1. Opening the Doors to Health Community Use of Schools in Iowa Stacy Frelund Government Relations Director, IA

2. What is Community Use? “ Community use” (also known as “shared /joint use”) is the concept of opening up access to a facility or resource to allow use by community members who would otherwise be excluded. Example…… When a school opens up access to its grounds to allow the public to use a track or playground outside of school hours.

4. Who’s involved in community use agreements? Typically a school and a city Also includes any other facility who opens to public through a formal agreement Not always two partners…..facilities can have open use to allow community access for healthy eating/active living purposes For more information, HealthierIowa.com has sample shared use agreements

5. Benefits of community use agreements? Improve health of community members Increased access to school tracks, fields, playgrounds, gyms, that allow public to get physical activity given that many Iowa communities have limited facilities Collaboration between schools, cities and counties, and departments of planning, health, parks and recreation Community use also builds community with all community members- example school bond issues

6. Challenges to community use agreements Time Relationship building Liability risk Maintenance Operations Cost of a program All of the challenges can be addressed through partnerships

7. Key Stakeholders Community members and parents Students or children who live in a community that lacks adequate, safe spaces to play. Additional stakeholders may be community organizations that provide programming (i.e. Kiwanis clubs, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Senior organizations etc.)

8. More Information on Community Use Where can I find more information? For additional resources, please visit the Shared)Use Clearinghouse, a repository of information including toolkits, legislation, shared use agreements, policies, research and reports. Or HealthierIowa.com Who can I contact if I have more questions? Mikaela Randolph Shared Use Campaign Manager Mikaela@saferoutespartnership.org

9. Healthier Iowa Coalition New coalition lead by American Heart Association Two initiatives this year- community use of schools and state funding for Safe Routes to School 25 organizations recruited so far but always looking to build more partners Examples include…..United Way of Central Iowa, the Iowa Public Health Association, YMCA of Iowa, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, and the Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership

10. Why work on community use and Safe Routes to School in Iowa? Iowa now has the 12th highest adult obesity rate in the nation Iowa's adult obesity rate is 31.3 percent, up from 23.4 percent in 2004 and 12.2 percent in 1990 Find ways to increase physical activity opportunities in the places where people live, work, learn and play. People who have parks or recreational facilities nearby exercise 38 percent more than those who do not have easy access.

11. Liability Concerns in Iowa Public Health Law Center Evaluation Iowa Schools have liability risk when opening for community use after hours Some schools still opening while others are reluctant American Heart Association and other health organizations united to work on clarifying liability risk for schools Bills introduced past three years

12. 2015 Legislative Session First subcommittee 2 nd week of session Iowa Legislature passed HF 570 unanimously in both chambers Bill sponsors-Rep Ken Rizer(R) and Senate Judiciary Chairperson Steven Sodders (D) Bill passed unanimously in both chambers Bridging Solution to Heathier Iowa Coalition engaged throughout process

13. Community Use Campaign Success Governor Signed into law April 1 st Alleviates liability concerns for schools and municipalities which open facilities for recreational use For more information on examples of Community Use agreements go to www.healthieriowa.com

14. Safe Routes to School Improving Health, Safety and Transportation Lenexa, KS

15. The Need for Safe Routes to School Fewer kids today walk and bike to school Unintended consequences have resulted SRTS programs are part of the solution

16. Fewer kids are biking and walking. More parents are driving.  2001: 16% walked  1969: 42% walked (CDC, 2005)

17. Parents driving Parents driving children to school: 20%-25% of morning traffic (NHTSA 2003; Dept. of Environment)

18. 1996 Summer Olympic Games banned single occupant cars in downtown Atlanta Atlanta, GA

19.  Morning traffic –  23%  Peak ozone –  28%  Asthma-related events for kids –  42% (Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], 2001) Results of the ban

20. Physical inactivity  Most kids aren’t getting the physical activity they need  Recommended 60 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week (US Depts. of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, 2005)

21. U.S. youth overweight rates (National Center for Health Statistics)

22. Good news! Communities are taking action on behalf of children through Safe Routes to School Phoenix, AZ Winston-Salem, NCAlhambra, CA

23. 3. Safe Routes to School programs are part of the solution…...to improve walking and bicycling conditions...to increase physical activity...to decrease air pollution Dallas, TX

24. More benefits of SRTS programs  Reduce congestion around schools  Can lead to cost savings for schools (reduce need for “hazard” busing)  Others: increase child’s sense of freedom, help establish lifetime habits, teach pedestrian and bicyclist skills

25. Elements of SRTS programs  Education  Encouragement  Enforcement  Engineering  Evaluation Lenexa, KS

26. Education  Imparts safety skills  Creates safety awareness  Fosters life-long safety habits  Includes parents, neighbors and other drivers Chicago, IL

27.  Increases popularity of walking and bicycling  Is an easy way to start SRTS programs  Emphasizes fun Encouragement Elmhurst, IL

28. Enforcement  Increases awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists  Improves driver behavior  Helps children follow traffic rules Denver, CO Richmond, VA

29. Engineering  Creates safer conditions for walking and bicycling  Can influence the way people behave West Valley City, UT

30. www.saferoutesinfo.org

31. For information, visit: www.iowasaferoutes.org and www.healthieriowa.com www.iowasaferoutes.org www.healthieriowa.com

32. Spreading the Word Recruit & engage advocates Attend Relevant Conferences Action Alerts Visits/Phone Calls to Legislators Traditional Media Press Releases Op Eds Letters to the Editor Social Media Quote Contest Promoted Post

33. More Questions? Stacy Frelund Iowa Government Relations Director American Heart Association Tel (515) 414-3207 Cell (515) 401-7582 Follow me @politicdiva on Twitter Friend us @ American Heart Association- Central Iowa on Facebook stacy.frelund@heart.org Carrie Mueller Campaign Manger American Heart Association Tel (515) 414-3212 Cell (515) 371-5433 Follow me @healthieriowa on Twitter Friend us @ American Heart Association-Central Iowa on Facebook T-carrie.Mueller@heart.org