For the past five years, MWPHA has supported MPH graduate students in the George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services’ advocacy course. This year, the students were very successful in their efforts, with little to no help from other MWPHA members. (I say “other” MWPHA members because most have joined MWPHA as student members.)
Their Efforts
Get F.E.D. : Get Food Equality in DC focused on the implementation of the 2010 D.C. FEED Act. This act passed in 2010 aims to increase the options for fresh fruits and vegetables in the District’s food deserts. The team worked closely with ANC and the Ward 8 Farmers’ Market to continue this work. To learn more about their work, view the video from the GW Hatchet article.
Colonials for Clean Air: Colonials for Clean Air aims to change George Washington University's (GWU) smoking policy to protect the health of non-smokers. The goal of the project is for GWU to enforce a 25 foot smoke-free barrier around all campus buildings. Breathe DC granted the students $2300 for their efforts.
Good Samaritan Project: The goal of the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act is simply to prevent death from drug-related overdose. The team drafted and is working to pass the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act for DC. As it now stands in DC and in most states, people who dial 911, drop a friend off at a hospital, or otherwise try to get care for someone in the midst of a drug overdose are subject to prosecution for use and possession of drugs. We would like to thank the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service and the Public Service Grant Commission for funding their efforts to pass the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act in DC.
Save Lives Free the Condoms: From 2005- 2009 students worked to get CVS stores in DC to remove their condoms from behind counters, locked boxed, and noisy click boxes. This year the students focused on CVS stores in Prince Georges County and only 3 stores have not unlocked their condoms. In future years, we are going after a national CVS policy to keep condoms accessible for all. They worked with the Sexually Transmitted Infections Community Coalition, University of Maryland Prevention Research Center, and the Prince Georges County Health Department on this issue.
Get Involved
Next fall, we want to give them more support than ever before. Here is how you can help.
1. Share information from their websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts with your community and colleagues. Doing so takes what starts out as a class project and helps turn it into a real community-based effort.
2. Suggest a local health issue they can advocate around and volunteer to be their community mentor. If you don’t have time, maybe you know or work with others who can be community mentors.
3. Give feedback on their project proposals. Some students will be new to the area and need the perspective of someone who has lived and worked in the region review their ideas.
4. Attend their events. The students send messages out via the listserv and they would appreciate your attendance.
5. Keep the project going through the spring and summer. While some of the students will continue working on the project, it is up to MWPHA members to keep the momentum going.
It’s very simple. We hope you will join us next year.
Thank you to Dr. Caroline Sparks and the GWU MPH students for your hard work and the continued partnership and support of MWPHA.
