July 2011 - Message from OPHA’s President and Executive Director

Summer has arrived and the weather has been a delight thus far. Although the days are getting longer and hotter, the pace at OPHA has not slowed. The Board of Directors met in late June 2011, and several key decisions were made which will continue to positively contribute to the changes taking place. Several provincial and even national initiatives are currently underway and OPHA is there at the table ensuring that your voice is heard:  the next Provincial Policy Statement, a proposed Food and Nutrition Strategy, the next Health Accord Round, and the Healthy Babies Healthy Children Advisory Committee (please see Current and Emerging Public Health Initiatives in Ontario for more details).

OPHA continues to strengthen its commitment to its members this summer. The 2011-12 membership campaign will be starting up shortly, and your continued membership is desired! To continue to add value to the OPHA membership, the following are being offered for OPHA members:

  • Access to free knowledge transfer and exchange webinars for our membership (charge for non-members):  Youth Engagement, Results-Based Accountability, and Nutrition and the Consumer sessions have been planned for 2011-12. 
  • Discounts to the upcoming Fall Forum on Engaging Priority Populations featuring such speakers as Bob Gardner and Michael Shapcott from Wellesley Institute, Joe Fiorito of the Toronto Star, Public Health Ontario and the Public Health Agency of Canada to name a few. To learn more visit the Fall Forum’s website.
  • Access to joining OPHA knowledge exchange and transfer and networking groups and OPHA Members’ only Work Groups  (over 10 focused on a broad cross-section of issues).
  • Opportunities to provide input on a number of key provincial initiatives: Food and Nutrition Strategy, Provincial Policy Statement and Age Friendly Communities to name a few. 

So, if you have not renewed your membership, or have not yet joined OPHA, now is the time. Go to our website to find out more or contact admin@opha.on.ca.

In addition, nominees are being sought for a number of OPHA Board of Director positions. Nominees are also being sought for OPHA Awards. Lastly, OPHA is welcoming resolutions and position papers from its members. To learn more, go to our website. 

Have a wonderful month of July and look forward to connecting with you again in August.

Sincerely,
Liz Haugh, President  &
Siu Mee Cheng, Executive Director

 

OPHA’s Violence Prevention Workgroup: 8th annual Town Hall Meeting

On June 20th 2011, OPHA’s President Liz Haugh presented to over 70 delegates at the Canadian Public Health Association’s 7th annual Town Hall meeting titled Working Together for a Canada Free of Violence. Ms. Haugh outlined OPHA-led initiatives and accomplishments in supporting violence prevention in Ontario.

Some of these accomplishments included OPHA:

  • Advocating for the Ontario Government to change the public health mandates to explicitly include violence prevention requirements.
  • Producing an OPHA position paper, Public Health and Violence Prevention: Maintaining the Momentum.
  • Supporting the development of a National Strategy on Violence Prevention through participation on the Steering Committee and workgroups of Prevention of Violence Canada-Prévention de la violence Canada.
  • Contributing to the Alcohol Policy Network’s research paper, Alcohol and community-based violence, published in the Spring 2011 McMaster University Medical Journal. 

“OPHA formally recognized violence as a public health issue in 1997 and created a workgroup whose mandate was to provide consultation and direction regarding the implementation of violence prevention initiatives to OPHA, Public Health Units, Community Health Centres and communities across Ontario and Canada,” confirmed Ms. Haugh during her presentation.

Other speakers at the event included Dr. Judith Bossé of the Public Health Agency of Canada, along with Ms. Shannon Turner and Dr. Irvin Waller, co-chairs of Prevention of Violence Canada-Prévention de la violence Canada.  The town hall meeting was organized by l’Association pour la santé publique du Québec, in concert with Prevention of Violence Canada-Prévention de la violence Canada, Institut national de santé publique du Québec and OPHA.

“Prevention of Violence Canada-Prévention de la violence Canada is an important public health strategy to reduce violence,” praised Ms. Lori Snyder MacGregor, past co-chair of OPHA’s Violence Prevention Workgroup. “I believe this Town Hall meeting was very successful in advancing our work in Canada and providing the opportunity to network with others in the field.”

Details on the event can be found at the conference website.

Photo: Lori Snyder MacGregor, past co-chair of the OPHA Violence Prevention Workgroup (left) and Liz Haugh, President of OPHA (right) at the Working Together for a Canada Free of Violence Town Hall meeting in Montreal.