Release

UAlbany School of Public Health Announces National Public Health Week Events

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 24, 2006) -- The University at Albany's School of Public Health announces a weeklong series of events to coincide with National Public Health Week, April 3-7. The programs are designed around the theme, Designing Healthy Communities, Raising Healthy Kids. All events are free and open to the public, and will be held at the University's East Campus at One University Place, Rensselaer, N.Y.

Monday, April 3, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Making the Case for Healthy Schools -- The program will feature a keynote presentation on child health by Roger Platt, MD, assistant commissioner, Bureau of School Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and director, Office of School Health, New York City Department of Education/Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; and a presentation on the growing public health issue of childhood obesity by Kirsten Davison, assistant professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, UAlbany School of Public Health. A film developed by the New York State Department of Health Diabetes and Control Program and Steps to a HealthierNY, and produced by the UAlbany School of Public Health , "Healthy Schools Approach - Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: Making the Case for Health Schools," will be shown.

Tuesday, April 4, 8:30-10 a.m.
Winning Beginning - The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, of Albany, will co-sponsor a panel discussion regarding early intervention and the benefits of home-based services to expectant families and new parents. Models of home visiting programs will be presented and evaluated.

Wednesday, April 5, Noon-1:30 p.m.
Safe Schools Are Healthy Schools - The UAlbany School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness will host a lunch-time workshop on the importance of vaccinations for school-aged children, the issue of school violence and the importance of healthy buildings. Center staff will be joined by Amanda Nickerson, assistant professor, UAlbany School of Psychology.

Thursday, April 6, 9-10:30 a.m.
New Yorkers Speak Out on Public Health! - The New York State Community Health Partnership will sponsor a panel discussion by state and local public officials regarding public understanding of public health. The results of a recent Research!America poll on New Yorkers' perceptions of public health will be presented. The panel will analyze the results, describe a new campaign to improve New Yorkers' understanding of public health, and describe the implications for increasing the size of the public health workforce.

Friday, April 7, Noon-1:30 p.m.
Impact of the Individual on Public Health - On World Health Day, bring a brown bag lunch for a lively discussion of how one person can truly make a difference. The UAlbany's Reading Project book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder will trigger the discussion. The book is the true story of Dr. Paul Farmer, physician and anthropologist, who made it his life's mission to transform health care on a global scale, by focusing on the world's poorest and sickest communities.

For more information about these events, contact Brenda Kirkwood at (518) 402-0283 or [email protected]. For directions to the UAlbany East Campus visit their web site.

National Public Health Week is sponsored annually by the American Public Health Association. For information about Public Health Week activities nationwide, visit the American Public Health Association's web site.

Through its partnership with the New York State Dept. of Health, UAlbany's School of Public Health offers students immediate access to internships at the Health Department, Albany Medical College and variety of other public and private health institutions throughout New York State. Students have unique access to study the most profound health issues facing us today: the threat of bioterrorism; the spread of HIV/AIDS and other emerging diseases; the lack of affordable and accessible healthcare for individuals and families; environmental hazards; substance abuse and social violence; maternal mortality in developing countries; the promises and threats of genetic engineering; protecting food and water supplies. For more information, visit the School of Public Health web site.