Reach Out and Read

If you are attending the OPA Convention, please consider bringing "gently used" books for children. This is a community outreach project by the OPA staff. There will be a collection box at the registration table for the books.

The books are donated to Operation Reach Out and Read. Reach Out and Read is a national organization that makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care so that children grow up with books and a love of reading. Reach Out and Read trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from six months to five years of age. A special focus is placed on children growing up in poverty. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, Reach Out and Read helps families and communities cultivate early literacy skills so that children enter school prepared to succeed at reading.

For more information, please visit the "Reach out and Read" website.

October is...

Did You Know? October is...

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

National Brain Injury Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Disability Awareness Month

Pregnancy Loss and Remembrance Day (Oct 15)

For more information, please visit the websites linked.

Celebrate Healthy Aging!

The Administration on Aging (AoA) has published information about some national programs that are devoted to the promotion of positive and healthy aging. These are evidenced-based programs located in specific states. For more information, please visit the AoA website.

Walking for a Cause

We've all been told that walking helps both our physical and emotional health. You can make your walking count even more by walking (or biking) for a cause! Here are some public walks & events across Ohio that you can participate in, and raise money for a good cause of your choosing.

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Lima
Saturday, September 13th
Faurot Park, Lima
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

2008 North to South Ohio AIDS Charity Ride
Friday & Saturday, September 19-20
http://www.firstgiving.com/north2southaidscharityride

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Toledo
Saturday, September 27th
Olander Park, Sylvania
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

NAMI Walk-- Akron
Saturday, October 4th
Munroe Falls Metro Park
http://www.nami.org/walkTemplate.cfm?section=NAMIWALKS

Walk From Obesity - Columbus
Sunday, October 5th, 10 a.m.
Groveport Recreational Center in Columbus.
http://www.walkfromobesity.com/

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Bowling Green
Sunday, October 5th
Downtown Bowling Green
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

NAMI Walk - Butler County
Saturday, October 11th
The Fitton Center, 101 S Monument Ave.
http://www.nami.org/walkTemplate.cfm?section=NAMIWALKS

Walk Now for Autism -Columbus
Sunday, October 12th
Schottenstein Center
http://www.walknowforautism.org/site/c.ddKFIMNrEqG/b.4045185/
(Nationwide Children's Hospital is sponsoring a large team including some OPA psychologists)

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Cleveland
Sunday, October 12th
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Clermont County Walk
Sunday, October 19th
Union Township Veterans Memorial Park
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Columbus
Sunday, October 26th
Fred Beekman Park
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/
(OPA/COPA Team Link: http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&eventID=508&teamID=7248)

Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk -- Cincinnati
Sunday, October 26th
University of Cincinnati
http://www.outofthedarkness.org/

APA Articles for Weather-Related Disaster Relief

In light of the recent weather conditions, APA has developed two new articles that have been posted on the homepage of the APA Help Center and are available to download in PDF form and distribute to your community.

Below you will find links to informationon the Red Cross and the CDC's efforts in dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.

Websites Red Cross Update on Hurricane Gustav
CDC Update on Hurricane Gustav
CDC's Coping with a Disaster after a Traumatic Event

Kurt Jensen
OPA Disaster Response Co-Coordinator

Stand Up 2 Cancer

Did you know that cancer is the cause of death for almost 25,000 Ohioans per year (www.cancer.gov)? That cancer continues to be the #2 reason for death in the United States?

Research has indicated that depression and other mental health issues are also frequently found in individuals with cancer (Passik et al., 1997), and psychologists can be effective at helping individuals with cancer, as well as their families and caregivers.

On September 5th, a national campaign designed to raise money for cancer research was aired on all three major networks. Although the network campaign is over, you still have a chance to Stand Up 2 Cancer, by visiting the national website. This website provides opportunities to get involved, as well as information about the cause.

Heroes In The Fight

Here are the 2008 Heroes in the Fight Winners for Franklin County

Individual Allied Healthcare Professionals
Karen Berry - Mental Health America of Franklin County
Joanne Mieding - NAMI - Miami County

Individual Community Supporters
Tom & Margaret Quinn
Ryan Kidwell - Hancock County Sherrif's Dept.

Individual Media Professional
Ted Smith - WBNS 10TV

Individual Psychiatrist
Dr. John Campo - Nationwide Children's Hospital

Treatment Team
In Place Steering Committee - Cambridge, Ohio

For more information about Heroes in the Fight, please visit their website.

PIC Sponsored Programming at the APA Convention

Public Interest Sponsored Programming at the 2008 APA Convention

See highlights of the rich and varied APA convention programming sponsored by the Public Interest Directorate and governance groups at:http://www.apa.org/pi/convention_2008.html

Topics include...........

• Psychology's contributions to public health.
• Incorporating socioeconomic status into research, practice, and policy.
• "Speed mentoring" for women.
• Working with older adults.
• Children and electronic media.
• Strategies for recruiting, retaining, and graduating students of color.
• Eating disorders and advocacy.
• PTSD and trauma in youth.
• New directions in ethnic minority research.
• Ethical practice issues and persons with disabilities.
• Opposing discriminatory legislation aimed at lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons.

Did You Know? June 21st is National ASK Day

ASK Day is a national day of focus on the lifesaving message of the ASK (Asking Saves Kids) campaign. ASK Day will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2008, the first day of summer, a time of year when children play more often in other homes.

Parents ask all sorts of questions to protect their children when they go play at the home of a friend, neighbor or relative. But there is one important question that more than half of parents say it never even occurred to them to ask: "Is there a gun where my child plays?"

Forty percent of homes with children have guns, and the ASK campaign offers free materials for professionals to encourage parents to ASK if there are guns where their children play. You can download the ASK Day Kit which contains details, ideas and materials to organize an ASK Day event. Please visit the Real Solutions to Gun Violence website for more details about this day.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: June 15

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was held on June 15th this year. It was a call to action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Please visit www.inpea.net for a free "Community Guide to Raise World Awareness on Adult Abuse Tool Kit" which was produced by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). It has sample ideas and templates for activities, as well as examples of materials, resources, proclamations and messages. World Elder Abuse Awareness day was organized to support the UN's International Plan of Action, which recognizes the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human right's issue (Gerontology News, 2008).