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Health network receives grant
The Community Health Network of Western New York (CHN), a health-care coalition that will promote wellness and health education and in which the UB Department of Family Medicine is a key player, has received a $125,000 grant from the John R. Oishei Foundation.
CHN will serve as a regional agent to gather and disseminate community health information, sponsor regional health initiatives and bring together players throughout the eight counties of the region. The one-year grant will help with infrastructure costs, including a review of the literature for best practices, building a board of directors, setting strategic directions and creating an operating plan.
"We want to increase public awareness on important issues; the community health network will serve as an umbrella organization for health-information sharing," said Laurene Tumiel, UB assistant professor of family medicine and a member of the network's executive committee.
Thomas C. Rosenthal, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine, said the network will be a "dynamic and always up-to-date reference for regional health care."
According to Rosenthal and Tumiel, the network will focus on improved access to high-quality health insurance and health-care services, with the goal of reducing the number of families that experience difficulties and delays or don't receive care for individual family members. The network also will promote healthy living through improved nutrition and physical activity as ways to reduce chronic disease associated with weight gain. In addition, it will promote responsible decision-making by youth in regards to sexual activity, tobacco and alcohol.
"A great deal of health care today is focused on prevention and is accomplished at the level of the community-based organization rather than the hospital," said Thomas E. Baker, executive director for the John R. Oishei Foundation. "The Community Health Network of Western New York recognizes these facts and attempts to incorporate them into more effective health-care planning and delivery."
CHN is a collaborative project between the Department of Family Medicine, the Western New York Public Health Coalition, the Western New York Healthcare Association and an array of health systems and hospitals, community health centers, rural health networks, HMOs, schools and academic institutions and community partners.
The John R. Oishei Foundation, a major supporter of UB and its community-focused activities, has given or pledged more than $8.2 million to The Campaign for UB for programs ranging from the Toshiba Stroke Research Center to the Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics.
The John R. Oishei Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life for Buffalo-area residents by supporting medical research, health care, education and the cultural, social, civic and other charitable needs of the community. The foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Product Corp., one of the world's leading manufacturers of windshield wiper systems.
Social Work to offer first online course
The School of Social Work will offer its first online graduate-level course, Behavior Disorders of Childhood (SW 992), beginning this semester.
The three-credit course is designed for non-matriculated students who are child-welfare workers, other human-service professionals and students interested in learning about childhood behavior disorders. It is co-sponsored by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
The course will be presented entirely online utilizing digitized lectures and film clips, online discussion, chat rooms, online exercises, course readings and other assignments.
It will be taught by Denise Krause, clinical assistant professor of social work. Krause, whose research focuses on distance education and technology-based learning tools, is the recipient of the 2002 Faculty of the Year Award presented by the School of Social Work Student Association.
The course will provide a general introduction to the behavior problems of childhood, with particular emphasis placed on differentiation among the many associated labels, including behavioral disturbances, behavior problems, mental illness, developmental disorder, maladaptive behavior and dysfunctional behavior.
Students will review the classification and etiology of major mental-health disorders within the context of normal and abnormal mental and emotional development in children. They will examine children's behavior disorders in the contexts of family, peer group, school and community.
In addition, students will learn the highlights of ethical considerations associated with children's behavior disorders, as well as the impact of culture on children and their families, and address strategies used to treat children and their families.
For more information, contact the School of Social Work Continuing Education Program at 645-6140 or email sw-ce@buffalo.edu, or access the school's Web site at http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/online/sw992.
Jackson to speak at gallery
Bruce Jackson, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Samuel P. Capen Professor of American Culture in the Department of English, will discuss "Trusting the Eye: Looking at Documentary Film and Photographs" at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Auditorium of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo.
The lecture is free with gallery admission.
How do we know images are depicting the truth? Jackson will offer reflections on photographs by Edward S. Curtis, Frank Hurley, Walker Evans, Sebastião Salgado and Leni Reifenstahl, as well as discuss André le Notre's design for the Grand Canal of the Château of Versailles.
Philosopher Duff to speak
Antony Duff, one of the world's leading philosophers of criminal law, will discuss "Estoppel and Other Bars to Criminal Trials: I Might be Guilty, but You Can't Try Me" at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow in 545 O'Brian Hall, North Campus.
The talk, presented by the Law School and the Buffalo Criminal Law Center, is free of charge and open to the public.
Duff heads the Department of Philosophy at the University of Stirling in Scotland. Among his major publications are "Punishment, Communication and Community" (2001), "Philosophy and the Criminal Law: Principle and Critique" (1998), "Criminal Attempts" (1996), "Intention, Agency and Criminal Liability: Philosophy of Action and the Criminal Law" (1990) and "Trials and Punishments" (1986).
For further information, contact the Buffalo Criminal Law Center at 645-3407.
CTLR to present workshop on assessment
"Assessing Learning," a three-day workshop on improving classrooms tests and assessments, will be held from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Feb. 14, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28 in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus.
The workshop is being presented by the Center for Teaching and Learning Resources.
The sessions will be led by J. Ronald Gentile, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology in the Graduate School of Education.
The first session, "Why Do We Have to Learn This Stuff, Anyway?" will establish guidelines for considering what and why we need to assess. It is a prerequisite for the following sessions, which will address "Is This a Mystery Test or a Mastery Test," and "Is This a Measure of Content or Style?"
These two sessions comprise a mini-course on how to write, score and use such assessments. Homework is required of the participants, which will be shared and analyzed in class according to the principles of assessment presented.
Those interested in participating may register for the workshops on the CTLR Web site at http://wings.buffalo.edu/vpaa/ctlr or by contacting Lisa C. Francescone at lcf@buffalo.edu or 645-7328 by Feb. 10.
Craft Center sets early spring workshops
The Creative Craft Center, located in 29 Harriman Hall, South Campus, will offer early spring workshops, beginning the week of Jan. 27.
Workshops are scheduled in basic photography, creative photography, winter landscape photography, black and white darkroom, knitting and crocheting, embroidery from around the world, fabric design, drawing for beginners, beginning and advanced stained glass, jewelry construction and multimedia for children (ages 7-10).
Workshops will run from 7-10 p.m. one night a week for six weeks. The class in winter landscape photography will be held on Saturday and Sunday for three weeks, weather permitting. Fees are $30 for UB students and $60 for others. Early sign-up is advised.
The "Multimedia for Children" class ($65) will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. The fee covers six weeks of classes.
For more information, a schedule and a map, call 829-3536 from 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday or 7-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday.