MEDIA RELEASE

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is seeking long-term cancer survivors on the Big Island for a research study on the quality of life.

The study, conducted by Dr. Cheryl Ramos, associate professor of psychology at UH-Hilo, who is a long-term cancer survivor, will examine cultural factors, stressors, coping resources and health conditions that may relate to the quality of life for long-term cancer survivors.

Ramos is seeking 200 long-term cancer survivors from the Big Island to complete a series of questionnaires. Participants will receive a $10 KTA gift certificate as a “thank you” for taking part in the project.

If you have survived cancer for five years or longer, are 18 years of age or older, and live on the Big Island, you may be eligible to participate in this study.

For more information or to participate, contact Ramos at 936-1323 or survivor_study@yahoo.com.

MEDIA RELEASE

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as amended by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (2010 DOD Act) on Dec. 19, 2009 and the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (TEA) on March 2, 2010, provides for premium reductions for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA.

Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums; the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage that began on or after Feb. 17, 2009 and lasts for up to 15 months.

To qualify, individuals must experience a COBRA qualifying event that is the involuntary termination of a covered employee’s employment. The involuntary termination must generally occur during the period that began Sept. 1, 2008 and ends on March 31, 2010.

However, TEA also provides that an involuntary termination of employment is a qualifying event for purposes of ARRA if the involuntary termination:
occurs on or after March 2, 2010 and no later than March 31, 2010; and
follows a qualifying event that was a reduction of hours that occurred at any time from Sept. 1, 2008 through March 31, 2010.

What is COBRA?

COBRA gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to purchase group health coverage provided by the plan under certain circumstances.

If the employer continues to offer a group health plan, the employee and his/her family can retain their group health coverage for up to 18 months by paying group rates. The COBRA premium may be higher than what the individual was paying while employed, but generally the cost is lower than that for private, individual health insurance coverage.

The plan administrator must notify affected employees of their right to elect COBRA. The employee and his/her family each have 60 days to elect the COBRA coverage; otherwise, they lose all rights to COBRA benefits.

COBRA generally does not apply to plans sponsored by employers with fewer than 20 employees. Many states have similar requirements for insurance companies that provide coverage to small employers. The premium reduction is available for insurers covered by these state laws.

Changes Regarding COBRA Continuation Coverage Under ARRA, as amended by the Temporary Extension Act of 2010

TEA extended the COBRA premium reduction eligibility period for one month until March 31, 2010. TEA also expanded eligibility to individuals who experience a qualifying event that is a reduction of hours occurring at any time from Sept. 1, 2008 through March 31, 2010, which is followed by an involuntary termination of employment on or after March 2, 2010 through March 31, 2010.

This expansion also includes a second election opportunity for these individuals who had a reduction of hours qualifying event followed by an involuntary termination, if they did not elect COBRA continuation coverage when it was first offered OR elected but subsequently discontinued COBRA.

Eligibility for the Premium Reduction

The premium reduction for COBRA continuation coverage is available to “assistance eligible individuals”. An “assistance eligible individual” is the employee or a member of his/her family who elects COBRA coverage timely following a qualifying event related to an involuntary termination of employment that occurs at any point from:
Sept. 1, 2008 through March 31, 2010; or
March 2, 2010 through March 31, 2010 if:
the involuntary termination follows a qualifying event that was a reduction of hours; and
the reduction of hours occurred at any time from Sept. 1, 2008 through March 31, 2010.

A reduction of hours is a qualifying event when the employee and his/her family lose coverage because the employee, though still employed, is no longer working enough hours to satisfy the group health plan’s eligibility requirements.

Generally, the maximum period of continuation coverage is measured from the date of the original qualifying event (for Federal COBRA, this is generally 18 months). However, ARRA, as amended by TEA, provides that the 15 month premium reduction period begins on the first day of the first period of coverage for which an individual is “assistance eligible.”

This is of particular importance to individuals who experience an involuntary termination following a reduction of hours. Only individuals who have additional periods of COBRA (or state continuation) coverage remaining after they become assistance eligible are entitled to the premium reduction.

For purposes of ARRA, COBRA continuation coverage includes continuation coverage required under Federal law (COBRA or Temporary Continuation Coverage) or a State law that provides comparable continuation coverage (for example, so-called “mini-COBRA” laws).

Those who are eligible for other group health coverage (such as a spouse’s plan) or Medicare are not eligible for the premium reduction. There is no premium reduction for periods of coverage that began prior to Feb. 17, 2009.

Assistance eligible individuals who pay 35 percent of their COBRA premium must be treated as having paid the full amount. The premium reduction (65 percent of the full premium) is reimbursable to the employer, insurer or health plan as a credit against certain employment taxes.

Period of Coverage

The premium reduction applies to periods of coverage beginning on or after Feb. 17, 2009. A period of coverage is a month or shorter period for which the plan charges a COBRA premium. The premium reduction for an individual ends upon eligibility for other group coverage (or Medicare), after 15 months of the reduction, or when the maximum period of COBRA coverage ends, whichever occurs first. Individuals paying reduced COBRA premiums must inform their plans if they become eligible for coverage under another group health plan or Medicare.

Notice Requirements

ARRA, as amended by TEA, mandates that plans notify certain current and former participants and beneficiaries about the premium reduction. The Department is updating its existing models and creating several additional models to help plans and individuals comply with these requirements.

Each model notice will be designed for a particular group of individuals and will contain information to help satisfy ARRA’s notice provisions, including those added by TEA. As soon as the notices are complete, they will be available on EBSA’s Web site at www.dol.gov/cobra

Expedited Review of Denials of Premium Reduction

Individuals who are denied treatment as assistance eligible individuals and thus are denied eligibility for the premium reduction (whether by their plan, employer or insurer) may request an expedited review of the denial by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The department must make a determination within 15 business days of receipt of a completed request for review. The official application form is available at www.dol.gov/COBRA and can be filed online or submitted by fax or mail.

Switching Benefit Options

If an employer offers additional coverage options to active employees, the employer may (but is not required to) allow assistance eligible individuals to switch the coverage options they had when they became eligible for COBRA. To retain eligibility for the ARRA premium reduction, the different coverage must have the same or lower premiums as the individual’s original coverage.

The different coverage cannot be coverage that provides only dental, vision, a health flexible spending account, or coverage for treatment that is furnished in an on-site facility maintained by the employer.

Income limits

If an individual’s modified adjusted gross income for the tax year in which the premium assistance is received exceeds $145,000 (or $290,000 for joint filers), then the amount of the premium reduction during the tax year must be repaid.

For taxpayers with adjusted gross income between $125,000 and $145,000 (or $250,000 and $290,000 for joint filers), the amount of the premium reduction that must be repaid is reduced proportionately. Individuals may permanently waive the right to premium reduction but may not later obtain the premium reduction if their adjusted gross incomes end up below the limits.

If you think that your income may exceed the amounts above, consult your tax preparer or contact the IRS at www.irs.gov

New Penalty Provision

TEA also provides that the appropriate Secretary may assess a penalty against a plan sponsor or health insurance issuer of up to $110 per day for each failure to comply with such Secretary’s determination 10 days after the date of the plan sponsor’s or issuer’s receipt of the determination.

This fact sheet has been developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Washington, DC 20210. It will be made available in alternate formats upon request: Voice phone: 202-693-8664; TTY: 202-501-3911.

In addition, the information in this fact sheet constitutes a small entity compliance guide for purposes of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

— Find out more:
www.dol.gov/

MEDIA RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is advising parents and caregivers to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months of age. In researching incident reports from the past 20 years, CPSC identified and is investigating at least 14 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers, including three in 2009. Twelve of the deaths involved babies younger than four months of age.

Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.

Many of the babies who died in slings were either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold. Therefore, CPSC urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and those with low weight to use extra care and consult their pediatricians about using slings.

Two months ago, the Commission added slings to the list of durable infant products that require a mandatory standard. Additionally, CPSC staff is actively investigating these products to determine what additional action may be appropriate. Until a mandatory standard is developed, CPSC is working with ASTM International to quickly complete an effective voluntary standard for infant sling carriers.

CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer. If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling.

CPSC is interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are directly related to infant slings. You can do this by visiting www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx or call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772.

By Elena Cabatu | Special to Hawaii 24/7

Hilo Medical Center

Hilo Medical Center was ready for the Feb. 27 tsunami event. Upon receiving notice about the approaching tsunami, Hilo Medical Center sprung into action.

The following outline details how the hospital prepared for the tsunami:

2:30 am: Department of Health Hawaii District Health Office contacted Tracy Aruga, HMC Environmental Safety Officer/HAH’s (Healthcare Association of Hawaii) Area Coordinator. He reported to the Hawaii County Civil Defense Emergency Operations Center for a briefing on the situation.

4 am: HMC Environmental Safety Officer/HAH’s HI Island Area Coordinator briefed Reggie Agliam, HMC House Supervisor, of tsunami event. He also briefed the other East and West Hawaii health care facilities.

4:18 am: HMC Environmental Safety Officer/HAH’s HI Island Area Coordinator connected to hospitals statewide including HMC via HAH’s Web Emergency Operations Center (WebEOC).

5 am: HMC Environmental Safety Officer/HAH’s HI Island Area Coordinator briefed Arthur Sampaga, HMC Emergency Management Coordinator, of tsunami event.

5:45 am: HMC’s Hospital Command Center (HCC) opened and manned by HMC Emergency Management Coordinator.

6 am: HMC assessed for staffing, logistical resources, and status of campus utilities such as fuel levels for emergency generators and medical gas/oxygen inventories; created a list of possible patient discharges to anticipate incoming tsunami casualties; and researched if there were any HMC home-care patients who lived in evacuation zone (none identified).

6:30 am: On-call administrator, Dan Brinkman, Regional Chief Nurse Executive, assumed leadership role of Incident Commander for the Hospital Command Center.

6:45 am: Hospital Command Center staffed with Command Chiefs and Section Leaders.

7 am: HMC participated in HAH statewide conference call. Incident Action Plan developed for the first 4 operational hours.

8 am: All department heads and charge shift personnel briefed at Command Center.

9 am: HMC’s Residency and Pediatrics Clinics on Mohouli Street secured in tsunami zone.

10 am: HMC participated in conference call with HAH for a statewide update on situational status. IAP updated.

10:30 am: Complete assessment of up coming shifts and patient census performed in anticipation of prolonged event.

10:30 am-2:30 pm: HMC stood ready for approaching tsunami and its after effects.

2 pm: All clear given for tsunami threat. HMC Incident Commander terminated HCC operations.

“Hilo Medical Center has an effective process and plan for responding to emergency situations like the recent tsunami event,” said Howard N. Ainsley, East Hawaii Regional CEO of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation. “It was very evident that our staff dedicates countless hours of training to ready the hospital on a moment’s notice.”

Among many precautions involved in preparing the hospital, emergency personnel had to assess the facility’s capacity and ability to care for and feed patients.

The Maintenance Department checked and prepared emergency infrastructure to keep services going in the event a power outage would have occurred.

The Pharmacy Department reported its supply of medication.

The Operating Room rearranged the operating schedule.

In addition, physicians were available to assure care.

Departments that reported to the Hospital Command Center include: Nursing, Emergency, Imaging, Patient Services, Human Resources, Maintenance, Housekeeping, Bio-Medical, Dietary, Pharmacy, and Security.

“Our community and its hospital are in the hands of capable and well practiced team of emergency responders,” said Dr. Robert Irvine, Chair of the East Hawaii Regional Board. “Preparing a hospital as large as ours is an enormous feat. I thank everyone involved.”

– Elena Cabatu is the Community Relations Manager for Hilo Medical Center

MEDIA RELEASE

On the heels of First Lady Michelle Obama’s ambitious “Let’s Move” initiative to eliminate childhood obesity in a single generation, a nearly $150,000 grant will fund a new school-community-government partnership to fight obesity in Hawai‘i County.

Hawai‘i is one of only eight locations in the U.S. to receive the “rapid response funding award” from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through the Active Living Research Program. In Hawai‘i, the funding creates a program called HO‘ALA—which stands for Hawai‘i’s Opportunity for Active Living Advancement. The word means “to waken” in the Native Hawaiian language.

HO‘ALA coordinators in Hawai‘i are Laura Dierenfield of Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i and Katie Heinrich with UH Mānoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), Office of Public Health Studies. Their goal is to improve access to active modes of transportation to and from school.

HO‘ALA will focus on tracking changes to existing transportation policies and bicycle and pedestrian planning efforts. This will include attending meetings for the Complete Streets Task Force convened by the Hawai‘i State Department of Transportation, the Statewide Bicycle Plan Implementation Plan, and the Statewide Pedestrian Master Plan. “We want to make it easy, fun and safe to get daily exercise by walking or bicycling to school,” said Dierenfield. “Together, we hope to reform existing transportation policies, accelerate planning for new bicycle and pedestrian construction and address specific traffic safety problems around schools.”

Twelve schools across Hawai‘i Island will be selected to take part in HO‘ALA. “Interested elementary schools in Hawai‘i County are urged to apply now,” Heinrich said. To qualify, schools must have at least 35% of their students eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch.

Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i is looking for people to join the HO‘ALA project as Safe Routes to School evaluators. Evaluators will undergo training to complete transportation evaluations, and they will be compensated for their time and mileage.

“We believe HO‘ALA will have social and economic benefits for Hawai‘i,” said Heinrich. “We hope to impact childhood obesity and help reduce the nearly $300 million spent annually in Hawai‘i to treat obesity-related diseases.”

For more information on these opportunities, visit the Peoples Access to Trails Hawai‘i web site at www.pathhawaii.org, email PATH at saferoutes@pathhawaii.org, or call 808-936-4653.

MEDIA RELEASE

Dr. Ira J. Chasnoff, president of the Children’s Research Triangle and professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Illinois in Chicago, is one of the nation’s leading researchers in the field of child development and the effects of alcohol and drug use on the newborn infant and child.

His innovative techniques for pre-natal screening and “brief intervention” of pregnant women have produced results and reduced the number of FAS-affected newborns seen in America’s hospitals.

FAS is the leading known cause of mental retardation, and FAS children often have difficulty with “executive functioning” or the ability to plan and complete a task, follow directions and learn.

This leads to trouble in school or dropping out of school and eventual drug or alcohol use by the child. According to the Children’s Research Triangle, a baby born in Hawaii with FAS, on average, can cost society as much as $5 million during its lifetime.

Moving beyond prevention strategies, Chasnoff has also developed ways to help children who are born with FAS. Using very specific identification, diagnosis and treatment programs, FAS children can be helped to perform better in school and become healthier adults.

His training program includes family-based strategies, the role of the child in the welfare system, childcare settings, the legal system, public policy and schools.

“We are very fortunate to have Dr. Chasnoff bring his training program to the Big Island,” said Lori Eldridge of the North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition. “His last presentation made a huge difference for our community — teachers, parents, foster parents, doctors and nurses, youth leaders. These kids are not beyond help, but they do need special direction, and it works.”

Anyone who works with children is urged to attend Dr. Chasnoff’s training program, “The Nature of Nurture: Identification, Diagnosis and Treatment of Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,” Friday, March 12 in Waimea.

The day-long workshop will provide very specific prevention, intervention and treatment strategies.

Supported by the North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition, the program runs 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at HPA’s Gates Performing Arts Center, at a cost of $50 per person including continental breakfast and lunch.

Register at www.NTIUpstream.com

For more information on FAS or Children’s Research Triangle Hawaii, contact Sharon Williams at 885-0501 or sharonaloha@hawaii.rr.com.

The North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition is a regional volunteer organization committed to developing strong, sustaining relationships for Healthy Communities Choosing to Live Drug Free.

For more information, visit www.fivemountains.org/nhdfc

MEDIA RELEASE

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, held an oversight hearing Thursday, March 4 on veteran suicide and mental health issues.

Akaka, who has championed a number of veterans’ mental health and suicide-prevention bills which are now law, sought to hear from veterans and VA leadership on the implementation of these measures.

PTSD and other mental health issues are major wounds of the current conflicts. Veterans in Hawaii and across the nation count on VA to receive treatment and care for service-related mental health issues.

More than 1,700 veterans in Hawaii receive disability compensation for service-related mental health issues. From fiscal year 2002 to the fourth quarter of 2009, VA facilities in Hawaii identified 911 veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom with PTSD.

“Just as we must provide our troops with the equipment and tools they need when they are sent to battle, we must do more to help veterans battle the enemy of mental illness,” said Akaka. “VA has made important improvements in recent years, but we must continue to work until what now seems impossible becomes a reality: that no veteran who returns from service is lost to suicide.”

Akaka is the author of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act (Public Law 110-387), a sweeping veterans’ mental health bill passed in 2008 to address the dual issues of substance abuse and PTSD among veterans.

This legislation paid tribute to Justin Bailey, a veteran who died of a drug overdose while receiving treatment from VA for PTSD and substance abuse.

Akaka also cosponsored the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, passed in 2007 to improve VA’s suicide prevention efforts and establish a counseling hotline that has led to over a thousand rescues.

The hearing witnesses drew from firsthand knowledge to discuss the challenges faced by veterans with invisible wounds, which sometimes produce tragic consequences.

Daniel Hanson, an Iraq war veteran, discussed his difficult road from attempted suicide to recovery, to which he largely credited a year-plus residential recovery program outside of VA.

A witness from VA’s suicide prevention hotline described the successful rescue of a veteran who had attempted to take his own life.

The Chairman’s opening statement is available at

For the full witness list and witnesses’ written testimony, visit veterans.senate.gov

iPhone version of video

Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Walkers took to the sidewalks of Hilo in the 13th Annual Hawaii Heart Walk and Health Fair Saturday (Feb 20). A sea of people poured through Liliuokalani Gardens and along Bayfront and back for the American Heart Association fundraiser.

MEDIA RELEASE

The use of medical technology in the United States increased dramatically between 1996 and 2006, according to “Health, United States, 2009,” the federal government’s 33rd annual report to the President and Congress on the health of all Americans.

The report was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics from data gathered by state and federal health agencies and through ongoing national surveys.

This year’s edition features a special section on medical technology, and finds that the rate of magnetic resonance imaging, known as MRI, and computed and positron emission tomography or CT/PET scans, ordered or provided, tripled between 1996 and 2007.

Highlights of the special section include:

* The rate of adults aged 45 and over discharged from the hospital after receiving at least one knee replacement procedure increased 70 percent from 1996 to 2006 (26.5 per 10,000 population in 1996 to 45.2 per 10,000 in 2006).

* From 1988–1994 to 2003–2006, use of anti-diabetic drugs among adults aged 45 years and over increased about 50 percent, and the use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol among this age group increased almost tenfold.

* The number of new organ transplantations per 1 million people increased 31 percent for kidney transplants (43.7 per 1 million in 1997 vs. 57.2 in 2006) and 42 percent for liver transplants between 1997 and 2006 (15.6 per 1 million in 1997 vs. 22.2 in 2006).

The full report contains 150 data tables in addition to the special feature on medical technology. The tables cover the spectrum of health topics, serving as a comprehensive snapshot of the nation’s health.

Other highlights:

* Life expectancy at birth increased more for the black than for the white population between 1990 and 2007, thereby narrowing the gap in life expectancy between these two racial groups. Overall U.S. life expectancy in 2007 was 77.9 years.

* In 2007, 20 percent of U.S. adults were current cigarette smokers, a slight decrease from 21 percent in the previous three years. Men were more likely to be current cigarette smokers than women (22 percent vs. 17 percent).

* In 2005–2006, 30 percent of adults often or almost always had trouble sleeping in the past month.

* In 2007, 20 percent of adults 18 years and over had at least one emergency department visit in the past year, and 7 percent had two or more visits.

* The percentage of the population taking at least one prescription drug during the previous month increased from 38 percent in 1988–1994 to 47 percent in 2003–2006, and the percentage taking three or more prescription drugs increased from 11 percent to 21 percent.

The full report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm

MEDIA RELEASE

The Hawaii Health Information Exchange will receive $5,602,318 to help develop a statewide health information exchange network that will allow comprehensive management of medical information and its secure exchange between health care providers and consumers, Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced Friday, Feb. 12.

Broad use of Health Information Technology has the potential to improve health care quality, prevent medical errors, increase the efficiency of care provision and reduce unnecessary health care costs, increase administrative efficiencies, decrease paperwork, expand access to affordable care, and improve population health.

“Health information technology gives health care professionals quick access to all available records and ensures that patients are receiving high quality care that accounts for every aspect of their medical history,” Inouye said.

“These resources will help facilitate the use of health information technology in Hawaii, which can reduce health care costs and errors and improve patients’ quality of life,” Akaka said.

The Hawaii Health Information Exchange (Hawaii HIE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit established in 2006 by leading healthcare stakeholders in Hawaii.

In September 2009, Hawaii HIE was designated by the Hawaii state government to develop and implement a statewide health information exchange that will ultimately feed into the national health information network.

The money for Hawaii was part of $750 million in Health and Human Services grant awards to help states and health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of health IT.

MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today awarded $912,713 to Hawai‘i to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking—the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health. The award to Hawai‘i is part of $119.1 million going to the states as the first of several initiatives that make up the comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, which is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The cost of managing chronic diseases in Hawai‘i is growing exponentially,” said Hawai‘i Health Director Chiyome Fukino, M.D. “Unless we do more to prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases from occurring in the first place we will never be able to bring health care spending under control.”

The supplemental funds from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) acknowledges the value of existing projects within the Department of Health’s Healthy Hawai‘i Initiative and supports them through additional funding. DOH was awarded $428,713 to apply sustainable policy and systems changes in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and tobacco. Funded projects include:

• State Worksite Wellness Policy, to increase opportunities for physical activity in the workplace by providing liability immunity for state and county agencies that offer activities through worksite wellness programs, through state legislation.
• Baby Friendly Hawai‘i Project, DOH will work closely with the Breastfeeding Coalition of Hawai‘i to increase support for breastfeeding by changing policies in hospital maternity programs statewide, to increase the likelihood of sustained exclusive breastfeeding after birth, a protective factor from obesity and diabetes.
• Tobacco Advertising Project, DOH with work with REAL, a statewide anti-tobacco youth coalition, to align through youth advocacy, existing county and state tobacco advertising and promotion policies to recent changes in the federal Food and Drug Administration regulations through establishing or changing existing state and county level policies. Interested youth can join the effort by visiting www.therealmessage.net

DOH was also awarded $484,000 to join other states to reach the national goal of having 80,000 smokers nationwide successfully quit as a result of additional quit line services and media activity. DOH will increase the Hawai‘i Quitline’s evidence-based program that includes coaching and free nicotine replacement therapy to an additional 1,100 insured tobacco users in a 24-month period. A media campaign to encourage smokers to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW will target populations with high tobacco use. Research shows that people who get support while they’re quitting are much more likely to successfully beat their smoking addiction.

Smoking and tobacco use are the leading cause of preventable sickness and deaths in Hawai‘i and the nation. Tobacco use results in the death of over 1,200 residents of Hawai‘i annually and costs $643 million a year in medical costs and lost productivity. In 2003, obesity related medical expenditures for adults in Hawai‘i were estimated to be $290 million. “The ARRA funds help to support our efforts to establish sustainable changes that make it easier for children and adults in Hawai‘i to be more physically active, eat healthy foods, and live tobacco free,” said Fukino. “These activities are part of a comprehensive effort to provide people with opportunities for living healthy in Hawai‘i.”

To learn more about Hawai‘i prevention and wellness projects, visit www.healthyhawaii.com. To learn more about Communities Putting Prevention to Work, visit www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery

Linda Tellington-Jones works on Kea's tail. Kea likes to escape from her yard, but hates to walk on a leash.

Story and photos by Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Contributing Editor

Dog owners got some hands-on TTouch practice Saturday from the master herself.

Linda Tellington-Jones, an internationally recognized animal expert and Big Island resident, led a four-hour seminar Saturday afternoon in Keauhou to share methods and techniques she developed to improve the relationship between dogs and their people families.

A couple dozen pooches of all sizes tagged along with their owners, like so many furry first aid dummies.

To start with, Nani was happy to be there ...

... but she was not so thrilled with the new leash law.

TTouch – the Tellington TTouch – is a based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body. The intent of TTouch is to awaken cellular intelligence – a little like “turning on the electric lights of the body.”

It helps in the care and training of animals, from cats and dogs to horses and companion animals. It offers a positive approach to training, can improve performance and health, and help solve common behavioral and physical problems.

Using a combination of specific touches, ear strokes, tail tugs, and movement exercises, TTouch helps release tension and increase body awareness. This allows the animal to be handled without fear and makes it easier for them to learn new and more appropriate behaviors.

The Tellington TTouch also can assist with recovery from illness or injury, and ease the effects of aging.

Several people at the seminar said they were amazed at their pet’s response to Tellington-Jones’ touches and planned to continue using the methods at home to help the dogs overcome such behaviors as timidness, barking, licking and pulling on the leash.

The seminar was a fundraiser for the Hawaii Island Humane Society. Tellington-Jones also has a workshop scheduled next weekend.

— Find out more:
www.ttouch.com

'Help, she's touching me!'

'Dude, she's totally touching you!'

Rufus was very relaxed.