Chicago Play focuses on India-US health & ethics

Opening night is February 23.

Location: I 3408 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, 60657.

http://www.stagelefttheatre.com/

“Zach and Abbie are an American couple desperate to have a child. Beena is a 19 year old Indian woman struggling to escape an abusive relationship and provide for her son. When financial concerns convince Abbie to hire a surrogate in India, the two women’s lives become tangled with surprising and dangerous consequences. Here where it’s safe is a new play by award-winning playwright and Stage Left Theatre Ensemble member M.E.H. Lewis (Burying the Bones, andFellow Travellers) that asks what comes of the choices we make and what happens when we run out of choices.”

Smoking Rates Dropping??

According to a recent article in the New York Times, smoking rates have dropped in Massachusetts. Interestingly enough, according the study, smoking rates have dropped from 38% to 28% amongst poor MA residents - - equivalent to approximately 300,000 residents in two-and-half years!

The Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program in MA provided Medicaid recipients from ages 18-64 antismoking drugs such as Chantix and bupropion for 180 days and 16 counseling sessions per year. Co-payments did not exceed $3.

Due to the success of this program, other states are thinking of following!

A great example of the 'gold standard'.

Read More.

CHAI & NAMI offer FREE Family-to-Family Educational Classes

CHAI is collaborating with the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) to offer a FREE Family-to-Family educational program, understanding about mental illness and learning from other family members how to support a loved one coping with a mental illness. The class will will be co-facilitated by CHAI Board member, Asma Shaikh-Stewart.

The sessions will be held in Columbia, MD and will be
held January 7th-March 25th 2010; 7pm-9:30pm.
Call (410) 772-9300 and see attached flier for more details or go to
www.chaicounselors.org for more information

What Health Reform Might Mean for Women of Color??

What: Webinar

When: Wednesday, December 16 at 1pm (ET)

Why: Women tend to take the lead when it comes to obtaining health care for their family members. Provisions such as those that would preclude insurance companies from gender rating, remove barriers to car for pre-existing conditions, and improve access to preventive services will be discussed.

To register: http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/todaystopics.cfm

McEpidemic Obesity

An interesting blog I follow is Wright on Health. In a post from his blog a few weeks back he discussed the "McEpidemic" concern in the US. He specifically cited a map that indicates where every McDonald's is located in the US. And then we wonder why we have obesity and cardiovascular problems....

Summer 2010 Internship Opportunity

GHFP is now accepting applications for its exciting Summer 2010 Internship
Program at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in
Washington, DC. All positions will be in USAID’s Bureau for Global Health.
Detailed information, including the online application and
instructions, isavailable at
www.ghfp.net. Applicants may apply for up to two internship opportunities.
Only online applications will be accepted and are due January 22, 2010.

South Asian Public Health Association

After many (many) years the South Asian Public Health Association finally has an updated website. Please refer to this website to see what is happening within our community!

I encourage you all to sign up and become members. As a board member I hope to see much change within this organization over the next few years!

http://www.sapha.org/