1. Mission: To improve the health of New Haven residents through community engagement, collaborative community-based research, and dissemination of findings.
Background on CARE; chronic disease focus

2. CARE: Where we’ve been…
Established in 2007
Identify solutions to health challenges through community action research
Promote the prevention of chronic disease
Focus on social, environmental, and behavioral risk factors
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

3. Where we’ve been… Collaboration
Residents from six low-income neighborhoods
Students, teachers and staff from 12 New Haven Public Schools
Community partners across the city
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

4. Where we’ve been: Research & Action
New Haven Health Survey
3600 residents in six neighborhoods
Triennial: 2009, 2012, 2015
Health for Achievement
1800 students - 12 New Haven Public Schools
National Institute for Health
Collaboration with the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

5. Where we’ve been… 10 community and school gardens built.
6 miles of urban trails were marked in Fair Haven.
400 families screened for SNAP benefits.
Contributed to establishment of a new City of New Haven position – Food System Director – focused on food, hunger, and health.
Supported implementation of the first comprehensive Health Education Curriculum throughout New Haven Public Schools.
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

6. Where we’ve been…
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

7. Where we’ve been…
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

8. Where we’ve been…
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

9. Where we’ve been… Positive health changes Residents report:
Improvements in neighborhoods make it easier to be healthy
Feeling safer
More food secure
Higher rates of insurance
Students
Associations between health & academic achievement in math and reading.
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

10.  A partnership with SCSU helps to overcome these challenges!
Lack of trust about Yale in the community
Lack of engagement at the University level
Sustainability
 A partnership with SCSU helps to overcome these challenges!
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

11. Partnership with Southern Connecticut State University
Where we’re going…
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.
Partnership with Southern Connecticut State University

12.  Greater Community Impact
Leveraging Institutional Assets
Yale
Research infrastructure and expertise
Global reputation
SCSU
Practice-based student experiences
Training professionals who stay in New Haven and Connecticut
 Greater Community Impact
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

13. Where we’re going… Ideas for future direction at SCSU
Broader research and evaluation center in service to the community
Strategic issues for greater impact
Match student & faculty to projects
Focus on health – but create interdisciplinary opportunities
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

14. Where we’re going… Retain pillars of CARE’s recent work remain
Neighborhood
Built environment – creating opportunities to engage in healthy behaviors
Focus on West Rock and Newhallville
Food Insecurity
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

15. Where we’re going… Focused application of SCSU human resources:
Graduate and undergraduate student research projects, special projects, internships and field placements
Transition plans for sustaining program delivery.
Internal grants for faculty/student research and projects.
Paid student employment opportunities.
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

16. Where we’re going…
Enhanced partnerships with community members in our adjacent neighborhoods:
Provide employment and educational opportunities for community members.
Provide program grants for community organizations, individuals, and groups.
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.

17. Thank You!
Alycia Santilli, MSW Assistant Professor, SCSU Director, CARE
Sandy Bulmer, PhD
Dean, School of Health and Human Services, SCSU
Identify solutions from evidence-based community-wide approaches to childhood obesity prevention and consider how you might apply those to your local efforts.