28th Ohio Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference

Dr. David G. Myers, Keynote Speaker

The Ohio Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference (OUPRC) website is available for you to register yourself and your students to attend OUPRC on Saturday, April 26.  All information (including registration and abstract submission) can be found at:

www.mvnu.edu/OUPRC

Please make sure that you register each individual SEPARATELY, and that if an abstract is submitted for a presenter, each presenter is also REGISTERED.  There are separate links for each.  (Abstract submission does not qualify as registration).  Faculty in attendance should also register, and all registrants should make a lunch choice so that we can plan accordingly.

Complete information about the schedule for the day, the keynote speaker, and maps to campus can all be found at the registration site.

Walks in Columbus April 2014

Saturday, 4/13 at 12:30pm: National Eating Disorders Awareness Walk (Fred Beekman Park)


Saturday, 4/26 at 9am: Race to Eliminate Sexual Violence (Wolfe Park in Bexley)


Saturday, 4/26 at 8:30am: Walk to Cure Arthritis (Columbus Zoo)

YMCA Healthy Kids Day -- Cleveland

OPA participated in the YMCA Healthy Kids Day in Cleveland, OH on Sunday, April 7th. 

OPA Members Nancy Duff-Boehm, Wendy Kellon, Cathy Gaw (pictured above) and Kathleen Ashton participated in the event. 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child abuse is a national tragedy affecting more than three million children annually and causing the deaths of three children every day. Preventing and reporting child abuse is one of the most important things a community can do for the future of its children. Statistics vary, but for example, Franklin County Children Services receives more than 13,000 reports of child abuse each year and serves more than 28,000 children and their families (Franklin County Children's Services).Here are some resources that may be useful during this month. 

http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/

http://www.apa.org/pi/e-card/child-abuse-prevention.aspx

http://actagainstviolence.apa.org/

http://www.preventchildabuse.org/publications/cap/index.shtml

http://jfs.ohio.gov/OCTF/CAPM.stm

Infertility Awareness Week

April 24-30 is National Infertility Awareness Week. Around 1 in 8 women and men are diagnosed with infertility. Bust the infertility myths!


Myth #1: “This is ‘her’ problem—I don’t need to be an active participant.”

Busted!: Having a baby, whether it is the result of GOFI (good old fashioned intercourse) or with the help of a reproductive doctor can be one of the most intimate, connecting experiences a couple has.

The Hollywood image of a magical night of lovemaking yielding a positive pee stick result is simply replaced by an extra squeeze of your wife’s hand during an ultrasound, a quick breakfast date and kiss before the morning blood draw, and an extra long hug after an embryo transfer.

For more information, please visit the RESOLVE National Infertility Awareness Week website.

Cleveland Clinic Minority Men's Health Fair

Last night, several psychologists represented OPA and Mental Health at the 9^th Annual Cleveland Clinic Minority Men's Health Fair.  The fair serves over 2000 men and their families who come for screenings for everything from prostate cancer to depression.  There were over 50 booths and 20 free screenings offered.  Efforts such as this help to reduce healthcare disparities and  destigmatize psychology and healthcare for minorities. 
It was a pleasure to talk with over 75 of the participants.  Some shared their positive experiences with psychology and therapy, as well as positive coping strategies they use to manage stress such as spirituality, meditation, exercise, and humor.  Others were seeking to build coping strategies and seek treatment for financial stress, caregiver stress, and coping with medical problems.  We were able to provide materials from the APA Public Education Campaign about resilience, stress management, obesity, and heart disease.  We also provided information about referral sources such as the Cleveland Psychological Association's "Find a Psychologist" feature.  What an exciting event!

April is National Minority Health Month

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office on Minority Health is again sponsoring National Minority Health Month in April. This year's focus is on Minority Health and School Food. According to the OMH, in Fiscal Year 2009 more than 31.3 million children a day received lunch through the National School Lunch Program with about 11.1 million participating in breakfast each day, according to the Food Research and Action Center. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2005, 41 percent of 4th graders were eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Only 24 percent of White 4th graders were eligible, while 70 percent of Black and 73 percent of Hispanic students qualified. Eligible as well were 65 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native and 33 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander 4th graders. 

Minorities participate in great numbers in the school lunch program, and some school districts have devised ways to extend the food service over the summer to guarantee that lower income children have access to at least one full meal per day. Minority children are also particularly hard hit by obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Therefore, school food is a critical social determinant of the health of minority children. school meals could and should be also a great teachable moment, a pathway to a lifelong education on healthy eating and the environmental impact of our food choices. And we should not forget the link between good nutrition and ability to perform well academically, which has something to do with the persistence of the achievement gap.

April is Autism Awareness Month

The Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued their ADDM autism prevalence report that concluded that the prevalence of autism was 1 in every 110 births in the United States and almost 1 in 70 boys. Psychologists work with children who have autism and their parents, and the American Psychological Association has some good information on Autism. For more information, please visit the Autism Society's Awareness Month page as well as the CDC's Information Page about Autism Awareness Month.

April 25 - May 2: National Infertility Awareness Week

Did You Know? April 25 - May 2nd is National Infertility Awareness Week. More than five million individuals and couples in the U.S. struggle with infertility, and those struggling with infertility may experience difficulty with depression, anxiety, self-esteem and identity. For more information about NIAW, please visit the RESOLVE website.

April 11 is World Parkinson's Day

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month in the U.S. but the entire world celebrates April 11th as World Parkinson's Day. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the disorder and research being conducted on Parkinson's, as well as being a day of advocacy for individuals with Parkinson's and their families.

For more information about Parkinson's Awareness Month, visit the National Parkinson's Foundation. Or for more information about Parkinson's Disease, visit the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) informational page.

NE Ohio Senior Adult Spelling Bee: Sunday, April 26

The NE Ohio Senior Adult spelling bee will be here soon! If you are 55 or older, and if you rarely need spell check, then consider enrolling for this free, fun, "social/cognitive" event on Sunday, April 26th, 2:00 pm at Laurel Lake Retirement Community in Hudson, Ohio (200 Laurel Lake Drive). Grand prize winner goes to Cheyenne, Wyoming for free (round trip for two plus hotel for two nights) and gets to compete in the AARP spelling bee for anyone age 50+. The other top 4 spellers will take home some very nice prizes as well. If you would like to just observe and have free food and entertainment, please do attend. Our theme is earth week and there will be environmental info available during the event as well.

We have a written round first and then the top spellers advance to the oral rounds.

To register as a contestant, call 330-678-9210 or via email: cha@en.com. There is more info on the site, www.centerforhealthyaging.com .

National Public Health Week April 6-12

Did You Know? April 6-12th is National Public Health Week. The theme for the week is Building the Foundation for a Healthy America. The American Public Health Association's website has information for individuals, families, and communities to improve our health and recommit to a healthier future.

April 2009 Awareness

Did You Know? April is....

Sexual Assault Awareness Month
The theme is Prevent Sexual Violence...in our workplaces, with the slogan Respect Works! April 8 is the SAAM Day of Action

National Minority Health Month
The theme is Ordinary Couples Don't Plan Their Pregnancies: Be Extraordinary! Preconception health is a family affair. Also be sure to visit the National Minority Health Month Foundation website.

Alcohol Awareness Month
April 9th is National Alcohol Screening Day

National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Contains a resource guide and community resource materials.

National Autism Awareness Month
April 2 is World Autism Day