To view the video please follow this link..or go to the right of this site and click onto the video under Youth Advocacy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHhx_UZECRA

Maranacook Students Will Unveil Video Asking Lawmakers to Help Prevent Youth Smoking

Members of the Maranacook Student Health Center Advisory Committee want lawmakers to take action on youth smoking, starting by increasing Maine’s tobacco taxes right away.

On Tuesday, March 23rd, students from the Committee will travel to the State House to unveil their new video calling on lawmakers to raise the tax on cigarettes in order to help prevent youth smoking, and equalize the tax on other tobacco products to keep kids from finding cheaper alternatives, like “little cigars” and chewing tobacco.

Parents and school administrators will also be in attendance. They will express their concern for Maine’s rising smoking rates and the Legislature’s lack of action in raising the price of tobacco products, despite the proven link between higher prices and reduced youth smoking.

WHAT: Press Conference Calling for a Tobacco Tax Increase

WHEN: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 10:30am

WHERE: Taxation Committee Room #127, State House, Augusta

WHO: Chuck Hays, Maranacook High School student
Justin Greeley, Maranacook High School student
Emily Allen, Maranacook High School student
Dr. John Barnes, Maranacook parent and Readfield physician
Rich Abramson, Superintendent of Maranacook Area Schools

CONTACT: Carol Kelly (207) 210-0789

Student advisors this year include Justin Greeley, Chuck Hays, Tyler Whitman, Kate Laliberte, Ben Johnson, Emily Allen, Jackson Pineau, Ben Barnes, Adrienne Nel, Isabel Smith and Emma Olson. All 11 students are able to go – Cindy Flye and Kini Tinkham, along with Randy Schwartz, Kini’s husband, will join the students.

On the morning of March 18th we will visit the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care – staff will review the current status of health care reform and and will share additional talking points for us to use at our visits with Senator Snowe and Collins and Representatives Michaud and Pingree. The National Assembly’s Communication Director is hoping to arrange having NPR follow us for the day – will keep you posted

On Thursday afternoon we will be touring the Capitol and have meetings scheduled with Senators Collins and Senator Snowe as well as a health policy staff member of Senator Snowe.

On Friday, 3/19/10, we have an early morning White House tour followed by scheduled meetings with both Rep Pingree and Rep Michaud.

Friday evening we will have a tour of the monuments and Saturday morning will visit the Holocaust Museum.

We continue to do fundraising for our trip – in addition to the $4500 set aside in the Kellogg Foundation Grant, the students have needed to raise another $4000. We have done really well selling note cards of the health center wall mural – if anyone is interested in buying a box for $10 just let us know. Parents, community members, and local organizations have also donated funds!!

We are very excited and will look forward to sharing our adventures with you upon our return!

Cindy T. Flye
Health Center Coordinator

http://www.nasbhc.org/atf/cf/%7Bcd9949f2-2761-42fb-bc7a-cee165c701d9%7D/FEBRUARY%202010%20POLICY%20UPDATE.PDF

The passage of health-care reform in the House of Representatives was an important and exciting moment for all those dedicated to the idea that all Americans need and deserve access to high quality, affordable health care.

Maine’s two representatives, Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree, deserve a vote of thanks from all of us for being part of the majority that made this happen.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a large and complex piece of legislation, with many important provisions. One of them of particular interest to families and children concerns school-based health centers (SBHCs).

SBHCs provide a vital link in delivering health care to kids who need it most. The health reform bill creates a new program that will support SBHCs at many locations in Maine and around the country.
I am the coordinator of Maranacook Community School’s Student Health Center and a member of the Maine Assembly on School-Based Health Care.

We are thrilled that the House saw the wisdom of incorporating this successful program into a national vision for health care.
Now, we must get on with the equally important job of passing a Senate bill, that ensures access to high quality, affordable health care. To make the important investments in our children that we know are needed, and will pay big dividends in the future, we must finish the work that has been so successfully begun.

Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins must support health-care reform that will meet the needs of all our children.

Cindy Flye
Manchester

To the editor: The passage of health care reform in the House of Representatives was an important and exciting moment for all those dedicated to the idea that all Americans need and deserve access to high quality, affordable health care. Maine’s two representatives, Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree, deserve a vote of thanks from all of us for being part of the majority that made this happen.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a large and complex piece of legislation, with many important provisions. One of them of particular interest to families and children concerns school-based health centers (SBHC’s). SBHC’s provide a vital link in delivering health care to kids who need it most. The health reform bill creates a new program that will support SBHC’s at many locations in Maine and around the country.

I am the coordinator for the Noble Health Center at Noble High School and a member of the Maine Assembly on School-Based Health Care. MSAD #60 has the only SBHC in York County. We are thrilled that the House saw the wisdom of incorporating this successful program into a national vision for health care. Now, we must get on with the equally important job of passing a Senate bill, that ensures access to high quality, affordable health care.

To make the important investments in our children that we know are needed, and will pay big dividends in the future, we must finish the work that has been so successfully begun. Please call Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and ask them to support health care reform that will meet the needs of all our children.

Cynthia Dolben, RNBS

South Berwick, Maine

On 10/29 and 10/30, I traveled to Washington, DC as part of the RWJ-funded Caring Across Communities project lead by the the Portland School’s Multicultural Program. As part of the 2 day mtg, we met with staffers from Senator Snowe and Congresswoman Pingree’s office to stress the importance of school-based health services for multicultural populations. We also thanked Senator Snowe again for her courage in moving forward on the health care reform legislation and urged her support of a public option.

Submitted by:
Lisa Belanger MSN, NP
Family Health Program Manager
Public Health Division/H&HS Dept
City of Portland @
Reiche Health Station

You made the difference!  Thank you!

Kate

Kate Brogan

Vice President for Public Affairs

Family Planning Association of Maine

and LD #802An Act To Require Reporting on Medical Services or Treatment Provided to Minors without Parental Consent.

Students and adults from Maranacook, Calais, Brunswick and Portland were present along with Kate Brogan and Sue McPhee from Family Planning. Chris Gorman from MYAN also joined us.

The students were great! They were very articulate and genuine in their thoughts about the impact of the bill. The committee members were clearly impressed by their presentations.  I have also attached my written testimony.

The work session is on Friday and Kate will update us on the outcome. The bills will likely move on the the House and Senate. At that point, we may be back in touch to ask for your support in calling and emailing your legislator.

Lisa Burgess Hodgkins

Executive Director

Maine Assembly on School Based Health Care

Medical Care Development

Results:

•  MYAN, including college intern Chelsea Schoen, prepared and facilitated this centralized training in Waterville on October 31st.  6 Adults and 16 youth attended the training.
• Created detailed interactive curriculum for the SBHC fall centralized training.  Goals for the training included: Advocacy training and skill building, opportunity to network, ask questions and share needs/concerns, MEASBHC overview and clarifying goals for the year.  These goals were created in collaboration with MEASBHC Executive Director in order to best address the needs of the groups and advisors.
• Created and distributed a resource tool kit for each participant that included resources on:  action planning, advocacy, community engagement, creating change, how to write and distribute petitions, working with Legislators, presenting testimony, public speaking tips, youth engagement, tips for youth and adult partnerships and how to write letters to your Legislators.  *If you would like pdf versions of these resources for your records please let us know. 
• 100% of participants reported gaining skills, resources, information and connections. Reflections from the meeting were all very positive and outcomes from this meeting are listed here:  
  • “In all my years of going to SBHC trainings this was the best one I have ever been to.  It was fun, informative and my students had a great time.”
  • “Great work! Fun, fast, educational day.”
  • “This was my first MYAN training. I enjoyed every minute!!”