The ASPHN Board of Directors met on August 14, 2020.
1. Seven Expanded membership applications were approved: Hailey Boudreau (IA); Alexandra Cooper (MO); Amanda Cox (IN); Catherine Daniels (LA); Erica Davis (VA); Mayta Lukowitsky (NY); Rachel Miller (IN).
2. Four Associate (one Emerging Professional) applications were approved: Amanda Arnold (AL); Jackie Dalzell (NC); Amanda Kopetsky (PA); Fanter Sackor (TX).
3. Motion to approve the “Guidelines for How We Work Together” resource (Aug 2019 version) with the addition of the use of webcams during meetings when speaking passed unanimously.
4. Policy Committee actions on behalf of ASPHN since last board report:
· Signed-on to letter from the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, Program in Nutrition, Department of Health & Behavior Studies Teachers College, Columbia University inviting addressed to the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. The letter encourages USDA to help school districts protect students from unhealthy food and beverage marketing in response to parents’ concerns that students are being exposed to food marketing for products through digital learning, that would be prohibited in physical classrooms. It also asks USDA to issue guidance clarifying that local wellness policy regulations apply to food and beverage marketing on school-issued digital devices, applications, and platforms that students are regularly required to use for schoolwork.
· Signed-on to letter from TFAH’s updated letter addressed to U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy urging them to include The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 (H.R. 6561) in any further iterations of legislation to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
· Signed-on to letter from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), Doctors for Change, Environment America, and Physicians for Social Responsibility of Arizona asking Congressional leaders to ensure that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to enforce laws that protect clean air and water during the COVID-19 pandemic.
· Signed-on to letter from Carolyn Mullen, Sr. Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Relations at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). ASTHO is asking its affiliates to sign-on to ASTHO’s letter (attached) addressed to congress in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the letter ASTHO expresses concerns over the White House moving to narrow the mission and scope of CDC.
· Signed-on to NWA letter addressed to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy, and Leader Schumer. The letter recommends any final legislative package that responds to the public health and economic crises include an extension of USDA waiver authority for WIC services through at least September 30, 2021
· Signed-on to The Federal Nutrition Research Advisory Group’s signatory statement addressing the need for a national evaluation and strategy development for a new strengthened federal nutrition research effort.
· Signed-on to USBC’s letter addressed to Congress. The letter pushes for members of Congress to direct $13 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Hospitals Promoting Breastfeeding program in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill. This funding level is critically needed to support the breastfeeding field to adapt lactation support services in the context of restraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to build upon multi-year, multi-pronged initiatives that support breastfeeding families in maternity care settings, communities, and workplaces.
· Signed-on to AHA and CSPI letter in support of the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act which would provide free school meals to all children during the 2020-2021 school year as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
· Signed-on in support of Representatives Frankel (D-FL), Bilirakis (R-FL), Dingell (D-MI) and Shalala (D-FL) bill The Protecting the Health of America’s Older Adults During COVID–19 and Beyond Act (H.R. 6935), to protect the health of older adults during and past the current crisis. The bill would create a program at CDC to support Age-Friendly Public Health Systems, and establish a National COVID-19 Resource Center for older adults.
final July 2020 Board Mtg Minutes