written by Joan Ascheim, former NHPHA Executive Director

As the holiday season is upon us, so too is the ramp-up to the beginning of the legislative session. Bills have been filed now by both the House and the Senate. We understand that there will likely be some combining of bills to decrease the total number during the session. How the legislature will meet is still unclear, but we are excited about our policy agenda for the upcoming session. The NHPHA Public Policy Committee is actively reviewing LSRs as they are filed and revised and will have a more complete list in January.

by Lisa Vasquez, NHPHA Communications Chair

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended so many rites of passage. One of these important transitions is back to school. A time when parents and children prepare to change routines from summer fun to school curricula. Transitioning to a new grade is hard enough when we are not in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. So what can parents do to help their children do their best and lessen their anxiety and stress during this new school year? Here are a few things that might help you have a successful remote learning experience:

by Lisa Bujno, NHPHA President

In May, the country recoiled in horror at the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. The tragedy brought a heightened national attention to the issue of systemic racism, spurring ongoing protests about police violence inflicted upon Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Flurries of statements were issued by organizations from every sector, including NHPHA, in support of action against racism. It seemed that we had reached a juncture where transformative progress could be made toward that vision put forth by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963. 

written by Joan Ascheim, MSN, Executive Director, NHPHA; Kirsten Durzy, MPH, Evaluator, NH Division of Public Health Services; Trinidad Tellez, MD, Director, NH Office of Health Equity

We have previously reported on the establishment and activities of the New Hampshire COVID-19 Equity Task Force and want to keep you up-to-date. The New Hampshire Public Health Association (NHPHA), in partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Health Equity and Division of Public Health Services, continues to co-convene The New Hampshire COVID-19 Equity Task Force. The task force is a collective of over 50 individuals and organizations across NH representing multiple sectors and communities that has come together to address issues of equity arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and response. This is intended to broaden the network of people/organizations so we may support each other more intentionally and strategically, not to supersede or duplicate existing efforts, and to identify any needed advocacy that some of the partner organizations may be able to pursue when we form a broader coalition.

by Lisa Vasquez, NHPHA Communications Committee Chair

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that has grown to pandemic proportions and has impacted most of the world. The response to the pandemic can change from one area to another depending on how each area has been impacted. We have seen rises and decreases in different areas of the country at differing times. New Hampshire is no different from the rest of the country. We can see different areas having higher instances of infections than others. For example, Coos County has seen a lower number of infections in comparison to Hillsborough County. Population density seems to play a large factor in the propagation of the infection. Therefore, the response of Coos County will not be the same as Hillsborough County. Hillsborough County is the most populous county in New Hampshire with the two largest cities located within. These two cities, Nashua and Manchester, each have a local health department. The rest of the state is served by the state health department.

written by Lisa Vasquez, NHPHA Communications Committee Chair

During these uncertain times, it’s normal to feel sad, angry, and anxious or even to grieve for things that have to be canceled or postponed. It important to maintain our mental health while we stay at home and manage remote learning, working from home, parenting and maintaining your home. Below are some tips for keeping up our mental health during quarantine.