The BHIC blog will be taking a break for the holidays from December 22, 2011 through January 2, 2012.

Our very best wishes for Happy Holidays and a safe and healthy New Year.

The Office of Minority Health has launched a new online catalog search tool.  Now you can find books, reports, journals, media, articles, and organizations related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations.  Start searching here:  http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/opac.aspx

Or, you can email the Knowledge Center if you need guidance on searching the content – KnowledgeCenter@minorityhealth.hhs.gov [Office of Minority Health]

If you think cultural health, have we got a site for you!  Check out the Office of Minority Health’s enhanced cultural competency web portal, a one-stop shop for all cultural competency resources and training opportunities.  The web portal is called “Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact” and can be accessed here: https://www.thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/. [Office of Minority Health]

Now you can apply online in Spanish for Social Security Retirement benefits, Medicare, and Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs.  Check out the new services at the Social Security Spanish web site.  Watch Don Franciso, host of Sábodo Gigante, explaining the services to you.  Visit the web site here:  http://www.socialsecurity.gov/espanol/. [Office of Minority Affairs]

The national Million Hearts™ initiative is asking gift givers to consider taking care of their own health as a gift to a loved one. Good health is one thing everyone appreciates.

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MillionHearts/ to send an e-card and share on Facebook and Twitter. [CDC Current Features]

A just-released report from Trust for America’s Health has some sobering stats re: public health department cuts and its impact on preparedness & general programs. The complete report,  TFAH: Ready or Not? (December 2011) can be viewed at http://ow.ly/86uMi .

Here are a few highlights:

• In the past year, 40 states and Washington, D.C. have cut funds to public health, 30 states cut their budgets for the second year in a row and 15 of those have cut their budget three years in a row;
• Since 2008, 49,310 state and local public health department jobs have been lost to layoff and attrition— 14,910 in state health agency central offices and 34,400 in local health departments;
• Sixty percent of state health agencies have cut entire programs since 2008, while half of all local public health departments reported cutting at least one program altogether in the last year alone; and
• Federal funds for state and local preparedness declined by 38 percent from fiscal year (FY) 2005 to 2012 (adjusted for inflation) — and additional cuts are expected under budget sequestration.

[via NIH Disaster-Outreach Listserv, Dec. 20, 2011]

From the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: http://ow.ly/840ax [OCHA Situation Report No. 1, Dec. 18, 2011]

From NLM - People Locator for Typhoon Sendong:  https://pl.nlm.nih.gov/sendong

From Google:
Person Finder, English: http://www.google.org/personfinder/sendong?lang=en
Person Finder, Fillipino: http://www.google.org/personfinder/sendong?lang=fil

The Department of Health and Human Services released a bulletin late last week outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility and freedom to implement the Affordable Care Act.  

The Affordable Care Act ensures all Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance. To achieve this goal, the law ensures that health insurance plans offered in the individual and small group markets, both inside and outside of the Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges), offer a comprehensive package of items and services, known as “essential health benefits.”  

Read more: http://ow.ly/83R65 [HHS Press Release, Dec. 16, 2011]

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has funded the expansion of the County Health Rankings to form a new, broader program called the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

The County Health Roadmaps project aims to build on the call to action of the County Health Rankings by supporting efforts to move forward and take action to improve the health of communities.

Visit the website at: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/roadmaps [County Health Rankings E-News, Dec. 16, 2011]

When the toasters are first plugged into the outlets, the elements can be energized although the toaster lifter is in the up or off position, which can pose a fire hazard if the toaster is near flammable items.

More information at:  http://ow.ly/83X2U [via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]