Sections, SPIGs, Caucuses gather at 135th APHA Annual Meeting.

APHA'S MANY member groups held a wide variety of events during this year's 135th APHA Annual Meeting, which was held Nov. 3-7 in Washington, D.C.

Sections, Special Primary Interest Groups, Forums, Caucuses and the Student Assembly hosted scientific sessions, social gatherings and business meetings and honored leaders in their fields. Many of the scientific sessions focused on the Annual Meeting theme of "Politics, Policy and Public Health." Among the highlights was the Maternal and Child Health Section's Martha May Eliot Forum, which focused on health care access and maternal and child health.

The Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Section held a late-breaking session on improving public health by preventing and reducing underage drinking, during which acting U.S. Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, reinforced attention to the issue (see Page 27).

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The Community Health Worker SPIG marked an Annual Meeting first by partnering with the Community Health Planning and Policy Development Section to present two sessions, including one that focused on community health worker training.

Public health students increased their knowledge of emergency preparedness during a day--long forum Nov. 3. Sponsored by the APHA Student Assembly, the event--made possible by a $7,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--marked the third consecutive year the Student Assembly has held a national conference on Saturday of the APHA Annual Meeting. The event focused on emergency preparedness, infectious disease prevention and improving public health infrastructure, and concluded with hands-on training about advocacy.

A number of new awards were given by Sections this year, such as the Environment Section's inaugural Damu Smith Environmental Achievement Award. Charles Lee, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice, received the award at the Section's social reception on Nov. 5. A list of awards presented at the Annual Meeting is on Page 19.

Also during the Annual Meeting, the Peace Caucus and Labor Caucus, in partnership with APHA, presented "Unembedded," a photo exhibit depicting the impact of the war in Iraq.

Section leaders also came together for meetings of the Intersectional Council, including a joint meeting with APHA's Committee on Affiliates.

"Collaborations are not always easy," said APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E). "But with hard work and determination, such collaborations can prove enormously fruitful for both members and APHA."

For more information, visit www.apha.org/ membergroups.