Michigan State Medical Society Alliance

The Michigan State Medical Society Alliance has established a county alliance health grant program. This program is designed to distribute grants to county alliances within the State of Michigan. Grants are to assist counties in projects that are health related. Projects could include, but are not limited to, violence prevention (SAVE), shelter assistance, purchasing of AMAA educational materials (Hands Are Not For Hitting books, Bullying books), etc.

The executive committee of the Michigan State Medical Society Alliance will review applications at each of their meetings – July, September, November, January and May. Grant monies will be issues promptly after each executive board meeting and forwarded to the counties.

A maximum of $200.00 will be available to each county for approved programs. Funds are to be used only for the project submitted.

To download a county grant form click here/Resources/PDF/MSMSA County Grant Form.pdf

Download a County Health Grant Form here

Grant request forms should be submitted to:

Michigan State Medical Society Alliance
County Health Grants
Tammy Guastella
120 W. Saginaw Street
East Lansing, MI 48823

Health Promotions

For more information on the many MSMS Alliance Health Promotions Projects including SAVE Day, Drs and Their Families Make a Difference, Faux Paw and Screen Out contact:

Health Promotion

                                    Lisa Hildorf (Mark Castellani)
                                    6050 Standish Ct.
                                    East Lansing, MI 48823
                                    P: (517) 339-9255
                                    E: hildorf@aol.com

Public Health and Aging Committee

Mary Lou Mathias
5118 Dye Hill Court
Flint, MI 48532

810-732-2053

mldmathias@comcast.net

AMA Web site provides latest info on H1N1 flu (swine flu)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in 36 states... to read more details please go to AMAA website at http://www.amaalliance.org/

Screen Out! News
New York Times Article Features Alliance's Screen Out! Program

The February 25th edition of The New York Times spotlights the Alliance's Screen Out! program which addresses the problem of tobacco in Hollywood by demanding that future youth-rated films be tobacco-free and break the ties between the entertainment and tobacco industries. The article draws attention to Screen Out's disapproval of multiple scenes where American Spirit cigarettes are brand identified in the recent youth-rated movie "He's Just Not that Into You." The article quotes support from Screen Out! Director Melissa Walthers as well as a spokesman for Santa Fe Tobacco, the manufacturer of the cigarettes featured in the movie. A Warner Brothers spokesman declined to comment. Click here to read the article. http://www.screenout.org

To show your support for the Screen Out! initiative, please sign the online petition by following the above link. Thank you.

Doctors and the Families Make a Difference

PHYSICIANS AND FAMILIES “MAKE A DIFFERENCE” FOR THOSE IN MICHIGAN'S CRISIS SHELTERS

EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Foundation mobilized hundreds of volunteers this month in its annual statewide effort to help provide basic comforts to those living in Michigan's domestic violence shelters.

Participating volunteers go into their communities, distribute plastic bags and ask that they be filled with basic necessities such as over-the-counter medicines, disposable diapers, new socks and underwear, baby food and formula, and household cleaning supplies. Last year, volunteers managed to collect more than 12,000 bags, which helped approximately 24,000 people.

"The women and children in Michigan's domestic violence shelters often arrive there with only the clothes on their backs," said MSMS Foundation President Dorothy M. Kahkonen, MD, Ann Arbor endocrinologist. "We hope these simple gifts will make their lives more comfortable--more normal--as they face the difficulties created by domestic violence."

The MSMS Foundation’s 12th annual project is held in conjunction with the Gannett Foundation/Points of Light Foundation's national "Make a Difference Day" on Saturday, October 25. The goal of this national effort is to simultaneously mobilize volunteers in communities across the nation on that day.

Partners in the MSMS Foundation’s effort to help those in shelters across Michigan are MSMS physician members and their families; the MSMS Alliance organization of physician spouses; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM); East Lansing-based medical liability insurer American Physicians Assurance Corporation, and MSMS Physicians Insurance Agency.

"Our communities and our state really do need us, and we are pleased to be able to help through this good project. Our state wide volunteers collect he much needed items throughout the year to help in this cause," said Lakshmi Tummala, President of the MSMS Alliance.

"The Michigan Blues are pleased to partner with the MSMS Foundation," said Cathy Mozham, Blues vice president of community affairs. "Domestic Violence Awareness Month is not just a month-long focus, but has been a multi-year program to reach out to employees, physicians, youth, elder care givers and domestic abuse survivors."

"It's fitting that we undertake this project in October, which is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month," said Thomas C. Payne, MD, a retired Lansing-area radiologist and a member of the American Physicians Advisory Board. "We all need to help in any way we can."

“The MSMS Physicians Insurance Agency is pleased to continue to support the MSMS Foundation in "Doctors & Their Families Make a Difference Day” to help those in need,” said Robert Lieber, of MSMS PIA.

Those wishing to assist in the 2008 "Doctors and their Families Make a Difference Day" effort may do so by sending a tax-deductible contribution to the MSMS Foundation, P.O. Box 950, East Lansing, MI 48826.

If you, or someone you know is being hurt, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224 for the name and number of the domestic violence program nearest you.

Also, a domestic violence "tool kit" to help physicians identify, refer and document incidents of domestic violence is available from BCBSM. Physicians may receive a free kit by faxing a request to BCBSM at 248-486-2017.

The MSMS Foundation was founded by the Michigan State Medical Society, a professional association representing more than 15,000 Michigan physicians.

S.A.V.E. Day in Genesee County
Susan Kirby

In commemmoration of National S.A.V.E. (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) Day and Mahatma Gandhi who stood for Peace and Non-Violence, the Genesee County Medical Society Alliance participates in the annual Peace Day celebration with the Genesee County Committee for Community Peace. In order to get the message to the youth, the committee held an essay writing contest in the Flint Schools for grades K-12. This year's topics were "How Can My School Be a More Caring Place?" for grades K-5 and "Peace is the Way" for grades 6-12. The response was overwhelming. We received over seven hundred entries from fifteen schools! First, second and third place winners from four different grade levels received prizes from the Genesee County Medical Society Alliance. In addition, they received gift certificates from Borders Book Store and Barnes and Noble.

This year's event was held on Saturday, October 11. People from all walks of life regardless of race, religion and culture background gathered at the City Hall of Flint. Leaders from different faiths offered prayers for Peace, Unity and Harmony in the community. Children and adults wore t-shirts donated by Hurley Medical Center, carried banners and signs singing "We Will Overcome." The marching band from The South Western Academy of Flint was on hand to lead the marchers to the University of Michigan-Flint. Committee Chair Sue Kirby welcomed the gathering. Professor Tendaji Ganges from the university was the keynote speaker who emphasized on the need for a peaceful and tolerant society. Shirley Cochran, Director of Motherly Intercession was presented this year's Peace Maker of the Year award given to people who do an outstanding service to the community. Claudia Mach from Community Gardening spoke about gardening as a way to unite everyone in the community. Spring bulbs were given to all to take home to plant in their garden and reminisce about the event. Children from the Chinmaya Seva Samithi, a local Hindu spiritual organization, performed two dance numbers. Several door prizes, donated by local businesses, were given away throughout the program. Young children were given crayons and posters to color. AMAA activity books on conflict resolution, "I Can Handle Bullies" and "Hands are Not for Hitting" were given to elementary school children to take home. Refreshments funded by the UM-Flint were enjoyed by all.

Screen-Out
Movies Influence Half of All New Teen Smokers to Start Smoking

Experts estimate that movies with tobacco imagery influence half of all new teen smokers to start smoking. This means that Hollywood recruits approximately 390,000 new youth smokers each year, nearly enough to replace all of the smokers the tobacco industry kills on a yearly basis.1 Movies are used to both promote tobacco brands and to “advertise” the acceptability of the act of smoking. Most Prevention Network News readers will recognize this as one form of “product placement” that they have been talking about in the context of media literacy for several years. It is an increasingly common form of promotion for many kinds of products. Tobacco promotion in movies and its effects include:

• Current movie heroes are three to four times more likely to smoke than are people in real life.

• Young people in the United States watch an average of three movies a week, which contain an average of five smoking episodes each, adding up to about 15 exposures to smoking a week. Young people may be exposed to more smoking in movies than in real life.

• A teen whose favorite star smokes is significantly more likely to be a smoker.

• Approximately two-thirds of films seen today show tobacco use, including films that are rated PG or PG-13 and intended for young audiences.

• Films depicting tobacco use are increasing and are reinforcing misleading perceptions that smoking is a widespread, socially desirable, and normal behavior, and they fail to convey the long-term consequences of tobacco use.

These facts are taken from the curriculum accompanying a one-hour documentary video called Scene Smoking – Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool that discusses the issue of smoking in film and television.2 This video is suitable for adults and mature high school students and is available from Prevention Network. Parents taking their children to the movies or checking out a DVD for their children to watch do not know whether smoking will appear in the film. The current movie rating system does not prevent children from seeing smoking in movies. About 60 percent of youth exposure to smoking in movies is from G, PG, or PG-13 rated movies. This problem of tobacco in Hollywood has an answer: demand future youth-rated films be tobacco-free and break the ties between the entertainment and tobacco industries. Stan Glantz, Ph.D., professor of medicine at the University of California , San Francisco , led the way when he founded the Smoke Free Movies campaign.

The Smoke Free Movies movement proposes four solutions that the U.S. film industry can implement to change the irresponsible use of tobacco on screen: Rate new movies that portray smoking an “R”; certify no pay-offs; require strong antismoking ads; stop identifying tobacco brands in movies. Following the lead of Dr. Glantz, the New York State Department of Health and the University of California developed “Screen Out!” as the national action program to achieve the solutions of the Smoke Free Movies movement.

In October 2006, the American Legacy Foundation awarded the American Medical Association Alliance a $500,000 grant to mobilize grassroots groups and individuals to demand the four proposed solutions. The goals of the three-year public awareness campaign are:

1. Write 800 letters to the Motion Picture Association of America and other decision makers.
2. Gather 750,000 petition signatures in support of the four solutions set forth by the Screen Out! Campaign.
3. Garner 1,500 Screen Out! Endorsements from parent, political, health, and school based organizations.

This is where YOU and your group enter the picture.

At the very least, visit www.screenout.org, download a petition, circulate it at work, family events PTSA meeting, temple/ church/mosque, or health fair, book club…you get the idea. Return the filled petition to Mary Lou D. Mathias, volunteer coordinator for the Michigan State Medical Society Alliance, at 5118 Dye Hill Court , Flint , Michigan , 48532 . Mary Lou will count the signatures to track Michigan ’s efforts, and make copies to send to the National Office and the movie industry representatives. Just to give you a little encouragement, Disney has already agreed to take smoking out of all of the movies it produces in the future!

Want to do more than just circulate petitions? Visit http://www.screenout.org for directions on how to write letters, op Ed pieces for your newspaper, and endorse the Screen Out! Campaign. There is a 20-page resource packet to help you do these and other activities. If you have questions or cannot access web resources you may call Mary Lou at (810) 732-2053 (home number) or Marie Hansen at Prevention Network, 800-968-4968.

1 Dalton MA , Sargent JD, et al. Effect of viewing smoking in movies on adolescent smoking initiation: A cohort study. The Lancet 2003; 362 (9380): 281-85. 2 This documentary film by Terry Maloney was produced by the American Lung Association of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails under a grant provided by the California Department of Health Services Tobacco Control Section. The U.S. Center for Disease Control made it available nationwide for a while.