March 28, 2024

Speakers, Sessions for HSMP Meeting

Healthy St. Mary's HSMP

The Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership annual meeting on September 30 will offer an opportunity for participants to network, learn from public health experts, and receive updates on local health improvement efforts.

The 2021 HSMP virtual event will include learning sessions from distinguished speakers on various topics related to the four priority health issues facing St. Mary’s County: Behavioral Health; Chronic Disease; Environmental Health; and Violence, Injury, and Trauma.

Registration is available here for the event being held from 8 am to 5 pm.

Some of the speakers and sessions planned include:

Navy Efforts Regarding PFAS at the Naval Air Station Pax River and Webster Outlying Field

David Steckler is a hydrogeologist and Navy remedial project manager with 25 years’ experience in environmental restoration.

Mr. Steckler has been working on issues pertaining to per‐ and polyflouroalkyl substances (PFAS) since the Department of Defense became aware that these emerging chemicals of concern may be present at military installations. He is currently overseeing 16 PFAS remedial investigations at NAS Patuxent
River and two at Webster Field.

The presentation will provide an overview of PFAS and detail the Navy’s basewide PFAS site inspections as well as future phases of their efforts.

The Colors of COVID-19: From Vaccine Hesitancy to Vaccine Confidence

Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, is one of the nation’s leading scholars on addressing racial and ethnic health disparities.

He is a professor of health policy and management in the School of Public Health and Director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity at the University of Maryland in College Park. In this presentation, Dr. Thomas will describe how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the importance of building trust with community influencers to advance vaccine confidence. His work mobilizing barbers and stylists as community health workers will be highlighted as a scalable and sustainable model for the region and beyond.

Coping with the Ongoing Grief and Losses of the Pandemic

Alexander Chan, PhD, LMFT, is the mental and behavioral health specialist for University of Maryland Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Program.

He is also a licensed marriage and family therapist in Maryland and the District of Columbia. During this presentation, participants will understand the experience of grief as it relates to the losses of the pandemic. Participants will practice conversational strategies that they can apply to themselves and with consumers for facilitating the process of managing grief.

ACE Interface: Understanding N.E.A.R.

Matila S. Jones II, MS, is the assistant director of community engagement services for The Family Tree where she cultivates community partnerships that center on the provision of education, resources, and other materials designed to promote awareness of the biology around adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, and community resilience.

This presentation will focus on understanding Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Resilience (N.E.A.R.). Ms. Matila will discuss how N.E.A.R. supports widespread awareness of the science around ACEs, promotes understanding of the effects of toxic stress on both brain and body functioning, and empowers communities to improve health and well-being throughout society.

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