Legislative Update

This week concluded the end of the majority of the 09 Legislative Session, with no more daily committee hearings, and lots of activities on the Social Calendar. The Legislature is expected to have first adjournment and return for the Veto Session on Wednesday, April 29. The House Appropriations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee will return the week prior in order to develop the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. So, it is almost over, as they say. Read all the Health Bills KPHA has been tracking. As for the major public health issues and how they fared according to the media, advocates and some legislators:

Anti-abortion bill advances
Abortion opponents in Kansas renewed a push to impose new reporting requirements on providers and allow patients and others to sue them over potentially illegal late-term abortions. The House gave first-round approval to a bill. Supporters hoped the Senate also would pass the bill by Friday, before legislators began their annual spring break. The bill says doctors performing late-term abortions must give detailed medical reasons for them in reports to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Also, if a woman or girl comes to believe her late-term abortion was illegal, she, her husband or parents could sue the doctor for damages.

Concealed gun bill to Sebelius
Legislators sent the governor a bill Thursday that would allow some Kansas prosecutors to carry concealed guns under certain circumstances. The bill, approved Thursday 39-0 by the Senate and 95-28 on Wednesday by the House, would allow the U.S. attorney for Kansas, the Kansas attorney general and any district or county attorney to carry a gun.

Bioscience authority panel OKs funding: Agricultural, health endeavors at KU included in proposal
Kansas University and the global agribusiness company Archer Daniels Midland have plans to join together for a three-year, multimillion-dollar project designed to develop new ways to convert crops and biomass into alternative fuels and chemicals. The Kansas Bioscience Authority Investment Committee recommended to match dollar-for-dollar Archer Daniels Midland’s $1.2 million investment in its partnership with KU. The committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the entire board. Also during the meeting, the investment committee supported funding two Kansas University Cancer Center drug research projects to the tune of $500,000 each.

No progress on smoking ban
House and Senate negotiators continued to meet but spent little time and reached no agreement on a bill that would ban smoking in most of the state’s public places. The Senate has twice passed bills this session that would ban smoking in most work and public places, with exemptions for private clubs, tobacco shops, casino gaming floors, certain areas of adult care homes and 20 percent of the state’s hotel rooms. The Senate’s version also would allow smoking inside high-end private sporting clubs not open to the public.

$2 billion for Head Start programs included in stimulus
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Head Start and Early Head Start programs will be eligible for grants totaling $2.1 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Head Start will receive $1 billion and Early Head Start will receive $1.1 billion, officials said. Head Start will also see a separate $235 million increase for fiscal 2009, bringing the total funding increase for the programs to more than $2.3 billion. "Head Start and Early Head Start programs have helped put millions of children on the path to success," said Jenny Backus, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. "The Recovery Act will strengthen these critical programs and ensure they can serve more families in these tough economic times."

Mental health legislation
It appears that the legislature may be reaching a deal today on a mental health insurance compromise. This mental health compromise has been publicly heard by committees in the House and Senate. It improves the mental health coverage statutes for both the insurance companies and policy holders with an interest in mental health coverage. It provides the only significant improvement for children and families facing mental illness treatment expenses since the passage of limited parity in 2001.

HealthWave
Funding for the HealthWave expansion was included in the FY 2010 budget and agreed to by both chambers. The expansion, which the Legislature approved last year, will draw down federal SCHIP dollars to expand the eligibility level of our state's HealthWave program from 200% to 250% of poverty.

Teen drivers
The Governor signed the Graduated Drivers Licensing bill (HB 2143) into law March 27. The bill will make the following updates to our state's drivers licensing system: (1) Learner's permit. Requires every teen to hold a learner's permit for 12 months before obtaining a restricted or a full license. (2) Passenger limitation. Limits teen drivers to no more than one teen passenger in the vehicle during the first six months of full licensing. (3) Late-night limitations. Limits late-night driving to 9 p.m. during the first six months of full licensing unless driving to and from work or school. (4) Cell phones. Use of wireless devices prohibited while driving until teens complete the six-month period of passenger and late-night driving restrictions. An exception is in place for reporting emergencies.

Childhood obesity
A conference committee agreed to maintain funding for the Kansas Coordinated School Health program. The House committee had previously recommended cutting nearly half of the program's budget. The program provides resources and advice for Kansas communities to improve health, physical activity and nutrition in schools.

Liquor bills
SB 212 is the mega liquor bill. It includes shipment of wines directly to your house by in and out-of-state wineries, farm wineries selling of wine at a farmer's market, winery outlets to store domestic wine, restaurants to store your favorite wine on site for your future consumption, consumption of alcohol at festivals and such, and allowing cities and counties to request ABC to hold a hearing on revocation or suspension of a local liquor license. HB 2096 creates the Kansas DUI Commission to review our state DUI laws and those of other states, the treatment, enforcement, penalties, and supervision structure and strategies to change behavior for DUI offenders. Develop proposals for centralized recordkeeping. Review proposals by legislators, stakeholders, and the public about DUI. The commission will include three legislators, three judges, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, a city policeman, a sheriff, a court services officer, a parole officer, a victim advocate, 2 addiction professionals, someone from the A.G.'s office, Dept. of Corrections, SRS, Revenue, KDOT, Highway Patrol, KBI, and the Sentencing Commission. The commission would work for two years and make reports and suggestions to the 2010 and 2011 legislatures.

Budget bills
The Senate Ways & Means committee passed a state budget proposal Thursday night that avoids the cuts the House committee made in public school state aid. The Committee voted 13-0 for the proposed budget the key recommendation on school funding from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Child Care Center Inspections (by Rep. Marti Crow)
Private agencies that provide foster care and other youth services want to exempt themselves from state inspections because they already must abide by rigorous accreditation standards. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with some child care facilities, oppose the change. The dispute is over HB 2356, which would exempt maternity centers and child care facilities from being inspected by KDHE if the center or facility is accredited by The Joint Commission; the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services; or the Commission of Rehabilitation Services.

The House Health and Human Services Committee held hearings yesterday and plans a second hearing day on the measure today. In earlier testimony, a number of private organizations that contract with the state for family preservation, foster care and adoption services supported the bill. The private sector accreditation agencies argued that they have stringent requirements and review processes that ensure the safety and quality of care. Relying on accreditation would remove costly regulatory duplication, they contended. “We believe the changes in HB 2356 maintain high safety standards to ensure safety for children through accreditation and contract, but without unnecessary duplication that may deter families from volunteering,” said Robin Clements, who represents The Child Welfare Companies, a consortium of companies with state contracts for foster care and other youth services.

KDHE Division of Health interim director Richard Morrissey said the legislation needed more research and vetting. “A blanket removal of the department’s authority to inspect would significantly reduce existing safeguards and consumer protection for Kansas children and families. Research clearly associates frequency of inspection with increased compliance,” Morrissey said. Several child care centers also opposed the measure. Deb Crowl, administrator of Emporia Child Care and president of the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children, said continuing KDHE inspections is important. “Why not have that second pair of eyes ensuring the safety and well-being of each child that is in that environment. The purpose of regulation is to protect children from harm,” she said.

Graduated Driver’s Licenses (by Senator Kelly Kultala)
New efforts to save the lives of countless Kansas teens has received approval by legislators this week and is on its way to the Governor’s desk for signature. At issue is House Bill 2143, which would enact a state-wide graduated driver’s license system for Kansas teens. If enacted, the age that teens would become eligible to drive would increase from 16- to 17-years-old for an unrestricted license. The bill would also require teen drivers under age 16 to have an instruction permit for a full year - instead of the current six months. Additional restrictions would prohibit new drivers from having more than one non-sibling passenger at a time; would ban drivers from being on the road after 9 p.m. (unless with a supervising adult over the age of 21, driving to or from work, or a school-sponsored activity); and would prohibit cell phones and other wireless devices when driving. If caught, teens could lose their driving privileges. Currently, 48 other states have implemented similar graduated driver’s licensing policies. Only Kansas and North Dakota don’t have such laws in place. The bill has been supported by numerous organizations as a way to target drivers most likely to be in an accident.

And on our Governor Going to Washington
Sebelius not expected to be confirmed until after Congress returns from recess: Sebelius takes questions about taxes, none on abortion
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius stepped around potential land mines on abortion and her own tax errors Thursday as she testified at a hearing en route to her expected confirmation as health and human services secretary. Sebelius was not asked any questions about abortion, an issue that’s caused loud complaints from conservative groups angered about her vetoes of some abortion restrictions and the presence of a prominent abortion doctor at a reception at the governor’s residence. Health secretary nominee Kathleen Sebelius discussed the position with a Senate panel on Thursday. Nor was Sebelius asked about what she has called “unintentional errors” related to charitable deductions, mortgage interest and business expenses on her most recent tax returns. She has paid nearly $8,000 in taxes and penalties. Instead of focusing on those topics, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., tried to pin Sebelius down on the key question of whether every American should be required to buy health insurance.

Call for Speaker Presentations for the KPHA Fall Conference

KPHA Fall Conference Call for Proposals

The 66th Annual KPHA Fall Conference will be held September 22-24, 2009 at the Wichita Hyatt.

Proposals are now being accepted to fill the breakout sessions to be held on September 23rd and 24th. This year instead of just general breakout sessions we will have 3 tracks. The tracks are Children’s issues, Adult and/or Environmental Issues, and Elder Issues. The goal is that there will be topics that appeal to everyone at this year’s conference. We will be offering continuing education hours this year for nurses, social workers, sanitarians, and dental hygienists. Please let the conference committee know if there is another discipline we should look into including.

When you submit your proposal please indicate which track(s) you wish to present in. Also indicate date preference and am or pm session. (Please use the submission form attached with the e-mail). At this time breakouts will be one hour in length (60 minutes). The committee doesn’t guarantee that all submissions will be accepted or that we can meet presentation preferences. The deadline for submission is May 11th at 5 pm. The conference committee will meet later that week to choose the breakout sessions that will become part of the conference. Presenters will be notified following the committee meeting. The call for posters will be coming out around July, please watch for that also.

Please submit your abstract by e-mail to stacey.stroh@jocogov.org , eldonna.chesnut@jocogov.org, (see below) you will receive a confirmation e-mail that your abstract was received. Please remember to use the abstract submission form. If you have any questions or for some reason cannot summit your proposal electronically please feel free to call me. 913-477-8366 or e-mail is eldonna.chesnut@jocogov.org . I hope to have the conference brochure and registration available by June 1st.

I am looking forward to a highly successful and educational conference.

Eldonna Chesnut
2009 Conference Chair and KPHA President Elect

(Copy and paste the information below in an in an email and send it to stacey.stroh@jocogov.org Include all information as if it were to be printed in the Conference materials. If accepted for presentation, you are giving us permission for this abstract to be printed in the conference proceedings.)

Presenter(s) Name:(Name, Degrees, Credentials)
Address:
Phone/Fax:
Email:

Presentation Title:

As a result of participation in this workshop, attendees will be able to: (session objectives)
1.
2.
3.

Summary of Presentation: (Approx. 250 words or less)

Health Policy Stakeholders meet to discuss Kansas HITECH

With funding from the Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) and in partnership with the Kansas Health Institute (KHI), the Kansas Health Policy Authority convened a meeting to discuss the Kansas Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) plan. The meeting involved nearly 100 health policy stakeholders, including health consumers and advocates, doctors and doctors’ group representatives, hospital representatives, insurers and purchasers, internet technology professionals and state agency representatives. The group met at the Maner Conference Center in Topeka where they received overviews on HITECH, HISPC, the Kansas Medical Home model and the E-Health Advisory Council.

“It was important to convene as wide a variety of stakeholders as possible to discuss the role that HITECH will play in ongoing health policy initiatives,” said Dave Cook, associate vice chancellor of the University of Kansas Medical Center. “We are pleased with the high level of interest in the meeting and grateful that so many talented people are willing to offer their time and energy to the process of developing a cohesive HITECH plan for Kansas.”

Following morning presentations, participants were divided into groups where they discussed what additional stakeholders should be involved in the HITECH discussion and what topics needed to be further explored. They also devised three steps for further action by various specialty teams for which participants volunteered
following the meeting.

For more information about Kansas HITECH, please visit the KHPA website at: http://www.khpa.ks.gov/hite/default.htm

KPHLI seeking applicants for 7th Training Cycle

The Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute is seeking applicants for its seventh training cycle (2009-2010). The year-long cycle will begin with an orientation and training session in Wichita in July 2009.

The KPHLI provides competency-based leadership training to professionals in public health and allied fields from around the state. Through four quarterly training sessions, participants hear renowned speakers and complete directed readings and reflective writings in consultation with a mentor/coach. The training cycle culminates in the development and presentation of an applied public health capstone project.

Applicants must complete an online application form and a one-page biosketch/statement of interest and must provide a letter of professional recommendation. The application form, as well as a program brochure with all session dates, can be found on the KPHLI website at www.waldcenter.org/kphli.

For further information about applying to the KPHLI, contact KPHLI Assistant Director Theresa St. Romain at tstromain@kumc.edu. Applications should be submitted online no later than Friday, May 15, 2009. All applicants will be notified of acceptance status via e-mail by June 1, 2009.

Job Openings

RN for Public Health Services and RN for Home Health Agency
Job Status: Full Time

Harper County Health Department/Harper County Home Health Agency has two full time registered nurse positions open. We are seeking a full time Registered Nurse for Public Health/Home Health Agency in-home services and a full time Registered Nurse for Public Health services. Qualifications include graduate of a school of nursing, current RN licensure with the Kansas State Board of Nursing, and current valid driver’s license. Job description can be viewed in the Harper County Administrator’s Office. Applications are available at the Harper County Human Resource Office, County Courthouse; Anthony KS 67003, 620.842.6008 E.O.E. Information and applications may also be obtained at www.harpercountyks.gov or by contacting the Harper County Health Department/Harper County Home Health Agency at 620.842.5132.

Executive Director for Utah Public Health Association

The Utah Public Health Association (UPHA) is seeking an Executive Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the association including responsibility to provide staff support to the Executive Officers and Board of Directors. The primary duties will include administrative leadership, advocacy, building relations with allied groups, fiscal planning and management including fund raising and grant writing.

The UPHA has secured a grant from the American Public Health Association (APHA) to support the development of a new strategic plan, develop long range goals, and strengthen the infrastructure of the Association. The Executive Director (ED) will work to secure other funding sources that will allow continued organizational growth, maintain day-to-day management/operations, and continue the ED position after the grant has ended. The ED works will work under the direction of the UPHA President and Board of Directors to fulfill the obligations of the grant.

UPHA is a not-for-profit corporation that brings together public health professionals, volunteers, and community advocates to address public health issues in a coordinated manner. Members include professionals from local public health departments, the Utah
Department of Health, hospitals, community agencies, universities, and other professional organizations in Utah.

Requires a bachelor’s degree that supports the skills of the position, (5) or more years of progressive management experience relevant to this position and (2) or more years’ successful experience with fund raising and grant writing. Masters in Public Health, Health
Administration, Public Administration, Business Administration or related field will be given
preference.

Vacancy will be open until filled. Salary is commensurate with experience and will depend on qualifications and anticipated contribution to the organization.

For more information on the position go to:
www.upha.org/ or contact Laurie Baksh at (801)538-9146

To apply send letter of interest and resume to:
Utah Public Health Association
PO Box 16048
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Or via e-mail: president@upha.org

News from APHA

APHA Executive Board Nominations
The APHA Nominations Committee is seeking committed and energetic members of the Association to run for President-Elect and for the Executive Board in 2009. This is an excellent opportunity to be involved in how APHA is governed, how it makes decisions, and where it will go in the future. If you are interested, or know someone you think would be a good candidate, please read on.

Members of the Executive Board serve four-year terms, during which they participate in making management and budget decisions, guide the implementation of APHA policy, select the leadership of boards and committees, and provide a visible connection between APHA leadership and the Sections and other units. There are twelve elected Board members who are joined by twelve other people who serve in ex officio capacities. The Executive Board meets in person three times per year (including at the Annual Meeting), and more frequently in between by conference call. We will be electing three new board members at the Annual Meeting this Fall.

The President-Elect serves for one year in that role before becoming President the following year, with a third year spent as Past-President. The APHA President is the chief elected officer of the Association. S/he participates in the work of the Executive Board and Governing Council and is a major external "face" of the Association, attending speaking engagements and state affiliate meetings. Although the President does not have responsibility for managing APHA's professional staff, the office requires the investment of considerable time and energy for travel and engagement with APHA members and others working in and making decisions about public health.

Nominations are being accepted through April 15 th . Successful candidates will be notified this Summer, and the election will take place at the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia in November.

Nomination forms are located at: http://www.apha.org/about/gov/nominations/default.htm
If you would like more information or a nomination form, please contact:

Howell Sasser (hcs_charlotte@hotmail.com), Chair, Nominations Committee

Find out how to help KPHA by searching or shopping on the web!

What if KPHA earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support one of KPHA’s many education and advocacy projects? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Kansas Public Health Association as the charity you want to support. Also, add the GoodSearch.com toolbar to the top of your webpage. Then, you don’t even have to think about going to GoodSearch.com each time you search. Details on how to add the toolbar to your webpage are under “Help Spread the Word” at the bottom of their homepage. You can even see how much we have risen so far this year each time you search! And, be sure to spread the word!

Thanks!

Nicole Heim, MPH, REHS
Associate Director
Kansas Public Health Association
http://www.kpha.us

Snow Day in Edwards County, picture from Board Member, Diana Rice!

I thought I would share with you all what the front of the health department looked like Saturday Morning after the blizzard, I was just amazed myself!!
Diana Rice, Administrator
Edwards County Health Department
www.edcohealth.com