Walk SanDiego Lunch Forum September 17, 2010

For many of our patients who rely on walking to get around town the built environment can be a daunting place...  Walk San Diego is an organization dedicated to improving the walkability of our region in ways that benefit all of us - especially the most disenfranchised among us who often have no choice but to walk...  This monthly forum is a place to exchange information and ideas on walkability in the San Diego Region. Walk on over to Horton Plaza for the next installment in their Luncheon Series:

Guest Speakers:

Cheryl Moder, Director of the San Diego Childhood Obesity Initiative, whose mission is to reduce and prevent childhood obesity in San Diego County by creating healthy environments for all children and families through advocacy, education, policy development, and environmental change. Ms. Moder is responsible for mobilizing partnerships among multiple domains and coordinating countywide efforts to prevent and reduce childhood obesity.

Supervisor Ron Roberts, a long-time district resident, represents nearly 630,000 San Diegans on the County Board of Supervisors. His heart has always been with the less fortunate, especially at-risk youth. Ron helped develop numerous youth facilities, including the Clairemont Skateboard Park; a library, gym and teen center multiplex in Spring Valley; and a teen center in Linda Vista.

Come enjoy a delicious lunch while discussing and learning about the struggles and solutions of childhood obesity in San Diego County.

Date: September 17, 2010Time: 12:00 – 1:00 P.M.

Location: 193 Horton Plaza, 1st Level (next to Victoria’s Secret)

Suggested Lunch Donation is $5.00, RSVP by September 13th, $7.00 at the door

Please RSVP to Cynthia Offenhauer - coffenhauer@walksandiego.org

Free Parking at Horton Plaza  

 

Swinging Fundraiser Set to Benefit Father Joe's Villages and Our Neighbors in Need!

Father Joe's Villages is one of this year's chosen beneficiaries of the Luck Duck Foundation's annual fundraiser on Monday September 27th at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club.  The Lucky Duck Foundation is a San Diego based, non-profit organization committed to raising awareness and funds for charitable causes, promoting volunteerism, and improving our communities through the leadership and actions of its volunteers.

Click Here to Learn More...

Click Here to Register...

The New York Times: Number of Families in Shelters on the Rise

Although the article is focused mainly on the East Coast (after all it is the New York Times)...  The article reports on a phenomenon that the combined residents and faculty already know all too well.  The demographics of homelessness are certainly shifting to include many more families and older adults who are new to homelessness.  An even greater shift is expected in the coming years.  If there was even any doubt about the need for integrated combined care focused on the most vulnerable among us this article should put it to rest.  Now more than ever the combination of family medicine and psychiatry, and academics and shelter based care means we will continue to make a difference in th elives of our patients.

U.S.   | September 12, 2010
Number of Families in Shelters Rises

By MICHAEL LUO

From 2007 through 2009, the number of families in homeless shelters leapt to 170,000 from 131,000. Those numbers could easily climb this year.

Click here to read the article!

Dr. Vanessa Lauzon Presents at NAMI!

Dr. Lauzon recently returned from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California conference where she presented a full workshop that we developed with a resident colleague entitled "Creating Effective Collaborations between Mental Health Providers, Family Members, & Consumers."

Of course the workshop was a success! The main focus was on specific skills and strategies that family members can employ in order to be more effective advocates for patients with mental illness, and how to communicate more effectively with mental health providers. There were over 50 participants who all contributed to a lively discussion with many questions, as well as sharing challenges and strategies from their own personal experiences as family members, patients, and in a few cases, providers as well.

Wonderful and vital work...  Thank you Dr. Lauzon!

100,000 Homes National Campaign Downtown San Diego Partnership Registry Week - September 19-24, 2010

The San Diego Downtown Partnership’s Board of Directors and its Social Issues Committee have teamed up with the nationally renowned organization Common Ground and its 100,000 Homes Campaign to administer a survey and create a by-name registry of everyone experiencing homelessness on the streets downtown San Diego.

A vanguard of communities have been working together over the past year to prototype the “world’s best housing process.”  This team has developed and refined the tools and techniques that will be made available to all participating communities. 

The Regional Task Force on the Homeless’ 2010 Report indicates that more than 800 people are living on our streets downtown. Many believe that number is much higher now. Nationwide statistics indicate between 11% and 15% of those on the streets could be U.S military veterans. San Diegans are proud of our history as a military town and this is a sad situation that we need and intend to change in our community.

There are multiple opportunities and several ways to be part of the Downtown San Diego Registry Week.  The project will take place over a six-day period from Sunday, September 19, 2010 through Friday, September 24, 2010. 

Click Here to Learn More About Volunteering!