Taking It To the Next Level Working for Policy and Environmental Change Healthy SI Delta Network

Current goal: Current goal: Reduce cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality by expanding cardiovascular disease prevention programs in this region Reduce cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality by expanding cardiovascular disease prevention programs in this region

Our challenge--

Institutes of Medicine It is unreasonable to expect that people will change their behavior easily when so many forces in the social, cultural, and physical environment conspire against such change. It is unreasonable to expect that people will change their behavior easily when so many forces in the social, cultural, and physical environment conspire against such change.

Our challenge-- Look beyond prevention programming to Look beyond prevention programming to making our communities places where it is easy to live a healthier lifestyle making our communities places where it is easy to live a healthier lifestyle

What we are doing now… Increasing START walking paths Increasing START walking paths Implementing CATCH in schools Implementing CATCH in schools Working with schools on Wellness Policies and Committees, School Health Indexes Working with schools on Wellness Policies and Committees, School Health Indexes

More emphasis needs to be placed on environmental and policy changes

Why make this shift? More impact on more people More impact on more people Opportunity for lasting impact Opportunity for lasting impact Considered Best Practice Considered Best Practice Endorsed by leading institutions Endorsed by leading institutions Policy and environmental approach is becoming the standard for funding Policy and environmental approach is becoming the standard for funding

Many reports on making communities healthier Leadership for Healthy Communities--- RWJF Leadership for Healthy Communities--- RWJF Local Government Actions---IOM Local Government Actions---IOM Recommended Community Strategies---CDC Recommended Community Strategies---CDC..\..\..\..\..\..\

Focus is on… Improving access to and consumption of healthy foods Improving access to and consumption of healthy foods Decreasing access to calorie dense, nutrient poor foods Decreasing access to calorie dense, nutrient poor foods Increasing physical activity Increasing physical activity

Recommended Food Policy and Environmental Changes Increase access to healthy foods through grocery stores Increase access to healthy foods through grocery stores Promote fruits and vegetables in a variety of settings Promote fruits and vegetables in a variety of settings Increase access to free, safe drinking water Increase access to free, safe drinking water

Recommended Activity Policy and Environmental Changes Reduce use of PE waivers in schools Reduce use of PE waivers in schools Promote recreational physical activity Promote recreational physical activity Make biking and walking more viable transportation options Make biking and walking more viable transportation options Enhance safety in activity areas Enhance safety in activity areas Establish joint use agreements to increase access to school facilities Establish joint use agreements to increase access to school facilities

Where do we go from here? Look at what other communities are doing Look at what other communities are doing Assess our communitieshow well do they support healthy lifestyles? Assess our communitieshow well do they support healthy lifestyles? Look for more opportunities to change environment and policy Look for more opportunities to change environment and policy Include policy makers in your coalitions Include policy makers in your coalitions

Other communities Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative ACHIEVE Communities (NACCHO) ACHIEVE Communities (NACCHO) ENACT website includes data base of other communities who have implemented each strategy ENACT website includes data base of other communities who have implemented each strategy

ENACT Assessment Tool Planning assessment and Implementation Tool Planning assessment and Implementation Tool Has identified policy and environmental strategies Has identified policy and environmental strategies Assessment by sector: school, worksite, healthcare, community, etc. Assessment by sector: school, worksite, healthcare, community, etc.

Breakout Sessions We will discuss how to We will discuss how to Strengthen your coalition Strengthen your coalition Become more engaged in policy and environmental changes Become more engaged in policy and environmental changes Provide input on state level policy changes Provide input on state level policy changes

Policy work takes Policy work takes time time lots of people working together lots of people working together Makes a significant impact. Makes a significant impact.