Sponsored by the State Community Health Services Advisory Committee
and the Minnesota Department of Health
WELCOME
to the Community Health Conference –
Fostering Hope and Facilitating Change:
Public Health in the 21st Century!
As a participant you will:
• Hear about the effects of climate change from one of
Minnesota’s top climate experts, while learning about its
potential impact on public health;
• Discover how leaders in Minnesota’s business community
are working to address social determinants – such as
disparities in race, geography and education – to ensure
the future of Minnesota’s workforce;
• Gain fresh perspectives by attending concurrent sessions on
the following topics: public health infrastructure, social
determinants of health, risky behaviors, communications,
mental health and environmental health;
• Think creatively about how to incorporate continuous
quality improvement into our daily work as we move
toward voluntary national accreditation; and
• Last, but not least, gain an appreciation for the proven health
benefits of laughter, while learning how to ensure helpful,
not harmful, humor in your workplace!
Thank you for attending the 2008 Community Health
Conference!
Your 2008 Conference Planning Committee
HIGHLIGHTS & CONFERENCE BASICS
Community Health Awards and Reception
Recognition of the accomplishments of local public
health staff, county commissioners, and MDH staff is a
tradition of the annual conference. Sanne Magnan, M.D.,
Ph.D, Commissioner of Health will present the awards. A
celebration reception will immediately follow the awards
ceremony.
Public Health Resources & Displays
The public health resource area will be the center of activity
for networking opportunities and refreshment breaks.
Informational resources will be on display throughout the
conference in the Minnesota Room and adjoining areas.
Physical Activity Sessions and Pontoon Boat Rides
Conference planning members will again host an array of
fun stress reducing, physical activity sessions each day of the
conference. Activities being planned include early morning
walks, canoeing, Rez-robics, and more! New this year belly dancing and bicycles built for “two”!
Conversation with Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan
Join Sanne Magnan, M.D., Ph.D, Commissioner of Health
and your colleagues after dinner on Thursday and before
Movie Night for an informal conversation.  Bring questions
that you would like to discuss, and share emerging issues
that affect your communities.  All are welcome!
Bev Bales, Chair, Douglas County Commissioner
Kenneth Bence, Minnesota Council of Health Plans
David Benson, Nobles County Commissioner
Mary Cahill, MDH, Compliance Monitoring
Mitchell Davis, MDH, Office of Minority and
Multicultural Health
Maggie Diebel, MDH, Community and Family Health
Gail Gentling, MDH, Community and Family Health
Ardis Henriksen, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray,
Pipestone Public Health Services
Tom Hogan, MDH, Environmental Health
Jay Jaffee, MDH, Health Promotion Chronic Disease
Ann Kinney, MDH, Health Policy
Helene Kahlstorf, North Country CHB
Idelle Longman, City of Edina CHB
Julie Myhre, Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis CHB
Susan Morris, Isanti County Commissioner
Karen Nordstrom, Bloomington Councilmember
Jacob Owens, MDH, Office of Emergency Preparedness
Asa Schmit, MDH Information Systems and Technology
Mary Sheehan, Chisago County Community and
Public Health
Kristen Tharaldson, MDH, Health Policy
Lynn Theurer, Winona County Community Health Services
Bev Wangerin, McLeod County Commissioner
Amy Westbrook, MDH, Infectious Disease Epidemiology,
Prevention and Control
Movie Night
UNNATURAL CAUSES: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? Please
join your movie night hosts - the MDH District Public Health
Nurses Consultants in the viewing of the television miniseries – Unnatural Causes. This mini-series sounds the alarm
about our huge and alarming socio-economic and racial
disparities in health - and searches for their causes. And
those causes are not what we might expect!
Conference Staff
Peggy Malinowski, MDH, Community and Family Health
Allison Thrash, MDH, Community and Family Health
We will be taking photographs to use in MDH
newsletters and online. If you prefer that we not use
your photo, please sign an opt-out form at the
conference registration desk.
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Prize Giveaway
Conference attendees who stay until the end of the
conference are eligible for prizes. The grand prize will be a
complimentary conference package (registration and meals/
lodging) to the 2009 Community Health Conference.
Continuing Education Credits
The conference is designed to provide continuing education
credits for nurses, registered dieticians, health educators, and
environmental health specialists/sanitarians. Prior to leaving
the conference, please obtain certificates of attendance at the
conference registration desk.
Evaluation
Please complete evaluations for each session you attend. You
will also receive an online conference evaluation the week
following the conference. We need to know what you found
useful – and not – about the conference. We value your
feedback!
Please Note: Photographs – Opt Out Form
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS
Robin Getman: Laugh! For the Health of It
Think about your interactions with other people. When,
where, and with whom do you feel most at ease? If you’re
like most people, you’re at your best whenever you share
laughter and lightness.
Laugh and learn as Robin Getman, your facilitator of fun,
helps you identify ways to relax, renew and restore…and
look forward to coming to work each day!
What you’ll learn…
• Proven health benefits of laughter.
• Laughter exercises you can use the rest of your
life.
• The fun-damentals that ensure helpful, not
harmful, humor in the workplace.
Mark Seeley, Ph.D: Climate Change Implications for Public Health
The American Public Health Association selected climate
change as the theme for Public Health Week 2008. The
health of the planet will have a direct impact on public
health in the 21st century, but what does it mean for
Minnesota?
Donna Zimmerman: The Itasca Project – How
Business Leaders are Working to “Close the Gap”
Gaps in race, class and place in Minnesota are stark and
growing. The Itasca Project, a business-led civic group, has
identified these disparities and is finding innovative ways
to address them to ensure regional competitiveness and the
future of Minnesota’s workforce. Some of the successes of the
Itasca Project were recently featured as part of a Twin Cities
Public Television (tpt) series called “Closing the Gap”.
Donna Zimmerman, Vice President for Government and
Community Relations at HealthPartners and a member of the
Itasca Project’s working group, will outline the history of the
Itasca Project, share success stories, show video clips from
the tpt series, and highlight tools and resources that can be
used to begin the discussion on how to close gaps in your
community.
Sanne Magnan, M.D., Ph.D., Commissioner of
Health: Closing Address
Dr. Magnan will share impressions and experiences from her
travels around the state during her first year as Commissioner,
and will highlight a hopeful future for Minnesota’s public
health system.
In this presentation, Dr. Mark Seeley, a meteorologist and
climatologist with the University of Minnesota Extension,
Department of Soil, Water and Climate and weekly
contributor to Minnesota Public Radio, will discuss how
climate change is already affecting our state, how it might
affect our weather and health in the future, and what we can
do about it.
PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008
12:00 – 6:00 p.m......................Conference registration
desk open
Conference Center Lobby
12:00 – 1:00 p.m............................................. SCHSAC
Executive Committee meeting
Pelican Pier Room
1:00 – 4:30 p.m..................................SCHSAC meeting
Minnesota Room
6:00 – 8:00 p.m...................Community Health Awards
and reception
• Awards - Whitebirch Room
• Reception - Lakeside Ballroom
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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2008
6:30 – 7:15 a.m........................Physical activity session
7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m................Conference registration
Conference Center Lobby
Minnesota, including the Active Living Hennepin
County program and Brainerd’s Safe Routes to School
program. The presentation will discuss policies that
reduce excessive sedentary time and highlight several
important local innovations.
6:45 – 8:00 a.m.............................................. Breakfast
Marina Dining Room and Lakeside Ballroom
Session A3.............................. Whitebirch 1
8:00 – 8:15 a.m............................Conference welcome
Whitebirch Room
Gary Sorenson
Cottonwood County Commissioner
and 2008 SCHSAC Chair
Presenters: Rob Fulton (St. Paul-Ramsey Public Health),
and Grace Gorenflo (NACCHO)
Maggie Diebel, MDH, Community and Family Health
Division Director, Session Moderator
8:15 – 9:45 a.m...........................Opening presentation
Robin Getman
9:45 – 10:05 a.m..................................................Break
Minnesota Room
10:05 – 11:05 a.m........... Concurrent sessions: Series A
Session A1......................... Heartland 1 & 2
A Strategy for Closing the Oral Health Gap
Presenters: Colleen Bricke (Metropolitan State
University), Jayne Cernohous (Apple Tree Dental),
Clare Larkin (Metropolitan State University), and
Lorene Wedeking (Metropolitan State University)
Dental hygienists in collaborative or advanced dental
hygiene practice are a new solution to closing oral
health care gaps. This presentation will help staff from
local health departments learn how to engage these
new practitioners, either on staff or as community
partners.
Session A2......................... Heartland 3 & 4
Physical Activity Policies for Obesity
Prevention
Presenters: Brooke Ahlquist (MDH), Kala
Henkensiefken (Transportation Department, Brainerd
Public Schools), and Todd Monson (Hennepin County)
This panel presentation will highlight some physical
activity policies that are being implemented in
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Update on Voluntary National Accreditation
According to the national Public Health Accreditation
Board, (PHAB), the first round of voluntary
accreditation will begin in 2011. In this session,
presenters will provide background on PHAB, give an
update on the timeline for accreditation, and answer
questions from attendees.
Session A4.............................. Whitebirch 2
Cool Tools for Public Health Workers
Presenters: Michelle Brasure and Martha Harvey
(University of Minnesota, Health Sciences Libraries)
The presenters will describe several types of outreach
and training opportunities available to local public
health through the U of M Health Sciences Library. In
addition, they hope to get feedback from attendees on
the types of training and tools that are most valuable
to local health departments, such as social networking
and Web-based consumer health tools.
Session A5............................. Pelican Room
Involving Communities in Circles of Support:
Working Together to End Poverty
Presenters: Greg Warner (Western Community Action),
and Jim Woehrle (KOOTASKA Community Action)
“Circles of Support” work to increase the social
capital of low-income people by identifying resources
and opportunities for families who are on a path to
increased economic stability. This presentation will
describe how the Circles of Support program is being
successfully implemented in two different areas of
the state.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m... Concurrent sessions: Series B
Session B1......................... Heartland 1 & 2
Public Health: A Force in Child Abuse
Prevention
Presenters: Gay Bakken (Dakota County),
Ellie Hodkinson (Washington County), and
Barbara Riley (City of Bloomington)
Family home visiting can be an important tool for
preventing child abuse for high risk families. This
panel presentation will feature the Metro Alliance for
Healthy Families (MAHF) and the work of its partners
to build public health infrastructure that systematically
identifies, engages and retains Minnesota’s most
vulnerable first-time parents in intensive, long-term
family home visiting services.
Session B2......................... Heartland 3 & 4
Now that’s a RAP: Correctional Health
Release Advance Planning
Presenters: Renee Frauendienst (Stearns County Public
Health), Sherry O’Brien (Stearns County Public Health),
and Jeff Pollreis (Stearns County Sheriff’s Office)
Correctional health release advance planning (“RAP”)
is a cooperative project between public health, human
services and jail administration in Stearns County. A
multi-disciplinary team works to assist inmates as they
are released from jail in an effort to reduce recidivism.
The presenters will describe the Stearns County RAP
model and share insights and lessons learned from the
process.
Session B3.............................. Whitebirch 1
Tools to Help Understand, Describe and
Explain Emergency Response Roles
Presenters: Jacob Owens (MDH), Mickey Scullard
(MDH), and Virginia Strand (MDH)
The Minnesota Department of Health and local health
departments have jointly developed several critical
emergency preparedness tools that will help local
health departments communicate, understand, describe
and explain their emergency response roles and
responsibilities to community partners. Presenters will
share stories and lessons learned from the development
and pilot-testing of these important preparedness tools.
Session B4.............................. Whitebirch 2
Facebook, YouTube and Theater Ads:
Innovative Ways to Reach Youth with Tobacco
Prevention Messages
Presenters: Lisa Horn (Meeker, McLeod, Sibley
Community Health Board), and Christina Thill (MDH)
This session will explore ways to reach youth
with tobacco prevention messages using new
online technologies as well as traditional health
communication methods such as billboards and theater
ads. Presenters will share guidelines from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention that reflect these
new technologies, and discuss Dakota County’s success
with the “Respect my Ride” smoke-free vehicles
campaign.
Session B5............................. Pelican Room
Local Solutions to Minnesota’s Chlamydia
Epidemic
Presenters: Summer Martins (MDH), and Kathy Wick
(Dakota County Public Health)
In this presentation, attendees will learn about
Minnesota’s increasing chlamydia epidemic, the
consequences of untreated infections, and the
increasing impact on all areas of the state. The
presenters will also describe how Dakota County
Public Health is working to slow the rising chlamydia
rates in their county by partnering with a wide variety
of primary care clinics.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. . ....................Lunch and networking
Breezy Point Patio and Deck Area (weather permitting)
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. . .......... Concurrent sessions: Series C
Session C1........................ Heartland 1 & 2
Transforming Depression Management
Presenters: Amy Murphy (Institute for Clinical Systems
Improvement), and Nancy Jaeckles (Institute for Clinical
Systems Improvement)
Minnesota clinics recently launched a promising new
way to manage patients with depression in primary care
called DIAMOND (Depression Improvement Across
Minnesota, Offering a New Direction). This initiative
is unique in that it changes how care is delivered and
how it is paid for. Presenters will explain how the
program works and share experiences from clinics of
how the DIAMOND model is impacting patients.
Session C2......................... Heartland 3 & 4
Public Health Workforce –
Internship as a Process for Recruitment
Presenters: Cindy Bork (Winona State University School
of Nursing), Linda Haeussinger (Olmsted County), and
Lynn Theurer (Winona County Public Health)
Many hospitals and other businesses use internships
as a pipeline for hiring young professionals after
graduation. This presentation will describe how two
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local public health departments combined efforts with
area schools of nursing to develop paid, summer public
health nurse internships. This presentation will focus on
the lessons learned and the results of this new effort.
Session C3.............................. Whitebirch 1
Statewide Health Improvement Program
(SHIP)
Presenter: Cara McNulty (MDH)
SHIP is a plan for statewide health promotion to
address the rising cost of health and health care in our
state. The goal of the program is to help Minnesotans
live longer, healthier lives by reducing the burden
of chronic diseases. This presentation will include a
discussion of how Steps to a HealthierMN is the model
for SHIP, how communities can promote prevention in
a health care dominated environment, and how SHIP
will be implemented statewide beginning in 2009.
Note: this session will be repeated.
Session C4.............................. Whitebirch 2
Healthy Community = Healthy Economy
Presenters: Kami Norland (Rural Health Resource
Center), and Vicki Rosenberg (Madelia Community
Hospital)
Learn how six rural communities with critical access
hospitals are facilitating change and fostering hope
towards a “culture of wellness” using tools developed
by the Rural Health Resource Center. Through the use
of replicable tools, participants will learn the benefit of
a systems approach in facilitating change and fostering
hope for a healthy community and healthy economy.
Session C5............................. Pelican Room
Building Consensus: Addressing Adolescent
Sexual Health through State-Local Partnership
Presenters: Mary Hoalstad (Kandiyohi County Public
Health), Jennifer O’Brien (MDH), and
Deborah Schmitzerle (Kandiyohi County Public Health)
The Coalition for Healthy Adolescent Sexuality in
Willmar stands out as a model for bringing diverse
stakeholders together to build consensus on a
controversial topic. This interactive session will
highlight the partnerships that made this work possible,
as well as the process that was used to bring up
challenging topics while building consensus.
2:15 – 3:00 p.m.........Break and resource table viewing
Minnesota Room
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3:00 – 4:00 p.m...............Concurrent sessions: Series D
Session D1........................ Heartland 1 & 2
Worksite Health: MDH and Local Public
Health as the Catalysts!
Presenters: Joy Ahern (Carver County Public Health),
Kim Ball (Washington County Public Health), Khatidja
Dawood (MDH), and Stanton Shandeling (MDH)
Learn how state and local health departments can be
catalysts by supporting businesses as they develop
and sustain worksite health initiatives. Representatives
from MDH and Washington County Department of
Public Health and the Environment will share methods
for worksite health promotion programs, resources,
information and materials.
Session D2....................... Governor’s Room
The Last Straw! A Board Game on the
Social Determinants of Health©
Presenters: Marie Margitan (MDH), Brenda Menier
(MDH), and Sue Strohschein (University of Minnesota,
School of Nursing)
Social determinants are powerful contributors to both
personal and population health. In this session the
audience will participate in a new board game that
provides an entertaining, hands-on opportunity to learn
about the social determinants and their importance in
protecting and promoting the health of Minnesotans.
Session D3.............................. Whitebirch 1
Statewide Health Improvement Program
(SHIP) – repeated
Presenter: Cara McNulty (MDH)
See description above in C3.
Session D4.............................. Whitebirch 2
Capacity Assessment “How-To”:
Minus a Million Meetings
Presenters: Jenny Gaffke (Carver County Public Health),
and Chelsie Huntley (Carver County Public Health)
As all local health departments in Minnesota begin
the newly redesigned CHAAP (Community Health
Assessment and Action Planning) process, people are
wondering, “How do we really do this?” Two planners
from Carver County Public Health have completed
a capacity assessment session for their management
team, and they did it all in one day! In this interactive
presentation they will walk the participants through
a mock capacity assessment working session and
demonstrate how this work can form an actual capacity
improvement plan!
Session D5............................ Pelican Room
Assessing and Remediating Mold in
Flooded Buildings
Presenter: Brenda Pohlman (Fillmore County Public
Health), and Dan Tranter (MDH)
Mold growth on building materials and in buildings
following floods is a serious public health problem.
This presentation will provide guidance about how
to assess buildings for mold problems and advise
building owners about appropriate remediation. This
presentation will share findings from actual evaluations
and lessons learned in the process.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2008
6:30 p.m.......................... Informal dinner / networking
Marina Dining Room and Lakeside Ballroom
8:30 – 8:45 a.m..................................Opening remarks
Whitebirch Room
Bev Bales, Douglas County Commissioner, and
Chair of the 2008 Conference Planning Work Group
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.............. SHIP “Office Hours”with
Cara McNulty
Whitebirch 1
5:00 – 6:00 p.m............... Physical activity sessions
5:00 – 6:00 p.m........................ Pontoon boat rides
7:15 – 8:00 p.m........................................ Informal
Conversation Time with
Commissioner Sanne Magnan
Pelican Room
8:00 p.m............................................. Movie Night
Airing 3 episodes of the recent
PBS documentary series,
“Unnatural Causes:
Is Inequality Making Us Sick?”
Governor’s Room
8:00 p.m.....................................................BonFire
Breezy Point Beach
6:30 – 7:15 a.m........................Physical activity session
7:00 – 8:30 a.m.............................................. Breakfast
Marina Dining Room and Lakeside Ballroom
8:00 – 12:30 p.m..... Conference registration desk open
Pat Adams, MDH, Assistant Commissioner of Health,
Session Moderator
8:45 – 9:45 a.m.................................... General session
Whitebirch Room
Mark Seeley, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Climatologist
9:45 – 10:40 a.m.................................. General session
Whitebirch Room
Donna Zimmerman, Vice President for Government
and Community Relations at HealthPartners, and
member of the Itasca Project’s Working Group
10:40 – 11:10 a.m............................................... Break
Minnesota Room
11:10 – 11:15 a.m................................ Prize giveaways
Whitebirch Room
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m......................... Closing session
Whitebirch Room
Sanne Magnan, M.D., Ph.D., Commissioner of Health
12:00 p.m.........................Conference adjourned/lunch
Marina Dining Room
Mark Your Calendars!
2009 Community Health Conference
September 30, October 1, 2, 2009
Cragun’s Resort and Conference Center
Brainerd, Minnesota
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