Good Afternoon.  I am part of the Communications Office at the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health and would like to know if
anyone is aware of state health departments that have developed health
literacy or plain language guidelines.  We have some wonderful health
literacy experts here who have provided staff with training and referred
us to documents that are helpful but programs continue to ask for
standards or specific guidance.  Any ideas from other states on how to
address this issue with limited resources would be welcomed.  
Thank you, Laura
Laura Innis
DPH Health Ed. and Outreach Coordinator
laura.innis at state.ma.us 
617-624-6021 

-----Original Message-----
From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Julie McKinney
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 5:59 PM
To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1709] Wednesday Question: State Support for HL

Hi Everyone,

Here's today's question... How do the states support health literacy
work? 

Whether through the state department of public health or other health
agencies, or through the state literacy system, how does does your state
support this work? 

I am also looking specifically for states that have formal partnerships
between their health and literacy systems. (Like Ian Bennett, I am
writing a piece for the upcoming Health Literacy issue of Focus on
Basics, and will write up this information there. Thanks!)

I would love to hear from as many states as possible! If yours is doing
a parntership like this, or supporting health literacy in some other
significant way, please let me know. And we can discuss this week what's
happening out there and issues related to state support.

Here is an article from a 2002 issue of Focus on Basics that looked at
different strategies and state policies that formed collaborations
between health and literacy programs. Take a look and send in your
comments! (What progress have we made in 5 years?)

Literacy, Health, and Health Literacy: State Policy Considerations
by Marcia Drew Hohn
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=243 

All the best,
Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org

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