2004-2011 Connecting with Community

Transcription

Your Body. Your Health. You’re Worth It!
2004-2011
Connecting with
the Community
Your Body. Your Health. You’re Worth It!
Cover photos (l to r): Tobacco prevention exhibits; Belvedere trail groundbreaking; 5 A Day for Better Health Campaign participants; Step Up to Better Health Day.
Inside cover photos: Step Up to Better Health Day; Shoal Creek path opening; Step Up to Better Health Day; Coralwood School walking trail opening.
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Steps to a Healthier DeKalb • DeKalb County Board of Health
A message from the director
Improving community health is an ongoing and complex process. It can take many years to bring about real change. Plus, this
change must take place on many fronts — from individuals improving their personal eating habits to local agencies making
streets more conducive to walking. All components of a community have a role in bringing about better health.
The DeKalb County community was very fortunate to receive a Steps to a HealthierUS grant from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. The grant was awarded to the DeKalb County Board of Health and became known locally as “Steps to a
Healthier DeKalb.” The grant’s focus was on preventing obesity, diabetes and asthma by addressing the related risk factors of
poor nutrition, physical inactivity and tobacco use and exposure.
S. Elizabeth Ford, M.D., M.B.A.
District Health Director
DeKalb County Board of Health
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb instituted a comprehensive approach to address these chronic diseases and related risk factors by:
(1) promoting healthy behaviors, (2) creating a healthy community and (3) improving disease detection and management.
Creative initiatives were put in place in neighborhoods, worksites, schools, faith-based organizations and health care settings in
southern DeKalb County which experiences more than its share of illness and early death. This report highlights a few of these
endeavors and their outcomes.
Many of the initiatives are now the foundation for other projects. The effects of Steps to a Healthier DeKalb will be felt for many
years to come. We are extremely grateful for the funding and are proud of its impact on the south DeKalb community.
Community
Worksite
Schools
Faith
Health Care
“The effects of Steps to a Healthier DeKalb will be felt for many years to come.”
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www.dekalbhealth.net
DeKalb County Steps Program Helps the Community Create a Path to
Better Health
Residents of southern DeKalb County, Georgia, are
creating a path to a healthier future. Area residents,
along with health care providers and businesses, are
committed to addressing the high incidence of obesity,
diabetes and asthma.
The underlying risk factors of these diseases — physical
inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use — were
addressed through Steps to a Healthier DeKalb, which
reached people where they spend time — at a senior
center, at work or school, and their place of worship.
The program, funded through the Centers of Disease
Control and Prevention, targeted south DeKalb including
the cities of Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, and
Stone Mountain, all of which had a significantly high
occurrence of obesity, diabetes and asthma.
“The greatest asset in a community
movement is the people, and the
greatest result has been that people
have begun to take ownership of their
health in measurable ways.”
These widespread health problems were originally
brought to light in 2002 as a result of Mobilizing for
Action through Partnerships and Planning (MAPP). MAPP
is a planning tool that comprises four assessments. The
community health status assessment determines the risk
factors, health and quality of life in the community. What
is important to community members and community
assets are identified through the community themes and
strengths assessment. The local public health system
assessment measures the ability of the local public
health system to provide essential services. Lastly, the
forces of change module identifies the changes affecting
the community and local public health system. Together,
the four assessments uncover concerns which ultimately
lead to the improvement of residents’ health and quality
of life.
The Live Healthy DeKalb coalition evolved as a
result of the MAPP findings and helped to outline
the future course of the community. The coalition
includes numerous neighborhood associations, family
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~ Arlene Parker Goldson
Live Healthy DeKalb coalition
founding member Arlene Parker
Goldson
and community service organizations, government
agencies, school and university systems, and health care
organizations such as Kaiser Permanente and Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta. Their work has been vital to the
success of the DeKalb County Steps program.
“The Steps program gave us the opportunity to get
feedback from the community and focus on where we
could have the most impact,” said Live Healthy DeKalb
coalition founding member Arlene Parker Goldson. “The
greatest asset in a community movement is the people,
and the greatest result has been that people have begun
to take ownership of their health in measurable ways,”
she added.
Alice Smith, a registered dietician and health care
executive, has participated in the Live Healthy
DeKalb coalition and several other community-based
health initiatives. She attributes the success of the
Steps program to the wide range of resources in the
community. “What has worked is the partnerships and
networks of people with the talents and skills needed
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to organize, plan, and implement programs at the
community level. There is a variety of partners, not just
the same folks, who come to the planning meetings,
implement programs in their communities, and then
report back so we can all learn what is working and not
working,” she said.
Smith also cites the Georgia Department of Public
Health and the DeKalb County Board of Health’s Office
of Chronic Disease Prevention as important parts of
the program’s success. “Having the highly-trained,
knowledgeable and motivated staff of the Office of
Chronic Disease Prevention consistently working with
the volunteer groups has resulted in a lot of community
Seniors are enhancing the quality of their lives and
the lives of their family members by learning about
nutrition, healthy cooking and vegetable gardening
through the Austin Drive Community Garden program.
Children in the community are breathing better with
the adoption of the CDC’s 100 percent tobacco-free
schools policy. This report highlights these successes
and others.
A better way of life through better health — the Steps
program in south DeKalb gave residents the tools they
need to take control of their future.
Bobby Wilson shares the secrets of growing plants from
seeds at the McNair Health Eating Conference.
people being trained in public health basics,” she
explained. “The community folks have used that
training to make their neighborhoods better — like Ann
Brown in the Belvedere community working to get safe
access to a local park so people can actually use it,”
she added.
Seniors learn how to stay active and healthy at an annual New
Year, New You event.
Teens discuss the negative health effects of smoking.
“What has worked is the partnerships and networks of people with the
talents and skills needed to organize, plan, and implement programs at
the community level.”
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Community
Austin Drive Community Garden Grows New Opportunities for
Healthy Eating, Exercise and Quality Time with Family and Friends
A once barren piece of land at Bethesda Cathedral on
Austin Drive is a living testimonial to what can happen
when a community works together. Now home to the
Austin Drive Community Garden, the lot flourishes with
abundant produce and sounds of area residents creating a
happier, healthier future for their families and friends.
The garden is part of the Grandparents Rallying for Activity
and Nutrition Daily (GRAND) project. The initiative is aimed
at improving the health of 350 DeKalb County families
headed by grandparents by getting older adults and young
people involved in gardening classes.
Cultivating better health through fresh food.
These classes are offered bi-monthly and are taught by
urban gardening specialist Bobby Wilson who is affiliated
with University of Georgia. He teaches sustainable
gardening methods including the circular gardening concept
that focuses on the “three Rs” — reduce, reuse and recycle.
All crops are grown in either circular containers or in one of
two plowed rows without pesticides or artificial fertilizers,
making it an organic garden.
“I’m now growing beans, squash, tomatoes, herbs and
I have 11 watermelons on the vine right now.”
Participants learn how to grow, harvest and can fruits
and vegetables and prepare healthy meals. Program
participant Juanita Wright shows her enthusiasm for
learning to garden by saying, “I never really knew
how to grow vegetables until I started growing them
in the community garden. I was always trying to grow
things in the wrong season, like collards — they’re a
cool season plant. I’m now growing beans, squash,
tomatoes, herbs and I have 11 watermelons on the vine
right now.” Wright also said the community garden has
changed her eating habits significantly. She finds that
she doesn’t eat as much meat as she once did.
well.” She continues, “The children are learning the
importance of eating vegetables, and because their
parents and grandparents can pick them from the
community garden, they are able to eat healthier more
frequently — cost is no longer a barrier to healthy eating.”
Additionally, the community garden provides
opportunities for exercising regularly, acquiring
leadership skills and sharing knowledge about
gardening, nutrition and cooking. Nora Jackson is
experiencing a vast improvement in her quality of
life as a result of the classes she attends through the
Austin Drive Community Development. “This center
is my affordable therapy,” she says. “I have attended
exercise, healthy cooking and gardening classes and
am now 82 pounds lighter.” She continues, “I meet
and fellowship with other people and that is extremely
important for seniors. Many people live alone and
the only contact with another person is the check-out
person in a store.”
Helen Norris attends classes regularly and has
a garden in her yard at home. The program has
rekindled memories of when she was first introduced
to gardening in her childhood. “I’m so thankful that
Austin Drive had the foresight to see this need in our
community. And I’m thankful I don’t have to drive out
of the community to get the information I need to be
successful with my garden,” she says.
Program Coordinator Landa Clay Gamble provides
insight on the garden’s importance in the community
by saying, “Approximately 30 people participate in the
classes. And when the vegetables are harvested, the
families of those involved benefit from the program as
Also, Gamble explains the far-reaching impact of the
garden within the community. “These seniors are now
gardening at home and have extended the benefit of
the community gardening program to their immediate
neighborhood and associations. We estimate that
at least 150 people are being impacted by this one
gardening program at Austin Drive,” she says.
Not only is the garden at Bethesda Cathedral on Austin
Drive influencing the surrounding community, but it is
starting to catch on in other communities. Gamble says
“Now that we have set the model, other churches are
calling, asking how they can develop a garden for their
community.” She is creating a manual that will assist
other organizations in replicating the program.
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Belvedere Community Adopts Plan to Live Healthy
The Belvedere community, like other communities,
faces obstacles to healthy living such as poor
environmental conditions for exercise, lack of nutrition
education, and lack of exercise programs. The
community successfully addresses these through a
dual approach: the Belvedere Active Living Plan and the
Healthy Belvedere Initiative.
Belvedere Active Living Plan Helps
Transform Daily Trips into Exercise
Opportunities by Providing a Safe
Environment
Active living is a way of life that promotes walking,
jogging or bicycling as a means of transportation to
local destinations. Not only does active living encourage
physical fitness and an environment-friendly lifestyle,
but it promotes fairness in the transportation system.
The Belvedere neighborhood is less than one mile from
a variety of shops, churches, and parks yet walking
or bicycling to these destinations has not been a safe
option because of heavy traffic, poor visibility, and
sporadic sidewalks.
Then-DeKalb County Board of Health staff member
Robin Tanner brought the community residents and
government officials together to begin creating a
healthier community. “The DeKalb County Board
of Health’s role is to help communities make the
necessary changes that will serve area residents,”
she said. “Funding can be a challenge for community
programs, which is why public advocacy is so
important. Residents ultimately make the difference in
their community,” she added.
A survey of the community indicated that building
trails to parks would encourage more physical activity.
Urban planners, transportation engineers, and public
health officials worked with the Active Living Planning
Committee and the Belvedere community to make
access to the commercial and recreational areas safe
and convenient for residents.
As meetings were underway to address improving
access to Shoal Creek I Park, a representative of the PATH
Foundation learned of the community’s efforts. The effort
was consistent with the foundation’s goal of building
greenway trails. The foundation offered to join the DeKalb
County Department of Transportation in creating a trail
to connect Shoal Creek Parks I and II and to match up to
50 percent of the trail construction costs. Through this
collaboration, the Shoal Creek trail was built.
Belvedere Civic Club member Nadine Ali has witnessed
the positive changes in the community. “I’m glad to
see that implementing the Belvedere Active Living Plan
is moving along at a good pace. And I’m surprised
at how many more people are using the Shoal Creek
parks now that there is better access,” she said. “With
the improvements, the plan benefits not only our
community, but surrounding communities as well.”
Healthy Belvedere Initiative Helps
the Community Eat Healthier and
Provides a Variety of Exercise
Programs
Community residents asked for funding to invest
in developing programs that focus on affordable
opportunities for physical activity and for healthy living
education for adults and youth. With nearly $9,000 in
grant money from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of
Georgia and managed by the Community Foundation
for Greater Atlanta, Healthy Belvedere was established
to encourage Belvedere residents to adopt healthier
lifestyles.
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Getting fit is a family affair.
The Kaiser Foundation is investing $1 million in
Belvedere over five to seven years through the Healthy
Belvedere Small Grants Program. Each year, residents
can apply for a grant to support the goals of the
Healthy Belvedere Initiative.
Belvedere resident and Healthy Eating and Active Living
project leader Mary Williams has been instrumental
in creating and implementing programs such as the
Healthy Belvedere Family Walking Club and Photovoice.
Photovoice offers a way for residents to express their point
of view through pictures. Narratives are developed from
the pictures and lead to the creation of an action plan.
“The bottom line is education,” said Mary. “We’ve had
many success stories with our youth programs. Obesity
is not attached to age, and the best way to combat it is
to address it as early as possible. And it’s not only what
we eat, but how we eat.”
Mary sees teenagers in her community making better
food choices and experiencing the many benefits of
their new approach to eating and exercise. She even
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received a letter from one young woman who wrote that
through participating in Photovoice she has developed
better eating habits that have enhanced her life.
A variety of other wellness programs for youth and
seniors has been established to support healthy
living. Some of these include Healthy Food Eaters for
“I’m surprised at how many more people are using Shoal
Creek Park now that there is better access.”
in order to maintain good health,” Refour said. Clearly
a living example of what a balanced diet and regular
exercise can do for the body, Refour was told recently
by his doctor that if he kept up the good work he would
enjoy another ten to 15 years with the walking club.
Judith Croxton is another long-time Belvedere
resident who has been a community activist. A former
registered nurse, Croxton is committed to promoting
healthy living and leads the Seniors Taking Action to
Rejuvenate Self initiative and the Seniors Action Group
for Self-Empowerment. Croxton has watched the
community adopt better eating habits as a result of the
nutrition classes. “The nutrition classes help people
shop better, cook better and eat better,” she said.
Before the trail was added, a lack of park access led to a lack
of exercise for Belvedere residents.
Life, Avondale High School Walking Club, Friends of
Glenwood Walking Club, and Seniors Taking Action to
Rejuvenate Self.
Community resident Louis Refour has always
understood the necessity of exercise. He was
accustomed to performing the “Dirty Dozen,” a
high intensity workout, every day during his years
in the service. Now, he is involved with the Friends
of Glenwood Walking Club. He sees community
members, especially males, becoming more aware of
the importance of maintaining good health, and he has
noticed them changing their habits.
“In my 86 years, one of the biggest differences I’ve seen
regarding healthy living is the increased awareness of
what a good diet consists of — what you have to eat
Also, Croxton has seen area residents create a true
community through the Healthy Belvedere Initiative. “I
approached the Christ the Lord Church to hold exercise
classes, and now it’s the main headquarters. The
classes are full,” she said. “The community is coming
together — we’re walking together, we’re speaking to
each other, we’re getting to know each other by face
at least and we’re looking out for each other, which
reduces crime,” she added.
This trail provides easy access for Belvedere residents to Shoal
Creek Parks I and II.
After attending exercise and nutrition classes,
community member Minnette Bedford gave up
salt and sugar and also found a new hobby
— walking. “I’ve found a new favorite
hobby,” she said. “I walk 15 to 25 miles
each week at Stone Mountain Park. And
it’s not just exercise — I’ve discovered a
new passion.”
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McNair Food Assessment Reveals the Challenges Facing Many South
DeKalb Residents in Maintaining a Healthy Diet
How Can the McNair Community
Overcome its Obstacles to Healthy
Eating?
Routine access to a variety of healthy foods plays an
essential part in fighting chronic conditions, such as
obesity and diabetes. These health issues affect many
south DeKalb County residents. To understand the
environmental factors affecting food choices, the Board
of Health partnered with the Atlanta Local Food Initiative
to assess food availability, accessibility and affordability
in the McNair and Stephenson communities.
The assessment report “Is Healthy Eating Possible in
DeKalb County?” reveals that maintaining a healthy
diet of fresh foods can pose a significant challenge.
There are supermarkets in the communities, but they
are concentrated in a few areas. Stephenson residents
can afford cars and are able to get to the supermarkets.
However, because many McNair residents depend on
public transportation, they often rely on stores that are
within walking distance of home. These stores, mostly
gas-grocery stores, frequently lack nutritious foods. As
a result, Steps to a Healthier DeKalb focused on food
access in the McNair community.
What is a Healthy Diet and is one
Affordable for McNair Residents?
Due to their strong reliance on 31 gas-grocery stores for
routine food shopping, McNair residents have a limited
selection of foods. Food prices in gas-grocery stores are
often higher than in supermarkets.
The items most often missing from the gas-grocery
stores are fresh fruits and vegetables. The lack of fresh
produce makes it difficult for area residents to meet the
“five a day” recommendation for these foods.
Using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food
Plan as a standard, the assessment team found that
The assessment team offered a number of solutions to
overcoming barriers to access to healthy foods including
establishing farmers markets, community gardens, and
home gardens. Additionally, transportation alternatives,
such as a “grocery bus,” were suggested.
The McNair “Take Action for Healthy Food” conference gives
community members an opportunity to voice their concern.
an average of 54 percent of the plan’s required items
were missing from the stores. The team also found
that routine access to a supermarket is necessary to
meet the nutrition requirements. And, while the area’s
supermarkets provide many of the essential items,
many of the desired meat items were missing.
Within the McNair community, some residents
experience more difficulty than others in getting fresh
foods. Some residents have a supermarket within five
miles from their home, but residents in the eastern
part of the community have supermarkets about six to
eight miles from where they live. Although bus service
is available, the research team believes that senior
citizens and residents with physical limitations may
face considerable challenges. Along with the cost of bus
fare, these residents may have trouble waiting for buses
and carrying heavy bags.
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In response to the assessment, Board of Health staff
and the Food Trust coordinated the McNair “Take
Action for Healthy Food” conference. At the conference,
the findings of “Is Healthy Eating Possible in DeKalb
County?” were presented and community members
voiced their concerns for addressing access to healthy
food. The top two priorities set by the community were
to increase healthy foods at schools and in the retail
environment.
Finding ways to improve/expand the food selection in
the McNair community was addressed by a panel that
spoke about benefits of farmers markets, cooperative
extension programs, and the needs of special
populations such as seniors and refugees. Atlanta
urban garden specialist Bobby Wilson led an interactive
exercise on growing vegetables at home.
With McNair community residents’ health ultimately
in their own hands, perhaps one of the most viable
solutions offered was that of simply nurturing
relationships with area merchants. For example, Browns
Mill Elementary School Principal Yvonne SandersButler reported that convenience stores near her school
were persuaded to stock healthier snacks. The same
approach could also influence store managers to stock
more produce and buy from local farmers.
Step Up to Better Health Day Brings the South DeKalb Community
Closer to Conquering Chronic Diseases
Promoting healthy behaviors is one of the strategies
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb used to address chronic
diseases. Social marketing campaigns, health fairs and
education programs promoted tobacco use prevention,
active living and good nutrition. The premier event was
the annual Step Up to Better Health Day.
Alicia Cardwell-Brown, community liaison in the Office
of Chronic Disease Prevention, spearheaded a group of
community partners to hold Step Up to Better Health Day.
The event, with over 500 attendees each year, was held
at Gresham Park in the fall of 2005 and 2006 and then at
Shoal Creek II Park in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Even though
the venue changed, the event’s focus never changed.
“Step Up to Better Health Day was a way to let the
community, partners, sponsors, participants and the
state of Georgia know about and celebrate DeKalb
County’s program,” said Joanna Ward of Joanna Ward
Fitness, Inc. Also, the event brought physical fitness to
the forefront by challenging community members and
partners to get involved, get active and get fit.
cardiovascular, body mass index, blood pressure,
glucose, prostate, HIV and glaucoma screenings,”
she said. Featured health care partners include the
American Diabetes Association, the Association of Black
Cardiologists, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kaiser
Permanente, Morehouse School of Medicine, Oakhurst
Medical Center and Park North Wellness Center.
Step Up to Better Health Day demonstrated that being
physically active is fun and beneficial for people of all ages.
Step Up to Better Health Day was kicked off with a
one-mile walk. Then, throughout the day, attendees
participated in sack races, a jump rope competition, and
dancing and marching band contests. The event also
offered dance performances, skits, face painting, inflatable
amusements, pony rides and health screenings.
Ms. Cardwell-Brown commends the community’s
support and efforts. “Step Up to Better Health Day
provided an opportunity to break away from what is
often a silo-like approach to health care. Numerous
area medical practices came together to perform
Area youth help kick off a Step Up to Better Health Day.
A coach helps her team shine a final time.
“ … the event brought physical fitness to the forefront by challenging
community members and partners to get involved, get active and get fit.”
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Worksite
DeKalb County Board of Health Leads by Example Through
Wellness Programs
Since adults spend a significant portion of their days
working, the work place is an excellent venue for
promoting lifelong healthy habits. Through wellness
programs, employees can reduce common risk factors
for heart disease such as smoking, obesity, poor
nutrition, stress and lack of exercise.
six weeks, I noticed a positive change in my flexibility,
and the tension in my neck was gone. The class also
taught me breathing techniques that improve my ability
to stay unruffled in stressful situations,” she continued.
Evangeline’s long-term plans include eating the right
foods, controlling portions, and monitoring her body
mass, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. “My
overall well-being starts with me wanting to be healthy
and active but, to stay that way, requires behavior
change,” she said.
The DeKalb County Board of Health is at the forefront of
the health revolution by implementing wellness programs
that benefit employees both at work and at home. This
interconnected approach helps employees by improving
physical fitness, self-esteem, and overall quality of life.
Established in 2006, the first employee wellness
policy included an employee wellness committee
named Aspire, Initiate, and Motivate for Wellness. The
committee educated employees on the importance
of maintaining their health and also worked with the
DeKalb County Board of Health leadership team to
ensure support of the policy.
The first policy took effect in February 2007 and offers
over 500 employees at six health centers the option
of two 15-minute wellness breaks or one 30-minute
wellness break each day which is often used for
physical activity.
Reducing Stress Through a More
Active Lifestyle
Many DeKalb County Board of Health employees are
taking advantage of the wide variety of programs that
are available to them.
Getting fit is simply all in a day’s work.
Enjoying the benefits of a healthy weight, less stress,
and an increase in energy, Training Coordinator Sheila
Kilby credits the wellness programs for her new, more
active lifestyle that consists of walking and running,
yoga classes, and strength and circuit training.
“I have learned that the food and activity choices that I
make every day affect my health and how I feel today,
tomorrow and in the future,” she said.
Environmental Health Inspector Evangeline B. Reaves
recognizes the link between the stress of her job and the
importance of physical health. “When I heard that the
DeKalb County Board of Health was providing a weekly
yoga class on site, I was elated,” she said. “After the first
“I have learned that the food and activity choices that I
make every day affect my health and how I feel today,
tomorrow and in the future.”
In addition, she is educating her extended family about
nutrition and exercise. For inspiration, Evangeline
refers to the Surgeon General’s Family Health History
Initiative and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s Family History resources.
Improving Mental and Spiritual
Health by Improving Physical Health
Having already led an active lifestyle before entering
the program, Property and Supply Supervisor 1 Steven
Jefferson finds the mental aspect of the wellness
program particularly beneficial to him. “I have learned
that wellness is far more than just physical exercise
and looking good. It’s about your mental and spiritual
being as well,” he said.
Steven believes his overall awareness of health has
increased through the information that is provided at the
program meetings and by talking with other program
members and co-workers who share their health
concerns and questions.
“I will continue my plans that I made prior to joining the
wellness group — to live a healthy lifestyle by eating
well-balanced meals, physical activity, keeping as much
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DeKalb County Board of Health Leads by Example Through Wellness Programs
stress out of my life as possible, and maintaining a good
spiritual habit on a daily basis,” he said.
Creating New Family Traditions of
Healthy Living
“I’ve learned that it feels absolutely great to feel
healthy,” she proclaimed. “We have so many things
going on in our lives that at times we forget that our
health should still be a priority.”
Astrid Wilkie-McKellar, coordinator for the
Communities Putting Prevention to Work Tobacco
Program, sees the wellness program as a springboard
for other exercise opportunities. Beginning her new
healthy lifestyle with the on site Weight Watchers
program, Astrid now includes other activities in her
family’s routine.
Building Operations Supervisor Craig King has
rediscovered the benefits of an active lifestyle through
the worksite wellness programs. “After I retired from
the military, I went from working out three to four
times a week to never working out at all. I gained a lot
of weight, but this program has put me back on the
right track,” he said.
King participates in the weekly on site yoga classes
and frequently uses the stairs at the facility as part of
his exercise routine. He is exercising more at home by
taking 20-minute walks each morning and by utilizing
the gym at his apartment complex.
“I initially took advantage of the exercise classes offered
at the Board of Health. When I needed to challenge
myself a little more, I had my husband add me on to his
gym membership,” she said. “Actually, my entire family
has become more aware of the need to include physical
activity in our daily living.”
Astrid now enjoys kickboxing and spin classes at the
local gym, weight training at home, and has even
rediscovered some old home workout videos. While
her son takes karate classes and her daughter plays
softball at their local park, she gets some exercise by
running the path around the park.
Feeling Renewed by Rediscovering
the Benefits of Exercise
The wellness program emphasizes exercise, friendship and
living a healthy lifestyle.
Aware of a family history of health problems, Astrid
and her husband are determined that they will not walk
the same road as their parents and grandparents. They
also want to ensure that they are instilling good health
habits in their children. “We cook healthier. We move
more. We’ve made these changes a part of our family,
and we intend to continue with these habits as a part of
who we are.”
“I’m a work in progress, but I’m feeling much better
about myself, and I don’t feel my age most days. I now
know more about healthy foods, and I’ve cut the bad
habits I had before in half,” he said. “I’ve learned the
importance of stretching and I am learning to breathe
much better — which is something that many people
don’t know, but is very important. My skin looks better,
my clothes feel better on me, and when I have to walk
somewhere, it’s much, much easier. And most of all, I
am conditioning my mind – anybody can do anything,”
he concluded.
“I’m a work in progress, but I’m feeling much better about myself, and I
don’t feel my age most days. I now know more about healthy foods, and
I’ve cut the bad habits I had before in half.”
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Schools
Coordinated School Health Program Provides Learning Opportunities for
Both Students and Staff
Healthy habits generally begin at home, but with
schools often considered a second home by children
and staff, they naturally play an important role in a
person’s overall well-being. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), students spend
an average of six hours a day in school. And, with staff
also putting in full days on campus, schools are well
positioned to have a positive impact on the health of
students and staff alike.
Teen Take It On provided education on healthy eating
and active living at Avondale High School.
The CDC recommends a coordinated school health
program as a strategy for improving students’ and staff
members’ health. Through Steps to a Healthier DeKalb,
the Board of Health worked with various community
partners and the DeKalb County School System to
implement a coordinated school health program at
Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School.
Avondale Middle and Avondale High schools completed
the CDC’s School Health Index to determine the
strengths and weaknesses of their nutrition, physical
activity and tobacco use prevention programs and
policies. Improvement plans were developed from these
assessments.
Coordinated School Health Offers
Comprehensive Services
While schools typically offer a variety of wellness
programs, the “patchwork” of plans and policies often
means that there are gaps, redundancies and poor
teamwork among health and education professionals.
Healthy school environment
Health promotion for staff
Family and community involvement.
Establishing a school health council was crucial to
implementing the coordinated school health program
and to fostering program ownership in the schools.
After an introductory meeting in November 2007, each
school held four council meetings between January and
May 2008. Ten to 17 people attended each meeting.
A coordinated school health program offers a way to
unify the various aspects of a comprehensive wellness
program and also offers a way for health and education
professionals to collaborate. This type of program has
eight components:
Health education
Physical education
Community partners such as Oakhurst Medical Center,
Kaiser Permanente, HealthMPowers and DeKalb
County Board of Health were part of the council to help
implement the comprehensive pilot program in the
schools.
Prior to this effort, neither school had health services
for students or staff. Therefore, Oakhurst Medical
Center provided a nurse once a week. The nurse offered
general services to the students and discovered many
did not receive adequate medical care. It became
necessary to address the lack of medical care by
providing health plan enrollment opportunities at an
August health fair.
Additionally, the prevention intervention specialist met
with 22 students referred by the Avondale Middle School
counseling department for behavior challenges such as
fighting, bullying, absenteeism or conflict. Two groups
of 11 students met with the counselor over 12 sessions
to address behavior patterns and decision making.
This initiative was enhanced by the DeKalb Prevention
Alliance and the 4H Club of DeKalb coming to the
school to address all of the students. The prevention
intervention specialist said, “The group meetings, along
with the collaborations we have established, are used
to lower risky behavior and improve individual health
decision thus improving the health of the community.”
Health services
Nutrition services
Counseling and psychological services
16
Fruit and vegetable bars make it easy to make healthier
choices.
HealthMPowers explains how the process began for
staff. “The first thing that was done was a health risk
appraisal for both middle and high school teachers.
Staff members were given a report of where they stood,
and then HealthMPowers offered group counseling.
At the sessions, the HealthMPowers staff reviewed
the reports and came up with specific exercises. The
teachers also filled out a wellness interest survey,
providing feedback about activities they wanted to
pursue.”
With teachers from both schools citing an interest
in walking, a staff wellness pedometer program was
started. Each teacher received a pedometer and was
required to record their steps.
Students at Hambrick Elementary show off the vegetables
they grew.
Teens Take Charge of Their Health
Kaiser Permanente’s Teen Take It On provided education
on healthy eating and active living at Avondale High
School. Not only did students learn about how media,
culture, policies and personal choices influence health, but
they made commitments to improve nutrition and activity
levels. The students created theater performances and
advocacy campaigns. This program culminated in a health
fair and celebration for students and their families.
Teachers Learn to Walk Their
Way to Better Health Through
HealthMPowers
Health promotion for staff was a priority for both
schools in their improvement plans. Chris Stewart of
Staff member C. Jones of Avondale Middle School said
of the pedometer initiative, “The program caused me
to become aware of just how much I walk without
realizing it. I was impressed. I’m not as active as I need
to be, but I’m more active than I thought I was.”
T. Davis, also an Avondale Middle School staff
member, reported newfound health awareness by
saying, “This health program allowed me to realize
which days I achieved low scores from fewer steps and
how this impacted me adversely.”
Avondale High School’s Assistant Principal of Instruction
Mar-De Kilcrease describes how the walking program
helped her school’s staff. “The walking clubs met twice
a week to walk around the track after school. About
20 staff members took advantage of the program that
included a strong social component in addition to the
health benefits of walking.”
Establishing safe routes to school encourages children to walk
or ride a bike on a regular basis.
HealthMPowers also offered a stress management
course. Chris Stewart found that the outcomes of the
staff wellness initiative were increased awareness of
physical activity and healthy eating.
Christina Wharton of Avondale High School said,
“Raising my awareness level about health issues in
general as well as specific to my risk factors was an
excellent result of my interactions with HealthMPowers.
Because of their influence, I felt encouraged to actually
enroll in Weight Watchers, resulting in permanent
weight loss at a healthy rate.”
Although the implementation was approached
differently at the two schools, the coordinated school
health program still made a difference by increasing
health awareness among students and staff.
“The walking clubs met twice a week to walk around the track after school.
About 20 staff members took advantage of the program that included a
strong social component in addition to the health benefits of walking.”
17
100 Percent Tobacco-Free Schools Policy Helps DeKalb Youth Establish
Healthy Habits Early in Life
Tobacco use is associated with many diseases, decreases
cognitive abilities, and impairs lung function. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death
in the United States, and one out of every five deaths,
approximately 443,000 each year, is a result of tobacco use.
The CDC reports four out of five adults who use tobacco
began before they reached adulthood. Each day in the
United States approximately 3,900 people between
the ages of 12 and 17 smoke their first cigarette, with
approximately 1,000 youth becoming daily cigarette
smokers. Tobacco use is associated with other unhealthy
behaviors among youth such as high-risk sexual
behavior, alcohol, and drug use, according to the CDC.
The 2009 DeKalb Youth Risk Behavior Survey reveals
that 44 percent of DeKalb youth have tried smoking and
nine percent are considered current smokers, meaning
they have smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days. Of the
current smokers, two percent have smoked cigarettes on
20 or more days and six percent have smoked more than
10 cigarettes per day on the days they smoked.
Youths Partner to Make TobaccoFree Schools a Priority and a Policy
Health fairs reinforce the positive message of a tobacco-free
lifestyle.
Tobacco usage among youth has been tackled through
many programs including the Georgia Tobacco Use
Prevention Program. This program reduces the number
of illnesses and deaths associated with tobacco use.
One goal is to prevent the initiation of tobacco use
among young people. Through the program’s efforts,
a 100 percent tobacco-free schools policy has been
implemented in 61 of the 181 school districts in
Georgia. The DeKalb County School System was the
33rd adopter in the state.
The road to adopting this policy was not easy since it
was not initially a priority for DeKalb County School
System. Groundwork that helped get the school system
closer to adoption was the education of their partners.
The DeKalb County Board of Health worked with the
DeKalb County School System’s assistant director of
health and wellness to include the policy on the Board
of Education’s agenda. The associate superintendent of
curriculum and instruction presented the policy to the
school board and it was adopted in October 2008.
Approximately 113,000 students and staff members
were immediately impacted by the new policy. It states
that no students, staff, or visitors may use tobacco
products on any school campus at any time. The
policy also applies to off-campus events sponsored by
DeKalb County schools. Signage has been placed on
all school properties regarding the policy.
Approximately 113,000 students and staff members were
immediately impacted by the new policy.
18
Faith
Faith and Fitness Challenge Allows DeKalb County Residents
to Showcase Their Commitment to Healthy Living
Faith is a significant part of countless DeKalb County
residents’ lives, so reaching out to the many members
of the area’s many congregations was a natural step for
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb.
The Board of Health is fortunate to have a natural partner
in JoAnna Ward, of JoAnna Ward Fitness, to spread the
word about using diet and exercise to combat the chronic
conditions and challenges the community faces. JoAnna
has a strong passion for both faith and fitness, which she
demonstrated during her appearance on the CBS reality
series “Survivor: Amazon.” This passion led her to become
the executive producer of the Faith and Fitness Challenge,
a 13-week program designed to unify faith-based
organizations in improved physical fitness and nutrition.
JoAnna explains the basis of her beliefs by saying,
“My greatest passions are faith and fitness, and I
believe with the combination of the two all things can
be optimized beyond the realms of even the greatest
possibilities. Faith and fitness cross cultural and
religious barriers in that all creeds have some level of
faith and realize an overwhelming need for fitness.”
Stressing the unified approach that was central
to the Faith and Fitness Challenge, JoAnna adds,
“Although this was a competitive challenge among
faith organizations, our true competitors are high
blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and inactivity. Our
goal was to mobilize the community in fitness through
faith institutions in a competitive way that brings us
all together for the common goal of winning the fight
against the obstacles that diminish the quality of our
lives and ultimately shorten our life spans.”
Hundreds of Congregation Members
Answer the Call to Better Health
Launched in the summer of 2009, ten churches
participated in the program that challenged members
to become more active and nutritionally sound in their
meal preparation and food intake. The participating
congregations were Anitoch AME Church, Berean
Christian Church, First Baptist Church, Greenforest
Community Church, New Piney Grove Missionary
Baptist Church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church,
Ray of Hope Church, Saint Michael and All Angels
Episcopal Church, Saint Philip AME Church, and
Stronghold Christian Church.
Then-DeKalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes offers
encouragement at the challenge’s mid-point event.
An instructor coordinated and led a weekly meeting with
a group at their congregation. Each group had at least 20
participants, and the total number of participants from all
of the locations was approximately 890.
Instructors Help Participants See
Results Through Team Concept
Leo Jackson served as a Faith and Fitness Challenge
instructor for the Ray of Hope Church. He says of the
experience, “I have been a certified personal trainer for
seven years and I enjoy helping people get fit as a lifestyle.
A rainbow of participants attend the Faith and Fitness
Challenge.
“Although this is a competitive challenge among
faith organizations, our true competitors are high
blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and inactivity.”
20
The challenge was good for those who don’t have a fitness
plan and need direction for getting started.”
Believing that the team structure was vital to the
program’s success, Leo added, “Members of my team
were happy that the county is concerned about their
well-being and is willing to help them do something
positive for themselves and their families.”
Each instructor was responsible for ensuring that the
participants were held accountable. The required
weekly activities were documented in a journal and
checked for completion by the instructor.
“The organizations that participated really enjoyed the
experience of working cooperatively with others toward
a common goal in a competitive, but productive way.”
obstacle circuit and water relay. The progress of the
groups was evaluated and standings were determined.
JoAnna explains the reason for the venue selected for
the program’s mid-point. “The event was held in the
Hallford Memorial Stadium to accommodate the crowd
and encourage the support of the fans much like a
And, with over 80 percent of participants completing
the first six weeks of the journal, the program’s impact
on the community is well demonstrated.
Nancy Ward, the instructor for Berean Christian Church,
has experienced firsthand the difficulties so many face
with weight, exercise, and nutrition. “I was essentially
scared straight five years ago in to losing weight after
being diagnosed with hypertension. I lost 40 pounds
initially and then became an Aerobics and Fitness
Association-certified group exercise instructor. I decided
to participate in the Faith and Fitness Challenge and help
others reclaim their health and lives.”
Nancy’s group met weekly to review nutritional
information and discuss participants’ personal
challenges and how to overcome them. The group also
participated in an exercise activity and was encouraged
to pair up with an accountability partner.
JoAnna explains that the program exceeded
expectations by saying, “All of the ten participating
churches expanded past the Faith and Fitness
Challenge with various initiatives including local fitness
challenges, changes in policies such as which foods
would be served at gatherings, walking programs and
clubs, starting Weight Watchers, and fitness classes.”
Expressing the collective long-term vision of the
program, JoAnna said, “The organizations that
participated really enjoyed the experience of working
cooperatively with others toward a common goal in a
competitive, but productive way. The fellowship among
these organizations continues to grow partnerships and
develop programs to combat the difficulties that affect
the respective communities.
New Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church members
celebrate winning the Faith and Fitness Challenge.
And, like Leo, Nancy attributes the program’s success to
the team concept. Nancy also cites testimonies regarding
participants’ weight loss and improved health.
football game or track meet. This provided people with
visible modes of exercise and expanded the overall
culture of fitness — even to the spectators.”
“Members from the team I worked with are continuing
their commitment to health and wellness and are also
considering becoming certified instructors based on
my testimony and their personal experience. Each one,
teach one,” said Nancy.
Making Healthy Living a Lifelong
Commitment
Half way through the program, the ten groups met
together for physical competitions including a fitness
congregational support, testimonies of change of health
status, and their allegiance to faith and fitness for
life. New Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church was
named the competition’s first place winner.
JoAnna and the other program leaders would like to see
the initiative expand not only within DeKalb County,
but in other metro Atlanta counties and beyond.
Week 13 of the Faith and Fitness Challenge featured
a finale in a format similar to the television show
“Survivor.” All of the teams converged to showcase their
physical stamina, knowledge of fitness and nutrition,
21
First Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Congregation Members Spread the
Good Word About Good Health
First Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church has roots that run far
and deep within the south DeKalb community. Although
the church is medium size in comparison to many
other churches in the area, the congregants display
their super-size commitment to the church through
their regular attendance. And with many members
having attended First Mt. Pleasant for a number of
decades, there is a distinct reverence for tradition and
the old ways.
Although tradition has its rightful place in many aspects
of life, there is a time and a place for the new, especially
when it comes to adopting new and better health habits.
Congregation member and nurse Majorie Davis-Sams
is one of the church’s advocates for improving the
nutritional habits and health of her fellow congregants.
Ms. Davis-Sams began her quest with Edna McMichael,
also a nurse and First Mt. Pleasant congregation
member, by attending healthy living meetings offered by
the DeKalb County Board of Health.
“Several members of our congregation work in health
care-related fields so we are naturally inclined to
share health awareness with our fellow congregation
members,” said Ms. Davis-Sams. “The meetings we
attend at the DeKalb County Board of Health help us to
share proper nutrition and meal preparation with the rest
of the congregation and the community. The meetings
also provide us with contacts for continued education,
resource assistance and advocacy,” she added.
Teaming with Church Leadership to
Establish Long-Term Initiatives
With the help of Senior Pastor Rev. Victor Tate and
Health and Education Minister Rev. Casina Washington,
Ms. Davis-Sams, Ms. McMichael and other church
members are finding success in establishing some
22
new ways based on healthier habits. The church has
implemented the “Body & Soul” Health and Wellness
Ministry, and from the pulpit and through monthly
newsletters, health education information is shared with
the congregation.
Ms. Davis-Sams explains how better health habits
are being adopted by church members. “Attitudes
and meal planning for certain functions have been
influenced through the information we have relayed
from the DeKalb County Board of Health and other
community resources. More water, juice, fruits and
vegetables are now being served during fellowship
meals, and the Women’s Ministry has added a fitness
walk before each monthly meeting.
The Congregational Wellness initiative hosted a health
and wellness day that included a spiritual advocate
whose primary goal is to educate using biblical
principles on wellness. The wealth of information
shared during this session included physical
assessments including body mass index, obesity and
chronic disease prevention.
Opening the Door to Healthy Living
to the Rest of the Community
Mt. Pleasant hosted an annual health fair featuring
vendors supplying healthy snacks, information regarding
healthy living, and nutritionists sharing their expertise
on healthy food and meal preparation. The community
outreach efforts included radio advertisements, banners,
fliers and word of mouth.
The fair was a comprehensive health and wellness venue
with vision screens from Grady Memorial Hospital,
physician panels, AID Atlanta and Sickle Cell Foundation
of Georgia speakers, therapy, Zumba fitness, and
representatives from the fire department who teach safety
habits.
Feedback from the community and beyond has
been overwhelmingly positive with Health and
Education Minister Rev. Casina Washington receiving
acknowledgement from the American Diabetes
Association.
Ms. Davis-Sams attributes the overall success of First
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church’s congregational wellness
program to the support and dedication of Sr. Pastor
Rev. Victor Tate, Health and Education Minister Rev.
Casina Washington, and those involved with the
planning and conducting of the annual health fairs.
Also guiding the healthier future of First Mt. Pleasant
Church are Ms. Davis-Sams and Ms. McMichael as they
plan to continue serving as healthy living liaisons by
attending meetings offered by the DeKalb County Board of
Health, and by remaining faithful members of the Health
and Wellness and Women’s ministries.
“The meetings we attend at the DeKalb County Board
of Health help us to share proper nutrition and meal
preparation with the rest of the congregation and the
community.”
Ministerial Walk Provides an Opportunity for Faith Community to Unite
Through Exercise and Fellowship
For members of the faith community, there is an
undeniable connection among the spirit, mind and
body. Unfortunately, many congregation members
find themselves caught up in the responsibilities of
everyday life, often putting exercise at the bottom of
their to-do lists.
Understanding the challenge of getting routine exercise,
the Board of Health’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention
and Live Healthy DeKalb coalition teamed up to help ten
faith based organizations nurture the body through a
Ministerial Walk. The coalition’s event coordinator and
members handled logistics while the Board of Health
promoted the walk through newspapers, radio stations,
and Internet advertisements as well as e-mails.
The joint effort was a success with almost 100 members
of the faith community taking part in the walk. The
participating groups were Antioch AME Church, Berean
Christian Church, First Baptist Church on Gresham
A beautiful venue creates a fun and relaxing environment.
The joint effort was a success with almost 100 members
of the faith community taking part in the walk.
Road, Greenforest Community Baptist Church, New
Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church, New Birth
Missionary Baptist Church, Ray of Hope Christian
Church, Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church,
Saint Philip AME Church, and Stronghold Christian
Church.
Ministerial Walk Serves as the First
Step in the Journey to Better Health
While the Ministerial Walk proved to be a winning
annual one-day event, its greater purpose was to serve
as a gateway to other opportunities.
The immediate health benefits and fellowship were
not the only outcomes of the brisk walk. The event
placed better health habits at the forefront of church
ministries’ and the congregants’ daily lives. The groups
were encouraged to develop and implement a wellness
policy that establishes a walking club or physical fitness
program for its members.
The overall success of the Ministerial Walk is not just from
accomplishing the walk, but from the sustainable changes
that grew out of the walk. Today, a number of faith-based
organizations have wellness policies in place, have started
walking clubs, and have held similar events.
The Board of Health’s Office of Chronic Disease
Prevention’s Community Liaison Alicia Cardwell-Brown
explains the larger objective of the walk by saying,
“The Ministerial Walk provided an opportunity for
faith leaders to share in a community walk with their
congregants and to begin or continue a physical activity
program designed to encourage healthy lifestyles
and physical fitness. The intent of the walk was to
improve the health and well-being of the clergy and
congregation members by motivating them to establish
walking groups or clubs.”
Ms. Cardwell-Brown attributes the event’s popularity
to the carefully selected venue. “The walk was held
at a beautiful park, encouraging the faith community
to be active, and to fellowship with members of their
congregation and with others in the faith community in
a relaxed environment that promoted healthy lifestyles.”
Participants warm up for the four-mile Ministerial Walk.
23
Health Care
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the DeKalb County
Board of Health Step Together to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb relied on strong, capable
community partners to combat chronic diseases such
as Type 2 diabetes. Partners like Children’s Healthcare
of Atlanta are vital to area residents’ long-term success
in preventing and managing lifelong conditions.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Child Health Promotion
Department was awarded a Steps intervention grant to
train 20 DeKalb health care providers on Type 2 Diabetes
Intervention Prevention Program (TIPPS) for Kids program.
A successful, 12-week, after-school program, the goals
of TIPPS for Kids were to help overweight youth ages 10
to 18 develop a healthy lifestyle and to improve their
self-esteem.
Through an interactive two-day workshop, health care
providers who serve families living in south DeKalb
County learned the components of the TIPPS for Kids
program to help area children prevent or reduce the risk
factors associated with Type 2 diabetes.
Putting TIPPS for Kids to Work
in Conquering the Conditions
Associated with Type 2 Diabetes
The first step was the assessment. The TIPPS for Kids
participants had baseline blood tests and their height
and weight taken. Next came fitness testing and eating
habits questionnaires. The intervention involved twiceweekly, 45-minute exercise sessions. Balance, flexibility,
strength training and aerobic conditioning were key
aspects of the sessions. The program also provided
four individual nutrition consultations and two healthy
eating demonstrations.
A key component of this program was parental support.
Parents learned about their influence as role models
and about nutrition, hunger-fullness regulation, the
child’s body image, physical activity, and the barriers
that may inhibit family lifestyle improvements.
After 12 weeks in TIPPS for Kids, participants’ blood
values, height, weight, fitness level and eating habits
were reassessed.
The TIPPS for Kids program had positive results
including stabilization of body mass index, reduced risk
factors, improved lab tests, improved eating habits and
increased physical activity habits.
Through strong partnerships and finely tuned, proven
programs such as TIPPS for Kids, Steps to a Healthier
DeKalb advanced toward its goal of a healthier
community.
The TIPPS for Kids program had positive results
including stabilization of body mass index, reduced
risk factors, improved lab tests, improved eating
habits and increased physical activity habits.
25
City of Hope’s Hope Kidz Care Initiative Helps Create a Community of
Healthier, Happier Children and Families
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb provided funds for
innovative, community-based programs aimed at
increasing physical activity, improving nutrition and
reducing tobacco use. One of the funded programs
was Hope Kidz Care, a health care initiative of City of
Hope Ministries.
In 2002, City of Hope Ministries began working on
health care initiatives that targeted underserved
areas including south DeKalb County. An advisory
committee of physicians, nurses and other health
care professionals recognized that children and
families in the Dunaire community face a number of
factors that contribute to poor health. These include
unemployment, illiteracy and a high dropout rate, all of
which can lead to inadequate access to health care.
Addressing the Chronic Disease
Factors that Hinder Learning
With such debilitating challenges facing the adults in
the community, their children frequently suffer from
poor nutrition, lack of exercise and other factors that
lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity and
asthma. Untreated, these conditions can significantly
hinder a child’s learning capacity.
Using Steps to a Healthier DeKalb funding, City of Hope
enhanced its partnership with Dunaire Elementary
School. The Hope Kidz Care initiative assessed and
addressed conditions affecting the students. They were
found to have a lot to overcome to achieve better health.
Ninety percent lived in poverty. One-third of the children
were homeless, with many living in extended stay
motels. Also, many students were enduring the effects
of impaired hearing and vision, obesity, pre-diabetes,
asthma, and poor dietary habits.
Grant funding gave Dunaire Elementary School
students much more than just a glimmer of hope for
a healthier future. One project involved more than
200 volunteers in building a new playground at the
school. The initiative also offered health care services
including vision and dental screenings as well as
diabetes screenings with nutrition education and weight
management training for children and their parents.
Oakhurst Medical Center partnered with City of Hope
to provide free immunizations to students from lowincome families. Over 275 children and approximately
100 school staff were impacted by these initiatives.
Helping Students Achieve their Full
Potential
partnership with the Board of Health’s Steps to a
Healthier DeKalb program benefited the children and
families of the Dunaire community. “Healthy eating and
activity patterns are essential for students to achieve
their full academic potential, physical and mental
growth, and lifelong health and well-being. Through
Hope Kidz Care, our intent was to educate, transform
and improve the quality of life in this community by
preventing diabetes, obesity and hospitalizations due
to asthma. The collaboration with the City of Hope’s
Hope Kidz Care allowed the Steps to a Healthier DeKalb
program to reach a transient population in need of the
services. Partnering with the Board of Health’s Steps
program fit both agencies’ missions.”
Even though the grant period has ended, Rev. Crawford
is optimistic about ongoing outreach that fosters
healthier and happier families. “We hope to continue
the interventions and initiatives so that we can help
families receive a range of services. These may include
education on diabetes, asthma, nutrition and physical
fitness as well as screening for diabetes and vision,
dental, and hearing problems.”
Citing a strong link between nutrition, physical activity
and learning, the Rev. Stanley Crawford, minister of
Christian education, explains how the City of Hope’s
“Healthy eating and activity patterns are essential for students to achieve
their full academic potential, physical and mental growth, and lifelong
health and well-being.”
26
Creating a
Movement
Steps Has a Far-Reaching Impact
A variety of initiatives took place in the community,
worksite, school, faith and health care settings
thanks to Steps to a Healthier DeKalb. The articles
highlighted earlier cover a fraction of everything that
was accomplished. Examples of the other initiatives are
recapped below.
Community
A mass media campaign promoted tobacco use
cessation and made people aware of the dangers
of secondhand smoke. The campaign disseminated
messages through brochures, posters, and
presentations. Evaluation from four presentations
showed that the 130 participants increased their
knowledge of secondhand smoke by 70 percent.
DeKalb County Human Development’s Office of Senior
Affairs implemented Take Charge of Your Health, a
physical activity and nutrition program. Among the
283 seniors who participated, 76 percent ate more
fruits and vegetables, 63 percent ate more calciumrich food, 63 percent ate more high fiber foods and 57
percent decreased or maintained their weight.
Worksite
Through the DeKalb Healthy Business Council
executives from worksites and chambers of commerce
met to explore opportunities to promote wellness and
preventive care. The council helped increase attendees’
knowledge of nutrition and tobacco related policies
and environmental changes that can be instituted in
the workplace.
The Diabetes at W
Work luncheon helped employers
learn how to reduce employee absenteeism, increase
productivity and lower health care costs. The
participants left understanding the variety of wellness
policies they could adopt such as requiring healthy
foods at meetings and events, and reimbursing workers
for gym memberships.
Schools
The Breathe with Ease asthma management program
was taught to 60 students at Flat Shoals and Avondale
elementary schools. Evaluation of the program
showed that 80 percent of the students increased their
knowledge about asthma. In fact, no children were
hospitalized due to asthma during the program.
The YMCA’s Youth Fit for Life, a 12-week, afterschool program, includes cardiovascular activities,
strength building exercises, behavioral skill building
and nutrition education. Youth Fit for Life was
instituted in ten elementary and middle schools
with 450 to 700 students participating annually. The
intervention was shown to reduce the body mass
index of participants.
Faith
The Diabetes Association of Atlanta instituted the Big
Deal at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The
program assigned the 110 participants to a physical
fitness instructor and the individuals attended
nutrition meetings. Prior to the program, 28 percent
of the participants ate two to three servings of fruits
and vegetables daily. By the end of the program, 51
percent of participants ate two to three servings of
fruits daily and 46 percent of participants ate two to
three servings of vegetables daily. Ninety-six percent
of the participants planned to continue regular
exercise after the program.
The Congregational Wellness Advocates program
provided training on policy, systems, and
environmental change to congregations. To promote
these changes, grants were provided to faith-based
28
Step Up to a Better Health Day game participants.
organizations. One grantee added signs to promote
stairwell use which led to greater use of the stairs
over the elevator. Also, the vending machines were
changed to include healthier food and beverage
choices that have proven popular.
Health Care
Oakhurst Medical Center instituted a diabetes
management program that targeted seniors who
were not managing their diabetes well. The program
provided 100 participants with self-management
resources, glucose monitors and nutrition resources
that improved their ability to manage the disease.
A health literacy conference was held for health
care providers and consumers. Over 100 attendees
learned about health literacy, how it improves health
outcomes and strategies to improve communication
between providers and patients. Evaluation of
the conference showed 92 percent of participants
agreed that they could improve health literacy in
DeKalb.
Creating a Movement of Healthy Change
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb has transformed the nature
of health promotion in the county. The Board of Health
has revised its approach and begun working with
non-traditional allies. Community organizations have
become more involved. And health messages have
begun to circulate in new ways.
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb prompted the Board of
Health’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention to move
away from one-time and short-term activities to efforts
to influence policies, systems, and environments. Steps
also spurred the office to reach out to new partners
such as chambers of commerce, farmers, and DeKalb
County’s departments of planning and development,
public safety, and transportation.
With the backing of the DeKalb County Board of Health,
many community organizations committed to fighting
chronic diseases have strengthened their conviction.
This stronger conviction and newfound team approach
have transformed the goal of healthier living in to a
full-fledge community movement. Steps to a Healthier
DeKalb not only increased community engagement, it
created a platform for partners who had not previously
come together. The Belvedere Active Living Plan
represents one of these successful unions in that it was
developed jointly by several neighborhood associations.
Witnessing the Community Adopt a
new Mindset and a Healthier Way
of Life
The Steps to a Healthier DeKalb social marketing
campaign was vital in mobilizing area residents to
commit to healthy change. This was accomplished by
bringing media in to the community with messages
that were tailored specifically to south DeKalb. The
messages were presented through a variety of channels
such as signs on buses, grocery store receipts, a
calendar, healthy recipes, and through newspaper and
radio ads. Today it is common to see an article each
week on health in local newspapers — this was not the
case prior to Steps.
Steps funded numerous programs that touched the
many facets of the south DeKalb community. These
individual programs resulted in healthy lifestyle
changes such as:
The new partnerships have been maintained in new
initiatives including Communities Putting Prevention to
Work, as the DeKalb County Board of Health examines
the broader social determinants of health and the
contexts in which people live, work, and play.
Increased knowledge of diabetes, asthma, tobacco
and secondhand smoke.
Reduced rate of hospitalization due to asthma.
Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Increased physical activity.
W
Weight loss.
These accomplishments were possible thanks to
innovative strategies and supportive partners. Steps
created a movement. Through a movement comes
change. Steps to a Healthier DeKalb helped change
social norms in the south DeKalb community.
Steps funded numerous programs that touched the many facets of
the south DeKalb community. These individual programs resulted in
healthy lifestyle changes.
29
CDC’s Strategic Alliance for Health Continues on Course
The groundwork laid by Steps to a Healthier DeKalb is
instrumental in making the Board of Health competitive
when applying for other grants. For example, the
Board of Health received a Strategic Alliance for Health
grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. This grant continues the focus on policy,
system, and environmental changes that began during
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb.
Policy, system, and environmental changes require
collaborative effort and time. Therefore, the Strategic
Alliance for Health initiatives that were selected built
upon the expertise of Board of Health staff resulting in
focus on initiatives in the schools and community.
The Board of Health is working with the DeKalb County
School System at both the system and school levels.
Nutrition standards are being revised to target fundraisers
and vending machines which will have a system-wide
impact. The Board of Health, DeKalb schools and other
organizations such as YMCA are working on joint use
agreements. These agreements will enable a school
and organization to share the use of a field for physical
activity programs. Safe Routes to Schools, a program
that promotes biking and walking to school, will be
implemented in individual schools.
Nutrition and physical activity initiatives are underway in
the community. The Board of Health is working with the
county government and the cities of Chamblee, Clarkston,
and Doraville on a garden in parks policy. The policy will
enable community members to have edible gardens in the
parks. Other nutrition efforts on the horizon are improving
food access in the McNair community and establishing at
least two farmers markets and one urban farm.
The Board of Health’s foray in to working with
community members on active living plans came about
through Steps to a Healthier DeKalb, but has been
expanded in scope through Strategic Alliance for Health.
The effort started with the Belvedere community and
is now focused on three cities: Chamblee, Clarkston,
and Doraville. The Chamblee and Clarkston plans are
completed and aspects of the plans will be funded
through Strategic Alliance for Health over the next year.
A plan will soon be created in Doraville.
Mentoring also is an important aspect of the Strategic
Alliance for Health initiative. The Board of Health
staff are mentoring Cobb and Douglas counties on
Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership,
a tool that enables the health needs of the community
to be identified and leads to a plan to address the
needs. New mentees will be selected outside the metro
Atlanta area in 2011-2012.
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb Helps Unite the Community in the Quest for
Better Health and Better Quality of Life
Over the years, countless south DeKalb residents had
a keen awareness of the health challenges facing the
area’s population. Community members, health care
providers and area businesses have implemented a
variety of initiatives aimed at reducing obesity, diabetes
and asthma. Unfortunately, the silo-like approach to
addressing these widespread health issues limited the
success of these initiatives.
Through Steps to a Healthier DeKalb, many of the
individual programs were united under one umbrella.
Health initiatives in south DeKalb now have a
considerably larger outreach, resulting in a much
greater impact on the community. The common goal
of reducing the health risks associated with obesity,
diabetes and asthma is being achieved every day by
addressing the underlying risk factors of physical
inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use.
Funding Provides the Nourishment
for the Healthy Living Mission
Through Steps to a Healthier DeKalb funding, the
DeKalb County Board of Health has greatly increased its
30
capacity to address risk factors for chronic disease, build
sustainable partnerships and facilitate lasting change.
The funds awarded to Steps to a Healthier DeKalb
helped disseminate information to the community and
enabled the focus to shift from programs to policy,
system, and environment changes. Although focused
on south DeKalb, Steps to a Healthier DeKalb was
foundational in getting the Board of Health involved in
more countywide efforts and better able to touch more
lives. This momentum continues.
Acknowledgments
Steps Leadership Team
Community Coalition
Ruby Blow
Glory Kilanko
Ken Lazarus
Pamella Thomas, M.D.
County Government
Braunwin Camp
DeKalb County Human and Community Development
Education
Jennifer Errion
DeKalb County School System
Joan Kidd
Paula Swartzberg
Joyce Wimberly
Health Systems
Tim McNeill
Oakhurst Medical Center
Anthony Young
Oakhurst Medical Center
Public Health
Don Brundage
Residents
Ann Brown
Belvedere Civic Association
Arlene Parker Goldson
Alice Smith
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb Staff
Current Staff
Leslie Richmond, M.D., M.B.A.
Division Director, Community Health and Prevention
Services
Dianne McWethy, M.P.A.
Division Director, Administration
Vickie Elisa
Division Director, Marketing and Business Development
Alicia Cardwell-Brown
Community Liaison, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention
Jessica Grippo, M.P.H.
Coordinator, Office of Epidemiology and Statistics
Teresa Daub
Tamiko Dibbles
Carlene Randolph
Administrative Assistant, Health Assessment and Promotion
Tiffany D’Mello, M.P.H.
Elizabeth Ruddiman, Ph.D.
Volunteer Resources Coordinator, Marketing and Business
Development
Joanna Elmi, M.P.H.
Dana Timar, M.P.H., M.S., M.A., C.H.E.S.
Program Specialist, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention
Brandi Jessemy Whitney, M.P.H., M.C.H.E.S.
Prevention Program Specialist, Office of Chronic Disease
Prevention
Linneth Edwards, M.S., C.P.H.
Keisha Hanson, M.P.H.
Christopher Holliday, Ph.D.
Edna Holloway, M.Ed.
Greta Kilmer, M.S.
Eryn Marchiolo, M.P.H.
Joanna Pritchard
Avian Wynn Dalton
Program Associate, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention
Former Staff
Jyotsna Blackwell, M.P.H.
Robin Tanner, M.S., R.D., L.D.
Laura A. Durojaiye, M.P.H.
Interim Manager, Health Assessment and Promotion
Bethann Cottrell, Ph.D.
Ann Ussery-Hall, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.
Rachel Yelk Woodruff, M.P.H.
Every effort has been made to ensure that these lists are complete and accurate. If there is an omission or error please accept our apologies.
31
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb
445 Winn Way
P.O. Box 987
Decatur, GA 30031
(404) 508-7847

2004-2011 Connecting with Community

Transcription

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