Summary of Public Input for Maryland’s First Food Charter Released

For Immediate Release:  November 7, 2016
Contact: Evelyn Kelly, 202-407-7086  [email protected]

 

Washington, D.C. –  The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) released Creating Maryland’s Food Charter: A Summary of Public Input, a document that summarizes the results of a 10-month public process to develop content for Maryland’s first Food Charter. The document includes input from hundreds of food policy stakeholders from across the state’s five main regions (Western, Capital, Central, Southern and the Eastern Shore).

Many organizations and food coalitions throughout Maryland are working on issues ranging from urban agriculture to food recovery. Although much of their work may interconnect, they are often operating in isolation simply because much of the work is done at the local level without a state-wide lens. Accordingly, IPHI and a diverse group of stakeholders have been working to foster collaboration and collective action at the state level for a healthy, just, and sustainable food system in Maryland.

“The public input process was the first step towards developing the Food Charter, which will be a living document that unites food system stakeholders around collective values and goals,” said Evelyn Kelly, Senior Program Manager with the Institute for Public Health Innovation. “Ultimately, we want to create an awareness of the different components of the food system and spur collective action to make impactful changes in the area of food policy.”

In 2014, IPHI began a state-wide effort to listen to concerns from all over the state with regards to the Maryland food system. During the first phase of the project, IPHI conducted a series of regional convenings combined with a needs and asset assessment that produced community-led action steps and recommendations to create an optimal food system. Guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of this initiative is an Advisory Committee composed of eight members that represent multiple food system sectors and interests.

“Over the past few years, we have seen a consistent increase in the number of states with food policy councils or networks across the country, so Maryland is in good company in its effort bring these stakeholders together,” said Anne Palmer, Program Director of the Food Communities & Public Health Program within the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and Advisory Committee member to the Initiative.

For the second phase, IPHI plans to finalize the Food Charter to engage and enhance awareness of policy makers in the food system. The Maryland Food Charter will be released in Spring 2017. This initiative was made possible through a grant awarded by the Town Creek Foundation. To learn more about the Food Charter or to provide input regarding the preliminary goals and strategies, visit www.institutephi.org/mdfoodcharter.

A PDF of this press release can be accessed here.

 

About Institute for Public Health Innovation

IPHI creates partnerships across sectors and cultivates innovative solutions that improve health and well-being for all populations and communities across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, particularly those most affected by health inequities. IPHI’s work enhances the environments and conditions in which people live, age, work, learn, and play; strengthens health service systems and public policy; and builds organizational and community capacity to sustain progress.  IPHI is one of 44 public health institutes across the country and a member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. For more information on IPHI, see www.institutephi.org, and follow IPHI on Facebook and Twitter @InstitutePHI.

Montgomery County Receives Major National Investment for Community-Based Efforts to Prevent Chronic Disease

Silver Spring, Maryland (March 3, 2016) –   Trinity Health, one of the country’s largest health systems, has awarded a Montgomery County, Maryland collaborative $500,000 per year for three to five years to implement a range of public health strategies that can reduce obesity, promote tobacco-free living, and address social determinants that impact health outcomes. The grant is one of six made nationally through Trinity Health’s new Transforming Communities Initiative.  The local collaborative includes Trinity Health member Holy Cross Health, the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI), Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and Healthy Montgomery, the county’s local health improvement coalition.  IPHI will serve as the lead agency for the effort.

“Holy Cross Health is proud that its Montgomery County partnership has been selected by Trinity Health for this multi-year, multi-million dollar grant to support and promote healthy lifestyles,” said Kevin J. Sexton, president and CEO of Holy Cross Health. “It is a logical extension of the work Holy Cross has done over many years in providing healthcare access to all and creating community partnerships to improve health.  We are very appreciative of the high quality partners who have joined together in this effort.”

The strategies will focus on policy, systems and environmental changes that offer long-term benefits for community health improvement, with a focus on the communities of Gaithersburg, Germantown, Long Branch and Takoma Park.  The announcement was made at an event held Tuesday, March 1 at Holy Cross Hospital.

“Montgomery County has tremendous leadership and collaborative spirit across government and community organizations,” said Michael Rhein, President & CEO of the Institute for Public Health Innovation.  “This is an extraordinary opportunity to work together to create healthier conditions and environments in areas of the county where we’ve identified some critical needs as well as notable assets.”

“This grant represents an important milestone in showcasing the strength of our partnership between Holy Cross Health, Institute for Public Health Innovation and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (MCDHHS),” said Uma Ahluwalia, director of MCDHHS.  “It advances the agenda of Healthy Montgomery, an effort to improve the health and well-being of our county’s residents.  We are humbled and grateful to be chosen and look forward to making important gains in the areas of obesity prevention and smoking cessation.”

In a later phase of the program, Montgomery County partners will have the opportunity to access low-interest investment loans through a complementary arm of the Trinity Health initiative to support interventions related to key determinants of health, such as access to healthy food, affordable housing and early childhood issues.

“I am delighted that Montgomery County has been selected as one of six communities nationwide to participate in the Transforming Communities Initiative,” said County Councilmember George Leventhal, chairman of the Council’s Health & Human Services Committee and co-chair of the Healthy Montgomery Steering Committee.  “This designation confirms that our efforts through Healthy Montgomery to bring together stakeholders to set public health priorities, improve population health and eliminate health disparities are making a real difference.”

For more information on the Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative, contact Evelyn Kelly, [email protected].

 

PETERSBURG, VA — As part of its new strategy to promote a culture of health across the region, The Cameron Foundation kicked off the first in a series of co-sponsored workshops September 29. The “Healthy and Equitable Communities Workshop,” coordinated in partnership with Prince George County, convened officials across key sectors, such as health, education, public safety, community development, human services and the faith community to design a more broad-based approach to combating health disparities in the area. The workshop was led by Dr. Michael Royster, Vice President at the Institute for Public Health Innovation, and Abby Charles, Senior Program Manager of the organization. The next workshop, co-hosted by Sussex County, will take place October 29 to look at the social determinants of health in that locality and  identify strategies to promote healthy communities for all residents.

“By bringing the partners together to look more closely at the social determinants of health, we believe the community will be better positioned to address some of the challenges that are outside of traditional health care but very much affect the quality of life for residents in the county,” explained Cameron President J. Todd Graham. Some examples of social determinants include educational attainment, safe and affordable housing, income, food access, and improved work and neighborhood environments.

– more –

The workshop used a case study of a 12-year-old girl facing multiple personal, family, and community challenges as the basis for discussions about some of the root causes of health disparities. The workshop facilitators reviewed how various groups, such as low-income populations and communities of color, experience higher rates of disease and death across many different health outcomes, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, violence, injuries, and infant mortality, all of which are strongly influenced by limited access to supportive social determinants of health.

The workshop also stressed the importance of integrating a multicultural framework, based on a commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, into program development and service delivery and broadening the range of partners in developing and implementing health equity strategies. Participants concluded the workshop by applying these concepts to programs, policies and services they are currently involved in, in order to enhance the health-promoting effect of their work. “Our opportunities to engage in healthy behaviors, to avoid unhealthy exposures like air and water pollution, and to live long, productive lives, are defined by where we live, work, learn and play. Creating communities that support the health and well-being of all residents requires broad partnerships among community residents, local government, nonprofits, the business community and others,” Dr. Royster emphasized.

In the Robert Wood Johnson 2015 County Health Rankings for Virginia, Prince George County ranked 28 out of 133 for health outcomes and 76 out of 133 for health factors. Graham noted that each community in the Foundation’s service area has a unique set of assets and needs for improved health, and that Prince George County community leaders and officials responded quickly to the opportunity to work across sectors toward this goal.

The Prince George work is being led by the county administrator’s office. Bill Robertson, Chair of the Prince George County Board of Supervisors, participated in the day-long session to gain a better understanding of some of the challenges that Prince George County residents might face that affect the overall culture of health in the community. “The activities helped us put ourselves in other people’s shoes to understand some of these barriers to improved health,” Robertson explained. “Also, we learned how the rural setting can make it harder to address some of these issues because residents live so far apart,” he added, noting, “We want to find ways to answer some of these concerns of our citizens, and this training has certainly helped us.”

– more –

The health equity workshop series is a component of The Cameron Foundation’s proactive work to bring together stakeholders to tackle large, systemic problems in the region. The proactive strategy, which supplements the Foundation’s responsive grants program, is expected to improve the Foundation’s impact through increased collaboration with community partners. As a complement to the Institute for Public Health Innovation’s training and technical assistance to some localities in the Tri-Cities area, the Foundation also has facilitated a partnership through the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings Coaching Project to assist with improving health outcomes in Petersburg.

 

ABOUT THE CAMERON FOUNDATION

Founded in 2003, The Cameron Foundation is a private foundation that was formed from the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center by the Hospital Authority of the City of Petersburg. Its service area includes the region historically served by the hospital and includes the cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell; the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex; and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Route 10. Since it began grantmaking in 2004, it has awarded $71 million to organizations serving residents of this area. Through its work, the Foundation strives to transform the Tri-Cities and surrounding counties into a healthy, vibrant and economically vital region by strategically leveraging resources for community impact.

More information about the Foundation is available on its website, www.camfound.org, or by telephone at 804 732 8900.

Contact: Risha Stebbins

Phone: 804-732-8900

#     #     #

 

For Immediate Release: September 1, 2015

Washington, DC – With up to $40,000 to award through its Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign, the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) has awarded grants to ten Maryland and Virginia municipalities to implement policies that promote access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity.

The call for proposals was announced in May 2015, as the first time the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign was able to offer funding to its member municipalities. Two types of grants were made to municipalities that were HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign members as of June 25, 2015: six Kick-Off rants in the amount $500 and four Implementation grants in amounts of $5,000-$9,000. To become a member of the HEAL Campaign, local governments passed HEAL Resolutions outlining specific policy goals to create communities where all residents and employees can make healthy choices about physical activity and nutrition.

Implementation $5,000 – $9,000	Kick-Off $500
Town of Edmonston, MD	Town of Capitol Heights, MD
City of Frederick, MD	Town of Federalsburg, MD
City of Galax, VA	City of New Carrollton, MD
City of Hyattsville, MD	Town of New Market, VA
	Town of Rock Hall, MD
	Town of Sykesville, MD

 

These grants are intended to provide resources for cities and towns to implement an adopted HEAL policy in their community and increase access to nutritious food choices and/or opportunities for physical activity. For the purposes of the Small Grant Program, implementing a HEAL policy means to put it into effect. Often a lack of financial resources can be an obstacle for local governments to move from adopting a policy to policy implementation. This program aims to help address that barrier by providing funds that can help “jump-start” or fund part of an implementation effort. Grant recipients will have until February 12, 2016 to complete the grant-funded project. Kick-off grants required a 20% match and Implementation grants required a 50% match; eligible matching funds were cash or in-kind services and material. All implementation activities must take place in or directly impact incorporated cities, towns, or counties in Maryland and/or Virginia. Funding was generously provided by the Campaign sponsor, Kaiser Permanente for the Mid-Atlantic States.

“We are thrilled to support local governments to move beyond policy adoption to implementation,” said Mid-Atlantic Campaign director, Marisa Jones. “We know that policy change is necessary to combat chronic disease, but if we don’t work with localities to implement the HEAL policies they’ve adopted, we haven’t actually increased access to nutritious foods or physical activity. The goal of this grant program is to provide funding to cities, towns, and counties to implement the HEAL policies that they’ve adopted and actually change the environments to support healthy choices.”

Twenty-five high-quality applications were received. Each proposal was given serious consideration by an independent, seven-member external review committee representing active transportation, workplace wellness, environmental sustainability, hunger and nutrition, public health, and community development. The HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign currently has 48 member cities, towns, and counties in Maryland and Virginia; each community, regardless of award status is eligible to access all of the free HEAL resources the campaign offers to assist local governments to adopt and implement HEAL policies, including a series of webinars on HEAL policies, support from HEAL staff at IPHI, a policy menu with over 50 HEAL policies, fact sheets with guidance on the most popular HEAL policies, archived webinars on a number of topics, and downloadable slides from Campaign workshops.

About the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign

The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign is an initiative to support local elected officials and their staff to create communities where all residents can make healthy choices about physical activity and nutrition. Since 2012, the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) has partnered with the Maryland Municipal League, the Virginia Municipal League, and Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States to provide technical assistance and training to local governments to adopt policies that improve their communities’ nutrition and physical activity environments. IPHI is the official public health institute for Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia and is one of 44 members of the National Network of Public Health Institutes.

For more information about the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign, please visit www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org or contact Marisa C. Jones at [email protected].

# # #

For more information, contact:

Marisa C. Jones, Program Manager

Institute for Public Health Innovation

[email protected]

202.803.6121

IPHI and CommonHealth ACTION Announce New Partnership Structure

For Immediate Release: July 1, 2015

Washington, DC – The Boards of Directors of CommonHealth ACTION and the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) are pleased to announce an exciting new stage in the relationship between the two non-profit organizations. As of July 1, 2015, IPHI will operate independently, while the two organizations will continue to co-locate and share administrative capacity to ensure that both organizations continue to thrive.

The Institute for Public Health Innovation is a regional organization that creates partnerships across sectors and cultivates innovative solutions that improve health and well-being for populations and communities across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, particularly those most affected by health inequities. IPHI is one of 44 such institutes affiliated with the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). The three jurisdictions lacked an official public health institute until 2009, when a group of stakeholders representing government, philanthropy, academia and others endorsed the launch of a regional institute. Subsequently, NNPHI, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Kaiser Permanente provided seed funding. Regional leaders supported the strategic decision to incubate IPHI within CommonHealth ACTION in order to leverage the organization’s reputation and capacity and ensure sustainability before creating a new non-profit. Underscoring the need for a public health institute, IPHI has grown to have an annual operating budget of over $3M and 36 staff in the 5 years since its launch.

Founded in 2004, CommonHealth ACTION is a national public health organization that aligns people, strategies, and resources to generate solutions to health and policy challenges. With a vision for America in which systems and institutions create equitable opportunities and neighborhood conditions for all people to achieve their best possible health, CommonHealth ACTION works with partners across sectors and disciplines to improve the social and economic determinants of health. CommonHealth ACTION’s mission is complementary to IPHI’s and has fostered a mutually supportive relationship over the past several years. In spinning IPHI off from CommonHealth ACTION, the leadership of both organizations acknowledges the importance of ensuring IPHI is directly accountable to the region and that it will continue to develop as part of the region’s public health infrastructure.

“IPHI’s Board and staff are deeply appreciative of the role CommonHealth ACTION played in IPHI’s early development,” said Michael Rhein, IPHI’s President & CEO. “CommonHealth ACTION’s leadership saw a clear need in the region for a public health institute and worked to pull together initial support. We now have a strong foundation on which to continue to build the organization so it can be an important contributor to the region’s health for decades to come.”

“CommonHealth ACTION is proud to have played an integral role in the creation of IPHI, and we expect it will prove to be one of our greatest legacies,” said Natalie S. Burke, President & CEO of CommonHealth ACTION. “We are all excited about this new phase of our relationship and expect to continue to partner. This evolution in both organizations’ business models will open doors and create new opportunities to improve the health of communities both nationally and regionally.”

The Institute for Public Health Innovation already has a number of notable accomplishments to its name. Examples include securing a $2M federal grant to prevent chronic disease in Prince George’s County, Maryland; administering a key outreach and enrollment component of DC Health Link, the District’s health insurance exchange; and leading the regional Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign, supporting nearly 50 municipalities in Maryland and Virginia to pursue proactive local policy agendas to improve community health. IPHI has also become known for its efforts to promote community health workers (CHWs), local residents who find career opportunities working to improve the public’s health as trained peers in their communities. IPHI has trained hundreds of CHWs, created dozens of CHW jobs and served as a technical resource for health service providers interested in community-based approaches.

The IPHI Board and staff look forward to working with stakeholders around the region to continue to shape the ways in which IPHI can help create healthy communities. For more information on the Institute for Public Health Innovation as well as CommonHealth ACTION, visit www.institutephi.org and www.commonhealthaction.org.

# # #

For more information, contact:

Michael E. Rhein, President & CEO
Institute for Public Health Innovation
[email protected]
202-407-7094

Natalie S. Burke, President & CEO
CommonHealth ACTION
[email protected]
202-747-3512

Press Release – IPHI Independence – 07-01-15

For Immediate Release Monday, May 4, 2015

Institute for Public Health Innovation Launches HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign Grants Program with $40,000 Available in Funding

Washington, DC –  Through its HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign, the Institute for Public Health Innovation is offering a total of $40,000 to local governments in Maryland and Virginia to implement policies that promote access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity. Up to twelve communities will receive funding through a competitive application process that opened on May 4, 2015.

The HEAL Cities & Towns Small Grants Program will support local governments to implement policies that increase opportunities for healthy eating and/or active living in the community and/or government workplace. Two types of grants will be made: Kick-Off grants in the amount of up to $500 will be awarded to 6 communities and Implementation grants in amounts of $5,000-$9,000 will be awarded to 4-6 communities. These grants support the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign’s goal to support local leaders’ efforts to create communities where residents and employees can eat better and move more. These grants are intended to provide resources for cities and towns to implement an adopted HEAL policy in their community and increase access to nutritious food choices and/or opportunities for physical activity. Grant recipients will have approximately six months to complete the grant-funded project. All activities must take place in or directly impact incorporated cities, towns, or counties in Maryland and/or Virginia.

The full Request for Proposals is available at: www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org/grants. Funding is provided by the Campaign sponsor, Kaiser Permanente for the Mid-Atlantic States.

“We are thrilled to support local governments to move beyond policy adoption to implementation,” said Mid-Atlantic Campaign director, Marisa Jones. “We know that policy change is necessary to combat chronic disease, but if we don’t work with localities to implement the HEAL policies they’ve adopted, we haven’t actually increased access to nutritious foods or physical activity. The goal of this grant program is to provide funding to cities, towns, and counties to implement the HEAL policies that they’ve adopted and actually change the environments to support healthy choices.”

Applications are due to Kate McGrail ([email protected]) on June 25, 2015.

About the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign

The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign is an initiative to support local elected officials and their staff to create communities where all residents can make healthy choices about physical activity and nutrition. Since 2012, the Institute for Public Health Innovation has partnered with the Maryland Municipal League, the Virginia Municipal League, and Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States to provide technical assistance and training to local governments to adopt policies that improve their communities’ nutrition and physical activity environments.

For more information about the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign, please visit www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org

###

For more information, contact:

Marisa Jones, Program Manager

Institute for Public Health Innovation

[email protected]

(202) 803-6121

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/24/15

 “Down By the Riverside” Community Health Walk: Strong Parks, Strong Communities

Neighbors, community members, and local organizations “look to the parks” for a healthier, greener future

 Washington, DC: Washington Parks & People, the Institute for Public Health Innovation, and other partners will be joining with neighbors and community leaders on Saturday, May 2nd, to celebrate 14 years of community health and empowerment through the transformation of Marvin Gaye Park. Our Community Health Walk will begin at 9:30AM, at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center (6201 Banks Place NE). The walk is scheduled to conclude at around noon, on the banks of the Anacostia River, in Kenilworth Park.

“Marvin Gaye Park has become an international model of what is possible when our community comes together to revitalize our green spaces as engines for jobs, health, and recreation,” says Steve Coleman, Executive Director of Washington Parks & People. “We hope that walking through the restored space of Marvin Gaye into Kenilworth Park will give us inspiration for how we can continue this journey of green growth and community empowerment.”

Michael E. Rhein, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Health Innovation says, “What’s happening in and around Marvin Gaye and Kenilworth Parks is truly inspiring.  Ward 7 residents know what their communities need, and by connecting families, friends, and neighbors, we hope this walk will stimulate ideas for further strengthening the parks and surrounding neighborhoods for years to come.”

Spanning the length of Far Northeast DC, east of the Anacostia River, Marvin Gaye and Kenilworth parks are becoming artery of health and community empowerment in the East of the River region of Washington, DC. Featuring 9 stops along the 3 mile walking route, Parks & People and local community members will be highlighting the vital role of our green spaces and parks to bring about health and prosperity for every part of our city.

This May 2nd, we invite you to join us “down by the riverside,” as we look to the parks for…

Health:  We believe that nature is the best medicine, and we will begin our walk at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center, emphasizing the health benefits that our park system has to offer. With this in mind, we’ll begin our walk with a public health offering from medical personnel.

Environmental Justice: Through our parks, we are rooted in our land. In our second stop, at 59th/60th sts NE, we will explore how our DC green space can become engines of eco-justice and health for the entire Anacostia River Watershed.

Overcoming Addiction: Being present in our parks gives us freedom to grow and overcome addiction as a community. We will stop at the Marvin Gaye Amphitheatre to consider how we can use our green spaces to break the cycle of addiction and reclaim independence and self-reliance in our neighborhoods.

Workforce Development: Unemployment is a big problem in our city, and with the development of a local green economy, we see a bright future with green jobs for our neighborhood. At the Riverside Healthy Living Center (601 Division Avenue NE), we will highlight the successes of the DC Green Corps program’s 160 graduates, and consider how we can move forward together in the days ahead.

Healthy Food and Agriculture: Many of the neighborhoods along the route of our walk could be classified as “food deserts,” due to their lack of convenient, healthy, and affordable groceries. Where others see only emptiness, we see fresh food and fresh ideas – opportunity for community-based urban agriculture! As we stop at the Marvin Gaye Greening Center, we’ll catch a glimpse of what it will look like for our city to once again become a leader in local farming.

Countering Violence: It is our experience that peace starts in the park. In times of violence, hatred, and confusion, our green spaces can be refuges and places of healing. Our parks function as a sort of city-wide immune system from which we can draw strength to reject the lure of destruction and violence in our neighborhoods. Stopping for a moment of reflection in the Martin Luther King Sanctuary, we’ll consider how we can effectively use the parks to promote peace in our city.

Civic Engagement: Our parks are like a natural metro system that organically connect all the different parts of our city. We believe that our parks are powerful, both in the way that they bring us together for local engagement in our neighborhoods, as well as in the ways that they can become launchpads for connecting across the Washington region to improve health and develop community assets.

Imagining Our Future: The final leg of our journey will take us underneath 295 and into Kenilworth Park, where we will gather on the shore of the Anacostia River. We’ll be looking to the future of our parks and neighborhoods, with the closing theme of sowing seeds for tomorrow.

Everyone is invited to participate and enjoy fun, food, fitness and friends! The walk is a family-friendly event; bikes, strollers, wheelchairs, and roller skates are welcome. For the latest information about the Community Health Walk, visit the Down By the Riverside event site: http://downbytheriverside2015.wordpress.com/

 

###

Contact:

Micah Bales

Communications Coordinator

Washington Parks & People

[email protected]

202.462.7275 (ex.15)

HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign Offering $40,000 in Small Grants to Maryland and Virginia Cities and Towns

This spring, for the first time ever, cities and towns in Maryland and Virginia have an opportunity to obtain new resources to increase local options for healthy eating and active living from the Healthy Eating Active Living Cities & Towns Campaign for the Mid-Atlantic.  Since 2012, the Institute for Public Health Innovation has partnered with the Maryland and Virginia Municipal Leagues to support local leaders to create healthy communities through the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign.

The HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign is offering $40,000 in grants to HEAL cities and towns for implementation of HEAL policies.  Funding is provided by the Institute for Public Health Innovation through the generosity and continued support of  Kaiser Permanente for the Mid-Atlantic States. The official application will be posted on the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign website (www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org) on May 4, 2015, and will close on June 25, 2015. All cities that join the HEAL Cities &Towns Campaign by June 25, 2015 will be eligible to apply for these grant funds.

Two types of funding are available:

• Kick-Off grants up to $500 (up to 6 awards)
• Implementation Grants will be between $5,000 and $9,000 (4-6 awards)

Here are some examples of HEAL policies; with implementation projects that could be funded with these grant funds:

Kick-Off Grants (up to $500)
HEAL Policy	Implement Policy by using Kick-Off Grant Funds to:
Adopt a nutrition standard for catering for city/town meetings and events	Plan a training event for staff who order food/catering and order lunch from vendors that meet nutrition standard
Adopt an active stairwell policy	Improve lighting, purchase posters and stair risers
Adopt a policy promoting consumption of water in the workplace	Install a water bottle filling water fountain in a place where free drinking water is not currently available
Include walkability goals in Comprehensive Plan/Adopt a policy to install wayfinding signs in city/town	Develop walking trail map and install temporary signs to prototype permanent installation https://walkyourcity.org/

Implementation Grants ($5,000 – $9,000)
HEAL Policy	Implement Policy by using Implementation Grant Funds to:
Adopting a Complete Streets policy that encourages biking and walking.	Conduct a capacity building workshop for staff in Planning and Public Works Departments on how the Complete Streets policy changes their current approach to street and road design.Develop priorities and development plans for sidewalks and bike lanes in under-resourced neighborhoods. Add “sharrows” to an existing road to create a shared use lane.
Adopting guidelines for provision of Community Gardens to increase food access.	Purchase the materials necessary for the city to provide water to the community garden.
Adopting connectivity policies to link existing sidewalks and trails to create a more walkable city.	Promote use of connected walkway by seniors, families, and people with disabilities by installing benches. Create walking maps that show path from residential areas to needed services.
Adopting policies to support expanded urban agriculture sites and uses to increase access to fresh food.	Support staff time from council of governments or other city planning resource to amend zoning or development code.

If your community would like to apply for a grant and is not already a HEAL City or Town, the first step is to join the Campaign.   Please contact Marisa Jones at [email protected] or 202-803-6121. For more information on the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign, visit www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org.

 About the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign 

The Campaign highlights the crucial role local governments can play in creating healthy communities for their residents by adopting policies that expand healthy options where residents live, work, and play.  The Campaign offers many tools to cities and towns including:

• a policy library and  info sheets with guidance on the most popular HEAL options, at  www.healcitiesmidatlantic.org;
• periodic webinars featuring national experts and the perspective of local government leaders;
• workshops held in conjunction with League events and on their own; and
• free consultation and technical assistance.

To date, 35 cities and towns in Maryland and Virginia have joined the HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign by adopting HEAL Resolutions with specific policy goals to advance healthy eating and active living in their communities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Virginia Stakeholders Gather to Promote the Training and Employment of
Community Members as Part of the Healthcare Workforce

 Frontline Community Health Workers Provide a Cost-Effective Strategy to Improving the Public’s Health

FREDERICKSBURG, VA. (April 1, 2015) — Dozens of community health workers and stakeholders will participate in a much anticipated forum on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 entitled Investing in Community Health Workers: Advancing Virginia’s Health, Reducing Cost, and Improving Quality. The 1-day event, to be held at the Fredericksburg Hospitality House Hotel and Conference Center, is organized by the Institute of Public Health Innovation, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and an advisory group of community health workers and health services leaders.

The forum aims to increase awareness about the roles of community health workers in bridging health care and population health in Virginia. As defined by the American Public Health Association, a community health worker (CHW) is a trained frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as an intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

Freddy Zambrano, Community Health Worker placed at Fredericksburg Area HIV/AIDS Support Services and member of the Forum’s Advisory Group, heralded the event as an opportunity to build upon ongoing work in Virginia and across the region. Freddy stated, “The Forum will allow us to raise awareness among policy makers, health care and social service providers, and the general public about the importance of hiring community health workers and supporting efforts such as professional certification and financing that are central to the sustainability of this innovative workforce.” The Forum will address the role of community health workers in improving community health and supporting financially sustainable, quality health care and service delivery systems.

Among others, participants and speakers will include:

• Community health workers from across Virginia;
• State agencies such as the Virginia Department of Health and Department of Medical Assistance Services;
• Representatives from Federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation;
• Academic institutions from across Virginia;
• Virginia Community Healthcare Association and others representing community primary care providers; and
• Community-based organizations.

Virginia’s “Investing in Community Health Workers” Forum is one of four state forum initiatives taking place nationally with funding from the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. IPHI and three other public health institutes supported by NNPHI are exploring innovative ways to bridge public health strategies and health care systems to improve community health. “Finally, the community health worker profession is beginning to get the attention it deserves as a critical resource within our health and social service systems. IPHI looks forward to working with leaders across Virginia to help build and lift up this essential workforce,” said Michael Rhein, President & CEO of IPHI.

Following the forum, participants can remain active by getting involved in the Virginia CHW Advisory Group and a new statewide CHW professional association. Participants may also help develop a multi-sector awareness campaign on the role and benefit of CHWs, and many will support efforts within their organizations to employ and utilize CHWs.

For additional information about the Forum and related work, contact IPHI’s Center for the Community Health Workforce at [email protected].

 

About the Institute for Public Health Innovation:  The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) builds partnerships across sectors and cultivates innovative solutions to improve health and well-being for all people and communities across Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland, particularly those most affected by health inequities. IPHI is the official public health institute serving the region, and is a leading expert in the training and utilization of community health workers in health care delivery. IPHI has trained over 250 CHWs in the last 4 years and directly supports dozens of CHWs through its various initiatives.

###