Tag Archives: Executive Agency

Governor Pat Quinn Approves Bill to Create Illinois State Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS Prevention Messages Targeting Youth

Governor Pat Quinn last week approved legislation that creates a new state advisory council to help state government develop effective HIV/AIDS prevention messages targeting youth.

The legislation, House Bill 3974 sponsored by State Representative Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago) and State Senator William Delgado (D-Chicago) would create the Advisory Council on Youth HIV/AIDS Prevention Messages to advise the Illinois Department of Public Health on effective prevention messages to deter youth from engaging in risky behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS infections.

“The percentage of Illinois HIV/AIDS infections that is represented by youth has been growing enormously over the last eight years, and that growth, in part, represents a failure of HIV/AIDS prevention messages to effectively reach youth” said Cathy Krieger, President & CEO of The Children’s Place Association based in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood.

“We are grateful to Governor Quinn that he recognizes the problem of youth HIV/AIDS infections and is acting to address the problem.”

On February 27, 2009, at the 2nd annual Illinois Youth & HIV/AIDS Forum sponsored by The Children’s Place Association, the Illinois Department of Public Health presented data that revealed that the youth proportion of reported HIV/AIDS infections in Illinois has grown from 10% in 2000 to 20% in 2008—a 100% increase.

“This is a staggering increase,” said Krieger.

In addition to the IDPH data, new research was presented by Dr. Dexter Voisin, an Associate Professor, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration that examined the attitudes of Chicago-area college students in seven focus groups, including blacks, Latinos, whites, males, females, and gay men—regarding HIV/AIDS prevention messages.

The research findings revealed all groups reported a significant reduction in the intensity, range, and the length of media messages on HIV prevention and testing over the last 5 years.

More specifically, the research showed that young blacks and Latinos in Chicago tend to distrust most sources of government information on HIV/AIDS prevention. And young Latina women in Chicago fear getting an HIV/AIDS test out of concern that they may be labeled negatively as “fast” women.

Additionally, all respondents said they would be likely to take their parents seriously if they spoke to them about sex and HIV/AIDS transmission.

Of the 50 students who participated in the focus group research—only one had been tested for HIV/AIDS.

“The bottom line is that AIDS awareness initiatives and media prevention messages targeted at young people in Chicago – and African-Americans and Latinos in particular – are not working,” said Krieger. “We think the advisory council approved by Governor Quinn is a good step to address the problem.”

The Children’s Place Association is Illinois’ only child welfare agency exclusively dedicated to the care of HIV/AIDS infected children and families in Illinois.

Via EPR Network
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Via EPR Network
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Dominic Slingsby, Managing Director of Slingsby, has called for organisations to review their health and safety ahead of the introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

Slingsby calls for organisations to take precautions against potential health and safety risks in advance of important changes which are due to be introduced into UK law in 2008.

Dominic Slingsby, Managing Director of Slingsby, has urged employers to ensure that they are completely up to date with current health and safety regulations and that increased efforts are made to protect workers prior to the new Corporate Manslaughter Act in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Corporate Homicide Act as it will be known in Scotland, being put into force.

Dominic Slingsby stated that it is vital, especially in light of the introduction of the new law that; “Organisations take precautions against potential health and safety risks. With only a small amount of time and effort companies can both protect their employees and safeguard the organisation against prosecution”.

From April 2008 the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 will come into force in the UK, and for the first time, companies and organisations can be prosecuted in the event that serious failures in the management of health and safety result in a fatality. If a jury decides that an organisation neglected health and safety requirements for employees, then it is possible that unlimited fines, remedial orders and publicity orders could be imposed.

The new law is being introduced to help combat the current high numbers of deaths and injuries in the workplace, where according to official statistics; every year more than 200 people are killed and over 30 million working days were lost in 2006 alone to occupational ill health and injury accumulating in a total cost of £30 billion.

A spokesperson for Slingsby said, “Addressing health and safety issues and assessing risks is something that cannot be avoided and can save organisations time and money, it can help reduce employee absence and employee turnover rates, while at the same time reducing the risk of litigation. It is important that organisations regularly review their health and safety management systems and that all possible precautions and preventions are put into place to protect their employees from injury or fatality”.

About Slingsby
Formed in 1893 Slingsby, are leading suppliers of industrial and commercial
safety equipment with a range of 35,000 products to assist companies meet health and safety guidelines.

The company consistently strives to improve its manufacturing pedigree through investment in new technology, quality and increased product ranges.

While originally famous for manual handling equipment, the latest catalogue features a range of essential products covering the entire workplace, providing more choice and a credible single source solution for all Slingsby customers. The latest range includes over a three thousand new products, from traditional areas like materials handling through to exciting new janitorial and office equipment products.


Via EPR Network
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