Prevention Research Center at Tulane University Mary Kathryn Poole, MPH, Adrienne Mundorf, MPH, Naomi Englar & Diego Rose, PhD, MPH Improving Louisiana’s America’s Health Ranking ® through Public Health Strategies during the 2014 Legislative Session Presented at the Community Indicators Consortium Impact Summit Washington, D.C. Monday, September 29, 2014

Challenges in LA 50 th 49th 48th 47th 46th 43rd 40th Iin obesity* Iin low birthweight Iin diabetes, cancer deaths and infant mortality Iin physical inactivity Iin smoking*, cardiovascular deaths and premature deaths Iin occupational fatalities Iin poor physical health days (UHF 2013)

Obesity and Smoking (PBRC 2012; LA Tobacco Control Program 2011) 53% of LA youth (grades 6-12) reported being in the room with a smoker at least one day a week. 27.1% of LA youth (ages 2-19) are overweight or obese. (UHF 2013)

Project Activities Policy Analysis Assessment of policy areas Interviews with key stakeholders Policy scans Literature searches Meetings with political champion Identification of Strategies Situational analysis of Louisiana’s needs and political climate Development of research briefs Meetings with political champion Education Presentations to policymakers and community partners Testimonies at legislative hearings Dissemination of research briefs Social media outreach

State-Level Strategies Early Childhood SchoolsCommunity

 Worksite Lactation Support (Act 681/ Senate Bill 28)  Increases the number of state-owned buildings with lactation rooms from 10 to 20  Fresh Food Assistance at Farmers Markets (Senate Concurrent Resolution 20)  Directs the Department of Health and Hospitals to allow the use of the Women, Infants and Children Cash Value Voucher at farmers markets Early Childhood

Schools  Smoke-Free School Zones (Act 581/ Senate Bill 514)  Establishes a smoke-free school zone within 200 feet of school property  Farm to School (Senate Concurrent Resolution 94)  Encourages the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Forestry to establish a farm to school program and overcome barriers to farm to school

Schools  Joint-Use Agreements (Senate Concurrent Resolution 95)  Requests the Department of Education to conduct a survey on barriers to joint-use agreements  Water Availability in Schools (Senate Concurrent Resolution 96)  Requests the Department of Health and Hospitals and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to issue a report on drinking water in schools

Community  Complete Streets (Act 470/ Senate Bill 527)  Requires the Department of Transportation and Development to maintain a Complete Streets policy and issue an annual progress report  State Obesity Coordination (Act 580/ Senate Bill 513 & Senate Concurrent Resolution 21)  Forms the Louisiana Obesity Prevention and Management Commission  Creates a joint-legislative committee on obesity

Summary of Public Health Strategies Early Childhood Workplace Lactation Food Assistance at Farmers Markets (WIC CVV) Schools Water Availability in Schools Joint-Use Agreements Farm to School Smoke-Free Schools Community Complete Streets State Obesity Coordination

Next Steps  Analyze data and feedback generated from 2014 study resolutions  Collect data and success stories from effective programs and policies in Louisiana  Increase communication between grassroots and grasstops leaders and organizations  Continue to identify priorities and track progress using the America’s Health Rankings ® Photo courtesy of Greauxing Healthy Baton Rouge

References  Louisiana Tobacco Control Program. (2011) Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey. Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Retrieved from pdf pdf  Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC). (2012). We Are What We Build: 2012 Louisiana Report Card on Physical Activity & Health for Children & Youth. Retrieved from  United Health Foundation (UHF). (2013). America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities. Retrieved from AnnualReport2013.pdf AnnualReport2013.pdf

Acknowledgments  People  Principal Investigator: Diego Rose, PhD, MPH  Other Contributing Investigators: Adrienne Mundorf, MPH and Naomi Englar  Funding  CDC, Prevention Research Centers Cooperative agreement #U48-DP