March 8
Culture Training Part 1 Webinar
March 21 & 22
Annual Spring Problem Gambling Workshop*
March 22
Culture Training Part 2 Webinar
April 3
Understanding Youth Webinar
April 19
Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training**
Visit the Training Portal for descriptions
and to register.
While youâre there, take one of our FREE courses. CEUs available.
* Register at www.ipgap.indiana.edu/training.
** Payment required for this training.
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The American School Health Association is a national association for professionals that are concerned about the health of students. ASHA envisions healthy students who learn and achieve in safe and healthy environments nurtured by caring adults functioning within coordinated school and community support systems. These systems ensure:
- a healthful environment,
- nursing and other health services that students need to stay in school,
- nutritious and appealing school meals,
- opportunities for physical activity that include physical education,
- health education that covers a range of developmentally appropriate topics taught by knowledgeable teachers,
- programs that promote the health of school faculty and staff, and
- counseling, psychological and social services that promote healthy social and emotional development and remove barriers to studentsâ learning.
ASHA has recently entered into an agreement with the Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University (IU) to assist the association in meeting its goals. For many years, IU has been one of ASHAâs most consistent supporters and champions. In recognition of our new relationship with IU, the ASHA Board of Directors has selected Indianapolis, Indiana as the host city for ASHAâs 92nd Annual School Health Conference to be held October 4-6, 2018. The call for abstracts is now open, and we hope that youâll submit a proposed conference session. Please involve your students and bring them to the conference! There is a student scholarship to support their involvement as well.
Join the American School Health Association to strengthen your professional growth! ASHA offers networking and continuing education opportunities through our annual conference, webinars and our Online Member Directory. Signing up is easyâindividuals may join online or print the membership application and email, fax or mail it with payment.
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The U.S. government recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity OR 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, AND muscle-strengthening activities at least twice per week. However, many individuals find it hard to fit physical activity into our already-busy schedules. In fact, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that only 21.7% of American adults meet the national recommendation for physical activity. The good news is that there are ways to incorporate activity into your day that can help you become more active and work toward meeting (or even exceeding) the national recommendations!
Add Physical Activity into your Day in Small Chunks. You do not have to fit in exercise all at once for it to be beneficial. In fact, the CDC recommends that physical activity be spread out over the course of the week, ideally in increments of at least 10 minutes. Wake up 10 or 15 minutes early to fit in a few exercises. Not sure what to do? There are a variety of apps designed specifically for short workouts.
Utilize Opportunities, No Matter How Small. Not able to fit in 10 minutes of activity at once? Even a few minutes can make a difference. Take an extra lap on your way to the coffee machine; Get up and move during the commercial breaks of your favorite TV show.
Make It Fun. Exercise does not have to be boring. If you find something you enjoy, then you will be much more likely to stick with it. For example, if you like competition, create a daily or weekly steps challenge.
Get Two Things Accomplished with One Activity. Wanting to catch up with a friend? Go on a walk around town instead of going to the movies. Wanting to spend more time as a family? Take a trip to a trampoline park.
Make It a Habit. They say that it takes 21 days to create a habit. Stick with the changes you make, and before long, it will just be another part of your day.
More Details Resource
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Wasantha Jayawardene is an Assistant Research Scientist. His proudest work accomplishment relates to investigating a food poisoning outbreak that affected over 400 people. Wasantha determined that it was a bioterrorism attack of cyanide-poisoning and was able to manage the incident and prevent deaths and disabilities. His best work tip is to look for constructive criticism, and it will take you at least one step closer to success. Wasantha's motto is to do his best, so he can't blame himself for anything.
Outside of work, he enjoys numerous activities, including driving, photography, watching movies, playing board games, and DIY projects. One thing about Wasantha is that he does not like to follow the current societal trends. Alcohol fermentation is considered the greatest invention to Wasantha because it has been fun to most people over 10,000 years, despite over 100,000 research articles and surveys done about it.
âScience is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn one's living at it."
âAlbert Einstein
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Do you know what the most frequently used drug in Indiana is? What about in the U.S.? If you guessed alcohol, then you would be correct (SEOW, 2017). In the past year, nearly 6% of Indiana residents were found to have an alcohol use disorder (SEOW, 2017); however, there are many others who are negatively impacted by alcohol use. Each day in the U.S., 28 people die (NHTSA, 2015) and 800 others are injured (NHTSA, 2016) as a result of drunk driving accidents. That is approximately one death every 50 minutes (NHTSA, 2015). Additionally, excessive alcohol use can lead to issues with interpersonal relationships, lost productivity at work, and increased risk for injuries. In fact, in 2010, excessive alcohol use cost Indiana $4,468,200,000 in costs; thatâs $689 per person (Sacks et al., 2010).
The good news is, you can make a difference! Each year, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) sponsors National Alcohol Awareness Month (April 1-30, 2018), which aims to encourage individuals, organizations, and communities to educate others on the prevention, early identification, and treatment of risky or harmful alcohol use; reduce the stigma surrounding individuals with alcohol use disorders and encourage them to seek treatment; bring recognition to alcohol-related issues as a public health concern; and promote current alcohol prevention and treatment initiatives within the community. The IPRC invites you to spread the word and to bring National Alcohol Awareness Month to your community!
There are many actions that you can take to promote alcohol awareness:
- Find out what local coalitions and organizations are already doing and support their current initiatives (for example, underage drinking campaigns, youth education programs, etc.)
- Attend a town hall meeting or other community event to educate others and/or advocate for underage drinking and social host polices and enforcement
- Spread the word and invite others to join the movement towards safer alcohol use through social media
- Talk to friends and family members about alcohol-related risks
- Encourage individuals in need of help to seek treatment
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Are you looking for more quality resources to assist in creating healthier communities? The Community Tool Box from the University of Kansas has several toolkits and information packets to assist in achieving your goals. This resource is free, and they strive to bring about social change through promoting community health and development.
There are 16 different toolkits available at this time that relate to leadership, strategic planning, assessment, policy development, grant writing, and many more topics that can assist with bringing about change in your community in a research effective manner.
To look at the available toolkits, please visit https://ctb.ku.edu/en/toolkits.
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Risk and Protective Factors
A total of 8,059 students 18-25 years
of age from 23 Indiana colleges participated in the Indiana College Substance Use Survey conducted in Spring 2021.
