Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action Training

Join us for an engaging virtual training focused on the growing public health impacts of extreme heat and the strategies communities can use to stay safe and prepared. This interactive session is designed for healthcare professionals, public health practitioners, educators, community leaders, and anyone interested in climate and health advocacy. Participants will learn how extreme heat affects health and explore ways to strengthen prevention, communication, and public health response efforts through real-world application and collaboration. Participants will watch short videos, engage in small-group discussions, and participate in hands-on activities designed to encourage collaboration and real-world application.

Participants Will:

• Understand climate change basics and their connection to extreme heat
• Recognize risk factors, symptoms, and treatment for heat-related illnesses
• Explore prevention strategies at both clinical and public health levels
• Build confidence in communicating about extreme heat and health impacts
• Develop messaging strategies that inspire awareness and action

Training Details

Date: July 9, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Virtual via Zoom

Following the training, participants will also have the opportunity to join a national network of nearly 5,000 Climate Ambassadors with access to advocacy tools, resources, events, and ongoing support opportunities.

Click here to register.

Breaking the Stigma — Mental Health Awareness Month

Liyah U. Ruffin

Brief History

Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 by Mental Health America (MHA) to increase awareness and promote education around mental health. Its origins trace back to the work of Clifford W. Beers, a former psychiatric patient who helped launch the American mental hygiene movement in 1908. His advocacy was instrumental in bringing national attention to the treatment of individuals with mental illness, advancing more humane clinical practices, and improving public perceptions of mental health conditions.

Continue reading

Public Policy Updates:

April: Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Christina Sellers, Marcia Mastracci Ditmyer

What Is Parkinson’s Disease and Why it Matters:

Currently, more than 1.1 million people in the United States live with Parkinson’s Disease (P.D.), and an estimated 90,000 individuals are newly diagnosed each year.^1,2 The number of people living with P.D. in the U.S. is projected to reach 1.2 million by 2030. Because the incidence of P.D. increases with age, the aging U.S. population is expected to contribute to this rising prevalence.^1,2 Parkinson’s is one of the fastest-growing neurodegenerative diseases in the country, second only to Alzheimer’s disease.^1,2

Continue reading

---