The goal of the grant was to establish paths to healthy living. Mission accomplished.
The County’s $16 million, Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant recently concluded and it ended with impressive results.
For two years, the County worked closely with residents, businesses and community leaders to develop and implement policies that would change local systems and the environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating, reduce obesity in the region, and help curb other chronic diseases.
“In San Diego County, rather than follow others, we pride ourselves on being innovative,” said Chairman Ron Roberts, County Board of Supervisors. “Our efforts serve as models for others to follow and we do things because we want a healthier community.”
The County was one of 44 communities in the nation to receive these federal funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC with the goal to work with numerous community partners to accomplish changes that promote health and wellness in the region.. The campaign is part of the County’s Live Well, San Diego! initiative, a 10-year strategic vision for healthy, safe and thriving communities .
“Healthy Works continued the County’s aggressive efforts in obesity and chronic disease prevention,” said Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, who chairs the Healthy Works Leadership Team. “These changes allow County residents better and easier access to healthy choices and laid the groundwork for wellness efforts to continue.”
Launched in March 2010 with the mantra of healthy places, healthy foods and healthy schools, Healthy Works many accomplishments include:
Healthy Places
- Established Regional Land Use and Transportation Policies that incorporated public health considerations into regional planning.
- Through the Healthy Communities Campaign, SANDAG awarded a total of $1.04 million to 10 local jurisdictions and tribal governments to promote public health in community planning.
- Safe Routes to School included11 grants totaling $341,000 to support safe routes for students, school employees and residents to bicycle to school.. Through the Walk, Ride, and Roll to School Campaign Challenge, students from 22 schools, walked, biked to school, logging 15,674 miles.
Healthy Foods
- San Diego Born and Raised supports the county’s 6,000-plus local farms, more than any other county in the nation, by partnering with the San Diego Farm Bureau and others to ensure communities and schools have access to fresh and affordable local produce. In March 2011, more than 8,000 pounds of locally grown broccoli was delivered to San Diego Unified School District, the Harvest of the Month for their Farm-to-School program.
- Fresh Fund Program enrollment reached more than 8,000 people, which was more than double the target goal, and increasing access to nutritious produce at participating farmers’ markets in City Heights, San Marcos, Linda Vista, Golden Hill, and Southeast San Diego.
- Free School and Community Gardens classes were offered at five newly-created regional garden education centers. These classes helped create school and community gardens, including one in the Mt. Hope neighborhood of San Diego, in San Carlos, and at the County’s Edgemoor Skilled Nursing Facility.
Healthy Schools
- The Breakfast in the Classroom program resulted in improved classroom attendance as well as a substantial decline in nurse’s office visits at participating school sites in four school districts.
- Healthy School Breakfast and Summer Meals Programs enabled the San Diego Unified School District and 12 local farmers to partner and serve 78,000 lunches daily at 288 schools.
“Profound work has taken place to further the County’s goal of healthy, safe, and thriving communities,” said Nick Macchione, director for the County Health and Human Services Agency. “This is a high priority for us and our efforts will continue to improve the lives of children and families in the region.”
An extensive media campaign, which will continue through June, also helped promote Healthy Works messages promoting health and wellness.The Healthy Works web site, www.healthyworks.org, has attracted nearly 25,000 visitors since its launch in 2011.
While the CPPW grant has ended, Healthy Works and the chronic disease prevention efforts, County officials say, will continue with various funding sources, including another CDC grant called the Community Transformation Grant (CTG). The goal is to promote tobacco-free and active living, as well as healthy eating and better management of risk factors like high-blood pressure and elevated cholesterol.
“CTG allows us to continue the efforts and implement policy changes that were created over the past two years,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., county public health officer. “Thirteen interventions from CPPW will carry over to CTG. Success of these activities will have impact on the tobacco use, nutrition, and physical activity behaviors of San Diegans.”
For more information about Healthy Works or to view a complete list of accomplishments, visit healthyworks.org.
