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Maryland Regional African American Tobacco Control Networks KICK OFF Agenda 4
Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Institute, Inc.
National REACH Coalition
RAATCN Fact Sheet
RAATCN Deliverables
Advisory Team
Program Evaluator
Community Leadership Team
Data Resources
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Date: June 21, 2013
Time: 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Bowie State University 14000 Jericho Park Rd Bowie, MD 20715
Welcome Terry Lawlah
Announcement of Project and Introduction
Acknowledgement: AWPLI- Board of Directors
Announcement and Greetings from Guests
Presentation
Presentation
Remarks
Remarks from Community Leadership Team
Remarks
Closing Remarks
Bettye Muwwakkil, PhD
Darryl Arrington M.A.
Ralph Williams BS
Dr. Donald Shell
Dr. Carlessia Hussein
Pamela Creekmur, RN
Bishop Larry Lee Thomas
Elizabeth Chung
Dr. Anne Okeefe
Cathy Morales, PhD
Lawrence Carter M.A.
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Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Institute, Inc.
Access to Wholistic and Productive Living, Institute, Inc (AWPLI) is a leading Maryland public health safety-net provider and a Community Health Resource pursuant to the Maryland Community Health Care
Access and Safety Net Act of 2005. AWPLI is incorporated in the State of Maryland as a non-profit organization, received its IRS status as a 501 (C) 3 charitable organization in March 2008 and is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Our mission is to promote sustainable health and improve the quality of life by addressing public health and public education needs. We are dedicated to improving access and affordability to human, health and social services by identifying social determinants of health and implementing community-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of medically underserved communities and populations.
AWPLI organization goals are as follow: 1) Identify and address the economic, social, environmental and behavioral determinants that can lead to improved health; 2) Identify and address the complex underlying causes of health inequities and define specific strategies to target them; 3) Reduce risk factors and support healthy behaviors; 4) Optimize healthcare access and quality; and 5) Identify and build partners/collaborations.
Community engagement and community transformation are brandings of Access to Wholistic and
National REACH Coalition
The National REACH Coalition, located in Washington, DC, supports a network of organizations around the country. Through sharing of evidence-based, best practices and the provision of training and support to strengthen communities, the NRC, and its diverse network of partners, has led a national effort to effectively reduce, and in some cases, eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.
Members of the NRC network includes representation from a cross-section of groups working in African
American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander communities that demonstrate that improved health status can be achieved by understanding and addressing the underlying root causes of disparity that unduly burden communities of color.
Racial and ethnic groups currently served by REACH: African American/Black, American Indian /
Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic / Latino, Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
Health Problems addressed by REACH grantees (including but not limited to): Breast and cervical cancer, Cardio-vascular disease, Diabetes mellitus, Adult immunization, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis,
Asthma and Infant mortality.
Consistent with the tenets of its community-based participatory approach, NRC emphasizes the importance of developing and maintaining strong collaborations with members of its network to guide and support its work. Members of the network include: Tribes, Community based organizations, National
Organizations, Community Health Centers, Universities, Community Organizations and Coalitions, and local Public Health Departments.
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Tobacco use continues to be a major public health issue at the nation's Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCU) and those surrounding communities. Because of the greater freedom associated with college life, many students who never used tobacco products while in high school may begin to experiment with tobacco products. Intensive tobacco marketing aimed at this college aged and minority populations dwarf our existing prevention efforts. Recent studies have shown that the use of flavored cigars, cigarillos and little cigars and electronic cigarettes are on the rise. This rise and use and shift in product marketing make the push for the Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative at Historically Black Campuses and Universities and surrounding communities a public health priority.
Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Institute Inc., (AWPLI) has received a two year grant from the National REACH Coalition funded through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to create the Regional African American Tobacco Control Networks (RAATCN) to address tobacco control needs on HBCU campuses, in ethnic minority and low income communities. Access to Wholistic and
Productive Living Institute (AWPLI) Inc., is a nonprofit 501©3 with a 10 year history in delivering tobacco control services, training leaders, and developing networks and coalitions in the African
American community. AWPLI has also worked on several state and local health departments’ tobacco control initiatives. AWPLI will be partnering with the State of Maryland Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene (DHMH) – Tobacco Control and Minority Health and Health Disparities Programs on this initiative.
AWPLI has partnered with Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Sojourner Douglas
College, Coppin State University, University of Maryland –Eastern Shore, Associated Black Charities –
Dorchester County, Asian American Center of Frederick the United Black Clergy of Anne Arundel
County to be one of the network hubs and conduct tobacco control campaigns with us.
The Maryland Regional African American Tobacco Control Networks Initiative will have a Community
Leadership Team. The Community Leadership Team (CLT) is a core group of 8-10 members. One from each partnering organization and two at large members. They will meet 4-5 times yearly and guide this initiative. The CLT is supported by an advisory group of (5-6) AWPLI and state health department staff and at large partners.
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The Maryland Regional African American Tobacco Control Networks Initiative will support the following policy approaches in all the network areas:
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Increase the number of smoke free/tobacco free HBCU campuses in Maryland.
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Increase the number of HBCU campus building that ban electronic cigarette use as part of their smoke/tobacco free policy.
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Increase the number of faith based organizations that implement smoke free holy ground policies at their places of worship.
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Increase the number students and faculty that implement smoke free/tobacco free homes policies.
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Increase the number of smoke free/tobacco free playgrounds in jurisdictions with HBCU campuses.
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Promote smoke free housing policies.
Each partnering organization will be incentivized to carry out activities that enhance the discussion about smoke free environments, build capacity for tobacco prevention activities and support for cessation, champion leaders in their community to advance the policy discussion and promote social and cultural norm changes regarding tobacco and nicotine products.
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Why target African American and other Minorities?
This initiative is part of the National REACH ( Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community
Health) project that focused on racial and ethnic approaches to community health disparities.
African American communities in Maryland have higher Heart Disease mortality and Cancer mortality rates than Whites. Refer to the Maryland Health Disparities Chartbook
(dhmh.maryland.gov/mhhd).
Smoking among older African American is higher than whites and African Americans have more difficulty quitting.
African American and low income communities have been subject to intense marketing of tobacco products. African American and low income communities have a higher density of tobacco merchants and tobacco advertisement.
Why HBCU's ?
HBCU'S were selected because they are established leadership organizations in African
Africans and low income communities. They have also traditionally not been involved in tobacco control activities.
HBCU'S for the most part located in low socio-economic communities.
This effort addresses the disparate health impact of tobacco use on minority and low income communities and increases their involvement in tobacco control activities.
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Program Director- Bettye Muwwakkil, PhD resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She completed education and/or trained at the following Institutes of higher learning: University of the District of
Columbia School of Counseling; Johns’ Hopkins University School of Medical Ultrasonography; Baltimore City
School of Radiologic Technology; University of Massachusetts School of Behavior Science; Hermetic School of
Spirituality and Science; George Washington University School of Allied Health Administration; Northern Virginia
Community College- School of Business Administration; and the American Holistic University.
Dr. Muwwakkil is the Founder and CEO of Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Institute Inc., and Be-Whole
Foundation and Chairs- Living the Vision Empowerment Coalition. She has over 14 years of experience as CEO of non-profit organizations providing conventional and non-conventional health, healthcare and social justice services.
She has a long history of bringing community leaders, organizations, political representatives and racial and ethnic diverse communities together on public health issues and policies and is noted as a dynamic leader, delivering quality services with dedication.
Dr. Bettye also has a long history of strategically planning, implementing and sustaining health and wellness programs and interventions targeting large diverse populations and has successfully recruited professional, dependable and skilled partners that are passionate, action driven and have a genuine commitment to educate diverse populations. Over the past four years, in meeting the needs of community’s served, Dr. Bettye has fostered successful collaborations and partnerships between county, state, federal, faith-based, safety-net providers, colleges/universities, schools, coalitions and stakeholders and offering in-house staff development trainings through technical assistance. Contact: 240 965 6885 bettye@awpli.org
Lawrence Carter, M.S, M.S
Chief of Division of State Tobacco Control Initiatives -
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland. Mr. Carter is administratively responsible for the Local
Public Health Component of Maryland’s comprehensive tobacco use prevention and control program. The local public health component manages all local health department tobacco grant initiative including school based prevention, community coalitions, and mini- grant projects, smoking cessation, smoke multi- unit housing campaigns, clean outdoor air campaigns and minority outreach activities.
Mr. Carter has worked for the Maryland Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program for twenty years in increasingly responsible positions. During his tenure he has been involved with a number of tobacco control policy initiatives including: (M.O.S.H.), the state’s first clean indoor air regulation; The lawsuit against the tobacco industry that resulted in a Master Settlement; The statewide Clean Indoor Air Act that included all restaurants and bars; Numerous local policy initiatives and the Prince George County’s CTG Smoke Free Housing Campaign.
Lawrence has also worked with CDC and several national organizations to enhance outreach and partnerships with ethnic organizations. He is a former board member of the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network, a CDC funded organization dedicated to leadership training, policy development, and capacity building in African
American communities. He has a Master's Degree in Health Care Management from New York University and a
Master's Degree in Community Health Education from Hunter College in New York City. His previous experience includes substance abuse counseling, hospital administration and community organizing.
Contact:
Lawrence.carter@maryland.gov
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410 410-767-5529
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Ralph Williams, BS, TTS is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Inc. (AWPLI), where he oversees all financial, business and community development projects and provides technical assistance. He is the Program Administrator and
Technical Assistant of RAATCN. Ralph is the Program Director of the AWPLI - “Butt Out”:
Tobacco Control and Cancer Prevention program, Men’s Health Initiative and spear heads the Men’s
Health and Wellness Committee of AWPLI.
Ralph is a member of the Maryland Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Action Institute (REHDAI) team and the leader of the extended- Maryland REHDAI research team with Former Surgeon General – Dr. David
Satcher at the Morehouse School of Medicine. He is also a team member (community participatory research) of the
University of Maryland School of Public Health “Men's Prostate Awareness Church Training” (M-PACT).
Mr. Williams holds a Bachelor in Science in Applied Information Technology from the University of Baltimore and completed training in Health Information Technology from the Community College of Baltimore County and is pursuing a Certification as a Health Information Implementation Specialist from the Certification Commission for
Health Information Technology as well as his Masters of Science in Health Informatics.
Ralph is also an active and devoted member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., where he serves and has served in a number of leadership roles for the Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter. He is also an active member of the fraternity’s Health and Wellness regional and national committees where he has shared an array of health information with respect to men’s health and wellness. Ralph also provides technical assistance to the American
Cancer Society – Partners for Life Program.
Contact information; ralph@awpli.org
410 300-1832
Charles Jackson, B.S
A native of Baltimore, MD and graduate of Archbishop Curley High School, Charles Jackson attended Emmanuel
College in Boston, MA. During those years at Emmanuel he found he had an affinity for diversity and inclusion issues especially those dealing with race. After graduating from college he went on to receive his certificate as a
Diversity Practitioner from NTL Institute. Charles Jackson is trained to lead, direct, consult and teach on many issues including: racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, ageism, religious oppression and ethnic oppression. Charles
Jackson recently coordinated multiple African American Men’s Health Conference for the American Cancer
Society. He is currently the Community Outreach Coordinator at Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Inc. working with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges/Universities) and African American churches on issues of smoking and tobacco prevention, awareness and policy issues. Contact - 443-527-7074, cjackson@awpli.org
Arlee W. Gist, BA is the Deputy Director for the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
(MHHD) at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. As Deputy Director, Ms. Gist provides oversight of the programs administration. She is the legislative liaison for MHHD for all health disparities related legislation proposed by State legislators. Additionally, Ms. Gist provides oversight and management of the Minority
Outreach and Technical Assistance (MOTA) program. Previously, she designed and implemented the
Comprehensive Job Retention and Advancement Services Project at Health Management Resources, Incorporated.
President William Jefferson Clinton appointed Ms. Gist to serve at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) from 1994-2001. Ms. Gist graduated from Arkansas State University with a Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Social Work. Contact: 410-767-1052 Arlee.gist@maryland.gov
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Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam -Democrat, District 10, Baltimore County Deputy Majority
Whip, Chair, Subcommittee on Minority Health Disparities
Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates on November 8, 1994 and reelected in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010, serving in her 19 th year. She is the first Caribbean-born person and the first
African-Caribbean Registered Nurse elected to the Maryland General Assembly in its 380 years of history. Born in
Jamaica, West Indies and educated in Jamaica, England and the United States, she is a naturalized American citizen.
Delegate Nathan-Pulliam is a Registered Nurse with years of experience as a quality assurance coordinator, head nurse and team leader at hospitals in the Baltimore metropolitan area. She holds an Associate of Arts degree from
Baltimore City Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Maryland and a
Master’s degree in Administrative Science from The Johns Hopkins University, Carey Business School.
Her present assignments in the House of Delegates include the Health and Government Operations Committee;
Chair, Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee; Member, Insurance Subcommittee; Joint Committee on Health
Care Delivery and Financing; Joint Committee on Children Youth and Families; Maryland Medicaid Advisory
Committee; and the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes; and the Advisory Council on Hereditary and
Congenital Disorders.
Contact:
410-947-7050 Shirley.natan.pulliam@house.state.md.us
Deneen Long-White, CHES, PhD- RAATCNProgram Evaluator
Dr. White has over twenty years of experience in public health with specific expertise in maternal and child health.
During that time she has worked with local, state, and federal officials to develop and implement public health programs which focused on providing services to youth, infants, and women of childbearing age. As MCH
Epidemiologist and former chief of the District of Columbia Maternal and Family Health Administration Data
Collection and Analysis Division, Dr. Long-White directed the development, implementation and writing of the five-year Title V needs assessment as well as the evaluation of programs such as Healthy Start, the District’s Teen
Mothers Take Charge (TMTC), and Hospital Discharge Planner programs.
She continues to serve on numerous national committees including the Association of Maternal and Child Health
Programs (AMCHP) Workforce Committee, the National Advisory Group for the Evaluation of MCH Epidemiology in State Health Agencies, CSTE Epidemiology Workforce Committee, and the MCH Navigator Working Group as well as work with community-based organizations. Dr. Long-White also serves as a peer reviewer for the national
Maternal and Child Health Journal as well as a reviewer for federal grants.
Her research interests are reproductive health, adolescent health, women’s health and infant mortality with a specific focus on health disparities and the social determinants of health. She received her undergraduate degree in
Sociology, Master of Science degree in Health Education – Community Health, and Ph.D. in medical and urban sociology from Howard University. In addition to her training at Howard University, she has received numerous training from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on needs assessment. Dr. Long- is the Program
Manager of Bright Beginnings of Prince George’s County; Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative and the Director of
AWPLI Women’s Health and Wellness Services. Contact: Deneen_long@yahoo.com
202 – 251-5856
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Kanika Campbell, MA
Program Coordinator, Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
410-767-3229, Kanika.campbell@maryland.gov
Elizabeth Chung
Director Asian American Center of Frederick
629 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701
443-885-4042, Echung411@gmail.com
Ashyrra Dotson, MA
Director of Programs- Associated Black Charities of Maryland
824 Fairmount Avenue, Cambridge, MD 21613
410-221-0795 adotson@abc-md.org
Dr. Nicolett Louisaint
Adjunct Faculty Sojourner Douglas College
512 Orchard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
917-902-9093, n.louissaint@gmail.com
Dr. Anne Okeefe
Associate Professor Morgan State University
1700 East Cold Spring Lane- Portage Building – Room 301 C
443-885-4042 Ann.okeefe@morgan.edu
Dr. Ina Ramos
Director of Programs and Finance Education Innovation Initiative
Maryland Center at Bowie State University
14000 Jericho Park Road
Robinson Hall, Suite 116, Bowie, MD 20715
301-860-4306 iramos@bowiestate.edu
Michelle Reynolds
Director, Center for Counseling and Student Development- Coppin State University
2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216
410-951-3939 mreynolds@coppin.edu
Bishop Larry Lee Thomas
Director of Smoke Free Holy Grounds Program- United Black Clergy of Anne Arundel County
7566 E. Howard Road, Glen Burnie, MD 21060
410-761-9272 contact@ebcapostolic.org
Rev. Tawana Thomas-Johnson
Director, South Atlantic Division of Health Disparities- American Cancer Society
7500 Greenway Center Drive Suite 300, Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-982-2120 Tawana.thomas-johnson@cancer.org
Lauresa Wigfal
Director, Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs- University of Maryland Eastern Shore11868 Academic Oval, Princess
Anne, MD 21853-
410-651-6385 Lemoten1@umes.edu
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The SHIP is all about local action. Through a SHIP-inspired process, 18 Local Health
Improvement Coalitions (LHICs) have formed to focus attention on improving the health of communities across the State.
dhmh.maryland.gov/mhhd
Access to Wholistic and Productive Living Institute, Inc.
6315 Seabrook Road, Suite 102
Seabrook, MD 20706
For more information contact Ralph Williams
410-300-1832 www.awpli.org
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