MPH Newsletter, Vol. 5
We use data to improve the health of communities through community health needs assessments and implementation strategies…
Flowers are in full bloom and so are our deliverables!
May is Mental Health Month, and we could not be more passionate about this year’s theme: “Look Around, Look Within”. It emphasizes the many intersecting biological, psychological, and social factors that make up mental health. As public health professionals, we apply this concept to overall health and try to identify these influencing factors for mental and overall community wellness.
Mental Health America’s 2023 Mental Health Month Toolkit “includes information about how an individual’s environment impacts their mental health, suggestions for making changes to improve and maintain mental well-being, and how to seek help for mental health challenges”. Mental health is almost always identified as a priority health need by our clients when assessing their community’s health. By making mental health the focus of our May newsletter, we hope to spark conversation internally and externally about ideas for meaningful change. Looking for a mental health counsellor but not sure how to take the next step? Visit Better Help or Sonder Mind for various options that meet you where you’re at!
As always, our focus this month is to collect and transform data into actionable and usable results. Going to the AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference? See you there! Reach out to us anytime to learn more about community health needs assessments and CHIPs/implementation strategies! Set up a FREE discovery call with us here.
Stay healthy,
Stephanie, Allie, & Elissa
Coming Up…
Next week, May 16th-18th we will be at the American Hospital Association (AHA)’s Accelerating Health Equity Conference! We’re excited to host a happy hour where we'll be promoting work-life balance to let loose and hang out! This is the perfect opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the American Hospital Association (AHA)'s Health Equity conference in Minneapolis next week and kick back with some like-minded professionals.
Will you be at the conference and want to hang out with Stephanie? RSVP by sending an email to info@moxleypublichealth.com or on LinkedIn on our virtual invite!
Mark your calendars for next month’s Lunch and Learn event: June 14, 2023 12-1 PM EST!
We will be discussing community collaboration. For those of you not familiar with our Lunch and Learn events, check out the details from some of our past events…
IN THE NEWS…
Our latest cohort of interns in our Women Supporting Women in Public Health Internship Program has continued diving into the secondary data available for the Blue Mountains, Jamaica.
They have also been busy looking at primary and secondary client data to assess health disparities. They’ve been reflecting on their experiences on LinkedIn!
TIPS & TRICKS OF THE MONTH
That you can optimize your home environment to improve your mental wellness?
That the area/zip code you live in plays a role in your health?
That spending time in nature is linked to many positive mental health outcomes?
These facts were drawn from Mental Health America’s Mental Health Month Toolkit, which contains the fact sheets linked above regarding several factors impacting mental health.
PUBLIC HEALTH NEED SPOTLIGHT
As has been highlighted throughout this newsletter, Mental Health is a complex and multi-faceted public health need!
Let’s take a look at how we identify and evaluate it in Moxley Public Health’s home state of Ohio…
The Ohio State Health Improvement Plan identifies mental health and addiction as a priority health outcome.
However, the below model also indicates the “unmet need for mental healthcare” as a priority factor impacting priority health outcomes. This highlights the intersecting factors that lead to mental wellness.
public health organization spotlight
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States… and they provide free education near you!
Free education course are available on a variety of topics for those experiencing, or those supporting those experiencing, mental illness. They are led by trained volunteers with lived experiences. Click the link to explore resources near you, and near your clients!
mph favorites to share with you…
On May 23rd, Stephanie is traveling to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio to be a guest on Dr. Caroline Kingori's podcast, Public Health Musings. Along with being a podcast producer and a professor at the College of Health Sciences and Professions at Ohio University, Dr. Kingori is also the co-founder of Ukiira Coffee. A portion of all proceeds goes to local schools in Central Kenya in honor of Dr. Kingori's late grandfather, Senior Chief Moses Mukira.
Stephanie loves drinking coffee and loves supporting Ukira Coffee because it not only makes for a yummy cup of coffee but the company is also meaningful and supports a dedication to education and social development!
Community collaboration! The buzz word in all conference rooms… But ever wondered how to foster team building skills? This month Allie is recommending this great resource from the Center for Community Health Development at the University of Kansas.
Elissa’s recommendation this month is something that she finds incredibly helpful for her own mental health, hot yoga!
And she’s not the only one who feels this way - check out this recent randomized controlled trial from Bournemouth University on the benefits of hot yoga…
what our team is thinking about this month…
What does “prioritizing mental health” mean to you?
Reflect and share your thoughts with us on our social media platforms below - we would love to hear from you!