Community Design and Health Promotion: Local Public Health Response Cheza Garvin, PhD, MPH, MSW Program Director, Chronic Disease Prevention and Healthy Aging Public Health Seattle & King County
Public Health Planning Operational Master Plan Business Plan Program Work Plans Integration of Activities Community Partnerships King County Board of Health
Recent Program Area: Environmental Health Built Environment and Land Use - Program Manager, Anne Bikle Focus on linking health and the built environment: from nature parks to office parks, housing to transportation Policy development and implementation Physical environment to facilitate healthy lifestyles: e.g. walking, biking, climate change, etc. Connects to planning, transportation, healthy eating and active living, Puget Sound Regional Council, etc. Bringing health to the planning table!
Recent Program Area: Healthy Eating Active Living Program Manager, Erin MacDougall Overweight and obesity prevention Implementation of 10 point plan Collaborations with community partners Community gardening Combines nutrition and physical activity Trans fats out of restaurants Food and Fitness Initiative
Examples from: 10 Point Plan Focus on overweight and obesity prevention Nutrition Healthier food at business meetings Healthier food at schools Physical Activity Increase availability of community center and school facilities for community members, including older adults Complete, maintain and improve access to trails Media Messages Live Outside the Box reduce screen time and get active
Food and Fitness Initiative Co-Convening with Washington State University Food distribution system focus Farm to community Farmers markets High quality fresh produce and whole foods Recreation and play area focus Access to safe walking, biking, community facilities, parks and play areas Kellogg Foundation grant application
Physical Activity Promotion Health Educator, Amy Shumann WA. Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity King County Physical Activity Coalition Work group for overweight prevention Live Outside the Box media campaign Collaboration Examples Feet First Pedestrian Advocacy: maps, walk to school UW HPRC Physical Activity Policy Research Network: walk to school, safe routes Key is to create community environments in which physical activity is easy during daily activities.
Cobblestone Reflexology Paths Beautiful outdoor art Common in Asian countries since 1950 s Consultation with Bastyr University student and project manager, Elizabeth Marazita Locations: Marymoor Park, Redmond, White Center in West Seattle, others Stimulates points on feet to promote health, balance, healthy blood pressure for older adults and others King County Executive Ron Sims brainstorm
Eliminating Health Disparities Priority of PHSKC and KC Board of Health Program Interventions REACH, Steps, Place Matters Policy Recommendations New report due in March 2007 Infant Mortality, Asthma, Diabetes Health Insurance, Income/Economics Community Linkages
Place Matters National Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute Focus on social determinants of health King County among 22 initial counties nationwide Planning policy changes to improve equity and eliminate racial/ethnic discrimination Healthy Equity Impact Assessment tool in development Review of key policy options by Health Equity Council Parks example Planning group from KC Executive s Office, PHSKC, Transportation, Education, etc.
Healthy Aging Partnership Coalition of 36 or more agencies serving older adults Health messaging Promotion of civic engagement Professional and consumer education Endorsing aging in place Environments that can accommodate changing needs as we age Mixed use neighborhoods, transportation, housing, care giver support, etc. Help promote Active Options at activeoptions.org
Future Considerations Creation of natural/automatic collaborations among public health, planning, land use, transportation, food systems, parks, developers, businesses, educational systems, and maybe even community residents Access and safety for children and older adults Recreational options increasing for increasing numbers of healthy older adults Healthy communities as a primary goal of planning processes Creating an environment that makes healthy choices the easiest choices