We are already into July! Headed into a long holiday weekend. Here is a quick read of some exciting happenings here at CUPH before you log off and unwind with your family.

Respectfully,

David Frazer

Director



Image:The GLITC, CWG, CUPH, and MCW Cancer Center Team pose at the Waabigwanii Gitigaanin Garden & Greenhouse Grand Opening. Pictured from left to right: Amber Hoon, GLITC, David Frazer, Center for Urban Population Health & CWG Community Co-Leader; Staci Young, MCW & CWG Faculty Co-Leader; Melinda Stolley, MCW & CCSN Faculty Co-Leader, Tobi Cawthra, CCSN Program Director; Amy Poupart, GLITC & Greenhouse visionary; Gustavo Leone, MCW Cancer Center Director; Bryan Bainbridge, GLITC CEO; Tim Meister, CWG Program Manager. Image Credit: MCW Cancer Center.

Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council opens doors for Collaborative Work Group Phase 2

On May 22, 2024, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) hosted the opening of the Waabigwanii Gitigaanin Garden & Greenhouse and welcomed community members, neighbors and friends along with partners from the CCSN Collaborative Work Group (CWG) team, MCW Cancer Center, Center for Urban Population Health and the Hunger Task Force.

This greenhouse, made possible through funding by the Hunger Task Force, is a significant element in GLITC’s efforts in Phase 2 of the Collaborative Work Group initiative where they will work towards a thriving food sovereignty program. Food sovereignty refers to the right of Indigenous people to have access to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and to have the right to their own food and agricultural systems.

In Phase 2, GLITC’s Implementation team will: 1) Increase ties to Native culture and identity to foster increased interest in traditional nutrient rich foods and practices; 2) Increase access to locally sourced, fresh, and nutritious food through a community garden project; 3) Develop, implement and evaluate a wellness program drawing on cultural assets, values, and practices to support reduced cancer risk and improved quality of life.



After many months of planning, GLITC and CWG excited to see this beautiful building come to fruition.

The Collaborative Work Group Phase 2 is made possible with the generous funding from Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.

Waabigwanii Gitigaanin means garden/flower garden in Ojibwe. For more information about the Ojibwe language, visit: https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/

Help Us Promote the Community Health Needs Assessment Survey

The Center for Urban Population Health has supported the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership complete their triannual community health needs assessment since 2010. The following members of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP) – Aurora Health Care, Ascension Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, Froedtert ThedaCare Health Inc., the City of Milwaukee Health Department, and the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services – are seeking input from the community through an online survey as part of the 2024/25 Shared Milwaukee County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The online community survey asks a series of health-related questions to help identify the top health needs facing Milwaukee County. The survey is open to Milwaukee County residents ages 18 and older until August 9, 2024.  

Milwaukee County residents ages 18 and older who take the community survey online and provide their contact information will be entered into a drawing for various prizes of their choosing, which include:

• Two tickets to the Future concert on Friday, August 2, 2024 – winner announced on July 19
• Two tickets to the Peso Pluma concert on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 – winner announced on July 26
• Other local gift cards and experiences (more details available on the landing page) – winners announced on August 12

Winners will be notified by email, text, and announced on HealthyMKE’s Facebook account. 

Resources are available to promote the survey through your digital channels or through printable items at events here.

Completed every three years, the CHNA serves as the foundation from which health systems, community health centers, local health departments, and the MHCP consortium develop community health improvement strategies. The 2024 CHNA will be published on Health Compass Milwaukee in early 2025.

Photo Credit: Tracy Johnson, TTJ Group

Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit Reaches More WI Treatment Providers

The Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit is an annual event that highlights prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery strategies related to opioids, stimulants, and trauma. All people with an interest in building healthy communities were invited to attend.

This year the annual OST Summit invited area substance use prevention and treatment providers and counselors from around the state. Preconference started on May 6^th and the conference was held hybrid through the 9^th.

This year had record attendance with 937 attendees attending 72 non-duplicated sessions over the 3 days.

This event was organized by the WI DHS's Division of Care and Treatment Services and Wisconsin Connect, a service of the Center for Urban Population Health.