Communities of Excellence 3 A Blueprint for Community Action Valerie Quinn, M.Ed. Cancer Prevention & Nutrition Section California Department of Health.

Communities of Excellence3

A Blueprint for Community Action

Valerie Quinn, M.Ed. Cancer Prevention & Nutrition SectionCalifornia Department of Health ServicesAPHA, December 2005

Picture of traffic, sprawl

Schools

Food deserts

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FOOD DESERTS

Role for Public Health

Provide dataConvene interested partiesConduct needs assessments & evaluationEducate publicAdvocate for specific policy and environmental change

Policy and Environmental Change: New Directions for Public Health, ASTDHPPHE & CDC, 2001

Technology Transfer

Built environment

Healthy foods

Physical activity

Reduce TV viewing

Reduce hunger/food insecurity

Breastfeeding

Health care

CX3 Defined

A planning model that involves assessing communities in relation to a variety of obesity prevention benchmarks known as community indicators and assets. 3 = nutrition, physical activity and obesity preventionStandardized indicators & assets – big plus!

Key Vision

CX3 Goal

Empower communities!!! Assess a community’s strengths,

assets, gaps & weaknesses Set priorities based on data Strategic local data-driven action

plans Broaden participation Evaluate progress

Indicators & AssetsCommunity Indicators Specific, observable

characteristics of a community’s environments & norms.

Example “Supermarkets and grocery stores

offering healthy, affordable food choices are located in low-income neighborhoods and readily accessible to residents.”

Indicators & AssetsAssets A community’s

“readiness” for addressing policy and environmental change.

Example“Extent of local officials who

advocate for local government action to promote environments that support healthy eating… “

Creating CX3

Gather all possible indicators & assets. Refine.

Total: 151 Indicators44 Assets

Creating CX3

Indicators organized in 6 Community Environments:

Neighborhood Preschool School After-school Worksite Government

Assets organized into:

Health department infrastructure

Political will Community

infrastructure

Creating CX3

Creating CX3 -- Cont.Raters by Type of Organization

(n=142)

23.9

16.216.2

10.6

7.76.3

4.9 4.94.2

2.1 2.10.7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Organization Type

Per

cen

t o

f R

ater

s

Local Health Department

School

State Government

Non profit/Community BasedOrganizationOther*

Community Clinics/Hospital

University

UC Cooperative Extension

Federal Government

Advocacy Organization

Voluntary Health Organization

Faith Based Organization

CX3 Top Picks

Community IndicatorsNeighborhood: 12

indicators (42 total)

Preschool: 5 indicators (14 total)

School: XX indicators (45 total)

After-school: 6 indicators (11 total)

Worksite: 6 indicators (20 total)

Government: 4 indicators (19 total)

Community AssetsLocal Health Dept. Infrastructure: 3 assets

(14 total)

Political Will: 3 assets (10 total)

Community Infrastructure:

11 assets (20 total)

CX3 FocusNeighborhood Environment

Supermarkets in low income neighborhoods If not, do small neighborhood stores offer healthy

food? Transportation available CA 5 a Day program Nutrition info provided Limit unhealthy advertising & displays aimed at

kids Food banks provide healthy food Farmers’ markets accept EBT cards Alternative sources of health food available Density of FF outlets restricted Outdoor “unhealthy” advertising restricted Neighborhoods safe and walk-able

CX3 Focus – Cont.

Community Assets: Local Health Department

InfrastructureObesity prevention… formal or expressed dept priority (Report Card)Actively develops collaborative relationshipsDedicated staff with expertise

Political WillLocal elected officials supportiveExtent of supportive media coverageState/federal elected officials supportive

CX3 – What’s Next?

1. Assessment tools; strategies outlined Start: Focus within Neighborhood, Local

Health Dept, Political Will Eventually -- all Top Picks in all environments

CX3 – What’s Next?

1. Assessment tools; strategies outlined

2. Pilot Projects test tools

CX3 – What’s Next?

1. Assessment tools; strategies outlined

2. Pilot Projects3. Materials/training provided &

implemented by local health departments and others

CX3 – What’s Next?

1. Assessment tools; strategies outlined

2. Pilot Projects3. Implemented by local health

departments and others4. Breastfeeding indicators and WIC

assets coming soon

Benefits to Participation

Advances local policy change – Proven!Puts local groups at forefront for obesity preventionGives standardized indicators for ALL types of work in obesity preventionAppealing to funders

Challenges – so far…

Dynamic environment – build to growGrowing research base + limitationsNarrowing the “Top Picks” Funding changesID instruments – practical for local level, limited resources

Change the environment, do not try to change

the person.Buckminister Fuller, architect, engineer, mathematician, poet

and cosmologist.

For more information

List of Top Picks, etc.:Valerie [email protected]