How would you like to easily access a wealth of details on any community in the country? The US Census Bureau’s web site, American FactFinder provides US census data for any state, county, city, neighborhood, or even a city block. You’ll find this information quickly on their web site: http://factfinder.census.gov
American FactFinder provides data on the people who live in your search area, such as:
ancestry
citizenship
disability level
educational attainment
income
and language spoken at home.
The web site includes a tutorial that teaches an overview of the site. Because the information found in the web site is so extensive, you may want to consult with Cam McIntosh or Patty Farnam. These two FactFinder experts are available to answer your questions. You can reach them in Seattle by phone at 206-553-5835, or by email at mcintosh@census.gov Cam McIntosh will travel within Washington to teach a free 3-hour class on FactFinder. If you have an instruction room with internet access, and know others in your area who are also interested, she encourages you to schedule a class.
Years ago, it was common for people working in public health to have some difficulty in finding the “best practice” for addressing a specific health topic or condition. CDC has worked to solve this problem by making best practices available on the internet. The web site, Guide to Community Preventive Services www.thecommunityguide.org/default.htm offers reviewed best practice strategies to change health risk behaviors and address specific health conditions and the social environment. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services, an independent decision-making group, carefully reviews and assesses the quality of the available evidence on the effectiveness of essential community preventive health services. The task force then develops the recommendations that are featured on the web site. This careful screening process results in best practice recommendations that are specific, trustworthy, and easy-to-locate. The site also provides the criteria used and the studies that were reviewed to develop the recommendations. Anyone involved in public health, policy development, or health promotion will benefit from visiting and bookmarking this excellent web site.
Linda Jackson is a program manager for Spokane Regional Health District's Health Promotion Division. She received a BSN in Nursing from Montana State University and MS in Health Education/Health Promotion from Whitworth College in Spokane. Currently Linda is responsible for programs related to Breast and Cervical Health, Tobacco Prevention and Control, and Intentional and Unintentional Injury Prevention. Linda says, “I work with 14 outstanding staff who serve as public health educators, nurses, and support staff who perform the daily operations for the programs.” Her public health work involves transitioning from traditional public health nursing roles to focus on health promotion. Linda says, “Nursing and health promotion often work in contrast and conflict with one another. Education and experiences have helped me bridge between the professional disciplines, understanding both and enhancing programs in both arenas. Often nurses are placed in health promotion positions, however, having a background in health education/promotion facilitates successful prevention efforts.”
Linda is a past President of the Washington State Public Health Association. She received the Association’s prestigious Tom Drummey Award for her efforts to further the Association's Strategic Plan and successfully chair the Joint Conference on Health. Linda feels passionate about the challenges and successes health educators have to improve the community's overall health. She says, “Public health has a tremendous capacity to really make a difference through the work we do. In health promotion, we should always focus on the outcomes we aspire to achieve, learn what needs to be accomplished to develop policy, and to plan activities that will reach the people.” She feels educators need to clearly see how everything they do, whether a major policy change or a community event, is a small step in achieving a specific outcome.
Linda recommends that health educators secure a strong foundation in program planning and implementation. She believes “An educator can learn topics or program areas, but they will be much more successful if they have fundamental planning skills to bring to the effort. An educator should get a variety of experiences, not just the one area they thought was interesting to them when they chose health education. Often educators become successful in areas they never dreamed about. If you're passionate about your work, you will be successful. Health education is not a job, it's almost a mission. My best educators are personally vested in their work, whether it's bicycle helmets or cancer prevention. They believe in their work and love coming to work each day. They have high expectations for themselves and their coworkers,” says Linda. She recommends that a beginning health educator join and become involved in professional organizations like SOPHE (Society for Public Health Education) and the Washington State Public Health Association. She further advises health educators to “take every opportunity to expand your educational development. Attend conferences, classes, and workshops. Strive to learn about your whole agency, not just your position. Then take it another step and learn about other organizations/agencies that support your program, such as the Department of Health and CDC.”
Linda believes that health educators need to sell their profession. “Not many know what health educators are and what they can do. CHES certification (Certified Health Education Specialist) has helped bring the profession to a new level, but we have a ways to go. Be proud of the profession, be knowledgeable in its unique capacity and support professional efforts to improve recognition and status among the public health world.”
Aside from work, Linda’s personal priorities are being a wife and mother. Linda has been happily married for 37 years and has two adult sons, a daughter-in-law and a “wonderful little granddaughter.” Her hobbies include gardening, playing in her yard, and being with friends and family. Linda enjoys traveling, walking and volunteering at community events with her husband. Linda has “years of experiences, both good and not so good” that have shaped her approach to health promotion. Linda is “adamant about program planning and grant development skills.” She will gladly offer advice on these topics and how they work together. Linda can be contacted by phone at 509-324-1538.
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Child Abuse
Prevention Month – Statewide A coalition sponsors a month-long campaign that includes a variety of activities and public education efforts throughout Washington that are designed to raise awareness about this preventable tragedy. |
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Community Health Library
- Kittitas County This health library began with community planning that involved local health care agencies, schools, libraries, businesses and the hospital, and it continues to operate with help from community fundraising. |
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Neighborhood Walking Project
– Island County The Island County Physical Activity Coalition sponsors neighborhood walking. |
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Whidbey in Motion (WHIM) – Island County The Island County Physical Activity Coalition provides free pedometers to 4th grade classrooms to encourage daily physical activity. |
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Common Sense Gardening Calendar - Thurston County Environmental Health Gives advice on planting, maintenance, pest/disease control, and pruning for each season. Encourages the least-toxic method of gardening. |
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First Smiles: Xylitol Gum - Clark County Health Department Brochure for pregnant women and nursing mothers on the benefit of chewing xylitol gum to improve the oral health of their babies. |
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Poison Prevention Packet - Washington Poison Center A packet of assorted materials on poison prevention, first aid for poisoning, "Mr. Yuk" stickers, and a poison hotline magnet. |
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Pressure-Treated Wood: A Common Sense Guide - Thurston County
Environmental Health Brochure on how to identify arsenic-treated wood, sealants, alternatives, safer disposal, and resources for more information. |
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Resource Guide for Students with Support Needs - Thurston County Public
Health and Social Services Department Provides resources on transitional planning for young adults with developmental disabilities in Thurston county. |
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Soil Safety Guidelines to Reduce Your Risk from Contaminated Soil
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Public Health - Seattle & King County This brochure provides the steps that will reduce the risk from contact with contaminated soil. |
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Start Motherhood with a Healthy Mouth - Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
Coalition of Washington State This brochure explains how parents can pass the germs that cause cavities to their children. |
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Tobacco Cessation Manual - Kittitas County Health Department Contains an instructor's guide, a participant's manual, and the outline of a four-session intensive cessation program. |
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Washington Poison Center Bookmarks - Washington Poison Center Bookmarks on the risk of poisons to children and pets. |
Northwest Institute for Community Health
Educators (NICHE) - North Bend, Washington - July 28-August 1, 2003
Motivational Interviewing: An Introduction
to Helping People Change - Seattle - August 20-21, 2003
Conference on Migrant Farm Worker Issues for Faith-Based and Community Organizations in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, Yakima - August 27, 2003
"The Young and the Breathless: Knowing Your Role in the Life of a Child with Asthma" - Satellite Broadcast - September 18, 2003
Do you have a community project to add?
Submission Form -- Community Projects
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Submission Form -- Materials Exchange
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WA and receive this newsletter monthly?
Add Yourself to the H.E.R.E. Rolodex
H.E.R.E. in WA Team
Office of Health Promotion
Washington State Department of Health
Theresa Fuller, Don Martin, and Jennifer Livingston (formerly
Jennifer Bush)
PO Box 47833
Olympia, WA 98504-7833
(360) 236-3736
HERE@doh.wa.gov