Coalition e-News November 20, 2017
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Coalition Grows to More Than 100 Partners and Members
Supporters of the new campaign to reduce smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in Kentucky include major employers; as well as medical professionals, hospitals and other health care providers; school districts and education professionals; national and state health and disease-prevention advocates; faith-based groups; and local health departments. Welcome to our newest members: University of Louisville College of Public Health, We're updating our list daily - see the current list here.
Infographic Portrays the High Cost of Smoking in Kentucky
A new infographic created by Kentucky Voices for Health and offering an easy-to-view visual of the cost of smoking in Kentucky on health, health care expenditures and lost productivity is now available here. The infographic also portrays the benefits of a $1 increase in Kentucky's tobacco tax. Please use this in your newsletters and social media to share this important information.
Casey County Student Smoke-Free Group Receives First Healthy Kentucky Policy Champion Award
The Casey Youth Coalition, a group of 19 Casey County High School Students are the first
recipients of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's new Healthy Kentucky Policy Champion award for their work to change the smoking culture on their school campus. The group's campaign has helped reduce smoking, leading to a 10 percent decrease in 30-day tobacco use among 10th graders in 2016, for example. But with the youth smoking rate in Kentucky at 16.9 percent, more than double the national rate of 8 percent, the students say they still have work to do. See news release here.
Health Journalism Workshop Focuses Heavily on Tobacco-Use Reduction Stories
Reporters and editors from six different publications in Western Kentucky learned about Kentucky's tobacco-related health issues, and the policy changes that can help reduce smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke and use of tobacco products.The journalists attended a health reporting workshop on Nov. 10 hosted by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Health issues and sponsored by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Ellen Hahn, director of the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy, shared the benefits of smoke-free laws and Wayne Meriwether, CEO of Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center in Leitchfield talked about the local coalitions' work to enact smoke-free laws in two cities in Grayson County. The goal of this annual workshop is to encourage reporters to cover health issues more in-depth, and to suggest topics.
Partner News
Smoking During Pregnancy Rate Down 13 Percent
Kentucky saw a 13 percent decrease in the rate of births to mothers who smoked during pregnancy from 2010 to 2015, according to the latest 2017 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book released by Kentucky Youth Advocates on Nov. 14. See book here, and county-by-county youth health profiles here.
Former Ballard County Tobacco Barn Becomes Quit Now Kentucky Billboard
The Purchase District Health Department received a $25,000 grant through the Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program to paint this barn in Kevil, Kentucky, with the Quit Now Kentucky logo. It was painted by "The Barn Artist" Scott Hagan.
Upcoming Events
Workshop: Building Effective Coalitions
November 30, 2017 - 8:30am-3pm, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Louisville
This workshop, another in the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's Health for a Change training series, will focus on developing strong community coalitions, including developing a plan, building participant buy-in and ensuring sustainability. Register here.
Blueprint for Kentucky's Children: Frankfort 2018, Kids, and You
December 6, 2017 - 8:30am-3:30pm, Kosair Shrine Center, Louisville
Convene with Blueprint for Kentucky's Children partners as they prepare for the 2018 General Assembly. The 9-10 am opening plenary session, will be an opportunity for community leaders and advocates to learn about the Frankfort landscape in 2018--and what it means for the future of Kentucky kids. Following the plenary, Blueprint for Kentucky's Children partners will get to work preparing to advocate for kids throughout the General Assembly. More information here.
Webinar: Finding & Understanding Health Data on Kentucky Youth
December 6, 2017 - 1-2pm
This free Health for a Change webinar will explore a variety of sources for health data about Kentucky youth, including data about cigarette and other tobacco product use. Register here.
Save the Date: Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy Spring Conference
April 11, 2018, Lexington
Save the Date: 14th Annual Kentucky Children's Advocacy Day
January 18, 2018, Frankfort
Plan on joining hundreds of advocates from counties across Kentucky at the Capitol in Frankfort to rally on behalf of children and to promote priorities on the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children agenda.
Want to join us?
Does your organization want to help make Kentucky healthier by reducing tobacco use? Click here to join our Coalition. Or email Angela Koch, akoch@healthy-ky.org.