Island County joins national health, wellness initiative
Island County is one of 43 communities in 21 states selected for a national health and wellness initiative.
ACHIEVE (Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE) is a project of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA).
"The county received $15,000 to cover the costs of a team of 10 to attend a conference in Denver," said Whitney Webber, Chronic Disease Prevention Specialist for Island County.
"We are working on a proposal that is due in September," she said. "Assuming that is approved, we will get $25,000 to execute the plan."
The ACHIEVE team's representative from Camano Island, Patricia Terry, R.N., is a member of the Island County Community Health Advisory Board. She said the ACHIEVE team is in the process of developing a proposal. They gathered data from the school system, the Camano Island Senior and Community Center and the Camano Chapel.
"The assessment tool elicited information on wellness practices such as nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use, chronic disease management and leadership on these matters," Terry said.
"The goal was not to compare one site to another, but rather to provide the ACHIEVE coalition team with an overview of both our assets and needs."
The assessment looked for awareness of certain problems, whether an actual policy existed on the problem, and whether the policy could be demonstrated in the day-to-day operation of the organizations, Terry said.
The purpose of ACHIEVE is to bring together local leaders and stakeholders to build healthier communities by promoting policy, systems and environmental change strategies that focus on physical activity, nutrition, tobacco cessation, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
ACHIEVE is supported by the Healthy Communities Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The ACHIEVE approach aims to promote healthier lifestyles by increasing access to and use of attractive and safe locations for engaging in physical activity; revising school food contracts to include more fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods; and make neighborhoods more pedestrianfriendly with sidewalks and crosswalks.
ACHIEVE strives to foster collaborative partnerships between city and county health officials, city and county government, tribal programs, parks and recreation departments, local YMCAs, local health-related coalitions, and other representatives from the school, business, health and community sectors.
The 43 communities selected to join the initiative this year are expected to become part of an aggressive social movement that is mobilizing leaders in communities to respond to the public health challenge of obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition.
Island County Public Health (ICPH) applied for this program and was selected from hundreds of applicants in a competitive review process, Webber said.
"Our hope is to make walking and biking a priority," Webber said.
Planning the proposal started two years ago when the county brought in a walkability expert who did some streetscape reviews around the county.
Now ICPH is working with a team of community members to develop an action plan to prevent chronic disease in Island County.
"We are early in this process so it is premature to say exactly what the boots on the ground piece will look like," Terry said.
The project as a whole will focus on both prevention activities and targeted changes in public policy that promote community wellness.
"The team-based approach, in which the local health department plays a key role, allows communities to provide a cohesive response to the lifestyle challenges facing our nation," said Keith Higman, Health Services Director.
"By connecting the leaders who can make change, communities are helping to make healthy behaviors an easier choice," Higman said.
Island County's team was selected to include elected officials, state and local directors of public health organizations, business leaders from various industries, and, leaders of local schools, parks and recreation departments, hospitals, and other community organizations.
Ten members from this team, known as the Community Health Action Response Team, or CHART, convened at an Action Institute in Denver, Colo., July 21-23, to learn about evidence-based approaches to effecting change in their communities from nationally known experts.
Along with Terry, Island County CHART members include: Cac Kamak, city of Oak Harbor planner; Carol Sele, NAS-WI fitness coordinator; Carrie McLachlan, Island County healthy communities supervisor; Jessica Minder, Island County tobacco prevention specialist; Joantha Guthrie, Island County public works program manager; Leon Shordon, Island County juvenile services work crew supervisor; Michelle Renninger, Whidbey General Hospital assistant outpatient director; and Terri Arnold, director of South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District.
"We hope to add new community partners along the way, so if there are individuals or organizations that wish to be part of this project, please cal," Terry said.
For more information email Patricia Terry at terryp. mpa@gmail.com or Whitney Webber, Chronic Disease Prevention Specialist, at 360-240-5554 ext. 30, or whitneyw@co.island.wa.us.
