May 2018 – The Office of Research in the College of Nursing at UMass Amherst

“Where To Turn” Resource Fair

The 1st Annual “Where To Turn” Resource Fair for individuals in recovery and/or re-entering the community post incarceration is scheduled for Tuesday, June 19, 10:00 AM – 12 Noon at Greenfield Community College in the Dining Commons. This event will highlight the many resources available in our rural region for individuals in recovery or those post incarceration including housing, childcare, education and training, jobs, transportation, social services and more. There will be networking time before and after the event and a light breakfast will be included. The event is free and open to everyone.

Further details can be found here.

2018 Northeast Regional Telehealth Conference

The Northeast Telehealth Resource Center invites participants for its fourth annual Regional Telehealth Conference to be held on June 5 and 6, 2018 in Portland, Maine. Join colleagues from across the eight-state NETRC region (New England, New Jersey, and New York) and beyond to share best practices, discover innovation, and create new opportunities.

To register, visit https://conference.netrc.org/.

Call for Abstracts: SEARCH Telehealth Research Symposium

The Society for Education and the Advancement of Research in Connected Health (SEARCH) is seeking abstracts for its 2018 Telehealth Research Symposium. Submissions for podium presentations (short lecture and long lecture) and posters should focus on one or more of the following areas: evidence-based research on connected health systems (e.g., telemedicine, telehealth, eHealth, mHealth), quality initiatives and telehealth measures, defining training programs and education, and care for seniors.

The submission period is April 16, 2018 through June 20, 2018. Abstracts are due no later than midnight June 20, 2018.

Click here for more details.

Fresh Air Project

Tuesday, May 29th
5:30-7:30 p.m.
UMass Center at Springfield
1500 Main Street, Springfield

As part of Asthma Awareness Month, Dr. Krystal Pollitt (2017-18 Family Research Scholar in the Center for Research on Families at UMass Amherst) will present efforts to improve air quality in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley through the Fresh Air Project.

Continue reading “Fresh Air Project”

Discussion: Tackling the Opioid Crisis in Worcester: What Massachusetts Linked Databases Tell Us about Potential Next Steps

Thursday, May 24, 2018
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Levi Lincoln Chamber
Worcester Town Hall

Presented by: Thomas Land, PhD
UMass Worcester Prevention Research Center
Associate Professor
Division of Preventative and Behavioral Medicine
UMass Medical School

Discussant: Matilde (Mattie) Castiel, MD
Worcester Health and Human Services Commissioner

This session is the inaugural event of Greater Worcester Public Health Grand Rounds. It is sponsored through a collaboration of the UMass Worcester Prevention Research Center and the Worcester Division of Public Health, and will focus on public health topics that are important to the Greater Worcester community.

Webinar: Treating Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorder

Wednesday, May 16
1:oo pm ET

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will host a one hour webinar to review guidance for optimal maintenance of pregnant and parenting women with opioid use disorder. Available resources will be discussed, including the Substance Use Warmline, which provides free and confidential clinician-to-clinician telephone consultation for substance use evaluation and management. In addition to rising rates of opioid use, research has shown that opioids are now the most common reason for seeking treatment for illicit substances during pregnancy.

You can register for this event here.

Film Screening: “UNREST”

For public health & healthcare professionals, researchers & school nurses

Thurs., May 31, 5:30-8:15 pm
COOLEY DICKINSON HOSPITAL, NORTHAMPTON, MA
30 Locust St. Main Entrance. Dakin Conference Room.

“UNREST”

A Sundance and Boston Globe (GlobeDocs) award-winning film, short-listed for an Oscar

Opening remarks: Northampton Mayor Narkewicz

Free event & parking. Doors open 5 pm. Light supper provided.

Post-film panel: Carilyn Rains M.Ed. BSN, RN, Pres. of MA School Nurse Organization, Dir. of School Health Services, Plymouth; Lisa Hall, RN, head nurse at Northampton Integrative Medicine; Ashley Haugen, Hampshire College alumna, ME/CFS advocate, caregiver for brother with ME/CFS

UNREST: Jennifer Brea is at Harvard and about to marry when she gets a mysterious fever that leaves her bedridden. Disbelieved by doctors, she turns her camera on herself and discovers a hidden world of millions confined to their homes and bedrooms. This film and panel event sheds light on the hidden lives of 1-2.5 million Americans (28,000 in MA) disabled by ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) a chronic, debilitating, multi-system illness. Trailer: www.unrest.film

Limited seating. Pre-register to save your seat: www.MassCFIDS.org

Cheryl Dukes Named to Healthcare Advisory Panel

Cheryl L. Dukes, director of health care outreach and community engagement in the College of Nursing, has been named to the advisory committee of the Massachusetts Community Health Initiative (CHI) Statewide Fund.

The advisory committee provides recommendations to the state Department of Public Health on the operations and use of the CHI fund resources in support of the Determination of Need law, which governs health care facilities.

The committee’s work follows Attorney General Maura Healey’s updated guidelines, published in February, for hospitals and HMOs to address unmet health and social needs in their community and to develop programs to reduce disparities and improve community health.

“It is a terrific opportunity for the College of Nursing to demonstrate our connectedness in community and with our campus colleagues in working to improve health outcomes in a highly engaged, community-drive, collaborative fashion,” Dukes said.

2018 Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day

Massachusetts State House
The Grand Staircase
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Doors open at 10:00am
Program begins at 10:30am
Free and open to the public

Support the passage of legislation that would help tens of thousands of families grappling with Alzheimer’s and dementia, while ensuring the Commonwealth is better prepared to handle the most under-recognized threat to public health in the 21st century.

Enjoy breakfast and coffee, hear a legislative briefing, and share your story with state legislators.