Conference-- Innovation through collaboration: Building a community response to family violence

This conference will bring participants together from across five different professional sectors, as well as from around the nation. The conference, entitled "Innovation Through Collaboration: Building a Community Response to Family Violence" strives through both its structure and its content to realize the vision embodied by its title.

In addition to general sessions, participants can select from more than 55 presentations and master classes. Five programming tracks – Business, Health Care, Legal, Victim Services, and Faith -- each offer sessions that highlight promising practices, emerging issues, and collaborative efforts in addressing family violence in our communities. (Cross registration across the tracks is not only allowed but encouraged!) For more information, please visit their website at this link.

New Aging Resources for Psychologists

Shared by the APA Office on Aging:

The Science Directorate has put together three booklets as part of the 2008 Grand Challenges Initiative of Past-President Alan E. Kazdin, the goal of which was to identify and offer insights and solutions to a number of the grand challenges facing our society. They are Prolonging Vitality, Global Climate Change, and Health Disparities. The booklet on Prolonging Vitality describes "how psychologists are researching ways to improve the quality of life for this large portion of the population." http://www.apa.org/science/GC-ProlongingVitality-small.pdf

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has prepared a series of 7 issue briefs that offer policy recommendations for: integration of mental health in primary care; medical homes; chronic care management; integration of mental health in the public health system; the role of public insurance programs (Medicaid, SCHIP and Medicare); and improving the quality of care. http://www.bazelon.org/issues/mentalhealth/publications/index.htm

Slides and audio of presentations from the NIA Cognitive Aging Summit held in October 2007 are now available on the McKnight Brain Research Foundation's website. http://www.health.ufl.edu/brain/summit/index.htm

AARP will be holding a Diversity and Aging in the 21st Century conference, June 8-10, 2009 at the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Chicago. The theme of the conference is the Power of Inclusion. www.aarp.org/diversityandaging

Celebrate Black History Month!

Did You Know? February is Black History Month. Here is a list of Ohio events (not comprehensive):

Columbus
The Ohio Statehouse
Celebrates Black History Month during the month of February with a special educational display, special tours of the George Washington Williams Room and a special soul food menu at the Capitol Cafe each Wednesday and free Wednesday lunch-time concerts. Special Black History Month exhibition runs through February 28, 2009. Lunch-Time Concerts & Soul Food Wednesdays at the Capitol Cafe Each Wednesday in February; February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2009, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. George Washington Williams Room Tours; Visit the room which memorializes Ohio's first African-American legislator.
Price: Free

The Ohio State University
Black History Month Cultural Celebration, February 27, 2009 (All Day). The Black History Month Cultural Celebration will bring African American arts (i.e. dance, painting, music) and food to the Fisher College of Business campus. Art from local/OSU artists will be displayed and dancers/steppers will be asked to perform. The event is being planned as a culmination to our Black History Month .

The King Arts Complex
Click here for a full schedule of events.

Steubenville
Underground Railroad
As the gateway to the Northwest Territory - the first territory to outlaw slavery - Ohio was crisscrossed by Underground Railroad routes. Through displays, videos, and presentation, this exhibit will highlight the travels and travails of those who worked together on the journey to freedom.
Address (Homepage)
Historic Fort Steuben
120 South 3rd Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Thursday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Admission: FREE

Athens
Ohio University
See this site for a full list. Also visit http://www.ohio.edu/culturalcenter/ for additional information.

Youngstown
Youngstown State and City of Youngstown
Click here for all events

Cleveland
List of events from the Plain Dealer

Mansfield
Black History Month Jazz Lunch at OSU Mansfield. Monday, Feb 2, 200912 pm Presented By: OSU Mansfield. In the Eisenhower Campus Cafe, enjoy live jazz provided by the Ontario High School Dixieland Jazz Combo, along with jambalaya or blackened chicken with red beans and rice, fried green tomatoes, cornbread, and a beverage at a special discounted price. For more information, visit http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/.

Ashland
List of University of Ashland events.
Ashland Community and Technical College Events:
Videos on influential African-Americans will kick off Black History Month at ACTC. The videos will be shown in the College Drive Campus Teleconference Room from noon until 1 p.m.

• Feb. 2; The Roberts Drive Campus Cafeteria from 11 a.m. until noon Feb. 3; and the Technology Drive Campus Lounge Area from 11 a.m. until noon Feb. 4.
• Feb. 18; Affrilachian Poet Frank X. Walker will speak at noon Feb. 18 in the ACTC College Drive Campus Teleconference Room. Walker is a founder of the Affrilachian Poets. He will discuss the origins of the word "Affrilachia" and assess the group's impact on regional literature. He will read some of his own poetry and works by such influential Affrilachian poets as Nikky Finney, Crystal Wilkinsen, Kelly Norman Ellis and Bernard Clay.
• Feb. 28th; Dancing for Your Soul: a Hip-Hop Dance Revue, will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 28 in the J. B. Sowards Theatre at the College Drive Campus. The program will feature hip-hop dance routines by performers from area dance studios and performing companies. The free program and reception are sponsored by the ACTC Multicultural Student Organization.

Three community black history programs are offered with the theme, "The Rhythm of Life: Celebrate Our Musical Roots."

• A Night at the Apollo will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Paramount Arts Center.
  A Night at the Apollo gives amateur Tri-State performers a chance to share their talents in music, song, dance, poetry, comedy and drama. Audience admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children under 12. A Night at the Apollo is both a performance venue and a talent contest. Amateur solo and group performers may enter the contest. Prizes are $200, $100 and $50 for adults and $75, $50 and $25 for youths up to age 12. The entry fee is $5 per act, and registration is through the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center. The registration deadline is Feb. 2.
• Gospel Night will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center.
  Previous Gospel Night performers have included the Antioch Male Chorus from Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington, Ashland Community Chorus, Christ Temple Choir from Ashland, Spiritual Expressions from Full Gospel Assembly in Huntington and the Men's Chorus of First Baptist Church of Burlington, Ohio. The free program and reception will be hosted by the Boyd County High School Celebration Club sponsored by Rhonda Salisbury. Attendees may also view an exhibit of paintings by Ashland native Jerry Johnson.
• The Marshall University African Drumming & Dance Ensemble will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center. The Ensemble, specializing in traditional music of West Africa, was created in 1998 by J. Steven Hall, Marshall University Professor of Music. The free program and reception will be hosted by the Paul G. Blazer High School Human Relations Club sponsored by Lynn Revely.

National Healthy Weight Week

January 18-24 is National Healthy Weight Week. Many people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight, exercise more, and get in shape, but these resolutions do not always last. The goal of National Health Weight Week is to celebrate healthy diet-free living habits that last a lifetime and prevent eating and weight problems.

For more information on how to help make your New Year's resolution, or your every-day resolution to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle stick, please read this article.

Did You Know? Dec. 1st is World AIDS Day

December 1st is World AIDS Day, a day when individuals and world organizations unite to educate and bring attention to the global AIDS crisis. For more information, please visit these websites:

http://www.worldaidsday.org/
http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/
http://www.avert.org/worldaid.htm
http://www.hhs.gov/aidsawarenessdays/days/world/index.html

November 22 is National Survivors of Suicide Day

On November 22nd, join with other survivors of suicide loss at a local site near you or register to watch the 90-minute program from your home computer from 1-2:30pm Eastern Time and take part in a free online chat immediately afterwards.

The program includes a blend of emotional support and information about resources for healing for survivors of suicide loss. Survivors and mental health professionals discuss their experiences and answer the questions that so many survivors face: Why did this happen? How do I cope?

To find a conference site nearest you, or to register to watch the webcast from home, visit www.afsp.org/survivorday. When you register to watch from home, you are automatically registered for the online chat afterwards.

Public Interest Committee wins "OPA Committee of the Year" Award

At the 2008 OPA Annual Convention, the Public Interest Committee won the "OPA Committee of the Year" Award. The dedication and passion of the group, combined with the hard work of the members enabled the PIC to recieve this award. Congratulations to all the members!

From left to right in the picture: Mei Ng, Tasneem Khan, Todd Seibert, Kathleen Ashton, Lindsay Orchowski, Michele Evans, Mary Lewis, and past OPA president, Cathy McDaniels-Wilson.

Helping Military Families Cope

The American Red Cross today announced a new course, Coping With Deployments: Psychological First Aid for Military Families, is now available. The course, offered free of charge, is open to military family members of active duty, Reserve and National Guard forces, as well as veterans and their families.

For the entire article, click here.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Red Cross or learning more about disaster relief or assisting with crisis situations, please contact the DRN co-chairs Kurt Jensen, Psy.D. & Jim Broyles, Ph.D., or visit the Red Cross website.

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.