinesen observed that “God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.” Our plans can’t be written in granite; more like with a No. 2 lead pencil.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/corporate-giving-times-change">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/corporate-giving-times-change#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:41:48 -0500 Jerry Jaker 893 at http://www.miph.org Inreach http://www.miph.org/blog/inreach We all know what Outreach means in terms of constituents, stakeholders, consumers, clients, and all those we serve out there. Among the things we’ve learned here at MIPH are, You’re NEVER done doing outreach, and often in addition to doing a good job, you need to make sure people know you’re doing a good job! That’s part of Outreach.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/inreach">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/inreach#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:13:22 -0500 Jerry Jaker 891 at http://www.miph.org A Recipe for Prevention http://www.miph.org/blog/-recipe-prevention <p> Clearly, prevention is at a new level of maturity, and expectations. In this day of precious limited prevention resources, it is incumbent on each of us to do more and with accountability; with expectations of results. It’s not about how “busy” we are; it’s about impact and outcomes. Gone is that day when we simply count how many brochures we distributed, and how many people with whom we’ve spoken.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-recipe-prevention">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-recipe-prevention#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:17:44 -0500 Jerry Jaker 889 at http://www.miph.org Teachable Moments http://www.miph.org/blog/teachable-moments <p> There are simply times when people are more amenable to learning. Call it a readiness, or even heightened inclination to learn. Often it’s driven by something that happens in our environment. They are teachable moments in our lives. For example in parent-child interactions, if we see a terrible crash on TV news or in real life, it may beg the question, was the injured or killed person wearing a seat belt? How could it have helped? This is what I know and believe. What do YOU know and believe?<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/teachable-moments">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/teachable-moments#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:25:59 -0500 Jerry Jaker 884 at http://www.miph.org Water http://www.miph.org/blog/water The American Public Health Association (APHA) convenes its annual conference in Philadelphia this November, and the subject is Water.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/water">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/water#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:09:34 -0500 Jerry Jaker 881 at http://www.miph.org A Lack of Good Food http://www.miph.org/blog/-lack-good-food MIPH is working more with the issues of proper nutrition, along with issues of hunger and of starvation.<br /> <br /> When our stomachs growl, we often say we are “starving” or are “so hungry I could eat a horse!” Of course, we’re not starving. <br /> <br /> Hunger, according to the <a href="http://www.wfp.org" target="_blank">World Food Programme</a> (WFP), is simply a matter of lack of food in our stomach, usually easily fixable for many of us who are more fortunate.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-lack-good-food">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-lack-good-food#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:30:54 -0500 Jerry Jaker 880 at http://www.miph.org The Value of Agility http://www.miph.org/blog/-value-agility Many people have described MIPH as “The Little Company That Could”. Some of our long time staff bristle at that, preferring the moniker, “The Middle Sized Company That DOES”. Regardless, what we’ve experienced is, there is great value in being smaller than a large bureaucracy, and that value is in being agile. That’s “agile”, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, as in “resourceful and creative; able to move with quick and easy grace”.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-value-agility">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-value-agility#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:47:29 -0500 Jerry Jaker 872 at http://www.miph.org Shades of Gray http://www.miph.org/blog/shades-gray While conversing recently with a colleague about gun violence, she told me, “There are so many out there that refuse to acknowledge these shades of gray. Some make blanket statements without being informed, some make informed but narrow judgments without thought for how they impact others. The bottom line – the truth lies in the middle and if more people realized that, one outcome might be that politics would not have such a bad name.”<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/shades-gray">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/shades-gray#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:38:40 -0500 Jerry Jaker 869 at http://www.miph.org Hmong in Minnesota http://www.miph.org/blog/hmong-minnesota <p> <em>The following Blog is written and offered here by <strong>Tou Lee</strong>, our Prevention Specialist. Tou’s message is timely, important and of great interest. Read on...</em> </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/hmong-minnesota">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/hmong-minnesota#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 15:20:14 -0500 Jerry Jaker 868 at http://www.miph.org Quality Control http://www.miph.org/blog/quality-control <p> If you’re like us at MIPH, you place a high premium on quality assurance or quality control. Being fast is not good enough; being of high quality takes time.<br /> <br /> I learned an important lesson years back from one of our printer vendors. He said many customers want their products fast, high quality and inexpensive. In our world of public health, we need to be all those things: current, compelling and of reasonable cost.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/quality-control">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/quality-control#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 07:52:34 -0500 Jerry Jaker 857 at http://www.miph.org A Touch of Henry http://www.miph.org/blog/-touch-henry <p> There’s a difference between a Pollyanna and a Can-do Realist. Many people can find hope in the slightest spark of light and use that spark to keep on keeping’ on… Resilience at its best. Probably why my crummy golf game often ends with a well played final hole, that keeps me coming back for another try.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-touch-henry">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-touch-henry#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 08:36:09 -0500 Jerry Jaker 846 at http://www.miph.org What in the World is Social Media and Why Should We Care? http://www.miph.org/blog/what-world-social-media-and-why-should-we-care-0 <p> <em>The following Blog offers some helpful insights on Social Media and is written and offered here by Carlos Morales, our Senior Systems Analyst here at MIPH.</em> <em>Read on....</em> </p> <p> This is probably a question that would not have been asked two years ago but today it’s the most common question when thinking about marketing and outreach. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/what-world-social-media-and-why-should-we-care-0">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/what-world-social-media-and-why-should-we-care-0#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 13:28:31 -0500 Jerry Jaker 842 at http://www.miph.org Swine Flu (H1N1 Novel Influenza): Communication Will Be Key http://www.miph.org/blog/swine-flu-h1n1-novel-influenza-communication-will-be-key <p> Mexico City is now termed by CNN News as the epicenter of swine flu outbreak. There are now 90 cases worldwide, and 50 in the U.S. This number will probably need to be updated between the time I write this, and the moment it appears on this blog. Point is, the situation is changing by the day, by the hour. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/swine-flu-h1n1-novel-influenza-communication-will-be-key">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/swine-flu-h1n1-novel-influenza-communication-will-be-key#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:58:16 -0500 Jerry Jaker 839 at http://www.miph.org Maintaining Customer Loyalty http://www.miph.org/blog/maintaining-customer-loyalty <p> Call them what you want – customers, clients, constituents, -- you need them to give meaning purpose and success to your organization. There’s data to suggest it’s a lot easier to keep satisfied customers than to go out and secure new ones. Customer Loyalty is a huge issue.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/maintaining-customer-loyalty">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/maintaining-customer-loyalty#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:04:25 -0500 Jerry Jaker 809 at http://www.miph.org Evidence-Based Prevention Resource http://www.miph.org/blog/evidencebased-prevention-resource <p> The last decade has been quite the breakthrough in effective and evidence-based prevention programs, policies and practices. Justifiably, it is no longer OK to use the tired old argument “but how do you measure something that DIDN’T happen because of your program?”, or “I know my program works – I can see it in my kids’ eyes!”. The day of just counting how many brochures we distributed or how many people we talked with as a measure of prevention effectiveness are gone.<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/evidencebased-prevention-resource">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/evidencebased-prevention-resource#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:57:37 -0500 Jerry Jaker 778 at http://www.miph.org MN Epi Website http://www.miph.org/blog/mn-epi-website Although the roots of public health are embedded deeply in the soil of rich data, “data” sometimes sounds like a four letter word to prevention practitioners. Locating, analyzing, and interpreting data can feel like an overwhelming process. Especially when your workload already seems challenging to manage.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/mn-epi-website">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/mn-epi-website#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:58:23 -0500 Jerry Jaker 774 at http://www.miph.org Upstream Thinking http://www.miph.org/blog/upstream-thinking <p> Though most people believe in the value of prevention, we continue to face the challenge of how to profile it in a compelling way. Many people are familiar with the Upstream story, but upon request I reiterate it here: </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/upstream-thinking">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/upstream-thinking#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:11:48 -0500 Jerry Jaker 767 at http://www.miph.org Soldiers and Suicide http://www.miph.org/blog/soldiers-and-suicide <p> Of the 2,600 Minnesotan veterans returning home after duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, nearly 80% have readjusted to home life fairly well. But twenty percent have not, and of that group, some have taken their own lives. It is the ultimate tragedy.<br /> <br /> It appears to be a national trend. The Army estimates that 5,000 veterans commit suicide each year, and those who served in Afghanistan or Iraq are 35% more likely than the general population to do so. Between 2002 and 2006, over 250 suicides were reported from members who left the military after 9-11.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/soldiers-and-suicide">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/soldiers-and-suicide#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:36:55 -0500 Jerry Jaker 763 at http://www.miph.org Capable People http://www.miph.org/blog/capable-people Stephen Glenn, Ph.D. for many years wrote and conducted trainings called Developing Capable Young People, and later morphed that into workplace trainings entitled Developing Capable Employees.<br /> <br /> I think he was on to something important.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/capable-people">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/capable-people#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:56:07 -0500 Jerry Jaker 756 at http://www.miph.org Readiness http://www.miph.org/blog/readiness <p> <em> Guest Blog by Kevin Spading</em> </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/readiness">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/readiness#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:12:53 -0500 Jerry Jaker 751 at http://www.miph.org ROI on Prevention http://www.miph.org/blog/roi-prevention A big buzz phrase these days is “ROI.” What’s our Return on Investment? For what we give, what do we get back? And, is it worth it?<br /> <br /> As daunting a challenge as ROI for prevention may be, it’s really not an unfair question. Since the science of evidence-based prevention has grown, and since best practices in prevention can be identified and replicated, we should be able to inform and persuade decision makers, funders, and end-users of the inherent value of prevention.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/roi-prevention">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/roi-prevention#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:00:26 -0500 Jerry Jaker 730 at http://www.miph.org Get to The Point http://www.miph.org/blog/get-point In the Information Age, the challenge has changed. The question used to be, “How do I access information?” Now it is, “How do I keep from drowning in the stuff?”. One way is to advocate for the world of communicators to get to the point.<br /> <br /> Being brief and concise with the written word is tough. Benjamin Franklin once began a twenty page letter to a colleague with the apology that he “didn’t have time to write a short letter”.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/get-point">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/get-point#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:06 -0600 Jerry Jaker 726 at http://www.miph.org Loose Change http://www.miph.org/blog/loose-change <p> “The Only Constant is Change” …<br /> “Change We Can Believe In”…<br /> “In Times of Change, Learners Inherit the Earth”…<br /> “Systems Change”<br /> (“Buddy, Can You SPARE Some Change?”) …<br /> <br /> We hear a lot about change these days, and goodness knows the times, well, they-are- a….,” like the song says.<br /> <br /> Awhile back I came across a great theory: the “Theory of Everything”. (Well it’s about time, don’t you think?).<br /> <br /> It went like this: in the course of life there are certain types of change.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/loose-change">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/loose-change#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:46:02 -0600 Jerry Jaker 724 at http://www.miph.org Paying for Safer Schools http://www.miph.org/blog/paying-safer-schools <p> MIPH has been honored in having been approached by schools that have known us and trusted us to help with prevention activity. That has included schools in our state and region that experienced the horrific tragedies that involved school shootings. Because there was a felt need and it was not being met, and because we were asked, four years ago MIPH created a division called the Avert Center for Safer Schools. It has been coordinated by Ed Marsman, formerly of Duluth, Minnesota public schools, and also staffed by other MIPH employees, consultants currently working in Minnesota schoo<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/paying-safer-schools">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/paying-safer-schools#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:06:09 -0600 Jerry Jaker 720 at http://www.miph.org Is the Economy Making You Sick? http://www.miph.org/blog/-economy-making-you-sick Lots of words and emotions expressed about the condition of our sagging economy. Everyone I know has a story to tell about that. Doesn’t it make you sick?<br /> <br /> No really, does it? Can the economy make you physically ill? Does the economy represent a threat to your physical and psychological well-being?<br /> <br /> There appear to be data to suggest this may be true.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-economy-making-you-sick">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-economy-making-you-sick#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:47:20 -0600 Jerry Jaker 717 at http://www.miph.org Eight Medals and a Bong http://www.miph.org/blog/eight-medals-and-bong Fame, apparently, is fleeting. Infamy lasts a while longer.<br /> <br /> Many Americans jumped to their feet and cheered in front of their TV sets this past summer when USA’s Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps touched the wall first to win his record-setting 8th gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. A few old timers like me remember well the seven gold medals collected in 1972 by American swimmer Mark Spitz and thinking that likely would never happen again. Never say never.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/eight-medals-and-bong">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/eight-medals-and-bong#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:00:50 -0600 Jerry Jaker 708 at http://www.miph.org Mission and Margin http://www.miph.org/blog/mission-and-margin <p> This is a time of year when most organizations take stock. They look at their year-end results and assess indicators and levels of success, or lack of same. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/mission-and-margin">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/mission-and-margin#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:34:15 -0600 Jerry Jaker 696 at http://www.miph.org Genuine Hero http://www.miph.org/blog/genuine-hero <p> We throw around the term ‘hero’ rather loosely these days. From the football player who catches a key pass to win a playoff game, to the nice looking, somewhat talented Hollywood celebrity star or starlet with a publicist, people tend to homogenize down the label “hero”. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/genuine-hero">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/genuine-hero#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:20:52 -0600 Jerry Jaker 689 at http://www.miph.org Precision in Prevention http://www.miph.org/blog/precision-prevention In years past as a prevention consultant, I witnessed first hand how some community coalitions and groups would argue about what to do and how to proceed with substance abuse and violence prevention programming steps. Usually, it was because there had never been a meaty, candid group discussion about what exactly it was that they were trying to prevent.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/precision-prevention">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/precision-prevention#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:28:42 -0600 Jerry Jaker 684 at http://www.miph.org Sources of Information http://www.miph.org/blog/sources-information “Where’d you get that information?” Usually a good question relating to how we access information sources we trust, and how we try to avoid sources we don’t trust.<br /> <br /> Yes, it’s an Information Age, but the game has shifted. Several years ago the question was, “How do I access all the information I need?”. Through the emergence of technology, access isn’t the problem and a new question has arrived: ”How do I keep from drowning in all the available information?” <br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/sources-information">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/sources-information#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:14:07 -0600 Jerry Jaker 676 at http://www.miph.org Care to Partner? http://www.miph.org/blog/care-partner You hear a lot about collaboration, partnerships, coalitions and alliances, to get things done. How very valid and critically important these relationships are!<br /> <br /> But there’s more to the story.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/care-partner">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/care-partner#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:44:26 -0600 Jerry Jaker 671 at http://www.miph.org Honoring a Hero http://www.miph.org/blog/honoring-hero <p> For this Blog message, our MIPH colleague Sheila Nesbitt has organized a beautiful tribute to a deserving person in Phil Bartusek. Read on... </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/honoring-hero">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/honoring-hero#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:17:15 -0600 Jerry Jaker 666 at http://www.miph.org Diversity is Our Strength http://www.miph.org/blog/diversity-our-strength <p> The following Blog is written and offered here by Kevin Spading, our Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC) Director here at MIPH. Kevin’s message is timely, important and of great interest. Read on… </p> <hr /> <p>   </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/diversity-our-strength">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/diversity-our-strength#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:50:52 -0600 Jerry Jaker 662 at http://www.miph.org Expectations http://www.miph.org/blog/expectations <p> The end of a year and anticipation of a new year triggers my thinking about accomplishments, lessons learned, and expectations for the new year. Its been my experience as Executive Director that an organization is most efficient and effective when expectations are clear.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/expectations">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/expectations#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:32:08 -0600 Jerry Jaker 655 at http://www.miph.org The Importance of Being Evaluated http://www.miph.org/blog/-importance-being-evaluated Over the past two decades, interest in program evaluation has soared among staff managing and implementing public health initiatives. Much of the interest in evaluation has been triggered by increasing expectations of public and private funding sources. The need to document progress toward attaining goals and accountability for how funds were spent has elevated program evaluation to new levels of importance in organizations throughout the world.<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-importance-being-evaluated">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-importance-being-evaluated#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:59:12 -0600 Jerry Jaker 652 at http://www.miph.org Interfaith Efforts to Promote Health http://www.miph.org/blog/interfaith-efforts-promote-health Most are aware our outgoing U.S. President commenced the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives. The concept was to permit faith-based groups to have a “level playing field” in pursuing public grant opportunities to get involved in prevention, health promotion and additional related issues. Nice idea, no new money.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/interfaith-efforts-promote-health">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/interfaith-efforts-promote-health#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:55:15 -0600 Jerry Jaker 640 at http://www.miph.org MIPH and The Mayo Clinic http://www.miph.org/blog/miph-and-mayo-clinic <p> Not many people know that there is a specialty of medicine devoted exclusively to prevention. Preventive medicine is indeed one of the 24 official specialties of medicine along with orthopedics, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, ophthalmology, family practice, and many others. Physicians trained and certified as specialists in preventive medicine work in one of its four subspecialties-clinical preventive medicine, public health, occupational medicine, and aerospace medicine.<p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/miph-and-mayo-clinic">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/miph-and-mayo-clinic#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:12:33 -0600 Jerry Jaker 638 at http://www.miph.org Marines, Motorcycles, and Mortality http://www.miph.org/blog/marines-motorcycles-and-mortality Late last week CNN and other news outlets ran the startling story that more U.S. marines were killed in motorcycle accidents (25) than were killed in Iraq (20) over the past twelve months. Over 18,000 of the nearly 200,000 U.S. Marines stateside own motorcycles.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/marines-motorcycles-and-mortality">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/marines-motorcycles-and-mortality#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:47:40 -0600 Jerry Jaker 627 at http://www.miph.org Influencing Behavior http://www.miph.org/blog/influencing-behavior In the great noise and clutter of life, public health workers and advocates try – with varying degrees of success – to influence behavior change so that we are a healthier, happier, closer-to-our-potential society. This job is daunting: an estimated 50% of all deaths can be attributed to these causes: tobacco, diet and activity levels, alcohol, infectious agents, toxic agents, firearms, sexual behavior, motor vehicles and illicit drug use. No small thing.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/influencing-behavior">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/influencing-behavior#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:25:14 -0500 Jerry Jaker 626 at http://www.miph.org Connections in Prevention http://www.miph.org/blog/connections-prevention It’s interesting to me that dialog in our election campaigns and in the nation in general address “collaborations” and “cooperation” like they’re totally new concepts. As the science and art of prevention have stepped up to a higher standard of accountability, we know that things get done when people truly work together. It has been our history, our legacy in prevention, for quite awhile now.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/connections-prevention">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/connections-prevention#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:27:54 -0500 Jerry Jaker 622 at http://www.miph.org Alcohol and the Election http://www.miph.org/blog/alcohol-and-election <p> Alcohol and public policy – what a ride in our country’s history! Since the Mayflower arrived loaded with crates of beer and wine (you could look it up!), Americans have appeared both active and confused about the role of alcohol in our society. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/alcohol-and-election">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/alcohol-and-election#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:34:23 -0500 Jerry Jaker 616 at http://www.miph.org Prevention and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) http://www.miph.org/blog/prevention-and-health-maintenance-organizations-hmos When you think about it, prevention programs, policies and practices combine rather well with managed health care, or HMOs as a sensible partnership. Common goals include a healthier population driven by upstream prevention thinking, helping people be educated and aware consumers.<br /> <br /> At MIPH, we don’t sell health insurance. We do view ourselves as a kind of retailer of health improvement.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/prevention-and-health-maintenance-organizations-hmos">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/prevention-and-health-maintenance-organizations-hmos#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:26:27 -0500 Jerry Jaker 614 at http://www.miph.org Serving Those Who’ve Served http://www.miph.org/blog/serving-those-who%E2%80%99ve-served According to the Veteran’s Administration, the number of veterans living in Minnesota is over 400,000. This includes 18,000 Minnesotans currently in the National Guard and/or Reserves. Recently almost 3,000 Minnesota men and women returned home from 22 months in Iraq.<br /> <br /> So, what is it like, coming home? What are the issues and challenges of adjustment returning to a life in Minnesota, similar but changed? And what are the social services intervention and prevention needs our returning war veterans need and so richly deserve?<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/serving-those-who%E2%80%99ve-served">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/serving-those-who%E2%80%99ve-served#comments Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:11:36 -0500 Jerry Jaker 592 at http://www.miph.org September 2008, School Days http://www.miph.org/blog/september-2008-school-days <p> Maybe it’s just me, but it seems in spite of all the recent changes in schools with assessments, funding formulas, politicking, some constants remain. The main certainty is, Americans in most all communities care about the quality and performance of their local schools.<br /> <br /> Each autumn, whether we have family members going off to school or not, our community and family schedules shift into the Back-to-School mode.<br /> <p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/september-2008-school-days">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/september-2008-school-days#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:50:01 -0500 Jerry Jaker 591 at http://www.miph.org A New Day http://www.miph.org/blog/-new-day <p> It’s a new day at MIPH, with a new website, new energy, new direction through our 2009-2011 Strategic Plan, and that makes it exciting. </p><p><a href="http://www.miph.org/blog/-new-day">read more</a></p> http://www.miph.org/blog/-new-day#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:06:58 -0500 Jerry Jaker 584 at http://www.miph.org