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2015 OPHA Annual Conference & Meeting

October 12th & 13th, 2015
Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR

 

2015 Keynotes:

Public Health in the Era of the Internet: Lessons Learned From Immunizations
Oregon State Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
Monday, October 12 from 9:30-10:30 am (LaSells, Austin Auditorium)

Public health interventions must be based on scientific evidence, yet in the era of the internet and diminishing scientific literacy, the public often receives significant conflicting "evidence" about the benefits and risks of various public interventions. This talk will focus on efforts to increase immunization rates in Oregon as an exemplar of the challenges facing public health officials, health care providers, and the concerned public when promoting important interventions that have vocal opposition.

Creating Strong Public Health Policies for our Reformed Health Care System
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
Tuesday, October 13 from 9:30 - 10:30 am (LaSells, Austin Auditorium)

With all the good work happening on health care reform both nationally and here in Oregon, there is still need for strong public health policies that can help improve the lives of our families.  Senator Merkley will talk about his efforts in the U.S. Senate to help new mothers, middle class families, and communities in every corner of Oregon. From addressing the public health effects of climate change and e-cigarette use by youth to the impact that breastfeeding support can provide families, Senator Merkley will discuss the importance of strong public health policies and the vital work being done in Oregon. 


Featured Presentation:

Latinos in Oregon: A Policy Framework for Health
Alberto Moreno, Executive Director, Oregon Latino Health Coalition
Tuesday, October 13 from 10:45 am – 12:00 pm (LaSells, Agriculture Leaders)

Alberto Moreno is the Executive Director for the Oregon Latino Health Coalition, a statewide organization whose mission is to eliminate health disparities for Latinos in Oregon. Mr. Moreno was recently elected as the Chair of the Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Mr. Moreno also founded the Oregon Community Health Workers Association and has informed state policy which supports this vital workforce including establishment of the Oregon Commission for Traditional Health Workers in Oregon. Mr Moreno is also responsible for successfully leading a ten year campaign to make prenatal care a human right for all women in Oregon. As a result, all women in Oregon will now have access to prenatal care, regardless of documentation.


Closing Plenary: 

What's Up and What's Next for Recreational/Retail Marijuana
Tuesday, October 13 from 3:15 – 4:30 pm (LaSells, Austin Auditorium)

Legalization of retail marijuana is rolling out across Oregon. Just prior to the beginning of the OPHA Annual Conference, many communities in Oregon will allow limited access to marijuana through medical marijuana dispensaries. Over the next year, permanent rules will be implemented to regulate access to marijuana in expanded retail settings. Join us to learn about the process and implications from a variety of perspectives.

PANELISTS: 

Jake Boone
Manager, Apothecaria

Jake Boone, manager of the medical marijuana dispensary Apothecaria, will share the perspective of dispensaries and their customers. How do medical dispensaries see the new law as helpful or not? How do customers encounter the various products? How do customers and dispensaries experience interactions with healthcare providers?

Nathan Rix, MS, MPP
Senior Policy Analyst
Recreational Marijuana Program
Oregon Liquor Control Commission

Nathan Rix, Oregon Liquor Control Commission retail marijuana policy analyst, will share what we've learned from Washington and Colorado. How do we protect Oregonians from inversion and diversion? How might we use data to answer questions on how usage affects Oregonians? What are some of the concerns regarding edible products, packaging, licensing and seed-to-sale tracking?

Katrina Hedberg, MD, MPH
State Health Officer
Public Health Division
Oregon Health Authority

Katrina Hedberg, Oregon State Health Officer, will discuss the Public Health Division’s role related to marijuana use in Oregon, including the science, policy and regulatory functions.  What is known about the science related to the health effects marijuana use? How do we monitor use and health impacts in Oregon? What are the policy and health messaging implications of the science?  What is  the public health division’s role in marijuana regulation, (e.g. medical marijuana card program, dispensaries/ retail stores, laboratories)?  

Karen Wheeler, MA
Business and Operational Policy Administrator
Health Systems Division
Oregon Health Authority

Karen Wheeler, OHA Addictions and Mental Health (AMH) - Behavior Health Programs Administrator, will share the AMH role in administering the statewide substance abuse prevention system. What data are available from a treatment perspective? How might the behavioral health system change with respect to marijuana? What concerns arise around youth access to and treatment for marijuana? What does the future hold for evidence-based treatment?

Elizabeth Clapp, MPH
Senior Research Analyst
Community Epidemiology Services
Multnomah County Health Department

Betsy Clapp, Multnomah County Health Department Senior Research Analyst, will share a local health department perspective. Which sectors of local public health might expect to coordinate in response to retail marijuana rules and their effects? What are some possible new approaches in public health for addressing potential impacts? How do we ensure health equity particularly with regards to dispensary siting?

MODERATOR: 

Robina Ingram-Rich, BSN, MPH, MS 
President-Elect – Oregon Public Health Association