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March Events
Women's History Month Quiz
April Events
National Public Health Week ~ April 1-7, 2019
Go to the Public Health Week tab for details on these events.
Rabies & Microchip Clinic ~ April 27, 2019
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
- $15 Rabies vaccination
- $15 Microchip
- CASH OR CHECK ONLY
Brookline Town Hall (lobby), 333 Washington Street
Power to Decide: February 2019 Power Player
Cannabidiol-Hemp (CBD) Advisory
Cannabidiol-Hemp (CBD) Advisory (PDF)
New Marijuana Study
“A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that marijuana had a more damaging effect on teenagers’ long-term cognitive abilities than alcohol. Even after students reported stopping, their cognition did not improve.
Noteworthy research about long-term impact of teen marijuana use reported by Shamard Charles, MD, ABC Health News, December 31, 2018. Excerpt below:
“The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, followed over 3,800 adolescents from 31 Montreal-area schools over four years. The teens, who started participating in the study when they were 13, agreed to provide annual reports of how frequently they used marijuana and alcohol. They also took computer-based cognitive tests that measured recall memory, perceptual reasoning, inhibition and short-term memory.
“With the rise of legal weed, drug education moves from ‘don’t’ to ‘delay.’ To get a more honest account of their marijuana and alcohol consumption, students were assured that parents and teachers would not have access to the information — unless there was an imminent safety risk. The study concluded that marijuana had a more damaging effect on teenagers’ long-term cognitive abilities than alcohol. Even after students reported stopping marijuana, their cognition did not improve.”
Information on Marijuana
Health Survey Results
Evaluation of a mixed-methods community health assessment model: Lessons and opportunities
Food Code Revisions
Food Code Revised
On September 12, 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health amended 105 CMR 590.00: State Sanitary Code Chapter X: Minimum Sanitation Standards for Food Establishments to include sections of the 2013 FDA Food Code with amendments made by FDA in 2015. The amendments were published in the Massachusetts register on October 5, 2018 and became effective upon publication.
Follow link to new Food Code and Revisions
NEW Food Employee Reporting Agreement
Highlights of Food Code Changes:
- New Food Safety Definitions, Terminology and Inspection Forms and Protocols will be used.
- New Temperature Requirements for Cooking and Holding Specific Foods for Food Safety.
- Specific Date Marking Requirements for Certain Foods.
- New Reporting Requirements for Employees Reporting Illness and Cleaning Procedures.
- Specific Requirements for the Designated Person in Charge (PIC).
- And More…..
FACT SHEET: Article 8.32: Sustainable Food Containers and Packaging
National Public Health Week ~ April 1 - 7, 2019
Press Release
Service Animals and the Law: Do You Know the Facts?
Workshop for Brookline Restaurants and Food Establishments
April 1 ~ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Coolidge Corner Library, 31 Pleasant Street
How to Age Well
Suzanne E. Salamon, MD, Gerontology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
April 2 ~ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street
A Survival Guide to Parenting Teens
Joani Geltman, MSW
April 3 ~ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Brookline High School, 115 Greenough Street
How the Trump Administration is Shaping Your Health*
Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, Dean, Boston University School of Public Health
April 4 ~ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Coolidge Corner School Multipurpose Room, 345 Harvard Street
Youth Climate Adaptation Challenge
Unique Environmental Science & Art Fair to address climate change
April 6 ~ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Pierce School, 50 School Street
*A joint Climate Action Brookline Event
Visit our Facebook page throughout April for a climate-conscious dinner recipe every day.
Population Health
Greetings!
I’ve been asked many times what population health is. Wikipedia defines it as “the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group." It is in essence, a strategic plan to improve the health of the entire population.
Health is a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO, 1998) Public Health is “What we, as a society, do collectively to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy." (IOM 1988).
Public Health
- Prevents epidemics and the spread of disease
- Prevents injuries
- Promotes and encourages healthy behavior
- Responds to disasters
- Assures the quality and accessibility of Health Services
“Population health is public health”
- A medical model saves lives one person at a time
- Public Health saves lives millions at a time.
Through public health achievements life expectancy in the United States has increased from 47.3 years in 1900 to 78.1 years in 1996. That’s a 25+ years of life improvement.
Additional Information
Dr. Swannie Jett, Health Commissioner of Public Health, asks that you contact the Brookline Health Department at 617-730-2300 with any questions or requests for additional information.