3Rd Annual MHSA Health Institute

3rd Annual MHSA Health Institute Program Descriptions November 14, 2017

Physical Health

“Immunizations: Debunking the Myths and Demystifying the Science” Chelsea Harmell, Program Director, Partnering for Immunizations, Southeastern Michigan Health Association (SEMHA) Christina Zilke, Immunization Coordinator at Washtenaw County Public Health, Immunization Nurse Educator, coordinator for the Washtenaw Immunization Action Coalition

Have you ever wondered why children needed so many shots or how vaccines really work? This session will provide an overview of the recommended childhood vaccine schedule and provide updates about immunization legal requirements for schools and child cares. The session will also highlight the success of vaccines in preventing childhood illness, the importance of maintaining herd immunity, and the need for building vaccine champions in our communities to keep our children healthy in the classroom and beyond. Finally, we'll debunk common vaccine myths and discuss vaccines that educators/caregivers need too!

“Sweet Dreamzz: Sleepy Students?” Ann Raferty, Director of Sleep Programs, Sweet Dreamzzz Inc.

Sleep is the foundation for children’s health, behavior, and school readiness – yet it is not a topic covered in parent workshops or the preschool curriculum. Learn about the innovative, research-supported Sweet Dreamzzz Early Childhood Sleep Education Program™ and their work with Head Start across the country – bringing more and better sleep to preschoolers. Topics include sleep health, a healthy bedtime routine, and strategies for sharing the information with parents, students, and teachers.

“Stay Calm and Carry On: Yoga, Mindfulness and your Classroom” Dana K. Boggia, Mental Health manager, Blue Water Community Action, Port Huron

Creating a trauma-informed environment promotes social and emotional learning and resiliency. This pro-active approach is developed by creating positive internal beliefs, initiative, self-control, positive relationships and self-compassion through the practice of yoga and mindfulness. Research shows that children who practice yoga-based movements, breathing exercises and mindful activities are better able to regulate their emotions, manage stress and calm themselves.

“Health and ChildPlus: Ensuring Compliance with New Head Start Performance Standards” Darlene Miller , ChildPlus Administrator, Starfish Family Services, Dearborn This training session will detail how to collect and monitor health data based on the new Head Start Performance Standards to ensure compliance and for PIR. The session will focus on recent updates and upgrades to the ChildPlus Head Start Professional Management Software.

Mental Health

“The Art of Bucket Filling: Teaching Love, Happiness and a Rewarding Life” Peggy Johncox, Author, Bucket Fillers, Inc. Jan Merz, Presenter, Bucket Fillers, Inc.

Learn about the brain research on thousands of Romanian orphans discovered in the 1990s, which taught that children deserve and need bucket fillers in their lives. Being a bucket filler is a choice we all have. See how easy it is to be that bucket filler who truly makes life-long, positive difference in the lives of others, while your own life becomes more deeply satisfying and rewarding. The concept was coined in the 2006 children’s book, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids”

“Bucket Fillers: Let’s Create a Bucket Filling Environment” Peggy Johncox, Author, Bucket Fillers, Inc. Jan Merz, Presenter, Bucket Fillers, Inc.

Learn to create, enjoy, and be part of an amazing bucket-filling school, family, workplace or community. Like any job you start, learn the tools you need and how to follow some simple steps. The “Bucket Fillers” concept (love is filling buckets) was first designed for children ages 4- 9 to learn how to have happier and more rewarding lives.

“When It’s Not ‘Just a Tiny Bruise’: Medical Aspects of Child Physical Abuse & Neglect” Dr. Bethany Mohr, Medical Director, the University of Michigan Child Protection Team

This presentation will focus on skin injuries, including bruising and burns, with detailed discussion and case study examples on the various types of injuries and the implications of infant bruising. Participants will be better able to recognize situations in which a report should be filed with Children’s Protective Services and the resources available through the Michigan Medicine Child Protection Team.

Objectives: 1. To become more knowledgeable regarding injuries which may represent physical abuse. 2. To understand the implications of infant bruising. 3. To become knowledgeable about the CPS reporting process. 4. To better be able to obtain a detailed history when a physical injury is noted. 5. To understand why child neglect is crucial to recognize and why a nonabusive injury is not always an accidental injury.

“Why Attachment Matters: Good Mental Health Begins with a Secure Base” Michigan Association of Infant Mental Health (Mi-IMH) President Rosalva Osoria, and Mi-IMH Vice President Jennifer Jonika

First relationships matter. Emerging attachment relationships between babies and young children and their caregivers set the stage for child development and behavior at home and in the classroom. In this session, MI-AIMH will help Head Start health professions grow their knowledge of good infant and child mental health, positive attachments, and how to build their own relationships with the children and families they care for.

“Suffering in Silence: Secondary Trauma in the Lives of Head Start Professionals” Susan Radzilowski, lead social worker, Detroit Institute for Children

Secondary traumatic stress (also referred to as vicarious trauma or compassion fatigue) is the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about or witnesses the first-hand trauma experiences of another. Head Start teachers and support service staff members are at risk of vicarious trauma because the children we serve, day in and out, come to us with multiple risk factors for trauma. In today’s session, we will learn to recognize signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and individual, team, and organizational coping strategies to help reduce the negative impact of secondary trauma.

“Depression and Head Start Families: New Research and Best Practices” Holli Seabury, EdD, CEO, McMillen Health

Low-income mothers are diagnosed with depression at least twice as often as mothers with more financial resources. When their children are infants and toddlers, mothers with depression can have problems forming attachments with their child and giving them the nurturing care they need to succeed. Learn about new research and best practices for working with parents and how to structure the classroom environment to reduce the behaviors children who are living with depression in the home often exhibit. This session will begin with a review of the prevalence of depression in the Head Start population and its effects on both parents and children. Special attention will be paid to the behaviors children often exhibit in the classroom when they are living with depression in the home environment. “Trauma and its Impact on Children” Mary Ludtke, MA, Consultant, Mental Health Services to Children and Families, MDHHS Mary Mueller, Project Coordinator, Trauma Informed Systems, MDHHS

This session will describe trauma and toxic stress and their impact on parents and young children. We will discuss the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study and its implications for health and mental health across the life course. Finally, we will explore trauma informed approaches designed to prevent and mitigate the effects of trauma and explore strategies and interventions appropriate in early childhood settings. Nutrition

“The Challenges and Triumphs of Feeding Young Children” Gail Hagbom, RDN, Nutrition Coordinator, CACS Head Start and Early Childhood Programs

Would you like to know how other Head Start nutritionists, dietitians, and directors approach and accommodate complex feeding challenges involving special dietary needs associated with severe food allergies, dysphagia, diabetes, tube feedings, PKU, celiac disease? Would you like to hear how other programs deal with parent requests for organic foods, vegan diets, providing food from home, birthday treats, and the like? Do others allow parents to provide special formulas that they already obtain through WIC for free? Are you interested in how programs comply with various new HSPS or CACFP rules? How do other programs identify nutritional needs related to height/weight concerns? Are you interested in sharing program policies on food choking hazards? Attend this networking session geared just for nutritionists, dietitians, directors and others responsible for providing quality nutritional services for the healthy development of young children in Head Start programs. This highly interactive session is being facilitated by a nutritionist and program director but come prepared to speak up by sharing your four star challenges, anecdotes and solutions!

“Is There a Fly in the Ointment? Proper Food Safety Techniques” Barbara Saulter, President, Saulter & Associates, LLC

Have you ever wondered: What temperature should I be cooking, holding and reheating my food to? Is there a proper way to store food? Is there an order to placing food in the refrigerator? How do I correctly test and use a thermometer? How long and often should I wash my hands? Are we following the guidelines for serving Family Style meal service? All of these questions and more will be answered during this interactive training session. Oral Health

“Tooth Fairy in Training, Part 1: Perinatal Oral Health Boot Camp” Emily Norrix, Perinatal Oral Health Consultant, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

In this dynamic and interactive session, participants will examine Michigan data and dental insurance coverage available for pregnant women as well as learn about poor oral health and preterm birth, maternal child caries transmission, and other pregnancy related oral health concerns. Attendees will also discuss strategies for partnering with the dental community and ways to facilitate care for expectant mothers.

“Tooth Fairy in Training, Part 2: Oral Health Boot Camp for Head Start” Susan Deming, Early Childhood Oral Health Coordinator, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

This session will provide participants with an understanding of the Head Start Performance Standards for oral health as they relate to pregnant woman and children in Early Head Start and Head Start. Boot camp activities will include fun interactions about perinatal oral health, tooth- brushing help for the classroom, weaving oral health messages into everyday routines, and finding resources to help families.

Advocacy

“On Advocating for Children's Health” Denise Sloan, Executive Director, American Academy of Pediatrics, Michigan Chapter

A new Mi-AAP report opines that more than 30 percent of the focus of a pediatric exam in the near future will be in the area of mental health. In contrast, pediatricians spend the vast majority of their medical training learning about physical health. In this workshop, Mi-AAP’s Executive Director will examine how the pediatrician’s role is changing, how that translates into the advocacy for services that will be needed, and how people who care about children’s health can strengthen their advocacy skills.

“Call to Action: Addressing Health Inequities in Our Work” Linda Vail, Health Officer, Ingham County Health Department

The burden of disparities in health adversely affects our nation’s children and families, as well as business efficiency and competitiveness, economic strength, national security, standing in the world, and our national character and commitment to justice and fairness of opportunity. Many families and children do not have full and equal access to opportunities to live healthy lives because of social, economic and environmental conditions that create health inequities in our communities. This workshop will raise understanding of health equity, health inequity and disparity and how inequities in health outcomes impact communities and particularly the people we serve. We’ll also discuss how we can take action in our work to address these obstacles to health equity. Parenting

“Empowering Parents to Improve Their Quality of Life using a Systems Approach” Dr. Nolana Nobles Bandy PhD, Assistant Director, Matrix Head Start, Detroit

Participants will examine how engaging parents from their own Quality of Life (QOL) perspectives while effectively engaging the four types of societal institutions can improve individuals’ own help-seeking skills and overall outcomes for families and programs. Research on Quality of Life, Human Motivation and Systems Theory will be provided. Participants will learn about the four types of institutions commonly found in societies and how to use them in building systems that serve the needs of families. Participants will review the psychological aspect of human behavior in addressing life’s barriers, looking at how perspectives and culture modulate motivation. The session will also provide guidelines for assessing societal resources and community relationships, and guidance on how to engage parents so that they feel empowered in addressing their own QOL concerns.

“Health Starts at Home: Communicating with Parents about Health” Megyn Forest, Program Health and Nutrition Specialist, Kalamazoo RESA Head Start Kenyatta Boyd, Program Health and Dental Specialist, Kalamazoo RESA Head Start This “Health Starts at Home” workshop will address barriers regarding overall health and how to build partnerships with parents to overcome obstacles and establish healthy habits. Strategies for building and maintaining parent communication will be examined, and we will also discuss the most important health issues, according to data trends, that will need to be addressed moving forward. Attendees will examine the health disparities that Head Start families face when it comes to establishing overall health. Topics of discussion include the importance of, and strategies to improve, education and communication between parents and Head Start staff. In addition, the workshop will address how to help parents overcome barriers of health in regard to transportation, living situations, and accessibility to health and healthcare services. Environmental Health

“Bad, Bad Bugs: What You Should Know about Lice, Bed Bugs, Ticks and Zika Virus” Erik Foster, Medical Entomologist, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Section Ingham County Health Department, Community Health staff

Knowledge is power. Don’t get bugged by these bad, bad bugs. In this session, the state’s leading bug man and a community health officer from the Ingham County Health Department discuss the business of lice, bed bugs, ticks and what we need to understand about the Zika virus in our work with children and families. What are the known threats, and how to prevent them, will be shared along with best practices for dealing with bad, bad bugs.