This is the face of Alzheimer’s. Lend your voice to IowaAgainstAlzheimer’s at www.usagainstalzheimers.org/iowa.

Warm hugs and kisses,
Cook books, aprons, dirty dishes;
Every meal was delicious.
So God, my only wish is
Don’t take her from me;
Best grandma there is. 

-Poem by Jack Yungclas

IowaAgainstAlzheimer’s is a grassroots effort to raise awareness of the need for more research on the disease. SPPG is leading Iowa-based activities including collecting Iowans’ stories, injecting Alzheimer’s into broader discussions on healthcare, family supports, and other issues, and hosting events specifically on Alzheimer’s Disease. Find out more at www.usagainstalzheimers.org/iowa.

SPPG has developed an original, innovative training series for afterschool professionals. The Impact After School Training Series includes workshops on afterschool quality standards, advocacy training, sustainability training, and communications strategies specifically designed for professionals working in afterschool and youth programming.

The Communications Institute is designed to provide afterschool professionals in-depth training on and exposure to communications strategies over a series of day-long workshops. SPPG not only developed the original content for the Institute, but also facilitated the workshops and provided technical assistance to participating programs. Among the topics covered in the Institute are:

• Networking
• Message-mapping for effective communications
• Working with the media
• Designing, writing, and using communication materials
• Best practices for online communications
• Advocacy 101
• Effective use of PowerPoint

For more information on the Communications Institute and Impact After School Training Series, contact Michelle Rich at mrich@sppg.com or 515-243-2000.  

SPPG coordinated the Iowa Peer Support Training Academy (IPSTA) through Outlooks, a nonprofit SPPG affiliate organization. Staff members provided project management, facilitation, training, materials development, and event planning services to the IPSTA, which is a training program for people in mental health recovery. Participants learned how to deliver peer support services, which are reimbursable through Medicaid and recognized as a SAMHSA evidence based practice. Throughout the past five years, Outlooks has:

• Managed the training of 99 graduates of the program.
• Built a team of trainers who are graduates of the program.
• Provided continuing education opportunities for Peer Support Specialists.
• Furthered the development of an infrastructure to support the profession.
• Implemented the addition of peer support whole health, an effort to align health and mental health goals and wellness, into the training.

The following resources on peer support, the Iowa Peer Support Training Academy, and the curriculum used for the training provide additional information.

What is peer support, why is it effective, and what is the Iowa Peer Support Training Academy?
What does the training entail?  

Work on the Real Iowans Research Initiative culminated on November 30, 2010, with a conference in Des Moines attended by about 200 employers, health care interests, and other stakeholders. SPPG partnered with David P. Lind & Associates, LLC, and the University of Iowa College of Public Health Healthier Workforce Center for Excellence. The 18-month research initiative included 8 focus groups, background interviews with stakeholders, and a phone survey of 1,600 Iowans. The report, titled Iowans Speak Out on their Health, can be found at here. In addition, SPPG’s detailed report of the focus groups is also posted in the Resources section of our website.