Physical Activity Update | Eat Smart, Move More…NC

The PAN Branch welcomes Deborah Dolan, Community Development Specialist with the Statewide Health Promotion Program. Deborah will provide training and technical assistance to local health departments and community partners implementing policy and environmental changes supportive of healthy eating, physical activity, and tobacco use prevention.

Deborah most recently served as a Program Consultant with the Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, N.C. Division of Public Health. She has also served as the Project ASSIST Coordinator for Wake County Human Services, as a health educator with the Communicable Disease Prevention and School Health teams within Wake County and as a health for the Granville-Vance District Health Department.

Deborah holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in School and Community Health with a concentration in Worksite Health Promotion from East Carolina University and is a Registered Health Educator with the NC Board of Registry for Health Education, Inc. We are excited to have Deborah as part of our team. Deborah can be reached at Deborah.Dolan@ncmail. 919-707-5243.

Programs, Projects and Initiatives

Rescuing Recess

Although fresh air and play are said to assist kids in learning, the majority of schools do not have a policy that ensures daily recess. To help address this issue, Cartoon Network has partnered with one of Action for Healthy Kids Partners, the National Parent Teacher Association (and others) to create a national movement. Their campaign, “Rescuing Recess” coincides with National Recess Week - which takes place this week - and is designed to safeguard and promote daily recess. Now through June 2008, Rescuing Recess is recruiting volunteers nationwide to serve as recess monitors at their local elementary schools.

Schools who participate in this effort have a chance to win up to $2,500 in cash grants and to complete for one national grant of $25,000! Visit www.cartoonrecessweek.com to find out more.

Thunderhead Alliance-Complete the Street’s Policy Initiative and Benchmarking Report

Complete streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and bus riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street. Thunderhead’s campaign goal is to have “complete streets” policies in all 50 states by 2008. To view current state and local level policies including an example download of Chicago’s complete the street policy see this link www.thunderheadalliance.org/completestreets.htm

CS_Policies Excerpts from the Complete the Streets Guide

The Thunderhead Alliance Benchmarking Project is an on-going effort to collect and analyze data on bicycling and walking in all 50 states and at least the 50 most-populated U.S. cities. The 2007 Benchmarking Report “Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.” is now available on this site

For more information, see this link.
(From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 15th, 2007)

National Institute of Health’s We-Can! Trainings 

The National Institutes of Health is hosting an upcoming We Can! training. We Can! is a turn-key education program designed to help families and children maintain a healthy weight. To date, more than 370 organizations, including more than 60 schools and school systems, have committed to working with the We Can! science-based, childhood overweight prevention materials. There is no registration fee for the events. The next training is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, November 5-6, 2007. This two-day training offers those working in park and recreation departments, schools, after-school programs, public health departments, youth-serving organizations, hospitals and health systems, faith-based organizations, worksites, and other organizations the opportunity to learn more about We Can!

The event will be instructional, interactive, and offer networking opportunities for all community members concerned about the growing problem of childhood overweight. The training is open to anyone, regardless of whether you live in-state or out-of-state.  Register today at www.wecantrainings.org, no registration fee is required. To learn more about We Can! Communities, Partners, and Resources, visit this link. To watch the 60 second We Can! Flash animations go to this site. (From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 29th, 2007)

Success Stories

Eat Smart, Move More…NC cheers on NC Senior Games State Finalists

Eat Smart, Move More…NC sponsored the SilverStriders Fun Walk of the NC Senior Games State Finals. Participants walked three laps around a large playing field at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, NC, as they embraced the Senior Games’ spirit - taking a holistic approach to body, mind and spirit, and staying fit while enjoying the company of friends, family, spectators and volunteers. For more information go to www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com.

Featured Resources and Research

Physical Activity Policy Research Network 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Physical Activity Policy Research Network (PAPRN) in October of 2004 to study the effectiveness of health policies related to increasing physical activity in communities. The PAPRN was established as a thematic research network of the Prevention Research Centers (PRC) program, with funding from the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at CDC. The formally established network consists of four PRC member centers, one coordinating/member and CDC technical advisors. Several other PRCs have joined the network as affiliate member centers. Activities coordinated by the Saint Louis University center include: 

1) Active Transport To and From School: A Multi-site Exploration of Physical Activity Policy this link.

2) Exploring Policy Change in the Development of Community Trails this link.

3) Defining a Physical Activity Policy and Environmental Research Agenda- Obtaining the Perspectives of Practitioners and Researchers” Powerpoint presentation at this site.

Additionally, another center as part of this network- North Carolina Physical Activity Policy Research Center, is currently exploring the various types of policies affecting physical activity at a county level and have developed three policy fact sheets around these topics: Walking and Bicycling to and from School, Community Trail Development, and Community Health Considerations in School Siting. They can be downloaded from the NCPAPRC website at: this site.

To learn more about the national network and for additional information and reports from physical activity policy research, please visit this site. (From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 15th, 2007)

National Association of Chronic Disease Director’s Highlights Funding Opportunities 

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) links chronic disease program directors in every US state and territory and provides a national forum focused on efforts to reduce the impact of chronic diseases and their risk factors on states and communities nationwide.  NACDD now provides a web page that consolidates funding opportunities aimed to improve chronic diseases. Open deadlined as well as those with deadlines are featured.
If you would like to submit a funding opportunity for posting or provide feedback on this resource, please contact David Yum mailto:dyum@chronicdisease.org. Page available <a href="http://www.chronicdisease.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3574" www.chronicdisease.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3574">here (From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 15th, 2007).

Worksites: WELCOA Resource- Choosing Appropriate Interventions 

A WELCOA report that discusses 11 important issues or questions that must be addressed as part of planning in order to effectively offer the appropriate interventions for employees. To read the report go to this site(From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 15th, 2007).

Worksites Eating Smart and Moving More Releases Two New Ready-To-Use Worksite Wellness Resources

On September 12, Worksites Eating Smart and Moving More released two new resources for worksites interested in creating and implementing wellness programs and policies. The Saving Dollars and Making Sense Management Guide and the Saving Dollars and Making Sense Committee Guide are must-sees for employers and employees! For more information go to this site.

Successful Students Eat Smart and Move More Provides Tools for Advocating for Local Wellness Policies

The N.C. Division of Public Health launched a program to help school administrators and parents advocate for the implementation of wellness policies in local schools. Successful Students Eat Smart and Move More is a social marketing intervention intended to raise awareness and support of school wellness polices. The goal is to ensure that these policies are implemented, monitored and evaluated to ensure they are meeting the needs of the schools, staff and students. For more information go to this site; to download resources go to this site.

Evaluation of Smart Growth on the Ground-Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia 

Evaluation of Smart Growth on the Ground is a report that evaluates the outcomes to date, in addition to the effectiveness, efficiency, impacts, and sustainability of the Smart Growth on the Ground (SGOG) initiative. The report highlights key strengths, challenges, and lessons learned in the three pilot communities where the initiative has been implemented, which are then used to inform a set of guiding principles for the future of the project, including recommendations on strategies for improving the SGOG approach and its partnerships. For more information go to this site (From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 29th, 2007).

CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health: School Health Education Resources (SHER) 

CDC’s Centers and Divisions have developed a wide variety of science-based and other instructional materials that can help schools enhance existing health education curriculum and instruction. CDC’s School Health Education Resources (SHER) is a unique, user-friendly web tool that consolidates these resources in one convenient location. SHER helps Pre-K-12 classroom teachers, school nurses, counselors, curriculum directors, and school administrators easily locate CDC’s health education resources.  SHER features instructional materials aligned with the National Health Education Standards, Second Edition, 2007, and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curriculum. The online database is searchable by

Health education topics commonly found in a comprehensive school health
education curriculum.
Four types of resources, (curriculum and lessons, teacher instructional materials, student materials, and fact sheets).
Grade level groupings, (Pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)

SHER provides the sole comprehensive, user-friendly place to browse and access these resources at CDC. 

Visit CDC’s SHER online at this link
(From CDC’s and NSPAPPH Physical Activity One-Way Listserv, October 29th, 2007)

Legislation

There are no updates at this time.

Grants

NCDOT Announces Safe Routes to School Program

Call for Proposals: 2007-08

As of October 22, 2007 the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation (DBPT) is accepting applications for two Safe Routes to School (SRTS) competitive award programs sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation: To learn more about Safe Routes to School or the NCDOT Safe Routes to School Program, go to this site or contact the SRTS Coordinator, Leza Wright Mundt, AICP at 919-807-0774 or lwmundt@dot.state.nc.us.

Action Plan Service Award
Deadline: January 14, 2008. This award program encourages schools or communities to begin a Safe Routes to School program by providing recipients assistance in developing a SRTS Action Plan. Action Plans provide a framework for identifying projects, programs and activities that will make walking and bicycling to school safer and more appealing. Local and regional government agencies, tribal governments, schools or school districts are eligible and encouraged to apply for this service award.
The deadline to apply is January 14, 2008. For more information about the Action Plan Service Award, please visit NCDOT’s SRTS Program website at this site.
Non-Infrastructure Grant Reimbursement Program
Deadline: January 14, 2008. This cost reimbursement program encourages schools or communities to create and implement education, encouragement and/or enforcement programs and activities that aim to shift community behavior, attitudes and social norms to support increased safety and convenience for children to walk and bicycle to school.

Any state, local or regional agency, tribal government, school or school district, or non-profit organization is eligible and encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply is January 14, 2008. For more information about the Non-Infrastructure Grant Reimbursement Program, please visit NCDOT’s SRTS Program website.

Training and Professional Development

The North Carolina Summit on Youth and Families

December 4-5, 2007
Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC

The 2007 North Carolina Summit on Youth and Families will convene leaders in a dynamic, visionary, collegial setting from education, government, business, and communities. The Summit’s goal is to examine critically the current status and future direction of our state’s youth and families. The first of its kind in our state, the Summit is targeted to professionals and volunteers from non-profit organizations, government agencies, and business and industry.  The 2007 Summit will focus upon the following three critical, contemporary issues facing our state’s youth and families: Strengthening Economic Opportunities; Striving for Educational Excellence; and Improving Health and Well-being.  Sponsored by the Department of 4-H Youth Development and Family & Consumer Sciences at North Carolina State University, specific Summit objectives include:

Examining critical and emerging issues facing North Carolina’s youth and families and their communities.
Discussing how existing organizations, agencies, and programs may successfully address these issues through community-based programs. 
Envisioning new strategies and approaches to better address these and other emerging issues in the future. 
Interacting across geographic and organizational boundaries so as to share ideas and strengthen collaborations and partnerships.

The two-day Summit program includes more than 45 interactive concurrent sessions focused upon current and emerging issues facing our state’s youth and families, as well as two plenary luncheons with nationally-known speakers.  We invite individuals, programs and organizations to exhibit at the Summit. Please refer to this site. We also invite individuals to submit proposals for the Wednesday afternoon concurrent sessions. The Request for Proposals may be found at this site.

For all registration information, please visit the Summit web site. Special “early-bird” registration rates are available if received before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 5th.   For contact information regarding specific aspects of the Summit, please refer to the contact areas and names found at this site.

7th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Health and Liveable Communities Conference

February 7-9, 2008
Washington, DC

Conference registration is now open for the 7th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities Conference, February 7-9, 2008 in Washington, DC.  Visit this site for detailed information on the conference program, tours of model projects, special workshops, invited speakers, and to register.